L-1 The Last Lesson

Text: Flamingo

Q3. Multiple Choice Questions based on an extract

A. “Poor man! It was in honour of this last lesson that he had put on his fine Sunday clothes, and now I understood
why the old men of the village were sitting there in the back of the room. It was because they were sorry, too, that
they had not gone to school more. It was their way of thanking our master for his forty years of faithful service and of
showing their respect for the country that was theirs no more.”

i. Why does the narrator refer to M. Hamel as “Poor man!”?

a) He empathizes with M. Hamel as he had to leave the village.
b) He believes that M. Hamel’s fine Sunday clothes reflected that he was not rich.
c) He feels sorry for M. Hamel as it was his last French lesson.
d) He thinks that M. Hamel’s patriotism and sense of duty resulted in his poverty.

ii. Which of the following idioms might describe the villagers’ act of attending the last lesson most accurately?
a) Too good to miss
b) Too little, too late
c) Too many cooks spoil the broth
d) Too cool for school

iii. Choose the option that might raise a question about M. Hamel’s faithful service.
a) When Franz came late, M. Hamel told him that he was about to begin class without him.
b) Franz mentioned how cranky M. Hamel was and his great ruler rapping on the table.
c) M. Hamel often sent students to water his flowers and gave a holiday when he wanted to go fishing.
d) M. Hamel permitted villagers to put their children to work on a farm or at the mills for extra money.

iv. Choose the option that most appropriately fills in the blanks in the following description of the extract.

The villagers and their children sat in class, forging with their old master a (i) ______ togetherness. In that moment,
the classroom stood (ii) ______. It was France itself, and the last French lesson a desperate hope to (iii) ______ to the
remnants of what they had known and taken for granted, their own (iv) ______.

a) (i) graceful; (ii) still; (iii) hang on; (iv) country

b) (i) bygone; (ii) up; (iii) keep on; (iv) education
c) (i) beautiful; (ii) mesmerised; (iii) carry on; (iv) unity
d) (i) forgotten; (ii) transformed; (iii) hold on; (iv) identity

B. “M. Hamel went on to talk of the French language, saying that it was the most beautiful language in the world, the
clearest, the most logical; that we must guard it among us and never forget it, because 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. Then he opened a grammar book
and read us our lesson. I was amazed to see how well I understood it. All he said seemed so easy, so easy!”

i. Which of the following can be attributed to M. Hamel’s declaration about the French language?
a) Subject expertise
b) Nostalgic pride
c) Factual accuracy
d) Patriotic magnification

ii. Read the quotes given below. Choose the option that best describes M. Hamel’s viewpoint.

(i) Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
(ii) Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.
– Rita Mae Brown

(iii) A poor man is like a foreigner in his own country.

– Ali Ibn Abi Talib

(iv) The greatest propaganda in the world is our mother tongue. That shapes our perceptions for life.
– Marshal McLuhan

a) Option (i)
b) Option (ii)
c) Option (iii)
d) Option (iv)

iii. “I was amazed to see how well I understood it.”

Select the option that does NOT explain why Franz found the grammar lesson easy.
a) Franz was paying careful attention in class this time.
b) M. Hamel was being extremely patient and calm in his teaching.
c) Franz was inspired and had found a new meaning and purpose to learning.
d) Franz had realized that French was the clearest and most logical language.

iv. Franz was able to understand the grammar lesson easily because he was
a) receptive
b) appreciative
c) introspective
d) competitive

Q5. Stand-alone MCQs

i. Franz saw a huge crowd assembled in front of the bulletin board but did not stop. How would you evaluate his
reaction?
a) Franz was too young to care about the news of lost battles.
b) Nobody in Franz’s family was in the army, so it did not matter.
c) Bad news had become very normal, so he went about his task.
d) It was too crowded for Franz to find out what the news was.

ii. There was usually great bustle and noise when school began, but it was all very quiet. Which of the following
describes Franz’s emotions most accurately?
a) shock and awe
b) disappointment and anxiety
c) confusion and distress
d) curiosity and uncertainty

iii. “I never saw him look so tall.” Which of the following best captures M. Hamel on the last day of school?
a) cranky, miserable, dedicated, resigned
b) patient, dignified, emotional, courageous
c) calm, nostalgic, disappointed, patriotic
d) proud, reproachful, persistent, heroic

iv. Match Column A with Column B.

