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Here we are providing Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Extra Questions and Answers Class 10 English First Flight, Extra Questions for Class 10 English was designed by subject expert teachers.

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Extra Questions and Answers Class 10 English First Flight

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Extra Questions and Answers Very Short Answer Type

Question 1.
What was the occasion?
Answer:
It was the occasion of installation of South Africa’s first democratic government.

Question 2.
Where did the ceremony take place?
Answer:
The ceremony took place in the Union Buildings of Pretoria.

Question 3.
Why had world leaders come there?
Answer:
The world leader had come there to pay their respect to the newly formed Government.

Question 4.
Who was Zenani?
Answer:
Zenani was the daughter of Nelson Mandela.

Question 5.
Who was sworn in as the first Deputy President of South Africa?
Answer:
Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as the first Deputy President of South Africa.

Question 6.
What was specific about that system?
Answer:
The system was formed on the basis of one of the harshest,’ most inhumane societies the world has ever known.

Question 7.
When was that system eradicated?
Answer:
The system was overturned in the last decade of the twentieth century.

Question 8.
How was the new system different?
Answer:
The new system was different because that system recognised the rights and freedom of all people.

Question 9.
What did Mandela want as a student?
Ans.
Mandela wanted freedom for himself as a student.

Question 10.
What did Mandela realise?
Answer:
Mandela realised that there was no freedom in South Africa for anyone who looked like him.

Question 11.
What was Mandela not unmindful of?
Answer:
Mandela was not unmindful of‘Apartheid’.

Question 12.
Why was the Mandela pained?
Answer:
Mandela was pained as the people who laid their lives for this day could not be present to see.

Question 13.
What did he think about freedom?
Answer:
He thought that freedom is indivisible.

Question 14.
Why did he join African National Congress?
Answer:
He joined African National Congress to achieve freedom for all his people.

Question 15.
What are two enemies of a person?
Answer:
Prejudice and narrow-mindedness are the two enemies of a person.

Question 16.
What does courage mean to Mandela?
Answer:
Courage means to Mandela the triumph over fear.

Question 17.
What was the national anthem for the blacks?
Answer:
The National anthem for the blacks were ‘Die stem’.

Question 18.
Who accompanied Mandela?
Answer:
Mandela’s daughter Zenani accompanied him.

Question 19.
What must the people learn?
Answer:
The people must learn to hate. If they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.

Question 20.
Who was sworn in as second deputy President?
Answer:
Mr de Klerk was sworn in as second deputy President in South Africa.

Question 21.
What is ‘Apartheid’?
Answer:
‘Apartheid’ is a political system that separates people on the basis of their race.

Question 22.
Who wrote the autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom”.
Answer:
Nelson Mandela wrote his autobiography “Long Walk to Freedom”.

Question 23.
What is the full name of Mr Mandela?
Answer:
The full name of Mr Mandela is Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.

Question 24.
Why did the leaders gather in .South Africa on 10May, 1994?
Answer:
The leaders gathered in South Africa to pay their respects to Nelson Mandela.

Question 25.
What roared in perfect formation over the Union Buildings?
Answer:
South African jets, helicopters, and troop carriers roared in perfect formation over Union Buildings.

Question 26.
What could the highest generals have done to the author earlier?
Answer:
The highest generals could have arrested the author earlier.

Question 27.
What were the colours emitted by a chevron of Impala jets?
Answer:
The colours emitted by a chevron of Impala jets were black, red, green, blue and gold.

Question 28.
What did the smoke trail of Impala jets symbolise?
Answer:
The smoke trail of Impala jets symbolised South African flag.

Question 29.
How old was the author at the time of the ‘Inauguration’?
Answer:
The author was in his eighties at the time of the inauguration.

Question 30.
How many years did Nelson Mandela spend in prison.
Answer:
Nelson Mandela Spent twenty seven years in prison.

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Where did the oath-taking ceremony take place?
Answer:
The oath-taking ceremony took place in Union Buildings of Pretoria.

Question 2.
What ideals did Mandela set out for the future of South Africa in his speech?
Answer:
Mandela set out ideals for the future of South Africa because he had deep feelings for his country and countrymen. He pledged to liberate all the people from poverty, deprivation and discrimination.

Question 3.
How, according to Mandela, had apartheid policy affected South Africa?
Answer:
Apartheid policy had affected South Africa deeply. It had created a deep and lasting wound in the country and its people. It will take a long time to heal this wound.

Question 4.
What did Mandela think about the oppressor and the oppressed?
Answer:
Mandela thought about the oppressor and the oppressed that both are robbed equally. A mail who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred. In the same way, if his freedom is taken away, they both are without freedom. So both of them must be liberated.

Question 5.
What according to Mandela, is ‘true-freedom’?
Answer:
According to Mandela, true freedom means freedom not to be obstructed in leading a lawful life.

Question 6.
How did ‘hunger for freedom’ change Mandela’s life?
Answer:
In the beginning of his life, Mandela was not aware about freedom. Later, Mandela found that his freedom had been taken away from him. As a student, he wanted freedom only for himself but slowly his own freedom became the greater hunger for the freedom of his people. This changed him completely.

Question 7.
What are the ‘twin obligations’ referred to by Nelson Mandela?
Answer:
According to Nelson Mandela, every man has two obligations in life. The first obligation is to his family, to his parents, wife and children. Secondly, he has an obligation to his country, people, and community.

Question 8.
Could a man. according to Mandela, fulfil these twin obligations in a country like South Africa?
Answer:
No, these twin obligations could not be fulfilled by a man, in a country like South Africa, according to Mandela. It was because a man of dark colour who attempted just to live as a human being was punished and isolated in the country.

Question 9.
What is the meaning of courage to Mandela?
Answer:
According to Mandela, courage was not the absence of fear, but triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. Mandela learned the true meaning of courage from his comrades in the struggle.

Question 10.
What was unique in the inauguration ceremony?
Answer:
The inauguration ceremony took place in the amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria. For decades, this had been the seat of white supremacy. Now it was the oath taking ceremony day for South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government. It was really a unique occasion.

Question 11.
Describe the inauguration ceremony in simple words?
Answer:
It was the day of 10th May, 1994. The first democratic, non- racial government was to be installed. Dignitaries from different countries participated in the ceremony. South African men, women and children of all races were present there.

Question 12.
What promises did Mandela make to his people in the oath-taking speech?
Answer:
In the oath-taking speech, Mandela promised that the country shall not again experience the oppression of one by another.

Question 13.
What did Mandela say about the future of the country in his speech?
Answer:
In his speech, Nelson Mandela said, “I see a bright future of the country. Now no one will experience the oppression by another. It will make much progress. All people shall be free to do what they like.”

Question 14.
How did South African jets, helicopters and troops demonstrate?
Answer:
It was a very special day for all. South African jets, helicopters and troop carriers roared in perfect formation. They flew over the Union Buildings. It was a show of military’s loyalty to the country and its democracy.

