2.

For a moment I thought of running away ana

spending the day out of doors. It was so warm. ea
bright! The birds were chirping at the edge of the
woods; and in the open field back of the sawmill the
Prussian soldiers were drilling. It was all much more
tempting than the rule for participles, but Ihad the
strength toresist, and hurried off to school.
(CBSE 2024)
(a) List two sensory details present in the extract.
(b) Why is the narrator tempted to spend the day
out of doors?
(c) Complete the sentence appropriately.
Ihurriedoff to school resisting
(d) Why does the narrator want to bunk school?
() He doesn't like the teachers.
(i) He doesn't like his classmates.
(ii) He wasn't prepared for the test on participles.
(iv) He had forgotten to complete his homework.
(e) Which trait of the protagonist is revealed in the
sentence'1 had the strength to resist'?
() Sincerity (ii) Determination
(ii) Bravery (iv) Kindness
(f) Which of the following headlines best suggests
the centralidea of the extract?
() The Drilling of Prussian Soldiers
(ii) The Rule of Participles
(ii) Strength to Resist
(iv) Out of Doors
 Short Answer Type Questions
Q1. Explain the inference that can be drawn from the
even he
line "Will they make them sing in German,
pigeons?" (CBSE 2024)
The order from Berlin that only the Germanlanguaga
Ans. and Lorraine
would be taught in the schools of Alsace shows the
people. It
It had a severe reaction from the
of the
imposition of learning German, the languageGerman
conquerors. Teaching the pigeons to sing in
go in their
indicates how far the Germans would
attempts of linguistic chauvinism.
Lesson'relevant to the story?
02. How is the title The Last French.
last lesson in
Ans. The storycentres around the Prussia
Alsace and Lorraine have been taken over by
German has
after itS victory over France. As a result,
districts
been imposed in the schools of these two
last lesson
Each and every event circles around the
as from next day. German willbe taught. For example
M. Hamel's way of dressing coming of village elders
Franz's feeling for M. Hamel, M.Hamel's praise for the
French language and s0 on. So, no other title would
have been suitable to the story.
Q3. Why does Franz think of bunking offthe class?
Ans. Franz thinks of bunking off the class for several
reasons. He has not prepared the participles, the
weather was so pleasant, he was late for school and
dreaded the teacher's scolding, the soldiers drill was
another temptation.
Q4. Why was Franz apprehensive on seeing the crowd
around the bulletin-board?
Ans. Franz got apprehensive on seeing the crowd around
the bulletin-board because for the last twO years all
the bad news had come from there- the lost battles
the draft, the orders of
thecommanding officer.
 014. How was M.
Hamel's last lesson in the class totally
different from his previous classes?
Ans. M.Hamel was known to be a strict teacher. He never
spared the rod in order to make the students learn
the lessons. Usually, he appeared cranky. But on
the
day he taught his last lesson, his voice mellowed
down. t was grave and gentle instead of being rude
and impolite. He was no longer aggressive and wasn't
rapping his ruler on the table as he usually did.
Q15. Why did M. Hamel insist that the people of Alsace
should hold on to their language?
Or
Why does the teacher feel the need to safeguard their
language?
Ans. M. Hamel insisted on making the people of Alsace
realise what they were losing upon by not learning
their lessons in time. He urged upon them to be
conscious of the fact that French wa5 the most
beautiful language of the world-the clearest and the
most logical one. They should guard their language
andmust not let it die as it was the key to their prison
and a symbol of their identity.
 ne laSt lesson.
"When a people are enslaved, as long as
ERT 05.
fast to
to their language it is as if they hold
their prison". Comment on the they hold the key to
and Last Lesson" basis of the story"The A

