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प्रश्न
The Last Lesson shows that people suddenly realised how precious their language was to them.
Comment.
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उत्तर
The story was written in the days of the Franco-Prussian war in which France was defeated by Prussia. In this story the French districts of Alsace-Lorraine have passed into Prussian hands. M. Hamel is the teacher of French and a boy, Franz who never serious in the class of M. Hamel. One day he was late for school. He feared that his teacher would scold as he was not very sure about participles which the teacher, M. Hamel, is going to test that day. But finally he decided to go to school. As he entered he saw the crowd has gathered round the bulletin board. He did not stop there. On arriving at school, he noted an unusual silence. He entered into the class and was greeted with a strange sight. The last benches which were always empty were occupied by the village elders who look grim and solemn. Franz noticed M. Hamel was dressed nicely and asked Franz to sit so that he could start his lesson. The teacher made a startling announcement that this would be their last lesson in French as the new teacher would be arriving the following day. He said, “ The order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new teacher comes tomorrow. This is your last French lesson. I want you to be very attentive.” There came a sudden change in the minds of the people and they developed a new profound love French. Franz was overcome with a feeling of remorse and regretted for wasting his time in trivial pursuits. He decided to pay attention to the lesson since school had become very important for him. The people and Franz himself realized how precious their language is to them. M. Hamel had been teaching in that school for last forty years. His dedication, devotion, discipline impressed them. He realizes the real worth of his school and the teacher whom they have all taken for granted all these years. M. Hamel in his last address told about the importance of French. He called that it was the most beautiful language in the world. It is the clearest and the most logical one. M.Hamel was overcome by strong emotions and in large letter he wrote on the board ‘Viva La France’ – long live France!
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संबंधित प्रश्न
Answer the following question in 120 − 150 words :
How different from usual was the atmosphere at school on the day of the last lesson? (The Last Lesson)
What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What could this mean?
What happens to a linguistic minority in a state? How do you think they can keep their language alive? For example:
Punjabis in Bangalore
Tamilians in Mumbai
Kannadigas in Delhi
Gujaratis in Kolkata
Notice the underlined words in these sentences and choose the option that best explains their meanings.
“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.”
It is as if they have the key to the prison as long as they ______
Have you ever changed your opinion about someone or something that you had earlier liked or disliked? Narrate what led you to change your mind.
“You realise the true value of a thing only on losing it.” Comment on this statement in the light of the story, The Last Lesson.
Read the given extract and answer the questions.
| Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street, the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison, very loud, with our hands over our ears to understand better, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table. But now it was all so still! I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being seen; but, of course, that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning. 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. |
- List any two sensory details present in this extract. (1)
- Why does the protagonist feel anxious about entering the classroom on this particular day? (1)
- The classmates have started the lesson
- The teacher is in a bad mood
- The classroom is too quiet
- The protagonist is running late
- Complete the sentence appropriately. (1)
The phrase "as quiet as Sunday morning" suggests that ______. - Pick evidence from the extract that helps one infer that this was not the protagonist’s first time being late to school. (1)
- What does the term 'terrible iron ruler' indicate about M. Hamel? (1)
- Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract? (1)
- The Fears of a Latecomer
- The Importance of Punctuality
- The Rigidity of the School System
- The Anxiety of a Young Student
- How was this year for you?
- Are you happy with what you could study this year?
- What did you miss, or could not do?
- What do you plan to do about it- about the things you could not do/study well?
- What was the best moment for you this year?
Form groups of three. Write three sentences of three words each.
What is it like when your school begins? Tell it in short.
Why is the iron ruler said to be ‘terrible’?
How did M. Hamel dress up on special occasions?
Think and answer:
Is the school closing down?
Think and answer:
What subjects does Franz study in school?
Think and answer:
Why were the old men of the village attending school that day?
Find where Alsace and Loraine are located with the help of the map.
Why did M. Hamel not scold Franz?
Why does Franz understand his lesson well?
Why does the author say, ‘I never saw him look so tall’?
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
______ was in great dread of
