THE LAST LESSON BY ALFONSE DAUDET UP AND CBSE BOAR ENGLISH 12 CHAPTER -1

 


Q.1.What was the bulletin-board? How was it important?

Ans:

In those days, bulletin board was the only medium to convey the official messages and news to the common mass. It was important because it was the only mode of communication between the officials and the public.

 

Q.2.What did M. Hamel say when Franz reached to the school?

Ans:

When Franz reached to the school, M. Hamel  said very kindly to go to his place quickly and added that they had been beginning without him.

 

Q.3.What did M. Hamel speak first in the class that day about the last lesson?

Ans:

M. Hamel spoke in a grave tone that it was the last lesson he would give them. The order had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. He added that He wanted them to be very attentive as it was their last lesson .

 

Q.4.What did Franz think after hearing about the last lesson?

Ans:

After hearing about the last lesson, Franz thought that he hardly knew how to write , he would  be never able to learn French language ,  he regretted  for not learning his lessons, for seeking birds' eggs or going sliding on the Saar river.

 Q.5. Did friends receive the participle "how"?

Ans.

No, Franz did not recite the participles because when it was his turn to recite the rule of participle, he got mixed upon the first words.

Q.6. Whom did M. Hamel blame for the ignorance in studies? Why?

Or

Whom did M. Hamel blame for not paying proper attention to the study of French?

Ans:

Firstly for the ignorance in studies M. Hamel blamed the students because they delayed the studies, then he blamed their parents who preferred them to work on a farm or at the mills, and then he blamed himself too, for giving them holidays.

 

Q.7. What did M. Hamel say about the language and its importance?

Or

What did M. Hamel say about the French language.

Ans:

M. Hamel said that the French language was the most beautiful, logical and clearest language in the world and said that they must guard it as it was their tradition and history.

 

Q.8.What did Franz think about the pigeons? Why?

Ans:

Franz wondered about the pigeons that if they (Germans) would make them sing in German. as he heard the pigeons cooed very low on the roof.

Q.9. What did M hamel observe there at last

At last, M. Hamel observed everything in the classroom. He observed desks and benches, the walnut-trees in the garden, the hopvine and the other things as he wanted to fix those in his mind.


 

Q.10. What happened when church-clock struck twelve?

Ans:

When the church-clock struck twelve, the trumpets of the Prussians returning from their drill sounded at which M. Hamel stood up, very pale, in his chair. He tried to give his farewell words but choked.

Q.11. In the Last Lesson, name the countries who were fighting and describe the content of the bulletin board.

Ans:

In the Last Lesson French and Prussian were fighting.The Germans had put up a notice on the bulletin-board that only German language would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine


Q.12. In what way 'according to M. Hamel' does the mother tongue serve even the enslaved people?

Ans:

According to M. Hamel, even if people are enslaved, their mother tongue can serve like a key to their prison.

 

Q.13.Why was Franz in great fear when he started for school?

Ans:

 When Franz started for school, he was in great fear of scolding for he had not learnt his lesson on participles.

 

Q.14. What tempted Franz to run away and spend the day out of doors?

Ans:

 It was so warm and bright! The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods. In the open field the Prussian soldiers were drilling. These things were all much more tempting than the rule of participles at school.

 

Q.15. Why did the villagers come to school that day? Why was it a surprise to Franz?

Ans:

 The villagers came to school to thank and give respect to M. Hamel for his faithful service also they were sorry that they would not be able go to school any more. It was a surprise for Franz because the back benches were always empty.

 

Q.16. Why did the grammar lesson seem so easy to understand for Franz that day?

Ans:

The grammar lesson seemed s0 easy to understand for Franz that day because he listened to it very carefully and the teacher explained everything with great patience.

 

Q.17. Why was Franz sorry for not learning his French lesson?

Ans:

 Franz was sorry for not learning his French lesson because he wasted his time in seeking birds' eggs, or going sliding on the Saar.

 

Q.18. What did Franz think about the German rulers who imposed their language on the French people?

Ans:

On the roof the pigeons cooed very low, Franz thought to himself, "Will the German rulers make them sing in German, even the pigeons?"

 

Q.19. Why did Franz praise the courage of M. Hamel?

Ans:

M. Hamel and his family had to leave the country next day, even then he taught everything according to the time table with great patience. It must have broken his heart to leave his residence, garden and the school where he passed his forty years of life.

 

Q.20. How did M. Hamel wish his country before the close of the school that day?

Ans:

M. Hamel turned to the blackboard, took a piece of chalk, and bearing on with all his might, he wrote as large as he could-

"Vive La France!"

Long Answer Type Question

Q1. Why was Franz running towards school that day? What did he notice during the way?

Ans:

Franz was running towards the school because he was very late and was in great dread of a scolding for getting late and not to learn participles  , he was in double terror-not knowing about participles and getting late. In the way, he noticed the birds chirping at the edge of the woods, the Prussian soldiers drilling in the open field back of the sawmill and it was all much more tempting than the rule for participles. When he passed the town hall he noticed  that there was a crowd in the front of the bulletin-board., then he was called by blacksmith, Wachter, who was there with his apprentice, reading the bulletin board.

 

Q.2. What was the scene inside the class when Franz reached to the school?