hi Ans. Generally speaking Slavery is a curse. It

(NCERT)
individual or a deprives an
2ad nationof its identity. When it is apolitical
ted dlavery the natives of the country do not enjoy any
iind of freedom, be it physicalor mental. Theyhave to
nky abideby therules of the ruling country or
He government.
for They have to lead a confined ife. At such times of
er enslavement, it is their language, the native language
st which keeps their identity intact. It is their language
at which unites them against the foreigners who have
taken them over. It serves as a key to their prison as
it binds them together. It constantly reminds them of
Or their enslavement and brings them together urging
 them to fight for the liberation of their motherland.
M. Hamel, the French teacher thus reminds his
countrymen to safeguard their language after they
received orders from Berlin barring the teaching of
French in Alsacian schools. He tells them that if they
held on to their language, only then will the coming
generation remain awakened to the fact that they have
been enslaved and theyshould struggle for freedom.
The natives of a countrycan liberate themselves only
if they recognise and maintain their identity through
their mother tongue.
Q6. What do you understand by'Linguistic Chauvinism'?
Analyse the order from Berlin in the light of this
phrase. How do you justify M. Hamel's views about
French and the new found love of the people towards
their language?
Ans. Taking pride in one's language too far to respect the
language of others leads to Linguistic Chauvinism.
The Last Lesson' is the living example of Linguistic
Chauvinism. The imposition of German language over
the French speaking population can not be justified
from any angle. It is the worst kind of domination by
the victorious country.
M. Hamel who has been teaching French for the
last forty years in a single school is shocked beyond
measure after the order from Berlin is received. His
love for the French language is genuine. The order
heart. He
from Berlin arouses patriotic feelings in his
feels that French is the most beautiful language of
the world. He calls it the clearest and the most logical
thought
language. He is extremely frustrated at the
that the people of Alsace never took the learning of
French seriously. He impresses upon the students
key to
to safeguard their language because it is the
their unity, freedom and identity. The people of Alsace
Franz
realise how precious their language is to them.
patriotic feelings. He feels
too is not immune to the
lessons. He loathes
earnestly sorryfor neglecting his
he remarks
the very idea of. German language. So,
sarcastically, 'will they make them sing in German,
even the pigeons?"
human
07. The Last Lesson' reflects the flaws in
character that led to the sad plight of people in
Alsace. Substantiate your answer with evidences
from the text. (CBSE 2023)
Ans. The Last Lesson' reflects the flaws in human character
that led to the sad plight of people in Alsace and it is
evident from the text.
The Last Lesson' portrays the tragic consequences of
the flaws in human character such as taking language
and culture for granted and prioritising personal
interests over the greater good.
One of the key flaws is the tendency of people to
keep postponing things until tomorrow. This is evident
from the following lines: "Everyday we have said to
ourselves,'Bah! I've plenty of time. I'lllearn it tomorrow
..that's the great trouble with Alsace: she puts off
learning till tomorrow." Another key flaw highlighted
in the lesson is that people tend to prioritise persona
 ve thc greater good. The German offícials This is evident from the ines: "Everybody looked sad
17 conCned with imposing the German "My last French lesson! Why. | hardly knew how
write!"; "Will they make them sing in German. ee
Vr the frenh speaking population. They his he
n about the emotional and cultural impact the pigeons?"; "Then he stopped and leaned
against the walL"
tions would have on the people of Alsace.
Keeping Quiet Pablo Neruda
Now we will count to twelve What I want should not be confused
and we will all keep still with total inactivity.
for once on the face of the earth,
let's not speak in any language; Life is what it is about...
let's stop for a second,
and not move our arms so much. If we were not so single-minded
It would be an exotic moment about keeping our lives moving,
without rush, without engines; and for once could do nothing,
perhaps a huge silence
we would all be together might interrupt this sadness
in a sudden strangeness.
of never understanding ourselves
Fishermen in the cold sea and of threatening ourselves with
would not harm whales death.
