There are nouns in the text (formation, government) which are formed from the corresponding verbs (form, govern) by suffixing – (at)ion or ment. There may be change in the spelling of some verb – noun pairs ; such as rebel, rebellion; constitute, constitution.
Make a list of such pairs of nouns and verbs in the text
Noun | Verb |
---|---|
rebellion | rebel |
constitution | constitute |
Noun | Verb |
---|---|
rebellion | rebel |
constitution | constitute |
formation | form |
government | govern |
obligation | oblige |
transformation | transform |
discrimination | discriminate |
deprivation | deprive |
What ideals does Nelson Mandela set for the future of South Africa?
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?
What does courage mean to Mandela?
What does Mandela thank the international leaders for ?
Why were two national anthems sung?
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 ?
Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/why not?
Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration ? What did it signify the triumph of?
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”?
Which does Mandela think is natural, to love or to hate?
Where in the classroom does Wanda sit and why?
What was Valli’s favourite pastime?
What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?
What did Lencho hope for?
When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?
What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has come for? Is he sincere when he later says “And I’ve always loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son”? Find reasons for your answer from the play.
Why was the young seagull afraid to fly? Do you think all young birds are afraid to make their first flight, or are some birds more timid than others? Do you think a human baby also finds it a challenge to take its first steps?
Do you keep a diary? Given below under ‘A’ are some terms we use to describe a written record of personal experience. Can you match them with their descriptions under ‘B’? (You may
look up the terms in a dictionary if you wish.)
A B
(i) Journal – A book with a separate space or page for each day, in which you write down your and feelings or what has happened on that day
(ii) Diary – A full record of a journey, a period of time, or an event, written every day
(iii) Log – A record of a person’s own life and experiences (usually, a famous person)
(iv) Memoir(s) – A written record of events with times and dates, usually official
Where does Wanda live? What kind of a place do you think it is?
What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?
Maxwell in the story speaks for the otter, Mij. He tells us what the otter feels and thinks on different occasions. Given below are some things the otter does. Complete the column on the right to say what Maxwell says about what Mij feels and thinks.
What Mij does | How Mij feels or thinks |
---|---|
plunges, rolls in the water and makes the water splosh and splash | |
Screws the tap in the wrong way | |
Nuzzles Maxwell’s face and neck in the aeroplane |
“The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly?
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
What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?
How was Mij to be transported to England?
Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time? In what way did the Buddha change her understanding?
“They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly.” Why did the seagull’s father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly?
Where does Wanda live? What kind of a place do you think it is?
Study the sentences given below.
(a) They looked like black mountains.
(b) Inside the clouds, everything was suddenly black.
(c) In the black clouds near me, I saw another aeroplane.
(d) The strange black aeroplane was there.
The word ‘black’ in sentences (a) and (c) refers to the very darkest colour. But in (b) and (d) (here) it means without light/with no light.
‘Black’ has a variety of meanings in different contexts. For example:
(a) ‘I prefer black tea’ means ‘I prefer tea without milk’.
(b) ‘With increasing pollution the future of the world is black’ means With increasing pollution the future of the world is very depressing/without hope’.
Now, try to guess the meanings of the word ‘black’ in the sentences given below. Check the meanings in the dictionary and find out whether you have guessed right.
Questions.
1. Go and have a bath, your hands and face are absolutely black____ .
2. The taxi-driver gave Ratan a black look as he crossed the road when the traffic light was green____.
3. The bombardment of Hiroshima is one of the blackest crimes against humanity____.
4. Very few people enjoy Harold Pinter’s black comedy____.
5. Sometimes shopkeepers store essential goods____.
6. Villagers had beaten the criminal black and blue____.
Have you made a journey that was unforgettable in some way? What made it memorable?