Column A

1. M. Hamel distributed new copies that looked like little French flags and ended the class with “Vive La
France!”.

2. Hauser sat at the end of the class, thumbing his primer and trying to learn with the children.
 3. M. Hamel spoke about how Alsace always put off learning.

4. The church clock struck twelve and the Prussian trumpets sounded.

Column B
(i) Remorse is Memory Awake
(ii) A House Called Tomorrow
(iii) For Whom the Bell Tolls
(iv) Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night

a) 1–(i), 2–(ii), 3–(iii), 4–(iv)

b) 1–(ii), 2–(iii), 3–(iv), 4–(i)
c) 1–(iii), 2–(iv), 3–(i), 4–(ii)
d) 1–(iv), 2–(i), 3–(ii), 4–(iii)

Answer Key for MCQs

Q3
A. i – c; ii – b; iii – c; iv – d
B. i – d; ii – b; iii – d; iv – a

Q5 i – c; ii – b; iii – b; iv – d

Q1. Read the following extracts and answer the questions:

My Last French Lesson! Why, I hardly knew how to write! I should never learn any more! I must stop there, then! Oh,
how sorry I was for not learning my lessons, for seeking birds ‘eggs or going sliding on the Saar! My books, that had
seemed such a nuisance a while ago, so heavy to carry, my grammar, and my history of the saints, were old friends
now that I couldn’t give up and M. Hamel, too; the idea that he was going away, that I should never see him again,
made me forget all about his ruler and how cranky he was.
Poor man! It was in honour of this last lesson that he had put on his fine Sunday clothes, and now I understood why
the old men of the village were sitting there in the back of the room. It was because they were sorry, too, that they
had not gone to school more. It was their way of thanking our master for his forty years of faithful service and of
showing their respect for the country that was theirs no more.

(i) Choose the correct option:

What is the tone of the speaker in the expression ‘I hardly knew how to write…. how sorry I was for not learning
my lessons’?
(A) confused
(B) regretful
(C) surprised
(D) happy

Ans. (B) regretful

(ii) Choose the correct option :

The speaker refers to ‘seeking birds’ egg’ and ‘sliding on the Saar’ as
(A) part of his routine
(B) his daily routine
(C) source of distraction from learning
(D) fun time with friends

Ans. (C) source of distraction from learning

(iii) What is reflected through the shift in the speaker’s perception of his books through his expression of calling
them his ‘old ‘friends’ rather than considering them as ‘nuisance’?
Ans. When he realizes that he will no longer be able to study French, there is a change in his feelings. The books
which were a nuisance become his old friends.

(iv) Select the correct option from those given in brackets to fill in the blank :
“It was because they were sorry too….”
They were sorry for ___________(not following the government order / not learning their language)

Ans. not learning their language

(v) What is inferred from the expression ‘the country that was theirs no more’?

Ans. It infers that their land had been occupied by another rule and now, they would obey their orders.

(vi) What does M. Hamel’s ruler reflect about his image?

Ans. He was a strict teacher.

Q2. How did Franz plan to turn the commotion in the classroom to his favour? (40-50 words)

Ans. He planned to take benefit of the commotion and reach his seat without getting noticed. As everyone would be
out of their seats, he too could walk over to his seat without invoking the anger of M Hamel.

Q3. “I’ve plenty of time. I’ll learn it tomorrow. And now you see where we’ve come out.”
What does M. Hamel mean to convey through these lines? (40-50 words)

Ans. M Hamel wants to convey that the Frenchmen had procrastinated and put off learning to the next day. However,
now, the time was over and their chance to learn their mother tongue was over.

