The Last Lesson Comprehension Passages

Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Chapter 10 The Last Lesson

The Last Lesson Comprehension Questions Answers

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow :

Passage-1.

I started for school very late that morning and was in great dread of a scolding, especially because M. Hamel had said that he would question us on participles, and I did not know the first word about them. For a moment I thought of running away and spending the day out of doors.

It was so warm, so bright! The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods; and in the open field back of the saw-mill the Prussian soldiers were drilling. It was all much more tempting than the rule for participles, but I had the strength to resist, and hurried off to school.

1. Why did the narrator think of running away?
2. How was the narrator?
3. Where were the birds chirping?
4. Why was the narrator in fear?
5. The teacher would question of what?
Answer:
1. The narrator was thinking of running away because he was in great fear of scolding by the teacher M. Hamel.
2. The narrator was fearful, coward and not a good student.
3. The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods and in the open field back of the saw mill.
4. M. Hamel the teacher gave lessons on participles and the narrator was not prepared for that. So, the narrator was in fear.
5. The teacher would ask questions on participles.

Passage-2.

Through the window I saw my classmates, already in their places, and M. Hamel walking up and down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had to open the door and go in before everybody. You can imagine how I blushed and how frightened I was. But nothing happened, M. Hamel saw me and said very kindly: “Go to your place quickly, little Franz. We were beginning without you.”

1. What was Hamel doing when Franz looked through the window?
2. Why was Franz frightened?
3. Did the teacher punish Franz.
4. What did happen when Franz enter the classroom.
5. What Hamel had under his arms?
Answer:
1. When Franz looked through the window M. Hamel was walking up and down.
2. Franz was frightened because he did not prepare his lesson and he was late.
3. No, M. Hamel did not punish Franz for his late arrival in the class.
4. Franz entered into the classroom. Hamel kindly told him to go to his place and sitdown.
5. Hamel had his terrible iron ruler under his arm.

Passage-3.

I jumped over the bench and sat down at my desk. Not till then, when I had got a little over my fright, did I see that our teacher had on his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt, and the little black silk cap, all embroidered, that he never wore except on inspection and prize days. Besides, the whole school seemed so strange and solemn.

But the thing that surprised me most was to see, on the back benches that were always empty, the village people sitting quietly like ourselves; old Hauser, with his three cornered hat, the former mayor, the former postmaster, and several others besides. Everybody looked sad; and Hauser had brought an old primer, thumbed at the edges, and he held it open on his knees with his great spectacles lying across the pages.

1. What kind of dress M. Hamel was wearing?
2. How did the whole school seem?
3. Why was Franz surprised?
4. Who were present in the class besides the students?
5. Why was everybody sad?
Answer:
1. M. Hamel wore beautiful green coat, frilled shirt and the little black embroidered cap which he wore only on imspection and prize days.
2. The whole school seemed strange and solemn.
3. Franz was surprised because on the back benches of the class village people sat quietly like the students former postmaster, Mayor were among them.
4. Besides the students in the back benches sat Hausen with his three cornered hat, the former Mayor, the former postmaster and several others.
5. Everybody was sad because that was the last French class according to the order of the Prussian government.

Passage-4.

My last French lesson! Why, I hardly knew how to write ! I should never learn any more! I must stop there, then! Oh, how sorry I was for not learning my lessons, for seeking birds’ eggs, or going sliding on the Saar! My books, that had seemed such a nuisance a while ago, so heavy to carry, my grammar, and my history of the saints, were old friends now that I couldn’t give up. And M. Hamel, too; the idea that he was going away, that I should never see him again, made me forget all about his ruler and how cranky he was.

1. ‘My last French lesson’-Who was the speaker?
2. Why was the narrator sorry?
3. Who were the old friends of the speaker?
4. How did Franz forget Hamel’s ruler?
5. Why was Hamel going away?
Answer:
1. The speaker was M. Hamel who taught French in Franz’s school.
2. The narrator was sorry because he would not get chance to study French again as that was the last class.
3. The books, his grammar book, his history of the saints were the old friends of the speaker.
4. The idea that Hamel was going away from the school and the narrator would not see him again were the reasons of the speaker to forget Hamel’s ruler.
5. Hamel was going away because according to the Berlin’s order French would not be taught in Franz’s school.

Passage-5.