Question 15.
What did the generals and police officers do on that day?
Answer:
The generals and police officers were also there. They were in their uniform. They had ribbons and medals on their chests. They saluted Mandela with great respect. Mandela was the first black President of South Africa. Although, many years ago, they might have arrested him.

Question 16.
What were the two anthems sung on the day of oath-taking ceremony?
Answer:
On the day of oath-taking ceremony, the two anthems were sung. ‘Nkosi Sikelel-i-Afrika’ was for the whites and ‘Die stem’ was for the blacks. ‘Die stem’ was the old anthem of the country.

Question 17.
Whose names were particularly taken by Mandela in the inauguration ceremony?
Answer:
In the inauguration ceremony, Mandela announced the names of Oliver Tamboo, Walter Sisulus, Chief Luthuli, Yusuf Dadoo, Bram Fisher and Robert Sobukwes. These men were of extraordinary courage and wisdom.

Question 18.
Describe Mandela’s life journey from a prisoner to the first black President of south Africa.
Answer:
Nelson Mandela did a life-long struggle against the racial discrimination in South Africa. He had to pass many years of his life as a prisoner in the jail. At last the first democratic elections were held in South Africa. His party won 252 seats out of400 and he became the first black President of South Africa.

Question 19.
What is the greatest wealth of a nation in Mandela’s opinion?
Answer:
In Mandela’s opinion, the greatest wealth of a nation is not minerals and gems but its good and honest people.

Question 20.
What difficulties did Mandela face in his life?
Answer:
Mandela had to face many difficulties in his life. He had to leave his house to fulfil his duty to his people. In the prison, he was treated very badly.

Question 21.
Who took oath first in the ceremony?
Answer:
In the ceremony, Mr de Klerk was first sworn in as second Deputy President.

Question 22.
Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
Answer:
The ceremonies took place in the Union Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria. Hawa Mahal in Jaipur and Fatehpur Sikri are the buildings in India made of sandstone.

Question 23.
Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?
Answer:
Tenth May, being an autumn day, in South Africa has a symbolic meaning. In the season of autumn, all the old leaves fall from the tree and give birth to new ones. In the same way, old racial government had given way to the new anti-racial democratic government in South Africa. It was the beginning of a new era.

Question 24.
At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human disaster”. What does he mean hy this? What is the “glorious human achievement” he speaks of at the end?
Answer:
At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human disaster”. It was the policy of apartheid in South Africa. People were the victim of racial discrimination. Now they had achieved freedom. They will never be oppressed. It was the end of the most inhuman system of the government. He calls it a glorious human achievement.

Question 25.
What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?
Answer:
Mandela thanks the international leaders for their support for the people of South Africa.

Question 26.
What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela sets out many ideals for the future of South Africa. He says that all the people will be free from poverty, deprivation and discrimination. They will never experience oppression by others.

Question 27.
What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed, and why?
Answer:
They obey their masters. They acted under the orders of the whites so far. Today they had shown their loyalty to the democracy. Earlier they arrested Mandela. Today they showed their loyalty to him by saluting him. There was a change in system. The newly elected non-racial democratic government had changed their (military generals) attitude. Now they were not the servants of the whites. They were now in the service of their own people.

Question 28.
Why were two national anthems sung?
Answer:
It was an occasion of installing the first democratic non-racial government which was formed by both the whites and the blacks. Both had their different anthems. In order to give equal honour and recognition both the national anthems were sung.

Question 29.
How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country
(i) in the first decade, and
(ii) in the final decade, of the twentieth century?
Answer:
In the first decade of the 20th century, the whites erected a system of racial discrimination against the blacks. They set up the most inhumane system of apartheid where the blacks were denied the fundamental right of freedom. In the last decade of the twentieth century, the system was overturned. The policy of apartheid was uprooted from the land and a new non-racial democratic government was installed to ensure equal rights and freedom to all the people of South Africa.

Question 30.
What does courage mean to Mandela?
Answer:
Courage means to Mandela the triumph over fear. A brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.

Question 31.
Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela thinks that to love is natural, because it comes naturally in our hearts.

Question 32.
What “twin obligations” does Mandela mention?
Answer:
According to Mandela every person has twin obligations. The first obligation is towards his family, parents, wife and children. The second obligation is to work for his people, community and the nation.

Question 33.
What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student? How does he contrast these “transitory freedoms” with “the basic and honourable freedoms”?
Answer:
Freedom had different meanings for Mandela at different stages. As a boy, freedom for him meant to run freely in the fields and to swim in the stream. As a student he wanted freedom to stay out at nights, to read what he liked, later he realised that this freedom was an illusion. He found that all the black brothers and sisters were in chains. There was no freedom for a respectful life. Their freedom was curtailed at every stage. He wanted the basic and honourable freedom of achieving his potential of earning his keep, of marrying and having a family. He believed that freedom is indivisible. Everyone has to be free.

Question 34.
Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/why not?
Answer:
According to Mandela both the oppressor and the oppressed must be liberated. Both of them are robbed of their freedom and humanity.

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
Discuss the scene of the inauguration ceremony? Who took oath in the ceremony? Why is the inauguration called a historic occasion for South Africa?
Answer:
It was the bright and clear day of 10th May, 1994. The inauguration ceremony took place in the Union Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria. The most famous world leaders and representatives gathered there. The generals and police officers were also there. They had medals and ribbons on their chests. South African jets, helicopters and troop carriers roared in perfect formation over the Union Buildings. First of all Mr. de Klerk, then Thabo Mbeki and then Nelson Mandela took the oath.

The inauguration can be called a historic occasion for South Africa as on this day the first democratic government was installed. It was an end of more than three centuries of the white rule.
Nelson Mandela became the first Black President of South Africa.

Question 2.
What were Mandela’s opinions about the first and last decades of the twentieth century?
Why does he say on the day of the inauguration that he was overwhelmed with a sense of history? .
Answer:
On the day of the inauguration, the speaker’s mind went back to history. He remembered the first decade, when the whites ruled over South Africa and they made a discrimination against the blacks. They built a system of racial discrimination against the blacks. Their behaviour was full of cruelty. They meted out inhuman treatment to the blacks. But now in the last decade of this century, this cruel system was overturned. Now a new system replaced it. It was the first democratic government of South Africa. Now there will be no discrimination on the basis of colour.
That is why, on the day of the inauguration, he was overwhelmed with a sense of history.

Question 3.
What docs Mandela think about the patriots? Can they be repaid?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela thinks that the freedom and democratic government have all come only due to the great sacrifices of thousands of patriots. They were those men who did not care about their lives and died for their people and country. They can’t be repaid. He thinks himself the sum of all those who had sacrificed their lives. Now he regrets that he was not able to thank them. According to Mandela, the policy of apartheid greatly wounded the people. It was hard to recover. It would take much time. These great patriots were Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Luthuli, Dadoo, Fischer, Sobukwe, etc.

