Concept Scroll LogoConceptScroll
Join or Sign In
EnglishClass 10The Inauguration

The Inauguration | Class 10 English Notes

By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 5 min read

The Inauguration – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of The Inauguration from Class 10 English, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.

Before You Read

This introductory section sets the historical and political context for the chapter "The Inauguration" from Nelson Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. It introduces the concept of apartheid, a political system that enforced racial segregation and discrimination, primarily in South Africa until the early 1990s. The section prompts students to identify which among the United States of America, South Africa, and Australia had apartheid-like systems, with South Africa being the correct answer. It also briefly introduces Nelson Mandela, a key figure in the fight against apartheid, who spent 30 years in prison for his activism. The section highlights the significance of the 1994 democratic elections in South Africa, which led to Mandela becoming the first black President of the country, marking the end of centuries of white minority rule. A news excerpt from BBC dated 10 May 1994 is included to provide a real-world connection, describing Mandela's inauguration ceremony at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, attended by dignitaries from over 140 countries. Mandela's speech emphasized the end of oppression and the dawn of a new era of freedom and equality in South Africa. The jubilant celebrations by people of all races underline the historic nature of this event.

📊 Diagram: No diagrams in this introductory section.

🧪 Activity: Students are asked to identify which countries had apartheid systems.

🔗 Connection: Leads to the detailed description of the inauguration ceremony and Mandela's speech.

Frequently asked questions

Given below are sentences carrying one part of the contrast. Find in the text the second part of the contrast, and complete each item. Identify the words which signal the contrast. This has been done for you in the first item. 1. For decades the Union Buildings had been the seat of white supremacy, and now ... 2. Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police ... saluted me and pledged their loyalty. ... not so many years before they would not have saluted _______________ 3. Although that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem ..., they would soon _______________ 4. My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil, _______________ 5. The Air Show was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force, but _______________ 6. It was this desire for the freedom of my people ... that transformed _______________ into a bold one, that drove _______________ to become a criminal, that turned _______________ into a man without a home.

1. For decades the Union Buildings had been the seat of white supremacy, and now it belongs to all who live in South Africa.

2. Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police saluted me and pledged their loyalty. Not so many years before they would not have saluted a black man.

3. Although that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem, they would soon learn them and sing them with pride.

4. My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie be

Do you think there is colour prejudice in our own country? Discuss this with your friend and write a paragraph of about 100 to 150 words about this. You have the option of making your paragraph a humorous one. (Read the short verse given below.) When you were born you were pink When you grew up you became white When you are in the sun you are red When you are sick you are yellow When you are angry you are purple When you are shocked you are grey And you have the cheek to call me 'coloured'.

This is a subjective question aimed at encouraging students to reflect on the issue of colour prejudice in their own country. A good answer would discuss examples of colour prejudice, its effects on society, and personal opinions on how to overcome it. The humorous poem highlights the irony of calling someone 'coloured' when human skin changes colour in different situations. Students may write a paragraph expressing their views, possibly including personal experiences or observations.

Read the poem silently once, and say which stanzas speak about the tiger in the zoo, and which ones speak about the tiger in the jungle.

The poem 'A Tiger in the Zoo' has four stanzas.

  • Stanzas 1, 4, and 5 describe the tiger in the zoo:

1st stanza: 'He stalks in his vivid stripes / The few steps of his cage...' 4th stanza: 'But he's locked in a concrete cell...' 5th stanza: 'He hears the last voice at night...'

  • Stanzas 2 and 3 describe the tiger in the jungle:

2nd stanza: 'He should be lurking in shadow...' 3rd stanza: 'He should be snarling around houses...'

Thus, the poem contrasts the confined life of the tiger

1. Read the poem again, and work in pairs or groups to do the following tasks. (i) Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the cage and in the wild. Arrange them in two columns. (ii) Find the words that describe the two places, and arrange them in two columns. Now try to share ideas about how the poet uses words and images to contrast the two situations.

(i) Words describing movements and actions:

  • Tiger in the cage: stalks, quiet, quiet rage, locked, stalking, ignoring visitors
  • Tiger in the wild: lurking, sliding, snarling, baring, terrorising

(ii) Words describing the two places:

  • Cage: few steps, cage, concrete cell, bars, behind bars
  • Wild: shadow, long grass, water hole, jungle's edge, village, stars

The poet uses contrasting words and images to highlight the difference between the confined, restricted life of the tiger in the zoo an

Ready to ace this chapter?

Get the full The Inauguration chapter — interactive notes, diagrams, worked solutions, polls and a free practice quiz — in the ConceptScroll app.

Open in ConceptScroll →

Study smarter with ConceptScroll

Daily NCERT-aligned reels, AI doubt solving and chapter quizzes — all free.

Start learning free
#cbse notes#class 10#english#ncert

Continue reading

← All articles