The Daily Teaser — 5-12-2014: Nelson Mandela

Have I ever told you I volunteer for World Book Night … ?

It’s been held every years, since 2011: and basically involves a host of volunteers giving away free books.

I’ve volunteered for it, for the past few years: and have to admit, it’s quite something, seeing people’s reaction to suddenly being given a free book.

At any rate … ?   I’ve just recently received this years list of books: and realised I hadn’t read any of the books on the 2015 list.

Saying that … ?   Saying that, the one title that caught my eye as one I’d like to hand out was Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice: so I immediately decided to remedy having not read it, by getting a copy from Brentwood Library.

I’m five chapters in.   And frankly … ?

Frankly, it’s possibly one of the most beautifully written things I’ve read … 

~≈®≈~

But let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: and scoring five out of five.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s themed set: written to mark the first anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death, and accompanied by the How To, License and video … 

Q1) 5th December, 2013, saw the death of Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa.   In which year had he been born?

Q2) He’d been South Africa’s first black president: serving in the post from 1994 to which year?

Q3) Mr Mandela had been a Thembu member of which South African people: Zulu, Xhosa or Basotho?

Q4) As President, Mr Mandela had replaced who?

Q5) Nelson Mandela had been the first black President of South Africa: after the country dismantled it notorious minority rule regime.   That regime had been known as what?

Q6) The word that described that regime came from Afrikaans.   Afrikaans is a relative of which European language?

Q7) South Africa’s previous regime had imprisoned Nelson Mandela for 27 years: in a prison on Robben Island.   In which year of the 1990s was he released?

Q8) Nelson Mandela famously led which South African political party?

Q9) South African reconciliation was helped, when Nelson Mandela publicly supported South Africa’s (all-white) national Rugby Union team, in the 1995 World Cup.   That team takes its name from which deer?

Q10) Finally … Idris Elba played Nelson Mandela in the 2013 film about him.   What was that film called?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 4th December, 1791, saw the publication of the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper.   Which British paper are we talking about?

A1) The Observer.

Q2) 4th December, 1998, saw the launch of what’s called the Unity module.   The module is part of what?

A2) The International Space Station.

Q3) 25th September, 1980, saw the death of drummer, John Bonham.   His band subsequently announced they were to disband, on 4th December, 1980.   Who were that band?

A3) Led Zeppelin.   (Jimmy and the boys are not to be confused with Dread Zeppelin.)

Q4) 4th December, 1975, saw Suriname join the United Nations.   Suriname is on which continent: North America, South America or Africa?

A4) South America.

Q5) Finally … 4th December, 1954, saw the first Burger King open.   Its signature dish, the Whopper, is what: a kebab, a curry or a burger?

A5) A burger.

Although it’s a few years old, now, I’ll leave you with the song that — having grown up with it — first introduced me and many others to Madiba’s name … 

I’ll also leave you with these words …

“Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world.   Let freedom reign!”

Nelson Mandela, from his inauguration address in 1994.

Have a good day … !

*        Ha!    Debbi, I doubt they could afford it!   (I’m not too worried.   After all, the fact the Gazette let’s me post the questions to their site does mean the blog crawls up the Page rankings: basically, the more incoming links we have, the better.   Saying that … ?   Saying that, I’m thinking of getting the address of the Brentwood Recorder and the Weekly News, and seeing what they say … )