Question 4.
What ideas does Mandela have about courage, love and hate?
Answer:
According to Mandela, he learnt the meaning of courage from his comrades. They struggled very hard for the freedom of the country. They did not care for their lives. They sacrificed everything for their people and country. They did not break before the brutality of the oppressors. They showed their full strength. So Mandela learned courage from them. To him, courage means not the absence of fear but the victory over it. The brave man is one who conquers fear. No man is born hating another man due to colour or religion. Love comes more naturally to the human heart than hate. According to Mandela, both the oppressor and the oppressed are the prisoners of hatred. No one can become happy after taking away other’s freedom.

Question 5.
What ideas did we get about freedom, the oppressor and the oppressed from this lesson? How did Nelson Mandela get hunger for freedom?
Answer:
According to Mandela, both the oppressor and the oppressed need freedom. Not only the oppressed is without freedom, but also the oppressor. He is the prisoner of hatred, only his level of thinking encourages him to snatch others freedom. It is all due to his narrow mindedness. It is an obvious idea that the oppressed has no freedom. Nelson Mandela had hunger for freedom, when he knew that his freedom had been snatched. His idea for freedom was an illusion. He saw that his brothers and sisters were without freedom. His hunger for freedom encouraged him to join the African National Congress.

Question 6.
What differences came in Mandela’s opinion about the meaning of freedom, when he was a little boy and w hen he became young?
Answer:
There were many differences in Mandela’s opinion about the meaning of freedom, when he was a little boy and when he became young. While he was a little boy, the meaning of freedom was to run in the fields and to swim in the streams.When he became young, he realised that his freedom was an illusion. Now he had realised that not only his freedom, but also others freedom had been seized. So he felt a hunger for freedom now. He wanted that all the people of his country should live with self-respect. They must do what they liked.

Question 7.
What are two obligations that Mandela described in this lesson? What was the reason that he was not able to fulfil those obligations?
Answer:
In the lesson, Mandela described two obligations that everyone had to perform.
One obligation is for the family, children and wife and second obligation is for the country and community. But due to apartheid policy in South Africa, Mandela was not able to fulfil his obligation. Although men could fulfil these obligations according to their capacities and abilities. But in South Africa it was impossible for the blacks. When Mandela tried to fulfil them for his family, he was cut off from his family. He was forced to live the life of separation. When he tried to serve his country, he was put into prison. Thus, Mandela was not able to fulfil his obligations.

Question 8.
Nelson Mandela was the hero of South Africa’s freedom movement. Comment.
Answer:
Nelson Mandela was a true hero of South Africa’s freedom movement. His conscience encouraged him to demand a respectful and unique life for all. His soul cleared him about the twin obligations for everyone. He was always determined to fulfil them. He performed his obligations for his family as well as for his community. Although he was prevented from doing so, yet he did not stop and got discouraged.

He became homeless. In spite of all these difficulties he could not change his decision. He had a soul power to challenge the racial system of the white. He did not care the apartheid policy and announced that this policy had created a lasting wound in the country. He fought against it. At last he got success. He became the first black President of South Africa.

Question 9.
India is a country of unity in diversity. Can you explain any type of discrimination in India, on the basis of colour or creed?
Answer:
India is a very wide country. In spite of that India is a country of unity in diversity. There are different religions in it. We can find different dresses, lifestyle and food habits in India. Even then, they all have a pride to be an Indian.

India has a democratic form of government and there is no place for discrimination in this country. But there is some sort of discrimination on the basis of caste or creed. Here people are known by their caste and creed. They have no right to marry freely. Even today caste system has not gone out completely from our mind. But it is good for all Indians that our Constitution has given equality to all. There is no place for discrimination in Indian Constitution

Question 10.
India is a country of unity in diversity—there are different languages, traditions, dresses, castes and cultures. Do you find any sort of discrimination in India?
Answer:
India is a very big country. It has different languages, traditions, dresses, castes and cultures. Even then India has unity in diversity. Its Constitution gives equality to every citizen. There is no place for colour prejudice in it. In India everyone has a right to get education to appear in competitions and to live at any place. There is no discrimination among Indians on the basis of caste, creed and colour. Indians can live in any state and they can marry in any caste. There is no colour discrimination in India.

Question 11.
Nelson Mandela described ‘twin obligations’ for a man. Do you agree with these obligations? Do you think that every person should fulfil these obligations in real life?
Answer:
In this lesson, Nelson Mandela described two obligations for a man. These two obligations are—one for the family and second is for the country. He said that one of the obligations is to work for his family. The other obligation is to his people, his community and his country.

We must agree with these obligations. In fact, we take care of families heartily and never think about country. If we don’t care about our country, it will never prosper. So in my opinion, we must fulfil both these obligations in our real life.

Question 12.
“I was not born with a hunger to be free.” What was the result of his hunger for freedom?
Answer:
When Nelson Mandela was a young boy, he didn’t know anything about freedom. His hunger for freedom began when he saw his people being punished under the policy of apartheid. It was clear to him that his boyhood freedom was just an illusion. Then he had come to know that he and his countrymen had no freedom.

They could not say anything freely. Now Mandela’s hunger for freedom had increased. Although, as a student, he wanted freedom only for himself but after growing up, he started to think maturely about the freedom. He saw that in South Africa everybody’s freedom was curtailed. Thus the result of his hunger for freedom was the freedom of the country.

Question 13.
What does courage mean to Mandela? How did he learn the meaning of courage? What do you get about courage, love and hate from this chapter?
Answer:
In this chapter, Nelson Mandela says that he learnt the meaning of courage from the comrades. They were freedom fighters. They did not care about their lives. He had seen those people who had sacrificed their life for the country.

He learnt that courage was not the absence of fear, but triumph over it. In other words, the brave man is one who conquers fear. In Mandela’s opinion, no man is born to hate another man on the basis of skin, colour or religion. Love comes more naturally to the human heart than from its opposite. Both the oppressor and the oppressed are the prisoners of hatred. They take away each other’s freedom.

Question 14.
Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration? What did it signify the triumph of?
Answer:
A large number of international leaders attended the installation ceremony of first^democratic non- racial government in South Africa. It was the end of apartheid in South Africa. It was a common victory for justice, for peace and for human dignity. The international community supported the cause of South Africa. It signified the triumph of humanity against oppression, fear and discrimination. Both the oppressor and the oppressed were liberated.

Question 15.
What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of all those African patriots” who had gone before him?
Answer:
Mandela’s hunger for freedom forced him to join African National Congress to eradicate the system of apartheid. Before him thousands of the patriots had sacrificed their lives.

Mandela does not take the entire credit. He calls himself simply the sum of all those African patriots who had laid the path towards the achievement of success. He continued the movement started by them. He was only a part of that movement.

