English

Our Language is Part of Our Culture and We Are Proud of It. Describe How Regretful M

Advertisements
Advertisements

Question

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. 

Advertisements

Solution

A language of a country is the identity of that nation. M.Hamel, in his last lesson, tells his students about the beauty of their language, French, which is now being replaced by German because of the orders that have come from Berlin. He says that it is the most beautiful language in the world. He describes it as the clearest and the most logical of all the languages. The teacher elaborates the beauty of his county's language. He says that during colonial rule when the colonial power tries to enforce political and cultural dominance by imposing their own language if the natives are attached to their native language, their identity remains intact. They could say to have the key to their prison as long as they are holding fast with their language. These words of Mr. Hamel creates a sense of reverence in the hearts of the village elders, who have come to thank him for his forty years of faithful service, for their language and regretted not paying sincere attention towards it.

shaalaa.com
The Last Lesson
  Is there an error in this question or solution?
2016-2017 (March) Delhi Set 1

RELATED QUESTIONS

Answer the following question in 120-150 words :
How did the order from Berlin change the situation in the school ? (The Last Lesson)


What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?


What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?


The people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?


Is it possible to carry pride in one’s language too far?


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 ______


Find out about the following (You may go to the internet, interview people, consult reference books or visit a library.)

  1. Linguistic human rights
  2. Constitutional guarantees for linguistic minorities in India

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.
  1. List any two sensory details present in this extract.     (1)
  2. Why does the protagonist feel anxious about entering the classroom on this particular day?      (1)
    1. The classmates have started the lesson
    2. The teacher is in a bad mood
    3. The classroom is too quiet
    4. The protagonist is running late
  3. Complete the sentence appropriately.      (1)
    The phrase "as quiet as Sunday morning" suggests that ______.
  4. Pick evidence from the extract that helps one infer that this was not the protagonist’s first time being late to school.       (1)
  5. What does the term 'terrible iron ruler' indicate about M. Hamel?      (1)
  6. Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract?     (1)
    1. The Fears of a Latecomer
    2. The Importance of Punctuality
    3. The Rigidity of the School System
    4. The Anxiety of a Young Student

Answer the following question in about 40-50 words.

What were Franz's feelings as he set out for school and why?


Form pairs. Write two sentences of two words each.


In what time period does the story take place?


Why is the iron ruler said to be ‘terrible’?


Think and answer:

Why were the old men of the village attending school that day?


Why does Franz understand his lesson well?


Where does M. Hamel live? Who lived with him?


Guess why M. Hamel was leaving the country.


Why does the author say, ‘I never saw him look so tall’?


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 word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.

______ She put off learning tomorrow


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.


Share
Notifications

Englishहिंदीमराठी


      Forgot password?
Use app×