1. WHO WAS MAHATMA GANDHI?
1. What do you know about Mahatma Gandhi? Why is he so
important?
2. Read this text and do the activities
below:
Mohandas Gandhi was born in Porbandar, India, on October 2, 1869. His
name Mahatma, which means ‘Great Soul’ in Sanskrit, was given to him by
the Indian writer Rabindranath Tagore. He was a very important spiritual
leader, who led India to independence by following his doctrine of non-
violence and non-cooperation with evil. In 1888 he began law studies in
England. In 1883 he moved to South Africa, where he saw his fellow
Indians suffering from strong racial discrimination. His reaction against
injustice led him to enter into politics and suffer repression and jail, and to
devote all his life to make India an independent country. In 1947 he was
able to see his dream come true when he negotiated an autonomous
Indian state. The following year he was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic,
who shot him to death.
a) Write questions about the text using the following
prompts:
1.- Who / be / Mahatma Gandhi / ? _________________________________________________
2.- What / his name / mean / ? ______________________________________________________
3.- What / he / do / ? _______________________________________________________________
4.- What / he / believe / in / ? _______________________________________________________
5.- When / he / go / to England / ? __________________________________________________
6.- Where / he / go / in 1883 / ? _____________________________________________________
7.- When / India / become / an independent country / ? _____________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
8.- How / Gandhi / die / ? __________________________________________________________
Text and activity taken from The
Teacher’s Magazine nº17.
1

2. b) Answer the questions above with the information given in the
text.
c) What is a leader ? Give a definition using your own words.
d) Give a synonym for jail .
Mahatma Gandhi
Map of India
2

3. b) Answer the questions above with the information given in the
text.
c) What is a leader ? Give a definition using your own words.
d) Give a synonym for jail .
Mahatma Gandhi
Map of India
2

4. b) Answer the questions above with the information given in the
text.
c) What is a leader ? Give a definition using your own words.
d) Give a synonym for jail .
Mahatma Gandhi
Map of India
2

5. b) Answer the questions above with the information given in the
text.
c) What is a leader ? Give a definition using your own words.
d) Give a synonym for jail .
Mahatma Gandhi
Map of India
2