Question 16.
Would you agree that the “depths of oppression” create “heights of character”? How does Mandela illustrate this? Can you add your own examples to this argument?
Answer:
Yes, it is true that the depths of oppression create heights of character. Nelson Mandela illustrated this argument by giving examples of some people of extraordinary courage and wisdom. This period of struggle to end apartheid produced people like Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, Bram Fischers and so on in the soil, of South Africa. Nelson Mandela himself was a product of the same conditions. The hunger for freedom changed his life. The history of India is full of such characters. Mangal Pandey, Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Mahatma Gandhi, Lala Lajpat Rai and so on were the people of extraordinary courage produced by the depth of oppression in India.

Question 4.
How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
Answer:
Mandela’s understanding of freedom changed with age and experience. When he was a boy, freedom for him was to run freely in the fields, free to swim in the stream and ride the broad backs of slow- moving bulls. Later on he realised that his boyhood freedom was an illusion. He discovered as a young man that his freedom had been taken away from him.

As a student he wanted freedom only for himself which were: freedom to stay out at night, freedom to read what he wanted and so on. As a young man he yearned for the basic and honourable freedom of achieving his potential, of earning of marrying and having a family. With the advancement of age and experience, he felt that not only his freedom but also the freedom of everyone was curtailed. Now he wanted freedom for all his people.

Question 17.
How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela was not born with a hunger to be free. With time and experience he discovered that the boyhood freedom was only an illusion. He found that as a young mem his freedom had already been taken away from him. His people and community were denied the fundamental right of living a dignified life.

This made him hungry for freedom. Ha joined the African National Congress. This desire for the freedom transformed him from a frightened young man into bold one, a law-abiding person to a criminal, a family-loving person to a man without a home. This desire forced a life-loving man to live the life of a monk.

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.
TENTH May dawned bright and clear. For the past few days I had been pleasantly besieged by dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to pay their respects before the inauguration. The inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of international leaders on South African soil. The ceremonies took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria. For decades this had been the seat of white supremacy, and now it was the site of a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations for the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non- racial government.
(i) Who is T in the passage?
(ii) Where did the ceremony take place?
(iii) Why did the dignitaries and leaders come there?
(iv) Where was the occasion?
Answer:
(i) Nelson Mandela is T in the passage.
(ii) The ceremony took place in an amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
(iii) The dignitaries and world leaders came there to pay their respects to the first democratic non- racial government.
(iv) The occasion was the inauguration ceremony of Nelson Mandela as South Africa’s first Black President in the Union Building in Pretoria, South Africa.

Question 2.
On that lovely autumn day I was accompanied by my daughter Zenani. On the podium. Mr de Klerk was first sworn in as the second deputy president. Then Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as the first deputy president. When it was my turn, I pledged to obey and uphold the Constitution and to devote myself to the well-being of the Republic and its people. To the assembled guests and the watching world, I said: Today, all of us do, by our presence here… confer glory and hope to newborn liberty. Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be bom a society of which all humanity will be proud.
(i) Who is Zenani?
(ii) Who was sworn in as the first deputy president?
(iii) Who was sworn in as the second deputy president?
(iv) What was the pledge taken by T?
Answer:
(i) Zenani is the daughter of Nelson Mandela.
(ii) Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as the first deputy president of South Africa.
(iii) Mr de Klerk was sworn in as the second deputy president of South Africa.
(iv) Nelson Mandela pledged to obey and uphold the Constitution. He pledged to serve the people of his country.

Question 3.
“We, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today been given the rare privilege to be the host to the nations of the world on our own soil. We thank all of our distinguished international guests for having come to take possession with the people of our country of what is, after all, a common victory for justice, for peace, for human dignity. We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination. Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement. Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!
(i) Who does ‘we’ refer in the first line of the passage?
(ii) What is the privilege that has been explained here?
(iii) What did the people of South Africa achieve at last?
(iv) The word ‘bondage’ means in the passage.
Answer:
(i) ‘We’ refer to the people of South Africa in the first line of the passage.
(ii) South Africa has been given the rare privilege to be the host to the nations of the world.
(iii) The people of South Africa achieved their political emancipation.
(iv) The word ‘bondage’ means slavery in the passage.

Question 4.
A few moments later we all lifted our eyes in awe as a spectacular array of South African jets, helicopters and troop carriers roared in perfect formation over the Union Buildings. It was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force, but a demonstration of the military’s loyalty to democracy, to a new government that had been freely and fairly elected. Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police, their chests bedecked with ribbons and medals from days gone by, saluted me and pledged their loyalty. I was not unmindful of the fact that not so many years before they would not have saluted but arrested me. Finally a chevron of Impala jets left a smoke trail of the black, red, green, blue and gold of the new South African Flag.
(i) What did they see over the Union Buildings?
(ii) What was the occasion?
(iii) What did this symbolise?
(iv) What was Mandela not unmindful of?
Answer:
(i) They saw a spectacular show by South African jets, helicopters, the troop carriers over the Union Buildings.
(ii) It was the occasion of installation of the newly elected democratic government in South Africa.
(iii) The show by the military forces symbolised their loyalty towards the newly-elected democratic government in South Africa.
(iv) Nelson Mandela was not unmindful of the fact that the same army officers who had saluted him, would not have done so many years before. They would have rather arrested him.

Question 5.
The day was symbolised for me by the playing of our two national anthems, and the vision of whites singing ‘Nkosi Sikelel – iAfrika’ and blacks singing ‘Die Stem’, the old anthem of the Republic. Although that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem they once despised, they would soon know the words by heart. On the day of the inauguration, I was overwhelmed with a sense of history. In the first decade of the twentieth century, a few years after the bitter Anglo-Boer war and before my own birth, the white-skinned people of South Africa patched up their differences and erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned people of their own land.
(i) How was the day symbolised?
(ii) What was the national anthem for the blacks?
(iii) What was specific about that system?
(iv) – How was the new system different?
Answer:
(i) The day was symbolised by the playing of their two national anthems—‘Nkosi Sikelel – ‘iAfrika’ and ‘Die Stem’.
(ii) The national anthem for the blacks was ‘Die Stem’.
(iii) The system had formed the basis of one of the harshest, most inhumane, societies the world has ever known.
(iv) The new system recognised the rights and freedom of all people regardless of the colour of their skin.

Question 6.
The structure they created formed the basis of one of the harshest, most inhumane, societies the world has ever known. Now, in the last decade of the twentieth century, and my own eighth decade as a man, that system had, been overturned forever and replaced by one that recognised the rights and freedoms of all peoples, regardless of the colour of their skin. That day had come about through the unimaginable sacrifices of thousands of my people, people whose suffering and courage can never be counted or repaid. I felt that day, as I have on so many other days, that I was simply the sum of all those African patriots who had gone before me. That long and noble line ended and now began again with me. I was pained that I was not able to thank them and that they were not able to see what their sacrifices had brought.
(i) What type of structure had they created?
(ii) What did they talk about the people?
(iii) Why did ‘he’ remember the African patriots?
(iv) Why was ‘he’ pained?
Answer:
(i) They had created such structure that formed the basis of the most harsh and inhumane societies the world has ever known.
(ii) They talked about the rights and freedoms of people in the last decade of the twentieth century-.
(iii) Nelson Mandela remembered the African patriots for sacrificing their lives for this cause. He said that their contribution can never be repaid.
(iv) He was pained as the people who laid their livesffor this day could not be present to see what their sacrifices had achieved for the country and its people.

