Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: (12 marks)
This is a Nelson Mandela story that will never make it to the official narrative. World leaders
paid their tribute in South Africa, but at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi, where Nelson Mandela
twice stayed, a butler remembers him as the man who waved good-bye. 2. Barak Obama met
Mandela once. But Maqbool, neither a president nor a politician, probably got to see the real
Mandela. He was on duty twice when Madiba (Mandela) came to India. For the famous world
leader, Maqbool was not just a faceless man in uniform, but a real person. 3. Maqbool, who will
retire by the middle of next year, has been around longer than most of the President’s men. His
relationship with the Rashtrapati Bhavan goes back 60 years. He grew up in the sprawling green
of Lutyens Estate and followed his father into the service and, in his vast expanse of memories,
the Mandela moments occupy a special place. “Hume bola gaya that kiek Gandhiji aayenge [We
were told that a Gandhi was coming for a visit], he says with a smile, “We didn’t know who he
was then.” 4. Much to Maqbool’s disappointment, Mandela did not look like Gandhi. He was
charmed nevertheless. “His hands were very strong,” he says. “You could tell that he had done
physical labour.” For Maqbool, who has dealt with many heads of state, Mandela seems to be
special not just because of the similarities with Gandhi, but also because of the impression
Madiba made on him. “He called all of us and asked us to write down our names. We did. He
then copied them and gave us all his autograph. I still have mine, but I didn’t realize the value of
it then.” He says. 5. The man who was famously always free – even when he was in prisons for
27 years – came to India first in 1990 and then as president of South Africa in 1995 and was
conferred with Bharat Ratna the highest civilian honour. Power did not seem to affect him to the
way he treated people. “He always spoke softly. He was unfailingly polite, calm and very
patient.” says Maqbool. 6. He even travelled with President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam when he went to
South Africa. “I saw Mandela’s cell” he says. It was small. It is difficult to imagine how he spent
those years in prison, but if you look at his photographs, you cannot find one that doesn’t have
him smiling. He had a smile on his face always. 7. In his speech on December 10, President
Pranab Mukherjee said Mandela was “a towering personality of great compassion and wisdom.”
Maqbool did not hear that speech but his experience is a proof that the words were true. “Most
VIPs don’t walk out the door after their visit. Mandela was different. He didn’t let the security
push us away. Then he shook hands with each one of us and thanked us,” says Maqbool. Madiba
was indeed special. (Courtesy – The Week)
1.1. Choose the correct option: (1 × 6 = 6 Marks)
(a) Why was Maqbool disappointed? (i) He did not get the opportunity of meeting Mandela.
(ii) He could not meet Barak Obama. (iii) Mandela did not resemble Gandhiji. (iv) None of the
above.
(b) Mandela was special to Maqbool because his nature was similar to: (i) Gandhiji (ii) Lal
Bahadur Shastri (iii) Barak Obama (iv) Anna Hazare
(c) What occupies a special place in Maqbool’s memories? (i) Lutyens Estate (ii)
RashtrapatiBhavan (iii) His moments with Gandhiji (iv) His moments with Mandela
(d) India conferred President Mandela with: (i) Nobel Peace Prize (ii) Bharat Ratna (iii) Arjuna
Award (iv) Khel Ratna
(e) Towering personality in the passage means: (i) Very tall person (ii) A great or pre-eminent
personality (iii) Promising person (iv) Huge person
(f) The work Tribute in the above passage means: (i) Respect (ii) Dignity (iii) Praise (iv) Adore
1.2 Answer the following questions briefly: (1 × 6 = 6 Marks)
(a) How did Maqbool meet Nelson Mandela?
(b) What qualities in Mandela impressed everybody in Rashtrapati Bhavan?
(c) What does President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam comment about Mandela’s prison days?
(d) How is Madiba different from other VIPs?
(e) Find another work from the passage which means the same as the following: (i) Constant,
incapable of error (ii) A male servant
Answers
Answer:
Answer
A) Mandela did not resemble Gandhiji.
B) Gandhiji
C) His moments with Mandela
D) Bharat Ratna
E) Very talk person
F) Respect
1.2 Answer
A) Maqbool met Nelson Mandela in India.
B) For the famous world leader this quality in Mandela impressed everybody in Rastrapati Bhavan.
C) The President APJ Abdul Kalam sys that it was small. It is difficult to imagine how he spent those years in prison,but if you look at his photographs, you cannot find one that doesn't have him smiling. He had a smile on his face always.
D) VIPs don't walk out of the door after they visit. Mandela was different. He didn't let the security push us away.
E) A male servant.
Answer:
1.1
(a) (iii) Mandela did not resemble Gandhiji
(b) (i) Gandhiji
(c) (iv) his moments with Mandela
(d) (ii) Bharat Ratna
(e) (ii) A great or pre-eminent personality
(f) (i) Respect
1.2
(a) Maqbool met Nelson Mandela when he visited India and stayed in Rastrapati Bhavan.
(b) Nelson Mandela was unfailingly polite , calm and very patient. He spoke softly and treated everyone nicely.
(c) President A.P.J Abdul Kalam said when we look at the pictures of Mandela we can see him smiling in all of them despite the fact he was in prison.
(d) Mandiba was different from other VIPs because VIPs don't walk out of the door after the visit and didn't let the security push away the people. He also shook hands with everyone and thanked them.
(e) (i) constant, incapable of error - unfailingly
(ii) a male servant - butler