Q4. Sophie is an escapist and a dreamer. Franz loves to miss school. Analyse the result of both these characters as
a result of their attitude towards life. (120-150 words)

Ans. Both Sophie and Franz detest the reality. They are impractical because they are engrossed in their dreams.
Sophie imagines owning a boutique, meeting Danney Casey, etc. which are not true. She cooks up things to be in the
good books of her father and brothers. Franz also wants to play outside rather go to school. He procrastinates study
until he realizes that his opportunity has ended.
Later, both of them get trapped in their ideologies. Sophie’s imaginative stories fail and no one believes her. She loses
the confidence of her friend Jansie too. Franz is also disappointed when he loses the opportunity to study French. His
sudden adoration for his teacher doesn’t help him at the last hour. Thus, both the characters land up in a hot soup
due to these traits.

Q5. Franz from the ‘Last Lesson’ and the peddler from the ‘Rattrap’ learn from their mistakes. Discuss with
reference to the above texts, the human tendency to make mistakes and learn from them. (120-150 words)

Ans. “To err is human, to forgive is divine.” This quote clearly shows that humans are susceptible to making mistakes.
It is however, important for us to learn from these mistakes and ensure not to repeat them. This strategy helps us
grow and improve our personality.
Both Franz and the peddler learn from their mistakes. Franz realizes his mistake of procrastinating study. He develops
a liking for his teacher and is able to understand the entire lecture taught that day. He becomes eager to study. We
also see the character of the peddler who has a change of heart due to Edla’s selfless kindness. He grows up to her
expectation of being an army Captain and returns the stolen money along with a rattrap as a gift for Edla. He
acknowledges Edla’s kind heart which transformed him and helped him come out of the worldly trap that he was
encircled in.
Thus, we see both Franz and the peddler learn from their mistakes and look up to a better future.

Questions which came in 2024 Board Exam

Q1. Read the following extracts and answer the questions:

For a moment I thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. It was so warm, so 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 I had the strength to resist, and hurried off to school.

(i) List two sensory details present in the extract.

Ans. Warm and bright weather

Birds chirping at the edge of the woods

(ii) Why is the narrator tempted to spend the day out of doors?

Ans. The narrator is tempted because of the pleasant weather, the chirping birds, and the sight of Prussian soldiers
drilling in the open field.

(iii) Complete the sentence appropriately.

I hurried off to school resisting _______________.

Ans. I hurried off to school resisting the temptation to skip the day and enjoy the outdoors.

(iv) Why does the narrator want to bunk school?

(A) He doesn’t like the teachers.

(B) He doesn’t like his classmates.

(C) He wasn’t prepared for the test on participles.

(D) He had forgotten to complete his homework.

Ans. (C) He wasn’t prepared for the test on participles.

(v) Which trait of the protagonist is revealed in the sentence ‘I had the strength to resits’?

(A) sincerity

(B) determination

(C) bravery

(D) kindness

Ans. (B) determination

(vi) Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract?

(A) The Drilling of Prussian Soldiers

(B) The Rule of Participles

(C) Strength to Resist

(D) Out of Doors

Ans. (C) Strength to Resist

Q2. Read the following extracts and answer the questions :

I heard M. Hamel say to me, “I won’t scold you, little Franz : you must feel bad enough, see how it is ! Everyday we
have said to ourselves. Bah! I’ve plenty of time I’ll learn it tomorrow. And now you see where we’ve come out. Ah,
that’s the great trouble with Alsace; she puts off learning till tomorrow. Now those fellows out there will have the
right to say to you. ‘How is it; you pretend to be Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own
language?’ But, you are not the worst, poor little Franz. We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with”.

(i) ‘And now you see where we’ve come out.’ The tone of M. Hamel in the above line is that of :

(A) kindness

(B) happiness

(C) regret

(D) enthusiasm

Ans. (C) regret

(ii) ‘We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with.’