Question 7.
The policy of apartheid created a deep and lasting wound in my country and my people. All of us will spend many years, if not generations, recovering from that profound hurt. But the decades of oppression and brutality had another, unintended, effect, and that was that it produced the Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis, the Yusuf Dadoos, the Bram Fischers, the Robert Sobukwes of our time—men of such extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity that their like may never be known again. Perhaps it requires such depths of oppression to create such heights of character. My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil, but I have always known that its greatest wealth is its people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds.
(i) What did the policy of apartheid create?
(ii) What is the greatest wealth of the narrator’s country?
(iii) What was the unintended effect of this policy?
(iv) Name some of the men of extraordinary courage?
Answer:
(i) The policy of apartheid created a deep and lasting wound in the country and its people.
(ii) The greatest wealth of the narrator’s country is its courageous people.
(iii) The unintended effect of that policy was that it created many men of courage, wjsdom and generosity.
(iv) Oliver Tambos, Walter Sisulus and Chief Luthulis.

Question 8.
In life, every man has twin obligations—obligations to his family, to his parents, to his wife and children; and he has an obligation to his people, his community, his country. In a civil and humane society, each man is able to fulfil those obligations according to his own inclinations and abilities. But in a country like South-Africa, it was almost impossible for a man of my birth and colour to fulfil both of those obligations. In South Africa, a man of colour who attempted to live as a human being was punished and isolated. In South Africa, a man who tried to fulfil his duty to his people was inevitably ripped from his family and his home and was forced to live a life apart, a twilight existence of secrecy and rebellion. I did not in the beginning choose to place my people above my family, but in attempting to serve my people, I found that I was prevented from fulfilling my obligations as a son, a brother, a father and a husband.
(i) What are the obligations that every man has in life?
(ii) Why was it impossible for a coloured man to fulfil his obligations?
(iii) How were the people who tried to fulfil the obligations, treated in South Africa?
(iv) What is required to fulfil these obligations?
Answer:
(i) Every man has two obligations, one is to his family and second to his community and country.
(ii) In South Africa if a coloured man tried to fulfil his obligations, he was punished and isolated.
(iii) Those who tried to fulfil these obligations were ripped from their families and were forced to live a life of isolation and rebellion.
(iv) A civil and humane society is needed to fulfil these obligations.

Question 9.
I was not born with a hunger to be free. I was born free—free in every way that I could know. Free to run in the fields near my mother’s hut, free to swim in the clear stream that ran through my village, free to roast mealies under the stars and ride the broad backs of slow-moving bulls. As long as I obeyed my father and abided by the customs of my tribe, I was not troubled by the laws of man or God. It was only when I began to learn that my boyhood freedom was an illusion, when I discovered as a young man that my freedom had already been taken from me, that I began to hunger for it. At first, as a student, I wanted freedom only for myself, the transitory freedoms of being able to stay out at night, read what I pleased and go where I chose. Later, as a young man in Johannesburg, I yearned for the basic and honourable freedoms of achieving my potential, of earning my keep, of marrying and having a family—the freedom not to be obstructed in a lawful life.
(i) In what ways was Mandela free?
(ii) What kind of freedom did Mandela yearn for as a man?
(iii) What did he want as a student?
(iv) What did he learn?
Answer:
(i) Mandela was free to run in the fields, to swim in the stream, free to roast mealies and ride the broad sucks of slow-moving bulls.
(ii) Mandela yearned for the basic and honourable freedom of achieving his potential of earning his life.
(iii) He wanted, as a student, freedom for himself, the freedom of being able to stay out at night, read what he wanted and go out where he chose.
(iv) He learnt that his boyhood freedom was an illusion.

Here we are providing A Letter to God Extra Questions and Answers Class 10 English First Flight, Extra Questions for Class 10 English was designed by subject expert teachers.

A Letter to God Extra Questions and Answers Class 10 English First Flight

A Letter to God Extra Questions and Answers Very Short Answer Type

Question 1.
What objects did Lencho call “New coins”?
Answer:
Lencho called the “rain-drops’ as new coins.

Question 2.
Where was Lencho’s house located?
Answer:
Lencho’s house was located at the crest of a low hill.

Question 3.
What could be seen from Lencho’s house?
Answer:
The fields of the ripe com could be seen from his house.

Question 4.
What did the earth need?
Answer:
The earth needed some rain.

Question 5.
Why did Lencho keep gazing at the sky?
Answer:
Lencho expected rain and so he kept on gazing at the sky.

Question 6.
When did it start raining?
Answer:
It started raining when the family was having dinner.

Question 7.
How did Lencho feel when it started raining?
Answer:
Lencho was very happy and felt that the raindrops were coins, promising money.

Question 8.
Was the rain really a blessing?
Answer:
No, the rain proved to be a curse.

Question 9.
What destroyed the crop?
Answer:
The hailstorm which lasted for an hour destroyed the crops.

Question 10.
How did Lencho and his family react to the calamity?
Answer:
They were filled with sorrow but they had faith in God.

Question 11.
What was the only ‘One hope’ Lencho bad?
Answer:
His only one hope was help from God.

Question 12.
How did Lencho appeal to God?
Answer:
Lencho wrote a letter to God, asking for one hundred pesos.

Question 13.
How did postmaster react seeing Lencho’s letter?
Answer:
The postmaster laughed heartily on seeing Lencho’s letter.

Question 14.
How did the postmaster react on reading Lencho’s letter.
Answer:
He felt that such faith in God should be sustained.

Question 15.
What was the reaction of Lencho after receiving lesser amount of money?
Answer:
Lencho thought that the post office employees had taken, away 30 pesos.

A Letter to God Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
What are the raindrops compared to and why?
Answer:
Raindrops are compared to new coins – ten-cent and five cent pieces. It is because they promised a good harvest and as such good money.

Question 2.
How was Lencho sure that it was going to rain?
Answer:
Lencho knew his fields intimately and he could predict the weather by looking at the sky. His experienced eyes saw clouds and he predicted rain.

Question 3.
What promised a good harvest?
Answer:
Lencho felt that the field of ripe corn dotted with flowers always promised a good harvest. That is why he was anticipating a good harvest.

Question 4.
How did Lencho’s prediction about rain come true?
Answer:
Lencho had looked towards the north-east and remarked that they would get some water. His prediction came true when it started raining in the evening.

