Class 10 English – Words and Expressions 2 Unit 2

📝 Section 1 — Language Notes

Story in Short — Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela fought against apartheid in South Africa.
Apartheid was a cruel system of racial separation.
Mandela spent 27 years in prison for his beliefs.
He became the first Black president of South Africa in 1994.
He believed freedom comes with responsibility.
This unit also includes a speech by Sardar Patel on freedom.

Sardar Patel's Speech — Key Points

He gave a speech at a university convocation.
He said freedom was won through sacrifice.
He warned that freedom must be protected and strengthened.
He stressed that character is the most important quality.
He said unity is essential — disunity is the real danger.

Grammar Topic — Articles (a, an, the)

a — used before a consonant sound: a book, a nation
an — used before a vowel sound: an apple, an hour
the — used for specific or known things: the sun, the school
"the" is used before proper nouns with special meaning.
Example: the Ganges, the President, the Himalayas

When to Use "the" — Special Cases

Before names of rivers, oceans: the Nile, the Pacific
Before names of mountain ranges: the Alps, the Himalayas
Before unique objects: the sun, the moon, the earth
Before superlatives: the best, the tallest, the first
Before "same": the same mistake, the same place

Freedom vs Responsibility — Key Ideas

Freedom means the right to live without oppression.
Responsibility means doing your duty as a citizen.
Freedom without responsibility causes problems.
Mandela and Patel both said freedom must be earned.
True freedom requires honesty, unity, and hard work.

Important Vocabulary from Patel's Speech

Unassailable — impossible to attack or challenge
Endeavour — a serious attempt to do something
Precincts — the area around or inside a building
Comity of nations — a friendly group of countries
Resurgence — a renewed rise in strength or activity

Idiom — Break the Ice

Break the ice — to start a conversation or reduce tension
Example: "He told a joke to break the ice at the meeting."
Other idioms in context: comity of nations = friendly group of countries
Mutual cooperation = working together for shared benefit

Editing Errors — Common Grammar Mistakes

Subject-verb agreement: "writers must force" not "must forced"
Tense consistency: "Thinking clearly is" not "was"
Wrong verb forms: "never write well" not "never wrote"
Plurals: "other people seem" not "seems"
Gerunds: "trying a little writing" not "trying a little write"

✏️ Section 3 — Solved Exercises

Exercise 1 — Comprehension: Sardar Patel's Speech

Choose the most appropriate answer for each question.

1 The occasion of the speech is (b) a convocation address at a university.

2 Patel says future generations will curse us if (a) we fail to protect our freedom.

3 The first and foremost thing Patel stressed is (a) to make the country strong and united.

4 One major characteristic of university education according to Patel is (a) character.

5 "Comity of nations" does NOT mean (b) group of nations that wage war against others. It means a friendly group of nations.

6 "India abounds in resources" means (b) India's natural resources and population are a great resource.

7 The greatest danger for India according to Patel is disunity (communalism).

Exercise 2 — Fill Articles in the Paragraph

Fill a, an, or the in each blank.

1 The weapons of the World War were: violence, brute force...

2 As a result of the churning of the ocean, the world has emitted poison.

3 The countries which were free have managed to digest it somewhat...

4 ...it is hard to do the same.

5 The freedom that we have won is yet to be consolidated.

Exercise 3 — Editing Errors in the Passage

Each line has an error. Find and correct it.

1 "some peoples" → some people (people is already plural)

2 "is therefore natural writers" → are therefore natural writers

3 "will never wrote well" → will never write well

4 "Thinking clearly was" → is (general truth — present tense)

5 "must forced" → must force

6 "makes shopping list" → make a shopping list

7 "algebra problems" → problem (refers to one)

8 "Good writing do not come" → does not come

Exercise 4 — Vocabulary: Use in Sentences

a Precincts: Students must behave well within the precincts of the school.

b Comity of nations: India has always believed in the comity of nations.

c Unassailable: Our country's constitution is unassailable.

d Mutual cooperation: Neighbours should show mutual cooperation in times of need.

📋 Section 4 — Word Power

Word	Part of Speech	Meaning	Example Sentence
endeavour	noun / verb	a serious attempt or effort	She made every endeavour to win the race.
unassailable	adjective	impossible to challenge or defeat	His logic was unassailable — no one could argue.
precincts	noun	the area within or surrounding a place	No vehicles are allowed inside the school precincts.
comity	noun	mutual respect among countries or people	India stands for the comity of nations.
resurgence	noun	a renewed growth after a period of weakness	There was a resurgence of interest in classical music.
communalism	noun	placing loyalty to one community over the nation	Communalism is a threat to national unity.
inheritance	noun	something passed down from earlier generations	Our freedom is a precious inheritance from our leaders.
obligation	noun	a duty that one must fulfil	It is our obligation to vote in elections.
conferring	verb	granting or giving an honour or degree	The university was conferring degrees on graduates.
deterioration	noun	the process of becoming worse	Neglect led to the deterioration of the old building.
consolidated	adjective	made firm or secure	The peace agreement was not yet fully consolidated.
discipline	noun	training that produces controlled behaviour	Discipline is the key to success in any field.

📄 Section 5 — Practice

Practice 1 — Fill in the Blanks with Articles

1. ___ weapons of ___ World War were violent.
2. She works in ___ bank near ___ station.
3. Would you like to eat ___ orange?
4. He goes to ___ theatre once ___ week.
5. I bought ___ newspaper and ___ magazine.

Practice 2 — True or False

1. Sardar Patel gave his speech at a school assembly. ___
2. Patel believed freedom must be protected by citizens. ___
3. Character is not important according to Patel. ___
4. Mandela and Gandhi both used non-violent methods. ___
5. Patel said disunity is the greatest danger for India. ___

Practice 3 — Match the Words

1. endeavour A. renewed strength after weakness
2. resurgence B. a duty that must be fulfilled
3. obligation C. impossible to challenge
4. unassailable D. a serious attempt or effort
5. communalism E. loyalty to community over nation

Practice 4 — Grammar: Correct the Error

1. She have been waiting for an hour.
2. The childrens are playing in the garden.
3. He don't like to eat vegetables.
4. They was late for the meeting.
5. She showed great courage and bravely.

Practice 5 — Writing Prompt

Write a short paragraph (5–6 sentences) on what freedom means to you. Use words like responsibility, duty, rights, and citizens.

Answers to Practice Exercises

Practice 1 Answers: 1. The / the 2. a / the 3. an 4. the / a 5. a / a

Practice 2 Answers: 1. False (it was a convocation at university) 2. True 3. False (he called it most essential) 4. True 5. True

Practice 3 Answers: 1 – D 2 – A 3 – B 4 – C 5 – E

Practice 4 Answers: 1. has been waiting 2. children are 3. doesn't like 4. were late 5. bravery (not bravely — noun needed)

🃏 Section 6 — Word Flashcards

endeavour

A serious attempt or effort. "Citizens must endeavour to protect democracy."

unassailable

Cannot be attacked or challenged. "Our freedom is unassailable."

comity of nations

A friendly group of countries respecting each other's rights.

obligation

A duty we must fulfil. "Voting is an obligation of every citizen."

resurgence

A renewed rise of strength after a weak period.

the (definite article)

Used for specific known things: the sun, the Himalayas, the same.

apartheid

A cruel system of racial separation in South Africa that Mandela fought against.

break the ice

Idiom: to reduce awkwardness in a new situation by starting a friendly conversation.

Unit 2 — Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Words and Expressions 2 • Class 10 • Different Learner Friendly Notes