Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom MCQs for HSLC 2026

Introduction: Nelson Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom MCQs for HSLC 2026

The chapter "Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" is not just a cornerstone of the Class 10 English syllabus (NCERT/SEBA); it is a powerful testament to the triumph of the human spirit over oppression. For students preparing for the HSLC Examination, mastering this chapter is essential for scoring high in both the objective and subjective sections.

In this lesson, Mandela recounts the historic day of his inauguration as South Africa's first Black president and reflects on the sacrifices made by countless patriots to end the brutal system of Apartheid. To help you excel in your upcoming boards, we have compiled a comprehensive list of 60 Must-Know MCQs.

Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom MCQ

These questions cover everything from key dates and historical figures to the deep philosophical meanings of courage and freedom. Whether you are looking for a quick revision or a deep dive into the chapter, these MCQs are designed to mirror the latest exam patterns.

Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Class 10 MCQ with answers

What you will find in this guide:

 • Detailed questions on the inauguration ceremony in Pretoria.

 • Mandela’s definitions of "courage" and "twin obligations."

 • Vocabulary-based questions to sharpen your language skills.

 • Answers to help you self-assess your progress.

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom MCQs

Section 1: The Inauguration Ceremony

 1. On which day did the inauguration ceremony take place?

   (a) 10 May (b) 10 March (c) 20 May (d) 20 March

   Answer: (a) 10 May

 2. Where did the ceremonies take place?

   (a) Rockstone amphitheater (b) Sandstone amphitheater (c) Glass stone amphitheater (d) None of the above

   Answer: (b) Sandstone amphitheater

 3. In which city is the Union Buildings located?

   (a) Johannesburg (b) Pretoria (c) Cape Town (d) Durban

   Answer: (b) Pretoria

Class 10 English Chapter 2 MCQ

 4. Who was sworn in as the first deputy president?

   (a) Thabo Mbeki (b) Nelson Mandela (c) F.W. de Klerk (d) Zenani

   Answer: (a) Thabo Mbeki

 5. Who was sworn in as the second deputy president?

   (a) Thabo Mbeki (b) Nelson Mandela (c) Mr. de Klerk (d) Oliver Tambo

   Answer: (c) Mr. de Klerk

 6. The inauguration was a celebration of South Africa's first ______ government.

   (a) autocratic, racial (b) democratic, non-racial (c) democratic, racial (d) monarch, non-racial

   Answer: (b) democratic, non-racial

 7. How many years did Mandela spend in prison?

   (a) 20 years (b) 27 years (c) 30 years (d) 35 years

   Answer: (c) 30 years

HSLC 2026 English important questions

 8. Who accompanied Nelson Mandela on the day of the inauguration?

   (a) His wife (b) His daughter Zenani (c) His son (d) His mother

   Answer: (b) His daughter Zenani

 9. What was the "spectacular array" displayed by the South African jets?

   (a) Military's precision (b) Military's loyalty to democracy (c) Both (a) and (b) (d) None of the above

   Answer: (c) Both (a) and (b)

 10. What colors does the new South African flag possess?

   (a) Black, red, green, blue, and gold (b) Black, red, yellow, blue, and gold (c) Orange, black, yellow, blue, and silver (d) Black, blue, violet, saffron, and green

   Answer: (a) Black, red, green, blue, and gold

Section 2: Themes of Freedom and Courage

 11. How does Nelson Mandela define "courage"?

   (a) Triumph over fear (b) Triumph over love (c) Absence of fear (d) Triumph over poverty

   Answer: (a) Triumph over fear

Long Walk to Freedom objective questions

 12. According to Mandela, what is a country's greatest wealth?

   (a) Its minerals (b) Its gems (c) Its people (d) Its technology

   Answer: (c) Its people

 13. What does "depths of oppression" create?

   (a) Oppressed people (b) Heights of character (c) Poverty (d) Lack of freedom

   Answer: (b) Heights of character

 14. Mandela says that every man has "twin obligations." What are they?

   (a) To his family and to his country (b) To himself and to his God (c) To his family and to his job (d) To his community and to his friends

   Answer: (a) To his family and to his country

 15. What realization did Mandela have of his boyhood freedom?

   (a) It was just an illusion (b) He was born free (c) Freedom was meant for kids (d) He had no realizations

   Answer: (a) It was just an illusion

 16. What began Mandela's "hunger for freedom"?

   (a) The fact that it had already been taken from him (b) His obligation to family (c) His obligation to people (d) He was born to fight