Question 5.
Why did Lencho go out?
Answer:
Lencho was eagerly awaiting for the rain which could be good for his crops. So he went out to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body.

Question 6.
How did Lencho regard his field? Why?
Answer:
When it started raining Lencho regarded his field with satisfaction. He was happy to see his crop draped in a curtain of rain. He hoped to reap a good harvest.

Question 7.
“It’s really getting bad now.” What was getting bad and how?
Answer:
Lencho was happy when it started raining. But the rain and the weather were getting bad. A strong wind was blowing and hailstones were falling.

Question 8.
Why was Lencho’s soul filled with sorrow?
Answer:
The hail and hailstones rained on the valley for an hour. It had left the field totally covered with snow. The crop was completely destroyed. It made Lencho’s soul filled with sorrow.

Question 9.
Why was the family not really upset?
Answer:
Though Lencho’s family was facing ruin, yet they were not really upset. It was because having immense faith in God, they were confident that God would help them.

Question 10.
Why did the postmaster send a reply to Lencho’s first letter addressed to God?
Answer:
The postmaster “was a generous and amiable man. He was impressed by Lencho’s firm faith in God. To sustain that faith, the postmaster sent a reply to Lencho.

Question 11.
Why was Lencho angry when he received the letter?
Answer:
The postmaster could raise only 70 pesos which he sent to Lencho, supposedly from God. Lencho was angry to find 30 pesos less than the amount he asked for. He was angry because he thought the post office employees had kept 30 pesos sent to him by God.

Question 12.
How was Lencho helped?
Answer:
The postmaster, a kind-hearted and generous man, read Lencho’s letter addressed to God. To sustain his faith, the postmaster raised money from friends and colleagues and sent it to Lencho, in the name of God.

Question 13.
Do you think the post-office employees were ‘a bunch of crooks’?
Answer:
No, they were kind, generous and helpful persons. The postmaster contributed a part of his salary and motivated his friends and colleagues for a charitable cause. So they were not a bunch of crooks.

Question 14.
How would you describe Lencho?
Answer:
Lencho was a simple, naive and a hard-working farmer. He was not only energetic, he had full faith in God also. He became a victim of natural calamity, befit God helped him indirectly.

Question 15.
What did Lencho hope for?
Answer:
Lencho hoped for getting some rain from the sky.

Question 16.
Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?
Answer:
Lencho said that the raindrops were like new coins. It was because the raindrops could cause a good harvest that his field needed most. Thus he would get a rich crop. Further the raindrops had a brightness like new coins.

Question 17.
How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields?
Answer:
The rain changed into heavy hailstone. In no time the whole valley was covered with hailstones. His fields became white as if covered with salt. His com was totally destroyed.

Question 18.
What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped?
Answer:
When the hail stopped, Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. He was very much troubled. His com was totally destroyed. He said, “the hail has left nothing. This year we will have no com. We will all go hungry”.

Question 19.
Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?
Answer:
Lencho had deep faith in God. He believed that God would help them all. No one would die of hunger as. He sees everything. Lebcho decided to write a letter to God.

Question 20.
Who read the letter?
Answer:
The postman and the postmaster read the letter.

Question 21.
What did the postmaster do then?
Answer:
The postmaster burst into laughter on seeing the deep faith of Lencho in God. He collected money from his employees. He even gave part of his salary. He put all the money in an envelope addressed to Lencho and wrote a letter containing a single word “God”.

Question 22.
Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?
Answer:
Lencho was not at all surprised to find a letter with money in it.

Question 23.
What made him angry?
Answer:
Lencho was angry on counting the money since it was less than the amount he had asked for. He had deep faith that God could neither make a mistake nor could deny what was requested.

Question 24.
Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter “God”?
Answer:
The postmaster was a very generous fellow. In order not to shake Lencho’s faith in God, he collected money and sent it to Lencho. The postmaster signed the letter “God”, lest Lencho should think that the money had not been sent by God.

Question 25.
Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/why not?
Answer:
Lencho was a simple-minded person. He had firm faith in God. So he did not try to find out who had sent the money. He was of the view that the money was sent by God and none else could do such an act.

A Letter to God Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
What was Leneho’s pride and possession?
Answer:
Lencho lived in the solitary house on the crest of a low hill in the valley. From here, he could survey and see the river and his pride, the field of ripe corn dotted with flowers. These always promised a good harvest.

Their only wish was a downpour and Lencho, who knew his fields intimately, predicted rain. His prediction turned true when it started raining during dinner. He went out to feel the rain and surveyed with satisfaction, his crop draped in a curtain of rain. He regarded rain drops as a new silver coins.

Question 2.
Bring out Lencho’s immense faith in God.
Answer:
Lencho wanted some rain for his crop. The ripe corn stood proud in the field and promised a good harvest. Rain came, as he predicted but turned to hail and ruined his crop. Lencho’s heart was filled with sorrow. But he did not lose heart. He had firm belief in God.

He wrote a letter to God, asking him to send 100 pesos so that he could sow his field again. He dropped ‘ the letter in the mail. The postmaster read the letter addressed to ‘God’ and to preserve theman’s faith in God, he raised 70 pesos and sent them to Lencho.

Lencho could not believe that God had made a mistake. He wrote again asking God to send the rest of the money, but not through mail. He believed that the post office employees were ‘a bunch of crooks’.

Question 3.
How was Lencho’s crop destroyed? How did he ask God for help?
OR
How did the hailstones affect Lencho’s field? What was Lencho’s only hope?
Answer:
Being a farmer, Lencho was completely dependent upon the crops of his field. Once a heavy downpour occurred. Along with rain large hailstones also started falling. As a result the field turned white as if it had been covered with salt all over. His annual crop was completely destroyed.

Even there was not a single flower left on the plants. In the entire village there was no one to help him in the lurch. Being a firm believer in God, he turned to the Almighty for the help. He wrote a letter requesting him to send 100 pesos so that he might sow his fields again till the next crop comes. He had a belief that God would certainly help him with the money.

Question 4.
“I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter.” In the light of this statement describe Lencho’s character.
Answer:
As soon as the postmaster received and read the letter written by Lencho to God, he expressed his feelings in the words by referring Lencho’s faith in God. Lencho, the writer of the letter was a simple farmer. He had a firm belief in God. Once, when his crop was destroyed by hailstones, he turned to God for help.

He wrote a letter believing that God would not leave them to die of hunger and starvation. When he received a packet full of money, he was not the least surprised. Being simple in mind and generous by soul, he never knew that some generous soul had sent him the money in the name of God.

Question 5.
As the postmaster, write how you felt when Lencho accused you and your men of stealing money. Comment.
Answer:
I was shocked and discouraged at the first sight when I grabbed the letter of complaint from Lencho in which he accused me and my employees of stealing money. I could not expect such kind of a treatment. Although I had involved every man in my office in that generous work, yet Lencho regarded us as a bunch of crooks.

