Q1. [5]
Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud. We, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today been given the rare privilege to be 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.
Read the following extract and answer the questions.
- (i) Which of the following options justifies the statement made by Mandela, "We, who were outlaws …" ? [1]
- (A) The international leaders who came to attend the ceremony
- (B) Due to Apartheid, many countries broke diplomatic relations with South Africa
- (C) The Commonwealth countries and their people
- (D) The people who fought in the Anglo-Boer War
- (ii) Complete the sentence appropriately:
Mandela thanked all the distinguished international guests because ____________. [1]
- (iii) In the above lines, Mandela mentions 'extraordinary human disaster'. What is the significance of this phrase in his speech? [2]
- (iv) The tone of Mandela in the above excerpt is:
1. unifying
2. determined
3. aggressive
4. pessimistic
5. hopeless
Select the correct option: [1]
- (A) 1, 2 and 4
- (B) 2 and 4
- (C) 1 and 2
- (D) 4 and 5
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2026 2/2/1 Q6(a)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:14 · grounding stimulus+chapter
Model Answer
(i) (B) Due to Apartheid, many countries broke diplomatic relations with South Africa.
(ii) Mandela thanked all the distinguished international guests because they came to share and celebrate a common victory for justice, peace, and human dignity alongside the people of South Africa.
(iii) The phrase 'extraordinary human disaster' refers to the oppressive system of Apartheid that subjected Black South Africans to decades of racial discrimination, injustice, and suffering. Mandela uses this phrase to acknowledge the immense pain endured by his people and to stress that such a prolonged tragedy must now give birth to a just, inclusive society of which all humanity can be proud. It lends both gravity and hope to his speech.
(iv) (C) 1 and 2
Source: Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Extract from Inauguration Speech
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Explanation
- (i) "Outlaws" refers to the ANC members and anti-apartheid activists who were declared illegal under apartheid; option B best justifies this as apartheid caused South Africa's international isolation.
- (ii) Pull the reason directly from the extract — "common victory for justice, for peace, for human dignity."
- (iii) For 2 marks, explain what the disaster was (apartheid) AND its significance in context (acknowledgement of suffering + call for a new society). Both parts are needed.
- (iv) Mandela's tone is hopeful and unifying ("a society of which all humanity will be proud") and determined ("must be born"). It is never aggressive, pessimistic, or hopeless — eliminate those confidently.
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