Poor man! It was in honor of this last lesson that he had put on his fine Sunday clothes, and now I understood* why the old men of the village were sitting there in the back of the room. It was because they were sorry, too, that they had not gone to school more.

It was their way of thanking our master for his forty years of faithful service and of showing their respect for the country that was theirs no more. While I was thinking of all this, I heard my name called. It was my turn to recite.

What would I not have given to be able to say that dreadful rule for the participle all through, very loud and clear, and without one mistake? But I got mixed up on the first words and stood there, holding on to my desk, my heart beating, and not daring to look up.

1. Who was the poor man?
2. What was the dress of the teacher?
3. How long did Hamel teach French?
4. What was the cause Franz’s name call?
5. What was the condition of the speaker?
Answer:
1. ‘The Poor man’ mentioned in the passage was M. Hamel.
Passage-6 Now those fellows out there will have the right to say to you: ‘How is it; you pretend to be Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own language?’ But you are not the worst, poor little Franz. We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with.
2. The teacher had put on his fine Sunday clothes.
3. M. Hamel taught French for long forty years in the school of the speaker.
4. Franz’s name was called to recite poems.
5. The speaker got mixed up on the first words and stood there holding on to his desk. His heart was beating and he did not dare to look up.

Passage-6.

Now those fellows out there will have the right to say to you: ‘How is it; you pretend to be Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own language?’ But you are not the worst, poor little Franz. We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with.

“Your parents were not anxious enough to have you learn. They preferred to put you to work on a farm or at the mills, so as to have a little more money. And I? I’ve been to blame also. Have I not often sent you to water my flowers instead of learning your lessons? And when I wanted to go fishing, did I not just give you a holiday?”

1. What did they pretend to be?
2. What was the lacking?
3. How was Franz?
4. How were the parents responsible for Franz’s ignorance.
5. How was the teacher responsible?
Answer:
1. They pretended to be Frenchmen although the could neither speak nor write French, their own language.
2. Their lacking was that they did not know French properly.
3. Franz was unable to read, write and speak French properly although he was a Frenchman.
4. The parents were also responsible for Franz’s ignorance of French because they preferred to put him to work on a farm or at mills to earn some money for the family.
5. The teacher Hamel was also responsible because he sent Franz to water his flower plants instead of learning lessons. When he went on fishing he just gave him a holiday.

Passage-7.

Then, from one thing to another, M. Hamel went on to talk of the French language, saying that it was the most beautiful language in the world-the clearest, the most logical; that we must guard it among us and never forget it, because 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.

Then he opened a grammar and read us our lesson. I was amazed to see how well I understood it. All he said seemed so easy, so easy! I think, too, that I had never listened socarefully, and that he had never explained everything with so much patience. It seemed almost as if the poor man wanted to give us all he knew before going away, and to put it all into our heads at one stroke.

1. According to Hamel how was the French language?
2. What they should do for French?
3. What was the last lesson?
4. How did he neglect French?
5. What did it seem to Franz?
Answer:
1. According to Hamel French is the most beautiful language in the world, the clearest and logical.
2. They should guard the language among them and never foget it.
3. The last lesson was about grammar.
4. Franz neglected French by not listening the teacher attentively and the teacher had never explained the lesson so carefully.
5. It seemed to Franz that as if the poor man wanted to give them all he knew before going away and to put it all into their heads at one stroke.

Passage-8.

After the grammar, we had a lesson in writing. That day M. Hamel had new copies for us, written in a beautiful round hand: France, Alsace, France, Alsace. They looked like little flags floating everywhere in the school-room, hung from the rod at the top of our desks.

You ought to have seen how every one set to work, and how quiet it was! The only sound was the scratching of the pens over the paper. Once some beetles flew in; but nobody paid any attention to them, not even the littlest ones, who worked right on tracing their fish-hooks, as if that was French, too. On the roof the pigeons cooed very low, and I thought to myself:

1. What was the lesson after grammar?
2. What had Hamel for students?
3. What they look like?
4. What was the sound?
5. What did the pigeons do?
Answer:
1. After grammar there was a lesson in writing.
2. Hamel had new copies for students written in a beautiful round hand France, Alsace, France, Alsace.
3. The new copies looked like little flags floating everywhere in the school room hung from the rod at the top of the students desk.
4. The only sound was the scratching of pens over the paper.
5. On, the roof the pigeons cooed very low and the narrator thought if the pigeons would make them sing in German.