This man proved very ungrateful. I was so downcast that I decided not to send the rest of the money. If I did so he would be convinced that we had already cheated him. In the name of God we should let him suffer and face the situation boldly. I pray to God to have pity on him.

Question 6.
Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
Answer:
Lencho was a hardworking, simple farmer. He had sown a field of com and was waiting for rains. His joy knew no bounds when it started raining. He expected^ good harvest. But his joy turned to sorrow when rain gave way to hail. After an hour, the field of golden corn was covered with snow. The crop was totally destroyed. Lencho faced ruin. The year seemed bad without any food. This simple, god-fearing man had immense faith in the Almighty. He wrote a letter to God asking for 100 pesos to sow his field again.

Question 7.
What did the postmaster need to answer the letter? How did he collect it? How did Lencho react to the help?
OR
How did post office employees help Lencho? How did Lencho react to their help?
Answer:
The postmaster needed something more than ink and paper to answer the letter. He needed 100 pesos. He gave up a part of his salary and asked all other employees to help. Even friends were made to contribute for a cause of charity. Thus, he managed to collect 70 pesos. Lencho wasn’t surprised to receive the letter. But he was angry to receive 70 pesos instead of 100. He didn’t doubt God, such was his confidence. So he wrote another letter to God asking him to send the rest of the money. He warned him not to send it through the post office because those people were a ‘bunch of crooks’.

Question 8.
How do you think the postmaster felt when he received Lencho’s second letter? What do you think he did?
Answer:
The postmaster must have felt shocked and let-down. The contentment, which he had felt when Lencho had taken the letter, would have been replaced by consternation. All his generosity and desire to maintain Lencho’s faith had been wasted.

Yet, I believe, he must also have been amused at Lencho’s unshakeable faith in God. He must have made greater effort to collect the rest of the money. He would have sent a letter along with the money, saying that the postal employees were not a ‘bunch of crooks’.

Question 9.
If you had been Lencho, and this incident would have happened with you, what would have you done? Describe your feelings in simple words.
OR
We are faced with difficult situations at some points of time in life. God’s help comes to our rescue then. But God helps those who help themselves. Comment.
Answer:
If I had been Lencho and this incident would have happened with me, the way of solving my problem would have been different. I am quite familiar with the realities of the world. I know that God cannot receive any letter by the post and neither can God help me directly. “God only helps those who help themselves.”
I would have tried to search another work for some time so that I could survive and feed my family. Then I would have tried to save some amount to sow my field again.

Question 10.
Think about the statement:
“Faith can move mountains.” Do you think that this feeling had been in Lencho’s mind and so he could have been able to write a letter to God? Throw light on his feelings.
Answer:
Without any doubt, I can say that this statement has a great importance. This statement can give a great strength to anyone who is about to fall deep down in earth, reason may be different. According to me, this is true that Lencho has deep faith in God. Because of his faith in God, he wrote a letter to God. When he got seventy pesos, once again he wrote a letter to God to get the remaining amount. So we can say that his feelings for God were very powerful.

Question 11.
The reader may also be impressed with Lencho’s faith as the postmaster was. Can we see such an example in present time? If you were in place of postmaster what would have you done?
Answer:
Yes, it is quite obvious that the reader may get impressed to see Lencho’s faith in God because it is rare. It is also possible that the thoughts might be different. Now the time is very fast and no one has so simple and pure feelings. It is very difficult to find out such an example at present. The example of the postmaster is also very rare. Now even our close relatives do not help us in our need.

If I were in place of postmaster, I too would have helped Lencho. But my pattern would have been different. I would have called Lencho and handed over the amount to him. I would try to make him realise that God does not help us directly and “God helps only those who help themselves.

Question 12.
Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you this?
Answer:
Lencho has complete faith in God. The following sentences tell us this.
(a) Lencho thought only of his one hope – the help of God, whose eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything even what is deep in one’s ‘conscience’.
(b) He wrote “God, if you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year”.
(c) “God, the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me, send me the rest”.

Question 15.
Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation? (Remember that the irony of a situation is an unexpected aspect of it. An ironic situation is strange or amusing because it is the opposite of what is expected?)
Answer:
Lencho has thought that the rest of the money has been taken by the post office employees. He believed that God could not send him less money than what he had asked for. Here one can find the irony that the money has been collected and paid by the post-office employees. He does not believe in them. He calls them “a bunch of crooks”. He thinks that thirty pesos have been kept by the post office employees. He has got no idea that even the amount of seventy pesos has been sent by them.

An irony is an amusing or a strange situation because we find it quite opposite in nature from what we duly expect. Here the post office employees collect and send money to Lencho. He calls them a group of cheats on not receiving the full amount.

Question 16.
Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a person would you say he is? You may select appropriate words from the box to answer the question.
greedy, naive, stupid, ungrateful, selfish, comical, Unquestioning.
Answer:
One can find many people like Lencho in the real world. In true sense, Lencho is a simple minded fellow. He is quite ignorant of worldly events. Like an innocent person, he has firm faith in God. He thinks “God sees everything, even what is deep in one’s conscience”. He believes in his work and is like an ox of a man who goes on working and minding his own business. In reality he is an unquestioned worshipper and follower of God. He is a hardworking person. He lives-with his family on a hill. He is a naive, comical and unquestioning person.

Question 17.
There are two kinds of conflicts in the story: between humans and nature, and between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?
Answer:
We can find two kinds of conflicts in the story namely:

• between humans and nature
• between humans themselves Let us see about them:

Between humans and nature: Lencho is a hardworking farmer. He needs a shower of rain for his crop. He waits for the rain to come. By chance the rain starts pouring with hailstones. It hailed heavily. The crop was totally destroyed. He was totally upset. This is one conflict.

Between humans themselves: After complete destruction, Lencho writes a letter to God for money. The postmaster opens the letter addressed to God. In order not to shake the writer’s faith in God, he collects money from his employees. He too contributes from his salary. He sends more than half to Lencho signed as God. On receiving the money, Lencho gets angry. He believes that the post office employees have taken some of his money. This is a conflict between humans themselves.

A Letter to God Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.
The house—the only one in the entire valley—sat on the crest of a low hill. From this height one could see the river and the field of ripe com dotted with the flowers that always promised a good harvest. The only thing the earth needed was, a downpour or at least a shower. Throughout the morning Lencho— who knew his fields intimately—had done nothing else but see the sky towards the north-east. “Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.” The woman who was preparing supper, replied, “Yes, God willing”.
(i) Where was the house located?
(ii) What did the field of com dotted with flowers promise?
(iii) What did the earth need?
(iv) Pick out the words from the passage which mean the same as
(a) Peak (b) Rain (c) Food
Answer:
(i) The house was located on the crest of a low hill.
(ii) The field of com dotted with flowers promise a good harvest.
(iii) The earth needed a downpour or at least a shower.
(iv) (a) crest (b) downpour (c) supper

Question 2.
The older boys were working in the field, while the smaller ones were playing near the house until the woman called to them all, “Come for dinner”. It was during the meal that, just as Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to fall. In the north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. The air was fresh and sweet. The man went out for no other reason than to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body, and when he returned he exclaimed, “These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones are fives.”
(i) What were the boys doing?
(ii) What had Lencho predicted?
(iii) Why did Lencho go out?
(iv) What did he compare to new coins?
Answer:
(i) The boys were working in the field and the younger ones were playing near the house.
(ii) Lencho had predicted that it would rain.
(iii) Lencho went out to enjoy the rain.
(iv) He compared the raindrops to new coins.