Select the option, which conveys the meaning of ‘reproach’ as reflected in the above line.

(A) The player received a reprimand for breach of rules.

(B) The students approached the management with a demand for new canteen.

(c) The clerk received a letter of appreciation for his innovative ideas

(D) She could not find a way to broach the subject with her boss.

Ans. (A) The player received a reprimand for breach of rules.

(iii) State whether the following statement is true or false with reference to the extract.

1. Hamel endorses the belief that there is plenty of time to learn their language.

Ans. False

(iv) Complete the sentence appropriately.

‘You must feel bad enough.’ Through these words M. Hamel urges the people _______.

Ans. ‘You must feel bad enough.’ Through these words M. Hamel urges the people to realize the consequences of
their procrastination and neglect of their language.

(v) Identify the line from the text that reinforces the theme of patriotism in the story.

Ans. “How is it; you pretend to be Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own language?”

(vi) She puts off learning till tomorrow. The phrase ‘puts off” suggests _____.

Ans. She puts off learning till tomorrow. The phrase “puts off suggests procrastination.

Q3. We miss a thing when we are in fear of losing it. Substantiate this statement with two examples from ‘The
Last Lesson’, how the people in the story suddenly realised how precious their language was to them. [40-50
Words]

Ans. In ‘The Last Lesson,’ villagers regret not valuing their language when they learn it will no longer be taught. M.
Hamel’s sorrowful farewell emphasizes the significance of their native tongue, which they had taken for granted.

Q4. What was more tempting for Franz than the rule for participles? Did he get tempted? [40-50 Words]

Ans. The idea of running away and spending the day outdoors was tempting. The birds were chirping and the open
field behind which the Prussian soldiers were drilling was tempting but Franz resisted the temptation and went to
school.
Q5. Why were the villagers seated in the back benches? [40-50 Words]

Ans. The villagers were seated at the back bench of the classroom to pay respect to M Hamel for forty years of
service. They were there because it was his last day in the school.

Q6. What was the ‘thunderclap’ the narrator received as Hamel began the lesson? [40-50 Words]

Ans. The ‘thunderclap’ was the shock and realisation that this was the last French lesson he would ever attend, as he
had not appreciated his education and now faced the loss due to the war.

Q7. Explain the inference that can be drawn from the line : “Will they make them sing in German, even the
pigeons?” [40-50 Words]

Ans. The line suggests that the imposition of the German language on the French people is so complete that even the
natural elements, like pigeons, would be forced to conform. It highlights the oppressive nature of the conquerors in
erasing the local culture and language.

Q8. M. Hamel in ‘The Last Lesson’ and Gandhiji in ‘Indigo’ were both concerned about the state of education in
the face of oppression. Write a speech to be shared with your peers on the importance of education. You may use
cues from the two texts. [120-150 Words]

Ans. Good morning to one and all present here. Today, I stand before you to throw light upon the topic – Importance
of education.

In the story titled ‘The Last Lesson’, we get to know about the importance of one’s mother tongue which is the key to
freedom from slavery. M Hamel points out that if one is attached to one’s mother tongue, then he can escape the
clutches of slavery. He also praises his native language – French and calls it the most logical and most beautiful
language. The teacher is sad because now the students will no longer study the language. Schools in the districts of
Alsace and Lorraine which were annexed by Prussia will now teach German language instead of French.

Even in the story ‘Indigo’ we see that Gandhiji wanted to uplift the peasants and requested volunteer teachers
Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh and others. They opened primary schools in six villages.

Thus, we can conclude that education is empowering and crucial for becoming self-reliant.