and the man gathering salt
would not look at his hurt hands. Now Il count up to twelve
Those who prepare green wars, and you keep quiet and.I willgo
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victories with no suruivors,
would put on clean clothes Translated by Alastair Retd,
and walk about with their brothers (NGonday Press, January 2001)
in the shade, doing nothing.
 Theme
In the midst of growing materialism man has become
amachine, without emotions, without feelings. In the
mad pursuit of his selfish goals, he is causing irreparable
damage to life and environment. Pablo Neruda emphasises
the need of introspection through silence. Silence, he
believes, creates an exotic moment, where one gets
close to oneself, where one realises the evils of wars, a
feeling or universal brotherhood prevails. The poem is an
exercise for meditation in complete stillness and silence
when man can break the barriers of discrimination, hatred,
violence and create an atmosphere of togetherness and
selfjudgement.
 Earth
2. For once on the face of the
let's not speak in any language,
let's stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
does the poet forbid all of us to speak?
(a) Why
does the phrase 'on the face of the earth'
(b) What
suggest?
() Theentire globe
() On the outer surface of earth
(ii) In front of the earth
(iv) In the water
(c) Who is the poet?
() Kamala Das (ü) Pablo Neruda
(iii) John Keats (iv) Adrienne Rich
(d) Not move our arms' means
(e) State whether the given statement is True or
False.
The poet suggests that we should not speak
in any other language, but only in our native
language.
() Give an antonym of 'rush
 Short. Answer Type Questions
is
What Pablo Neruda'scomplaint against fishermen?
1
(CBSE 2024)
Ins.Pablo Neruda's complaint against fishermen is that
hoy fail to appreciate the ocean's serene silence.
which they disrupt with their noisy activities. Neruda
mournsthe loss of the ocean's natural splendour due
respectful and
to human greed, urging for a more
SUstainable relationship with the sea.
still
n2 What will counting upto twelve and keeping
help us achieve?
Counting upto twelve and keeping still willgive us a
Ans. ourselves in this
quiet moment. We can introspect
plan
moment. We can understand ourselves. We can
for better tomorrow.
3. What is the 'sadness' that the poet refers to in the
poem?
ns. The 'sadness' that poet refers to is of never
understanding ourselves and of threatening ourselves
with death.
4. What symbol from nature does the poet invoke to
say that there can be life under apparent stillness?
ns. The poet invokes the symbol of'Earth' that looks still
from Outside but it has immense possibility of life
within it.
Q7. What is the theme of the poem Keeping Quiet'?
Ans. The theme of the poem 'Keeping Quiet' is that there
is the necessity of quiet introspection and creating
a feeling of mutual understanding among human
beings.
Q8. What lesson can the earth teach us?
Or
What according to Pablo Neruda in the poem
Keeping Quiet' is the lesson that we should learn
from mother earth? (CBSE 2023)
Ans. The earth can teach us that we need rest and time
to think for the bright future. In winter, everything on
earth seems dead but everything becomes alive as
the spring comes in.
 09. "There can be life under apparent stillness! Explain.
(CBSE 2023)
Ans. The poet Pablo Neruda refuses the idea of total
inactivity In his poem Keeping Quiet,. he doesn't
associate keeping silent or stillness with death or total
inactivity. He says that nature reflects lessons to teach
us. He takes the example of the earth which seems to
be dead in winter but in fact it is preparing for new life
which becomes apparent in spring season. Sirmilarly.
man may appear still when he is introspecting, but
when he comes out of the introspection, he has a
totallychanged approach towards life.

nFi Long Answer Type Question

Q1. What does the poet suggest us through the poem
'KeepingQuiet'?
Or
What do you think the poem 'KeepingQuiet' is about?
Ans. The poet suggests us all living on the surface of the
earth to keep still, to keep silence andto suspend our
activities. It will be an exotic moment for us all to feel
together-oneness in a sudden surprise. This act will
provide some moments to introspect quietly. It will
help us in understanding ourselves. It will give us
mutual understanding. We feel sad because we have
never understood ourselves and we have threatened
ourselves with death.
The earth can teach us that everything seems dead in
winter but as the spring comes in,everything becomes
alive. This period of winter gives rest and leisure to
the earth. Hence, we all need rest and leisure for once
to introspect quietly.