   Answer: (a) The fact that it had already been taken from him

Nelson Mandela MCQ for board exam

 17. A man who takes away another man's freedom is ______.

   (a) White (b) A prisoner of hatred (c) Criminal (d) Rude

   Answer: (b) A prisoner of hatred

 18. According to Mandela, who are the ones that must be liberated?

   (a) The oppressor (b) The oppressed (c) Both (a) and (b) (d) Neither (a) nor (b)

   Answer: (c) Both (a) and (b)

 19. What "flame" can be hidden but never extinguished?

   (a) Man's love (b) Man's natural way (c) Man's goodness (d) None of the above

   Answer: (c) Man's goodness

 20. Mandela says "I was not born with a hunger to be free. I was born ______."

   (a) poor (b) free (c) oppressed (d) a rebel

   Answer: (b) free

Section 3: Apartheid and Struggle

 21. What was the system of "Apartheid"?

   (a) Political system that separates people according to race (b) Economic system (c) Religious system (d) None of the above

   Answer: (a) Political system that separates people according to race

 22. The structure of racial domination against the dark-skinned people was called ______.

   (a) Slavery (b) Apartheid (c) Colonization (d) Monarchy

   Answer: (b) Apartheid

SEBA Class 10 English MCQ

 23. Which party did Nelson Mandela join?

   (a) Indian National Congress (b) African National Congress (c) National African Party (d) None of the above

   Answer: (b) African National Congress (ANC)

 24. Why did other countries break off diplomatic relations with South Africa?

   (a) White rulers (b) Other countries are racial (c) It is a poor country (d) Apartheid policy

   Answer: (d) Apartheid policy

 25. The "unintended effect" of the decades of oppression was that it produced ______.

   (a) hate (b) fear (c) men of extraordinary courage and wisdom (d) poverty

   Answer: (c) men of extraordinary courage and wisdom

 26. Which of the following is NOT a leader mentioned by Mandela who was produced by the struggle?

   (a) Oliver Tambo (b) Walter Sisulu (c) Chief Luthuli (d) Mahatma Gandhi

   Answer: (d) Mahatma Gandhi (Note: Mandela respected Gandhi, but he is listing South African struggle heroes here).

 27. What did Mandela learn about love and hate?

   (a) Hate is natural (b) Love comes more naturally to the human heart (c) Both are learned (d) Neither can be taught

   Answer: (b) Love comes more naturally to the human heart

 28. What change brought international leaders to South Africa?

   (a) End of Apartheid (b) Humanity (c) Peace (d) Trade negotiations

   Answer: (a) End of Apartheid

 29. Why were two national anthems sung?

   (a) To imply unity (b) To mark the end of racial discrimination (c) To recognize both Black and White cultures (d) All of the above

   Answer: (d) All of the above

 30. "We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation." What does "emancipation" mean?

   (a) Slavery (b) Freedom from restriction (c) Enslavement (d) Both (b) and (c)

   Answer: (b) Freedom from restriction

Section 4: Vocabulary and Context

 31. What is the meaning of the word "Outlaws" used in the text?

   (a) Criminals (b) Because of the policy of Apartheid, many countries had broken off relations (c) People who live outside the law (d) None of the above

   Answer: (b) Because of the policy of Apartheid, many countries had broken off relations

 32. The word "Besieged" means:

   (a) Surrounded by (b) To be free (c) To be happy (d) To be angry

   Answer: (a) Surrounded by

 33. What does the word "Resilience" mean in the context of the story?

   (a) The ability to deal with any kind of hardship (b) The ability to run fast (c) The ability to fight (d) The ability to hide

   Answer: (a) The ability to deal with any kind of hardship

 34. "The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement." What is the "achievement"?

   (a) Discovery of gold (b) Establishment of the first democratic government (c) Mandela's birthday (d) Winning a war

   Answer: (b) Establishment of the first democratic government

 35. "I am the sum of all those African patriots who had gone before me." This means:

   (a) He is very old (b) He carries the legacy of all freedom fighters (c) He is a mathematician (d) He is a ghost

   Answer: (b) He carries the legacy of all freedom fighters

 36. The word "Amphitheatre" refers to:

   (a) An open-air building without a roof (b) A closed stadium (c) A hospital (d) A palace

   Answer: (a) An open-air building without a roof

 37. What is the meaning of "Profound" as used in "profound hurt"?

   (a) Deep and strong (b) Shallow (c) Not important (d) Joyful

   Answer: (a) Deep and strong

 38. "A rainbow gathering" refers to:

   (a) A gathering of different colored clouds (b) A gathering of people of different races and nations (c) A painting of a rainbow (d) A religious festival

