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Ch-1 The Last Lesson-2

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26 views

Ch-1 The Last Lesson-2

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areumyvonne
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Ch-1 The Last Lesson

Question.1. What tempted Franz to stay away from school?


Answer. Franz feared a scolding at school as he had not prepared the lesson
on participles, on which his French teacher M Hamel was to question the class
that day. Besides* the warm and bright weather, the chirping of birds and the
watching the drill of Prussian soldiers also tempted Franz to stay away from
school.

Question.2. What was unusual about M Hamel’s dress on his last day in the
school?
Answer. M Hamel had put on his ceremonial clothes on his last day in the
school. He was wearing a beautiful green coat, a frilled shirt, and a little black
embroidered silk cap. This was a special ceremonial attire which he usually
wore on days of inspection and prize distribution.

Question.3.”What a thunderclap these words were to me!” What were the


words that shocked
and surprised the narrator?
Answer. M Hamel told his students that it was their last French lesson, as an
order had come from Berlin that henceforth only German was to be taught in
the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. This announcement seemed to be a
thunderclap to Franz. He was left in surprise and shock to learn that a new
master was going to arrive the next day and they would learn German instead
of their mother tongue.

Question.4. Who were sitting on the back benches during M Hamel’s last
lesson? Why?
Answer. Some of the elderly people from the village were sitting on .the back
benches during M Hamel’s last lesson. The villagers had come there to attend
his last lesson as it was their way of paying respect to the master, who had
given forty years of faithful service to the school.

Question.5. Why does M Hamel reproach himself for his students,


unsatisfactory progress inStudies?
Answer. M Hamel had been rather irregular as a teacher. He took leave
whenever he wanted to. Besides, he had often sent the students to water his
plants, and whenever he wanted to go fishing, he just gave them a holiday. So,
he reproaches himself for his students’ unsatisfactory progress in studies.

Question.6.What did M Hamel tell them about the French language? What did
he ask them to do and why?
Answer. In his last lesson, M Hamel told the students that the French language
was the most beautiful language in the world—the clearest and the most
logical. He asked them to guard it amongst themselves and never forget it,
because when a people were enslaved, as long as they held fast to their
language, it was as if they had the key to their prison.
Question.7. What words did M Hamel write on the blackboard before
dismissing the last class?
What did they mean?
Answer. Before dismissing the last class, M Hamel turned to the blackboard,
and wrote the phrase, ‘Vive La France!’ as large as he could. These words
meant ‘Long live France’, and spoke of M Hamel’s great love for his country
and his deep sense of patriotism.

Question.8.What was the order from Berlin and what changes did it cause in
the school?
Answer. The order from Berlin stated that only German will be taught in the
schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The order effected many changes, as an
unusual silence prevailed in the school, compared to the hustle and bustle
earlier. M Hamel became soft in speaking to the students, while the people
realised the importance of their language. The villagers even attended the
school to show respect to M Hamel.

Question.9. What had been put up on the bulletin-board?


Answer. Since the last two years the bulletin-board had news of lost battles,
the draft and the orders of the commanding officer. On that day a notice had
been put up stating that orders from Berlin were to teach only German in the
schools of Alsace and Lorraine.

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