Passage-9.

Whenever I looked up from my writing I saw M. Hamel sitting motionless in his chair and gazing first at one thing, then at another, as if he wanted to fix in his mind just how everything looked in that little school-room. Fancy! For forty years he had been there in the same place, with his garden outside the window and his class in front of him, just like that.

Only the desks and benches had been worn smooth; the walnut-trees in the garden were taller, and the hop-vine, that he had planted himself twined about the windows to the roof. How it must have broken his heart to leave it all, poor man; to hear his sister moving about in the room above, packing their trunks! For they must leave the country next day.

1. What did the narrator see?
2. How long Hamel taught in the school?
3. How was his residence?
4. What was Hamel’s sister doing?
5. When would they leave the country?
Answer:
1. The narrator looked up from his writing and saw M. Hamel was sitting motionless on his chair and gared at one thing to another, as if he wanted to fix in his mind just how everything looked that in the little school room.
2. Hamel taught French in Franz’s school for long forty years.
3. His residence had a garden outside the window and his class was in front of him. The wallnut trees in the garden were taller and the hop vine twined about the windows to the roof.
4. Hamel’s sister was moving about in the room above. She was busy in packing their trunks.
5. They would leave the country the next day.

Passage-10.

But he had the courage to hear every lesson to wedge the very last. After the writing, we had a lesson in history, and then the babies chanted their ba, be, bi, bo, bu. Down there at the back of the room old Hauser had put on his spectacles and, holding his primer in both hands, spelled the letters with them.

You could see that he, too, was crying; his voice trembled with emotion, and it was so funny to hear him that we all wanted to laugh and cry. Ah, how well I remember it, that last lesson! All at once the church-clock struck twelve. Then the Angelus. At the same moment the trumpets of the Prussians, returning from drill, sounded under our windows. M. Hamel stood up, very pale, in his chair. I never saw him look so tall.

1. What Harnet had?
2. What was the next class?
3. What was old Houser doing?
4. How was the emotion of Hamel?
5. When did M. Hamel stand up?
Answer:
1. Hamel had the courage to hear every lesson to the very last.
2. The next class was a lesson on history.
3. Old Houser had put on his spectarles holding his primer in both hands. He spelled the letters with the students.
4. After his last class Hamel was crying. His voice trembled with emotion and it was funny to hear him though the students wanted to laugh and cry.
5. The church clock struck twelve. At the same moment the trumpets of the Prussians sounded under their windows. M. Hamel stood up from his chair looking ‘ery pale and tall.

The Last Lesson About the Story

The Franco Prussian War (1870-1871) was fought between France and Prussia. France was defeated in the war by Prussia led by Bismarck. Then Prussia was consisted of nations of Germany, Poland and parts of Austria. According to the order from Berlin French would, never be taught in the school and they would have to learn German.

The people of Alsace and Lorraine and the school teacher M Hamel admonished themselves for having taken their mother tongue their identity be granted. M Hamel leaves them with love and reverence for their mother land and parts hopefully that they would be able to bring France back to its former glory.

The Last Lesson About the Author

Alphonse Daudet was a French novelist, short story writer, a playwright and a poet. He is remembered mainly as an author of sentimental and humourous tales of provincial life in the south of France. Daudet had to toil hard to carry on his education.

So, he began his writing career. In his later life he established himself as a novelist, poet and short story writer. The short story ‘The Last Lesson’ set against the back drop of the Franco Prussian war deals with the occupation of Alsace Lorraine in the year 1870.

The Last Lesson Brief Summary

Franz started late for school as he feared that his teacher would rebuke him as he did not learn his lesson participles on the bright day with the chirping of birds in the edge of the Wood he thought of running away from school Prussian soldiers were doing drill in an open field. Although at last Franz hurried off to school.

Franz was passing by the town hail. There was a crowd in front of the bulletin board that conveyed all the bad news. Franz was worried to see the crowd. He thought of the usual bustle at the school. Franz was surprised to see that the usual bustle was running at the school.

It looked like a Sunday morning, still and quiet. Franz saw his classmates through the window. Mr. Hamel, their teacher was walking up and down with his iron ruler. Franz entered into the class being frightened. But Mr. Hamel with his green coat, frilled shirt and black silk cap asked him to take his seat kindly. Franz was surprised that the back benches were occupied by villagers.

