Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Level 1 Elementary
1 Warmer
Write down five words or expressions that describe Nelson Mandela.
2 Key words
Match the key words to the definitions below. Then find them in the article to read them in context. The
paragraph numbers are given to help you.
7. the feeling and time of great sadness because someone has died _____________________ (para 12)
8. a company that deals with legal matters _____________________ (para 16)
9. officially not allowed or forbidden _____________________ (para 17)
10. the act of going into hiding so people do not know where you are _____________________ (para 17)
11. an attempt to do something by using guns and other weapons _____________________ (para 17)
12. set free _____________________ (para 18)
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9 FW de Klerk – the South African president First published in The Guardian, 06/12/13
who freed Mandela from prison and shared
the Nobel Peace Prize with him in 1993 –
said the news was very sad for South Africa
and the world.
10 “He was a great unifier,” De Klerk said.
11 In Soweto, people came together to sing
and dance near the house where Mandela
once lived. They sang songs from the
anti-apartheid struggle. Some people were
wearing South African flags and the green,
yellow and black colours of Mandela’s party,
the African National Congress (ANC).
12 Mandela’s death sends South Africa deep
into mourning nearly 20 years after he led the
country from racial apartheid to democracy.
13 But his death will also be felt by people
around the world who thought Mandela was
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1. What was Mandela’s name when he was born? How did he get the name Nelson?
2. What was his clan name?
3. Which other political leaders is he compared to?
4. Did he have any other job, apart from his life in politics?
5. Which political party was he connected with and when did he join it?
6. How long did Mandela spend in prison?
7. How many years was he on Robben Island?
8. What did he get in 1993 and who did he get it with?
9. When was the first Mandela Day?
10. Did he have any family?
4 Political vocabulary
Write all the political words and expressions from the article onto the word wheel.
Political
vocabulary
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M W P
4. “He was a
3. ”Madiba transformed great unifier.”
South Africa – and moved
all of us.”
5. “[Mandela was] a
hero of our time.”
b. Write your own personal tribute to Nelson Mandela in the empty speech bubble.
6 Webquest
Find, watch and listen to Zuma’s announcement of Mandela’s passing and Obama’s tribute, both from 5
December, 2013. Listen carefully for the quotes that are mentioned in the article.
Find out more about Nelson Mandela by going to www.nelsonmandela.org/.
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KEY
Teacher’s note: Get the students to do this task Teacher’s note: These are possible answers; they may
individually or in pairs (if possible, before you hand vary so accept any that students can justify.
out the worksheets). Then write their ideas on the
president; prime minister; democracy; election; victory;
board. Which, if any, words and expressions repeat
party; ANC; congress; nation; flags; political leader;
themselves? Leave the words on the board, if possible,
(racial) apartheid; state
until after the students have read the article, at which
point they can say whether any of their words appear in
the article.
5 Paying tribute
a.
2 Key words 1. Archbishop Desmond Tutu
2. Jacob Zuma, president of South Africa
1. sorrow
3. Barack Obama, president of the United States
2. state funeral
4. FW de Klerk, former president of South Africa
3. clan
5. David Cameron, UK prime minister
4. transformed
5. unifier
b. Teacher’s note: Students could discuss and agree
6. apartheid
on a class tribute.
7. mourning
8. law firm
9. banned
10. underground
11. armed struggle
12. released