HSC English Furst Paper

M.R.S PRIVATE CENTER

English (Compulsory) First Paper

Part I: Reading Test (60 marks)

1. Read the passage and answer the questions A and B.

Nelson Mandela guided South Africa from the shackles of apartheid to a multi-racial democracy, as an icon of peace and reconciliation who came to embody the struggle for justice around the world. Imprisoned for nearly three decades for his fight against white minority rule, Mandela never lost his resolve to fight for his people’s emancipation. He was determined to bring down apartheid while avoiding a civil war. His prestige and charisma helped him win the support of the world. æI hate race discrimination most intensely and in all its manifestations. I have fought it all during my life; I will fight it now, and will do so until the end of my days,” Mandela said in his acceptance speech on becoming South Africa’s first black president in 1994, … æThe time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come.” æWe have, at last, achieved our political emancipation.” In 1993, Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, an honour he shared with F.W. de Klerk, the white African leader who had freed him from prison three years earlier and negotiated the end of apartheid. Mandela went on to play a prominent role on the world stage as an advocate of human dignity in the face of challenges ranging from political repression to AIDS. th He formally left public life in June 2004 before his 86 birthday, telling his adoring countrymen: æDon’t call me. I’ll call you.” But he remained one of the world’s most revered public figures, combining celebrity sparkle with an unwavering message of freedom, respect and human rights. æHe is at the epicenter of our time, ours in South Africa, and yours, wherever you are,” Nadine Gordimer, the South African writer and Nobel Laureate for Literature, once remarked. The years Mandela spent behind bars made him the world’s most celebrated political prisoner and a leader of mythic stature for millions of black South Africans and other oppressed people far beyond his country’s borders. Charged with capital offences in the 1963 Rivonia Trial, his statement from the dock was his political testimony. æDuring my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination.” æI have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities,” he told the court. æIt is an ideal I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” Friends adored Mandela and fondly called him æMadiba”, the clan name by which he was known. People lauded his humanity, kindness and dignity.                                                                                                                                                     [Unit-1; Lesson-1]

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A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives:                                                                                                  1×5 = 5

a. What does apartheid refer to in the first paragraph?

i) apart	ii) distance
iii) discrimination	iv) dialogue

b. race discrimination (line 6) refers to Í

i) differences on the basis of caste, creed and colour	iii) demoralization of people
ii) competition among the members of a race	iv) domination of others

c. The word 'ideal' (line 25) refers to Í

i) a person or thing  regarded as perfect	ii) a principle to be aimed at
iii) a struggle for prosperity	iv)the comfortable situation

d. In a democratic and free society Í

i) the minorities are given special opportunities	ii) the majorities are given special opportunities
iii) everybody enjoys equal opportunities	iv) a chosen class enjoy better opportunities

e. "I have fought it all during my life." What does ‘it’ refer to here?

i) AIDS	ii) a Civil War
iii) race discrimination	iv) South Africa’s President ship

(f) Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Í.

(i) Nadine Gordiman	(ii) Einstein
(iii) F.W. de Klerk	(iv) Rontgen

(g) What does the phrase 'charged with' mean?

(i) demanded	(ii) attacked
(iii) bleamed	(iv) accused of

(h) What is the closest meaning of the word 'negotiate'?

(i) signify	(ii) converse
(iii) bargain	(iv) broker

(i) Mandela suffered imprisonment for 

(i) nearly 15 years	(ii) nearly 20 years
(iii) nearly 25 years	(iv) nearly 30 years

(j) "We have at last achieved our political emancipation."- What does it imply?

(i) South Africa was freed	(ii) Racial discrimination was abolished
(iii) Mandela became the President of South Africa	(iv) Mandela drove away the white minorities from South Africa

Answer:  1. A. a. iii) discrimination; b. i) differences on the basis of caste, creed and colour; c. ii) a principle to be aimed at; d. iii) everybody enjoys equal opportunities; e. iii) race discrimination. (f) (iii) F.W.de Klerk (g) (iv) accused of (h) (ii) converse (i) (iv) nearly 30 years (j) (ii) racial discrimination was abolished

B. Answer the following questions. 2  5 = 10

(a) When did he become the first Black President of South Africa? What did he say in his inaugural speech as President?

(b) What was Nelson Mandela's dream? For whom did he fight and how?

(c) What did he say in the court of Rivonia Trial?

(d) Who was Nadine Gordimer and what did he remark about Mandela?

(e) What made him the world's most revered and celebrated public figure?

f. From your reading of the 1st and 2nd paragraph, mention the reasons of Nelson Mandela’s struggle.

g. Why can Nelson Mandela be called "an icon of peace and reconciliation"?

h. Who was F.W. de Klerk? What do you know about him from the passage?

i. What is the ideal of Mandela? Do you support his ideal? Why/Why not? Explain in 2/3 sentences.

j. Do you know any other leader who struggled like Nelson Mandela? Write in brief.

Answer: (a) He became the first Black President of South Africa in 1994. In his inaugural speech after accepting Presidency he said, "The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation."

(b) Nelson Mandela's dream was to gain freedom for the Black Africans of South Africa and to achieve political emancipation for them. He fought for the Black South Africans to bring down racial discrimination by avoiding a civil war through a non-violent movement.

(c) Charged with capital offences in the 1963 Rivonia Trial, his statement from the dock bore his political testimony. He said, "During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination as well. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities."

(d) Nadine Gordimer was a South African writer and Nobel Laureate for Literature, who remarked, "Nelson Mandela is at the epicenter of our time, ours in South Africa, and yours, wherever you are."

(e) Nelson Mandela's imprisoned life for nearly three decades made him the world's most revered political prisoner and a celebrated public figure of mythic stature for millions of Black South Africans and other oppressed people far beyond his country's borders.

f. The first and second paragraphs clearly show that Nelson Mandela struggled for the emancipation of black people from the shackles of apartheid. He also wanted to bridge the chasms that created division among people and establish multi- racial democracy.

g. Nelson Mandela led South Africa to breaking the shackles of apartheid. He tended to build a multi-racial democracy without shedding a drop of blood. That is why, Mandela can be called "an icon of peace and reconciliation."

h. F.W. de Klerk was a white African leader who freed Nelson Mandela from prison and negotiated the end of apartheid in South Africa. He also shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela.

i. Mandela’s ideal is the establishment of a democratic and free society in which all people can live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. I support his ideal by all means. It is because, without equal rights and social harmony that democracy ensures, none can live independently and comfortably in his/her state. I think, deprivation of democracy means deprivation of freedom. So, we should be determined to establish our freedom by establishing a democratic society even in exchange of our lives.

j. Yes, I know a leader of our country who struggled like Nelson Mandela. He is none but Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Nelson Mandela struggled for the emancipation of his people from the white minority rule. Likewise, Bangabandhu struggled for the emancipation of his people from the shackles of the oppressive Pakistani rulers.