Mr. Hamel declared that it was their last class in French. According to the Berlin order issued from Berlin only German would be taught in Alsace and Lorraine. Hamel also said that a new teacher would join the next day. For the first time Franz was sorry for not preparing his lessons. He was sad for Hamel’s leaving. He forgot about his teacher’s rules as the villagers. arrived to pay their respect to a dedicated teacher.

Franz was called to recite the rules of participles. He mixed up everything and felt sorry. Mr. Hamel did not scold him. Mr. Hamel remarked sadly that the French men could not speak or write French properly. According to him parents were not anxious about their children to learn.

He asked all that French is the most beautiful language in the world and they must guard it and not to forget it. Then Mr. Hamel gave his last lecture on grammar in an easy manner. He gave a lesson in writing. Everyone did his work silently. The only sound heard was that the scratching of the pens.

Mr. Hamel served the school for forty years. He had the courage to Learn every lesson to the last. In history he delivered his last lesson. Everyone in the class became emotional to shed tears. The church clock struck twelve. Mr. Hamel grew emotional as he taught. Taking a chalk he wrote. ‘Viva La France’ in the blackboard. Then he said, ‘School is dismissed you may go.’

Glossary:

1. Scolding — rubuke.
2. Chirping — birds call.
3. bulletin board — Notice board.
4. apprentice — a goung learner to work.
5. bustle — noise.
6. in unison — contemporary.
7. apping — hitting.
8. counsed on — depended upon.
9. commotion — noisy confusion.
10. blush — to become red in shame.
11. frilled — decorated with folds.
12. Solemn — serious.
13. mounted — sat.
14. Thunderclap — a loud crash of thunder.
15. Wretches — bad persons.
16. cranky — strange.
17. dreadful — terrible.
18. reproach — critical/blame.
19. amazed — surprised.
20. motionless — still.
21. gazing — staring.
22. twined — encircled.
23. choked — unable to speak.
24. Viva La France — Long live France.

Plot : The story ‘The Last Lesson’ starts in the back drop of French Prussian War (1870 – 71) in which France was defeated under the leadership of Bismark. Franz is a school going boy and he is afraid of his French teacher M. Hamel. So, the story deals with two characters. Franz and Mr. Hamel.

After the defeat of France the Prussians ordered that French would not be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The French people would be deprived in learning their own language. M. Hamel in formal clothes bade farewell to all who gathered in the last class. In his last lesson M. Hamel told his students and others to be patriotic and to love their own language which will surely be a key to their prison.

Theme : The people of Alsace in France do not pay heed to the study of French language in their schools. But when the Prussian rulers ordered that French would no longer be taught they understood of their fault. The Prussian rulers desired to rule of over the minds and hearts of the Frenchmen.

The story also deals with the cruelty of war that makes the winning people proud, arrogant and insensitive to human feelings. The victory changes their heads and they dictate things in an autocratic and proud manner. In the story M. Hamel emphasises the importance of one’s mother tongue. It is the duty of all of us to keep our mother tongue alive.

Title : The story revolves around the last lesson taught by M. Hamel as French would no longer be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. It is the first lesson of this Frenchmen who realised that they were losing their identity. The people of Alsace and Lorraine lost their chance to hold on to their identity as they had never bothered to learn their own language, and it was a matter of shame that being Frenchmen they were unable to read or write French.

Thus, the title ‘The Last Lesson’ is just as it teaches the people of Alsace and Lan-aine and the readers as well that lessons of life must be learnt well in time lest life should take away the opportunity.

The Last Lesson Characters

M. Hamel : M. Hamel is a devoted teacher a strict disciplinarian and a real patriot. He has a deep sorrow and regard as he tried to rouse patriotic feelings within the hearts of the people while leaving the class.

He highlighted the beauty of their mother tongue by saying that it was the key of their prison and uerged them to hold fast to it. His parting words – ’Viva La France revealed his remorseful and wounded heart as he dismissed the class. He proved himself an ideal teacher as he left his class with a lesson for life which would forever remain on their souls and would remind them endlessly for their duty to free their motherland and to restore its former glory.