Ans:

When Franz reached to the school, he found everything so stillas Sundays. Through the window, he saw his classmates, already in their places, and M. Hamel was walking up and down with the terrible iron ruler under his arm. He saw his teacher M. Hamel wearing his beautiful green coat, he saw the village people, sitting quietly on the back benches including old Hauser, the former Mayor, the former Postmaster and several others. So, everything and everybody was still and silent that day.

 

Q.3. How did the announcement of the last lesson af- fect Franz?

Ans:

The announcement of the last lesson affected Franz in a very deep manner. Those words were a thunderclap for him. He started to think about his mother tongue French. He thought that he hardly knew how to write and he should never learn any more. He was feeling sorry for not learning his lessons. His books, that had seemed such a nuisance a while ago, which were so heavy to carry, his grammar, and his history of the saints, were felt old friends by him. The idea that his master was going away, that he should never see him again, made him forget all about his ruler and how cranky he was.

So, in total, the announcement of the last lesson, made Franz realized the importance of the native language.

Q.4.In which way did M Hamel blame himself and others for the negligence?

M. Hamel blamed student's parents as they were, not anxious enough to have them learn. They preferred to put them to work on a farm or at the mills to earn little bit more money.M. Hamel blamed students because they used to delay studies saying that they had plenty of time. At the same time, he blamed himself also as he used to give them holidays for his going for watering his flowers and fishing. In the way, M. Hamel blamed everyone for the negligence of the study for French language.

Q.4. What happened at last? How did M. Hamel last the class?

Ans:

At last the Church-clock struck twelve and then the Angelus. The trumpets of the Prussians, returning from drill, sounded under their windows. M. Hamel stood up. He looked very pale. He tried to say something but something choked his throat. Actually, he was unable to speak due to the pain of farewell and the last day in that town. So, he couldn't go on speaking any more. Then he turned to the blackboard, took a piece of chalk and wrote as large as he could - "Vive La France!" Then he stopped and leaned his head against the wall, and without a word, made a gesture to them with his hand 'School is dismissed you may go.'

 

Q.5. What is the reason that made M. Hamel declare that the lesson which he was going to teach on that fateful day was to be the last lesson?

Ans:

Mr. Hamel was teaching in this school for last forty years. He opened a grammar book and taught them their last lesson. He said that it was my last lesson. Mr. Hamel said that the French language was the most beautiful language in the world the clearest, most logical. He further said that they must guard it among them and never forgot it.

Q.6. What is the theme of the story 'The Last Lesson'? Discuss.

Ans:

The theme of the story 'The Last Lesson' is: "The pain that is inflicted on the people of a territory by its conquerors by taking away the right to study or speak their own language."

The Germans have conquered a territory of France in the battle. This territory comprises Alsace and Lorraine. The order comes from Berlin that only German will be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine and the new master will come the next day.

It was a great pain inflicted on the people of Alsace and Lorraine. Their right to study or speak French was taken away by the Germans.

Village people came to the school. They sat quietly on the back benches that were always empty. Old Hauser, with his three-cornered hat, the former mayor, the former postmaster, and several others came there. They were visibly upset that they had been devoided of their mother tongue.

The atmosphere of the school was sombre. Village people were crying that they had been deprived of their right to study or speak their own language ie. French.

Q.7. The people in this story suddenly realise how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?

Ans:

Introduction: The Germans had conquered the territory of France comprising Alsace and Lorraine in the battle.

Preciousness of the language: The order from Berlin has come that in Alsace and Lorraine German will be taught instead of French. M. Hamel informs the class, "My children, this is the last lesson I shall give you. The order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new master comes tomorrow. This is your last French lesson." French language is the most beautiful language in the world. It is the clearest and the most logical. When a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language, it is as if they had the key to their prison. So, they must guard it among them and never forget it.

These words were a thunderclap to the students and the village people who were present there. Then they suddenly realised how precious their language is to them. It shows the importance of their language to them. French was their mother tongue.

Conclusion: This happens when the conqueror imposes a language on the vanquished instead of their mother tongue. History is replete with such instances.

MCQs

1. Franz was in a great dread of scolding because M. Hamel had said that he would question them on                                .

(a) infinitives

(b) participles

(c) articles

(d) pronoun

2. M. Hamel was wearing his green coat which he only wore on days.

(a) prize

(b) inspection

(c) special

(d) All three

3. M. Hamel mounted on his chair and said, "My chil- dren, this is the lesson I shall give you.

(a) first

(b) best

(c) only

(d) last

4. The old men were sitting in the back of the class and it was their way of thanking their master for his years of faithful service.

(a) 14

(b) 20

(c) 30

(d) 40

5. Their parents preferred to put them to work on a farmor at the                               , so as to have a little more money.

(a) factories

(b) companies

(c) shops

(d) mills

 

6. When a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had thetotheir prison.

(a) exit

(b) way

(c) key

(d) gate

7. On thethe pigeons cooed very low.

(a) roof

(b) wall

(c) gate

(d) tin

8. Whenever I looked up from my writing I saw M. Hamel sitting in his chair.

(a) silent

(b) happ

(c) sad

(d) motionless

9. After the writing, we had a lesson in                       .

(a) English

(b) History

(c) French

(d) German

10. M. Hamel stood up, very,in his chair.

(a) lean

(b) thin

(c) pale

(d) weak

 


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