Q9. Franz in “The Last Lesson” realizes the importance of going to school while Saheb in “Lost Spring” yearns to go
to school. Write a paragraph exploring the different perspectives of these two young boys on learning and
education. [120-150 Words]

Ans. Franz and Saheb offer contrasting perspectives on education that highlight the value and challenges of
schooling. In “The Last Lesson,” Franz’s realization of the importance of school comes too late, as he is faced with the
harsh reality of losing his opportunity to learn due to the German occupation. His regret underscores how education
is often undervalued until it is threatened. Conversely, Saheb in “Lost Spring” yearns for school as a means of escape
from the harsh life of rag-picking. His desire for education represents hope and a vision for a better future. Saheb’s
longing illustrates how education is seen as a pathway to opportunity, reflecting its critical role in transforming lives.
While Franz’s experience is shaped by loss and missed chances, Saheb’s perspective is driven by a yearning for
change and improvement.

Q10. Imagine you are Mukund Padmanabhan (The Interview) and you interviewed M. Hamel, after he had finished
delivering the last lesson (The Last Lesson). Write a paragraph on Hamel’s views on individual responsibility and
nationalism. [120-150 Words]

Ans. It is an individual’s responsibility towards his nation, to protect its freedom. M hamel insists that an individual
can retain his freedom and his country’s sovereignty if he is attached to the mother tongue. Hamel lays stress on the
importance of one’s language which is a key to freedom from slavery. When Germany annexes two districts of
France, it orders that German instead of French be taught in the schools. This order shows the importance of
language and the enemy is trying to snatch the mother tongue from the people so that they can be enslaved. The
language of a country plays a major role in display of nationalism because it s binding factor which runs through the
fabric of the country.

Q11. Franz from ‘The Last Lesson’ and the peddler from ‘The Rattrap’ demonstrate the importance of learning
from one’s mistakes and rising up to evolve as a better person.

Write an article based on the two texts on how a man evolves after learning from his mistakes. [120-150 Words]

Ans. In order to achieve success, it is crucial that we learn from our mistakes and improvise ourselves. In the story
‘The Last Lesson’ we see the young boy Franz who is shocked to know that it is his last lesson of French and that he
will never get a chance to study it. This news transforms him and he develops a liking for studies. He starts admiring
his teacher and acknowledges his dedication. That day Franz is able to understand all that is taught in the class.
Similarly, we see the character of the peddler in the story ‘The Rattrap’. The peddler reacts to Edla’s selfless kindness
and gets over his acts of petty thievery to be an army captain in the true sense. He does not want her to feel
humiliated that she had considered him to be a gentleman. As a mark of acknowledgement of Edla’s kindness, the
peddler returns the stolen money and requests her to hand it over to the old crofter.

Thus, we see that these two characters learnt precious lessons and incorporated them to become better versions of
themselves.

Q12. While M. Hamel talks of language being the key to nationalism. Gandhi tells the court it is a ‘conflict of
duties’. On the one hand, not to set a bad example as a law breaker, on the other hand, to render the
humanitarian and national service. You get inspired and decide to write an article for a youth magazine urging the
youth to dedicate themselves to the service, of the nation.

You may begin like this,

Youth plays an important role in the progress of the nation ……… [120-150 Words]

Ans. Youth plays an important role in the progress of the nation. Thus, it becomes their responsibility to ensure that
they seek the progress of the nation alongwith their personal progress. One must remain attached to one’s mother
tongue because it is the key to freedom from slavery. If we want to retain our freedom, then we must guard our
native language. Also, we must be watchful that our acts are not against the law and also, we must try to help fellow
citizens in their progress. As the saying goes, ‘United we stand, divided we fall’. All the people of the country must
make a combined effort to shine and rise together in order to ensure the progress of the nation.

Questions from the Chapter in 2023 Board Exams

Q1. What were Franz’s feelings as he set out for school and why? [40-50 Words]

Ans. Franz was terrified of getting reprimanded since M. Hamel would demand that he prepare his lesson on
participles. in addition, the pleasant, sunny weather, the sound of birds, and the presence of Prussian soldier made
him want to skip class.