Franz: Franz is a school going boy. He is carefree and easily distracted. He does not have much attention in learning. He is also a victim of procastination. On that particular day he fears as he does not prepare his lessons on participles. He is also late for the school. He is surprised to see that the usual hustle and buestle mining. He is very shocked to know that he has lost the chance to learn his mother tongue French.

He has an innocent mind which is filled with anger and regret. He has unlimited questions in his mind about man’s desire to control others. He discovers a new passion for his mother tongue and books. He learns his lesson with a fresh new passion. Even his teacher M. Hamel is elevated in his eyes and he shown a great regard for him.

Setting: The story ‘The Last Lesson’ is set in a French village. It was in the backdrop of the French Prussian war in 1870-71. In the war France was defeated. After the war the Prussian rulers ordered that the French would not be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.

The story fells us how M. Hamel the school teacher, his students and the town people react to the news. In the classroom there is and atomosphere of hopelessness and regret. The defeated French people in the village for the first time realized their mistake for not learning their own language.The story relates to a bygone ear of French defeat against the Prussians. Thus, the setting is appropriate.

Style: The story, The Last Lesson’ by Alphonse Daudet has a first person narrative. Franz, a little boy is the speaker. He is a resident of Alsace Lorraine district of France which has been occupied by the Prussians.

The author feels biased about the government and the war compelling everyone to speak German language. It is often seen that the oppressors and conquerors became unkind and heartless in enforcing their own views on the defeated. The author uses many literary devices of irony, similis, symbols and metaphors to make the story clear and effective.

Man keeps on postponing the lessons of life, as they, forget that life is subject to change. Learning of French has never been a serious affair with the Frenchmen. But the sudden order to stop the teaching of French comes as a sudden blow and sad realisation of the people.

The anthor has used metaphors, similes and symbols, The sudden order of Berlin is described as thunderclap is a metaphor Mother tongue as if a key to their frison is a simile, the key to regain freedom from their Prison.

The Last Lesson Critical Appreciation

The Prussian forces defeated France in the war and they tried to opppress the Franch people by inforcing their unjust laws. The order to ban teaching of French was meant to make people forget their customs and language. The cruelty of war is reflected in the story. The victorious people become arrogant and insensitive to the feelings of the defeated people.

They dictate things in an autocratic and proved manner. From the story we learn that, it is unwise to negect the ‘earning ones mother tongue. We can preserve our identity through our mother tongue This message is properly conveyed as Hamel writes ‘Viva La France’ on the black board. The story give emphasis on learning ones mother tongue as a key to freedom and dignity.

The Last Lesson Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Read the questions given below and answer by choosing the correct options :

Question 1.
What was Franz’s fear as he was going to school?
a. fear of bullies
b. fear of M. Hamel
c. late punishment
d. none of the above
Answer:
b. fear of Mr. Hamel.

Question 2.
Who was Wachter?
a. Franz’s friend
b. Franz’s father
c. a blacksmith
d. none of the above
Answer:
c. a blacksmith.

Question 3.
Mr. Hamel was a coat of-
a. red
b. green
c. blue
d. white colours
Answer:
b. green.

Question 4.
The order has come from Berlin to teach-
a. German
b. French
c. English
d. None of the above
Answer:
a. German.

Question 5.
Which lesson Franz found hard-
a. History
b. Geography
c. English
d. Participles
Answer:
d. Participles.

Question 6.
The order has come from-
a. London
b. USA
c. Berlin
d. none of the above.
Answer:
c. Berlin.

Question 7.
Hamel served as a teacher for-
a. 30 years
b. 40 years
c. 50 years
d. 35 years
Answer:
b. 40 years

Question 8.
‘The poor man wated to give us all’-Here the poorman means-
a. Franz
b. Franz’s father
c. Hamel
d. none of the above
Answer:
c. Hamel.

Question 9.
The last lesson was of-
a. history
b. English
c. French
d. German
Answer:
a. History.

Question 10.
What came as a thunder of-
a. Scolding
b. Berlin order
c. Franz’s failure
d. defeat of the French
Answer:
b. Berlin order.

Question 11.
The bulletin board shows news.
a. cheerful
b. sad
c. horrible
d. routine
Answer:
b. sad.

Question 12.
Mr. Hamel stood up very in his chair.
a. Cheerful
b. sad
c. pale
d. none of the above
Answer:
c. pale.