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Question
Answer the following question in 120 − 150 words :
Everybody during the last lesson is filled with regret. Comment. (The Last Lesson)
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Solution
According to the order from Berlin, only German was to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. This order left Mr. Hamel, the village people and the Mr. Hamel's students in deep regret. The villagers regretted not having made utmost use of the French lessons that they had been given by Mr Hamel. They had engaged themselves in their profession to earn a living and had not taken their French lessons seriously. The children and the villagers sitting in the class had always thought that they had enough time to learn the language. But now, during the last French lesson, everybody realised their mistake. They realised how little they knew their native language. They all attended the last lesson to show their respect to their teacher and their country, which was no longer theirs.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
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)
The Last Lesson shows that people suddenly realised how precious their language was to them.
Comment.
Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
- in great dread of
- counted on
- thumbed at the edges
- in unison
- a great bustle
- reproach ourselves with
What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
How did Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school change?
The people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?
“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.”
Can you think of examples in history where conquered people had their language taken away from them or had a language imposed on them?
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
Mr. and Mrs. Agarwal of Pushp Farms, Kolkata, are hosting a party on the occasion of the twenty-first birthday of their daughter, Vinita. Write a letter of invitation to Sonakshi, their niece, giving details of the date, time and venue in about 50 words.
Form groups of four. Write four sentences of four words each.
Who is M. Hamel?
Why is the iron ruler said to be ‘terrible’?
Who is narrating the story?
Think and answer:
Is the school closing down?
Think and answer:
Why is it the last lesson?
Think and answer:
What subjects does Franz study in school?
Find where Alsace and Loraine are located with the help of the map.
With the coming of the Prussians, will language be the only thing that will change? What other changes may take place?
Guess why M. Hamel was leaving the country.
Find five words ending with ‘-ing’ and five words ending with ‘-ed’ from the lesson.
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
______ did not know the first word about them
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
Terrible iron ruler
What is the meaning of the following words and phrases in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
______ got a little over my fright
Why was Franz sad?
Continue to write as many sentences as the number of students in the group, till you reach the number 10.
After that, go on forming bigger groups and writing sentences with as many words as the number of students in the group. However, you may write only one or two sentences at each step after 10.