Q2. Why was M. Hamel dressed in formal clothes in school? [40-50 Words]

Ans. M. Hamel was dressed in formal clothes in school because it was his last lesson before leaving Alsace. He wore
his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt, and a little black silk cap, all embroidered. This attire was reserved for special
occasions like inspections and prize days. M. Hamel’s formal dressing on this particular day symbolized the
significance and solemnity of the occasion, marking the end of his forty years of faithful service as a teacher in
Alsace.

Q3. When do the residents of Alsace realise how precious their language is to them? [40-50 Words]

Ans. 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.”
Q4. The last lesson reflects the flaws in human character that led to the sad plight of people in Alsace.
Substantiate your answer with evidences from the text. [120-150 Words]

Ans. The text suggests the flaws in human character that contributed to the sad plight of the people in Alsace. M.
Hamel, in his final lesson, points out the procrastination and neglect of learning among both the students and their
parents. He mentions how everyone, including himself, had put off learning, thinking they had plenty of time. The
teacher acknowledges his own role in diverting students from studies, such as sending them to water flowers or
giving holidays for fishing.

Moreover, the mention of the old men of the village sitting in the back of the room with regretful expressions
indicates a collective sense of remorse. Their failure to prioritize education and language learning contributed to the
vulnerability of the community when faced with the imposition of German as the sole language of instruction.
Overall, the text suggests that personal shortcomings, including procrastination and a lack of commitment to
education, played a part in the cultural and linguistic crisis faced by the people of Alsace.

Questions that appeared in 2020 Board Exams

Q1. What was the mood in the classroom when M. Hamel gave his last lesson? [30-40 words]

Ans. The entire classroom was silent when [Link] began his final lecture, every single student was quiet and
paying attention to Mr. Hamel’s words, even everyone was sitting quietly in their own seat without making a fuss.
Everyone was there that day and Mr. Hamel was completely absorbed in his thoughts.

Q2. What was the importance of the bulletin-board near the town hall? [30-40 words]

Ans. All the important news was put up on this bulletin board. News of lost battles, the draft, the order of the
commanding officer – all the bad news came from there.

Q3. Why was the order from Berlin called a thunderclap by Franz? [30-40 words]

Ans. It was a shock for the young boy because now he could no longer learn french language.

Q4. Why did M. Hamel blame the parents for their children’s poor performance at school? [30-40 words]

Ans. He blamed the parents for sending the kids to earn money instead of sending them to school. They put them at
work in farms and mills so that the family could earn extra money.

Q5. Why did the narrator want to skip school on the day of the last lesson? [30-40 words]

Ans. He was scared of the teacher because he did not know the topic of Participles which the teacher had ordered
them to prepare. Thus, he wanted to skip school and spend the day outside.

Q6. How is the mother tongue important to a person? What does M. Hamel, the teacher say about it? [30-40
words]

Ans. Mother tongue is a key to freedom from slavery. M Hamel says that one must remain attached to one’s mother
tongue to remain free from oppression.

Q7. Why was there a crowd in front of the bulletin-board? [30-40 words]

Ans. There was a crowd in front of the bulletin board because a news had been put up. It announced that as Prussia
had annexed the French districts of Alsace and Lorraine, German instead of French would be taught in the schools
there.

Q8. Why did the elders of the village attend the last lesson? [30-40 words]

Ans. The elders of the village attended the class that day as a mark of respect towards M Hamel who had taught
there for forty years.
Q9. Educating children is the responsibility of society. Justify the statement in view of ‘The Last Lesson’. [120-150
words]

Ans. Children are the future of a nation and so, educating them is the responsibility of the society to ensure a better,
brighter future. In the story, ‘The Last Lesson’ we see that the enemy country targets the schools of Alsace and
Lorraine. After defeating France, Prussia annexed the districts of Alsace and Lorraine and replaced French subject
with German in the schools there. They targeted school children to weaken the future of France. When the students
would grow up, they would feel alienated from their motherland France and would gradually get inclined towards
Germany. Thus, this plan of Prussians shows that children are the future of a nation and thus, their education has to
be ensured by the society.