English Ch - 1 Class 12th (The Last Lesson Important Questions)

 Ch - 1 Class 12th (The Last Lesson Important Questions)  

Short Answer Type Questions (3-4 Marks)

Ques.1: 

What was the Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day ?

Answer: 

Little Franz was afraid of the temper and the iron ruler of his French teacher M. Hamel. He was expected to be prepared with 'Participles'. His teacher had announced that he would question them on Participles. But Franz did not know even the First word of participles.

Ques.2:

What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?

Answer:

Usually, when the school began there was noise and great bustle. The noise of closing and opening of desks, lessons repeated loudly in unison and the teacher's great ruler rapping on the table which could be heard on the street. But that day everything was quiet,still and silent as on a Sunday morning. M. Hamel became soft and calm. He wore a green coat. Frilled shirt and a black silk cap on that day. The village elders also attended the lecture.

Ques.3:

“What announcement did M. Hamel make? What was the impact of this on Franz? 
Answer:

When M.Hamel declared that it was their last French lesson a grim realization dawned on Franz that he had so much more yet to learn. He felt sorry for whiling away his time and skipping his lessons. Now he did not want to part with his books, which he had earlier considered a nuisance. He was also deeply pained at the thought that M. Hamel was leaving.

Ques.4:

M. Hamel very subtly aroused the patriotic feeling in the people of Alsace. How? 

Answer:

M. Hamel was a lover and the harbinger of the French language. He aroused patriotic feeling in the Alsacians by making them conscious that their language was the key to their prison. He advised them to guared their identity. Finally, he wrote on the blackboard these words 'Viva La France' making them realize that only they could fight for the liberation of their country and restore its identity.

Ques.5: 

What did Franz see when he passed the town hall?

Answer:

When Franz passed the town hall he saw there was a crowd in front of the bulletin board. For the last two years all the bad news of lost battles, the draft etc. had come from there and Franz thought to himself what the matter was then and what bad news awaited them.

Ques.6: 

How did Franz's feeling about M. Hamel and school change?

Answer:

That morning M. Hamel was serious, calm and little disturbed. Little Franz was very upset to know that M. Hamel was going away. He become emotional and sentimental. He felt sorry for not learning his lesson. The books that seemed nuisance and so heavy to carry were old friends now. He attended the lecture carefully and attentively. He forget all about his ruler and behavior.

Ques.7:

Franz thinks,"Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?" What could this mean?

Answer:

Little Franz was never serious about his study.He was always afraid of scolding from his French teacher. The sentence Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?" reflects hate and urge to rebel. Franz feels French is their language as pigeons coo ( sing) in their own language, similarly the people of France to have the full right to use their language. The Germans could not curtail use of their language.

Ques.8:

Who occupied the back benches in the classroom on the day of the last lesson? Why?

Answer:

The village people occupied the backbenches in the classroom on the day of the last lesson. They included the old hauser, the former mayor, the former postmaster and several others. They had come there to thank their master for his valuable service and to show their respect for their language and country which was no longer theirs.

Ques.9: 

What had been put up on the bulletin board?

Answer:

All the official orders and bad news were pasted on the bulletin board. When Franz passed the town hall there was a crowd in front of the bulletin board. The latest news was about the French Language and the French teacher. Probably the order from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine had been put up.

Ques.10:

"What a thunderclap these words to me !" Which were the words that shocked and surprised little Franz?

Answer:

When M. Hamel stood up and told the class it was his Last French Lesson as an order had come from Berlin that only German language would be taught in the school of Alsace and Loraine. The new teacher would arrive the next day. These words thunderclap for little Franz.

Ques.11:

What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?

Answer:

The order from Berlin To teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Loraine depressed the people. M. Hamel was told to pack up and go the very next day. A German teacher would come in place of him to teach the German language. In utter dismay, they gad come to attend the Last Lesson. The teacher and the student were very upset.

    Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 marks)

Ques.1:

Character sketch of Franz.

Answer:

Franz is the narrator of the story 'The Last Lesson'. He was a student at a school in Alsace. His schoolmaster was M. Hamel. Franz was not brilliant but timid. He did not prepare his lesson on Participles. He did not want to go to school. He showed no interest in M. Hamel's teaching. But he was scared of of Hamel' scolding. Franz knew how cranky M. Hamel was. On the way, when he passed the the town hall, he saw a crowd in front of the bulletin board. He blushed and was frightened of entering the class.M. Hamel did not scold him.He was surprised to the villagers sitting quietly. When he came to know about the last lesson of M. Hamel, he felt shocked. He was sorry for not learning his lessons properly. His views about Hamel also changed. He forgot all about his ruler Franz was a respectful and thoughtful person. He started respecting the man who had been teaching in that school for forty years. He listened to this lesson carefully and more attentively. The order from Berlin had changed everything. M. Hamel had to leave the school forever. From the next day, a new German teacher would come in place M. Hamel. He would teach German. He thought to himself," Will they make them sing in German even the pigeons?" He loved his language from the core of his heart. In fact Franz was a remorseful, thoughtful and sensitive student.

Ques.2:

Character sketch of M. Hamel.

Answer:

In the chapter,'The Last Lesson' the writer has presented M. Hamel as a very kind, loving, sincere, dedicated and truthful person.M. Hamel was teacher of French language at a school in Alsace. He was a hardworking and devoted man.He had been teaching in that school for forty years. He was a nationalist Usually. his students were afraid of him. He would rap his great ruler on a desk and frightened the children. He maintained discipline in the class. But the order from Berlin changed everything. M. Hamel became gentle and kind. According to the order had to leave the school forever, when Franz entered his class very late he did not scold him. He was sincere in his duties. He declared that it was the Last lesson in French as from next day German would be taught in the schools of Lorraine and Alsace. He would leave the school next day. In honour of the last lesson, he wore his beautiful green coat, his Frilled shirt, and the Little black silk cap.He was emotional and dedicated. He looked depressed on the last day of his teaching career there, The village elders attended the class to show their respect for the country and to thank their master. Even little Franz felt sorry for not learning the language sincerely, He advised the people to respect and guard their language. At last,he stood up and wrote on the blackboard 'Viva La France !'.

Ques.3:

What is linguistic Chauvinism?

Answer:

Language is a people's proud and precious possession. It is a marked of one's culture and identity. But pride in one's language should not go for. Chauvinism means the irrational belief that one's own language is better than all others. The order came suddenly from Berlin to teach only German and no French language would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The people in the story 'The Last Lesson' suddenly realize how precious their language is to them. The order changed everything. The children, as well as village elders, felt very sad and disappointed. They realized that they were going to loss not only their teacher but also their language. All of a sudden they had an urge to learn their language. They realized the worth of their language and decided to attend the school. They showed enthusiasm and desire to learn their French language. This was further supported be the fact that the former mayor, Postmaster and Old Hauser too attended M. Hamel class. Franz too studied the language attentively. He showed his regret at his irregularity in studying the language. M. Hamel told them their language is the most beautiful language. It is the clearest and most logical language. They understood its importance. The pride in their language would keep them united to fight for freedom from the Prussian army. The German had captured two French districts of Alsace and Lorraine. The last words 'Viva La France' of M. Hamel had great impact on the people. They too wanted to be free and did not want to learn German. They were against language imposition.