   Answer: (b) A gathering of people of different races and nations

 39. The word "Curtailed" means:

   (a) Increased (b) Reduced/Restricted (c) Enlarged (d) Opposed

   Answer: (b) Reduced/Restricted

 40. "I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man." This shows Mandela's:

   (a) Pride (b) Humility (c) Anger (d) Fear

   Answer: (b) Humility

Section 5: Detailed Chapter Analysis

 41. Who were the "international guests" Mandela thanked?

   (a) Tourists (b) Leaders of different nations (c) His family members (d) Local villagers

   Answer: (b) Leaders of different nations

 42. Mandela's country is rich in ______ but its greatest wealth is its ______.

   (a) minerals and gems, people (b) gold, technology (c) agriculture, rivers (d) forests, animals

   Answer: (a) minerals and gems, people

 43. What did Mandela realize about his brothers and sisters?

   (a) They were all free (b) They were not free (c) They were all in prison (d) They were all rich

   Answer: (b) They were not free

 44. Which desire transformed a "frightened young man" into a "bold one"?

   (a) Desire for money (b) Desire for the freedom of his people (c) Desire for power (d) Desire for a car

   Answer: (b) Desire for the freedom of his people

 45. "Life-abiding attorney" became a "criminal" in the eyes of the law because:

   (a) He stole money (b) He fought for the freedom of his people (c) He was a bad lawyer (d) He did not pay taxes

   Answer: (b) He fought for the freedom of his people

 46. How did Mandela’s hunger for freedom change as he grew up?

   (a) It became a hunger for his own freedom (b) It became a hunger for the freedom of his people (c) It disappeared (d) It became a hunger for food

   Answer: (b) It became a hunger for the freedom of his people

 47. What was the "spectacular array" of jets intended to show?

   (a) Military's loyalty to democracy (b) Fear (c) Wealth (d) Noise

   Answer: (a) Military's loyalty to democracy

 48. Which anthem was sung by the Blacks?

   (a) Die Stem (b) Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (c) Jana Gana Mana (d) None of the above

   Answer: (b) Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika

 49. Which anthem was sung by the Whites?

   (a) Die Stem (b) Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (c) God Save the Queen (d) None of the above

   Answer: (a) Die Stem

 50. What did the smoke from the Impala jets leave behind?

   (a) Black, red, green, blue, and gold (b) Only white smoke (c) Red and blue (d) No smoke

   Answer: (a) Black, red, green, blue, and gold

Section 6: Final Review Questions

 51. Mandela felt that his country was the "host to the nations of the world" because:

   (a) He liked parties (b) It was the first time international leaders gathered there after Apartheid (c) South Africa was the largest country (d) He wanted to show off

   Answer: (b) It was the first time international leaders gathered there after Apartheid

 52. What realization did Mandela have as a student?

   (a) That he was free (b) That his freedom was an illusion (c) That he needed to study more (d) That he was rich

   Answer: (b) That his freedom was an illusion

 53. According to Mandela, "Man’s goodness is a ______."

   (a) Burden (b) Weakness (c) Flame that can be hidden but never extinguished (d) Choice

   Answer: (c) Flame that can be hidden but never extinguished

 54. What does the word "Emancipation" specifically refer to in the text?

   (a) Religious freedom (b) Political freedom (c) Personal freedom (d) Financial freedom

   Answer: (b) Political freedom

 55. "It was not a day of celebration, but a day of ______."

   (a) Mourning (b) Reckoning (c) History (d) Ceremony

   Answer: (c) History

 56. Who is the author of "Long Walk to Freedom"?

   (a) Nelson Mandela (b) Mahatma Gandhi (c) Martin Luther King Jr. (d) Barack Obama

   Answer: (a) Nelson Mandela

 57. Mandela spent ______ decades in prison.

   (a) Two (b) Three (c) Four (d) Five

   Answer: (b) Three

 58. "A common victory for justice, for peace, for human dignity." Who said this?

   (a) Thabo Mbeki (b) Nelson Mandela (c) Zenani (d) Mr. de Klerk

   Answer: (b) Nelson Mandela

 59. Which of the following is a "transitory freedom" according to Mandela?

   (a) Freedom to stay out at night (b) Freedom to read what I please (c) Freedom to go where I choose (d) All of the above

   Answer: (d) All of the above

 60. "The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their ______."

   (a) Humanity (b) Money (c) Time (d) Power

   Answer: (a) Humanity

Study Tips for HSLC Exam

 • Context is Key: Don't just memorize the answers; try to understand why Mandela felt a certain way.

 • Vocabulary: Pay attention to words like apartheid, emancipation, resilience, and amphitheatre. They are frequently asked.

 • Dates and Names: Remember 10 May, Pretoria, and the names of the deputy presidents.