Question 3.
With a satisfied expression he regarded the field of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a curtain of rain. But suddenly a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large hailstones began to fall. These truly did resemble new silver coins. The boys, exposing themselves to the rain, ran out to collect the frozen pearls.
(i) Who is ‘he’ in the passage?
(ii) What did it suddenly change?
(iii) What resembled new silver coins?
(iv) Why did the children run out?
Answer:
(i) Lencho is ‘he’ in the passage.
(ii) Suddenly, a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large hailstones began to fall.
(iii) Hailstones resembled the new silver coins.
(iv) The children ran out to collect the frozen pearls i.e., the hailstones.

Question 4.
“It’s really getting bad now,” exclaimed the man. “I hope it passes quickly. “It did not pass quickly. For an hour the hail rained on the house, the garden, the hillside, the cornfield, on the whole valley. The field was white, as if covered with salt. Not a leaf remained on the trees. The com was totally destroyed. The flowers were gone from the plants. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. When the storm had passed, he stood in the middle of the field and said to his sons, “A plague of locusts would have left more than this. The hail has left nothing. This year we will have no com.”
(i) What was really getting bad?
(ii) Why did he wish for it to pass quickly?
(iii) Why will they have no com that year?
(iv) Why was Lencho’s soul filled with sadness?
Answer:
(i) The continuous falling of hailstones was getting really bad.
(ii) He wished it to pass quickly because it was not good for his crops.
(iii) They would have no com that year because the com in the field was totally destroyed by the hailstones.
(iv) Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness because his total com was destroyed.

Question 5.
All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one’s conscience. Lencho was an ox of a man, working like an animal in the fields, but still he knew how to write. The following Sunday, at daybreak, he began to write a letter which he himself would carry to town and place in the mail. It was nothing less than a letter to God.

“God,” he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year. I need a hundred pesos in order to sow my fields again and to live until the crop comes, because the hailstorm…”
(i) What did Lencho think of all through the night?
(ii) Which sentence shows that Lencho was a hardworking farmer?
(iii) What did Lencho decide to do?
(iv) What did he ask God to do for him?
Answer:
(i) All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope—the help of God.
(ii) “Lencho was an ox of a man,’ working like an animal in the field.” This sentence shows that he was a hardworking farmer.
(iii) Lencho decided to write a letter to God.
(iv) He asked God to help him by sending one hundred pesos.

Question 6.
He wrote “To God’ on the envelope, put the letter inside and, still troubled, went to town. At the post office, he placed a stamp on the letter and dropped it into the mailbox. One of the employees, who was a postman and also helped at the post office, went to his boss laughing heartily and showed him the letter to God. Never in his career as a postman had he known that address. The postmaster—a fat, amiable fellow—also broke out laughing, but almost immediately he turned serious and, tapping the letter on his desk, commented, “What faith! I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter. Starting up a correspondence with God!”
(i) Who is he in the passage?
(ii) Why did he write a letter to God?
(iii) Who received the letter? Why did he laugh?
(iv) Why did the postmaster become serious?
Answer:
(i) Lencho is ‘he’ in the passage.
(ii) He wrote a letter to God asking for help.
(iii) The postmaster received the letter. He laughed heartily to see a letter addressed to God. Nobody ever wrote to God.
(iv) The postmaster became serious when he realised the deep faith of the writer in God.

Question 7.
So, in order not to shake the writer’s faith in God, the postmaster came up with am idea: answer the letter. But when he opened it, it was evident that to answer it he needed something more than goodwill, ink and paper. But he stuck to his resolution: he asked for money from his employees, he himself gave part of his salary, and several friends of his were obliged to give something ‘for an act of charity’. It was impossible for him to gather together the hundred pesos, so he was able to send the farmer only a little more than half. He put the money in an envelope addressed to Lencho and with it a letter containing only a single word as a signature: God.
(i) Why did the postmaster decide to answer the letter?
(ii) What was required to answer the letter?
(iii) What did the postmaster do?
(iv) How much did he collect for Lencho?
Answer:
(i) The postmaster did not want to shake the writer’s faith in God. So, he decided to answer the letter.
(ii) One hundred pesos were required to answer the letter.
(iii) The postmaster decided to help Lencho. He asked his employees and his friends to contribute and he also gave part of his salary.
(iv) The postmaster could collect only seventy pesos for Lencho.

Question 8.
The following Sunday Lencho came a bit earlier than usual to ask if there was a letter for him. It was the postman himself who handed the letter to him while the postmaster, experiencing the contentment of a man who has performed a good deed, looked on from his office. Lencho showed not the slightest surprise on seeing the money; such was his confidence—but he became angry when he counted the money. God could not have, made a mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had requested.
(i) Why did Lencho come to the post office?
(ii) Why was the postmaster happy and content?
(iii) Why did Lencho show no surprise on seeing the money?
(iv) Why did Lencho get angry?
Answer:
(i) Lencho came to the post office to see if there was any letter from him.
(ii) The postmaster was happy and contented because he had done an act of charity.
(iii) Lencho did not show any surprise because he had deep faith in God.
(iv) Lencho got angry when he counted the money, he found that it was less than the amount he had requested. He was sure that God had not made the mistake.

Question 9.
Immediately, Lencho went up to the window to ask for paper and ink. On the public writing-table, he started to write, with much wrinkling of his brow, caused by the effort he had to make to express his ideas. When he finished, he went to the window to buy a stamp which he licked and then affixed to the envelope with a blow of his fist. The moment the letter fell into the mailbox the postmaster went to open it. It said: “God: Of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much. But don’t send it to me through the mail because the post office employees are a bunch of crooks. Lencho.”
(i) Why did Lencho go up to the window?
(ii) What made Lencho angry? What did he think?
(iii) Why did Lencho ask God not to send money by post?
(iv) What did Lencho call the employees of the post office?
Answer:
(i) Lencho went to the window to write another letter to God.
(ii) Lencho was angry because he found less money in the envelope. He thought that thirty pesos had been taken out by the employees of the post office.
(iii) Lencho requested God not to send money by post because he thought that the employees of the ‘ post office were dishonest.
(iv) Lencho called them ‘a bunch of crooks’.