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Question
Answer the following question in about 40-50 words.
When do the residents of Alsace realise how precious their language is to them?
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Solution
When the people of Alsace learn that French will no longer be taught to them, they discover how important their native tongue is to them. Mr. Hamel explains to them that “when people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language, it is as if they have the key to their prison.”
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RELATED QUESTIONS
Answer the following question in 120 – 150 words:
Our language is part of our culture and we are proud of it. Describe how regretful M. Hamel and the village elders are for having neglected their native language, French.
The entire classroom, M. Hamel as well as those present in the class, is full of regret. For what and why?
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 did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
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?
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
Is it possible to carry pride in one’s language too far? Do you know what ‘linguistic chauvinism’ means?
Find out about the following (You may go to the internet, interview people, consult reference books or visit a library.)
(a) Linguistic human rights
(b) Constitutional guarantees for linguistic minorities in India
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.
- 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?
Try to write phrases with each word beginning with the same letter.
Find the explanation for ‘participles’ given in the book.
In what region does the story take place?
In what time period does the story take place?
What is it like when your school begins? Tell it in short.
Who is narrating the story?
How did M. Hamel dress up on special occasions?
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?
Think and answer:
Why were the old men of the village attending school that day?
According to M. Hamel, who are the people that did not take education seriously? What examples does he give to support his view?
Why does Franz understand his lesson well?
With the coming of the Prussians, will language be the only thing that will change? What other changes may take place?
Where does M. Hamel live? Who lived with him?
Guess why M. Hamel was leaving the country.
List the people and their occupations mentioned in the story.
Find five words ending with ‘-ing’ and five words ending with ‘-ed’ from the lesson.
Find five examples of commonly used past participles from the story. For example, said, learnt.
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
______ was in great dread of
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 words and phrases in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
______ got a little over my fright
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
What a thunderclap these words were to me!
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
______ She put off learning tomorrow
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.
See if you can make a sentence with as many words in it as there are students in your classroom.
Write the sentence in big letters on chart paper and display it in the classroom.
