Text: Flamingo

1. The Last Lesson

 dread of – fear of
 drilling – exercising
 tempting – attracting
 resist – to stay away, oppose
 apprentice – trainee
 bustle – a lot if noise created by many people
 unison – at the same time
 rapping – striking
 counted on – depended upon
 commotion – noise and confusion
 blushed – face turned red in color due to shame
 solemn – serious
 primer – basic reader of any language
 thumbed – torn and damaged
 wretches – unfortunate happening
 nuisance – problem, burden
 give up – leave
 cranky – stage, short – tempered
 Sunday clothes – person’s best or newest clothes.
 Faithful – loyal
 Dreadful – frightening
 Mixed up – confused
 Daring – having courage
 Worst – very bad
 Reproach – blame
 Guard – protect
 At one stroke – at once
 Tracing fish – hooks - scratching with claws
 Cooed – sound made by the pigeons
 Gazing – looking intently
 Fix in mind – store or keep forever
 Warm smooth – worn out and become smooth duet to overuse
 Twined – twisted
 Ba, be, bi, bu, bu – phonetics
 Angelus – prayer song in the church the start is marked by the ringing of the
bell
 Trumpets – music instrument
 Pale – colorless
 Choked – unable to speak due to strong emotions
 Strength – might
 Viva la France – long live France
 Gesture – a signal

 Select the correct option from the given options. (Answers are given in Bold letters)
1. What was the reason that the narrator started late for the school in the morning _______?
a) He did not like to study
b) He liked to enjoy nature instead of going to school
c) He did not know anything about participles
d) He hated Mr.Hamel because he always targeted him the class
2. What did the narrator find very different than usual in the class of Mr.Hamel_______?
a) Watcher, the blacksmith was attending the class
b) M.Hamel was walking up and down with his terrible iron rules under his arm.
c) M.Hamel had worn his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt, and the little black silk cap,
all embroidered.
d) On the back benches that were always empty, the village people sitting quietly like
students with other known people
3. What type of the bad news was usually coming from the bulleting board ?
Find out odd man out _______?
a) Drilling done by Prussian soldiers
b) About lost battles
c) Drafts done
d) Orders of the commanding officers
4. Why did the narrator forget all about the rules and his discomfort with the French language?
because_______
a) His friends were attending the class with rapt attention
b) The narrator liked seeking bird’s eggs, or going sliding on the Saar instead of reading
books
c) It was the last lesson on the French to be taken by the teacher M.Hamel
d) None of the above
5. Why were the old men of the village sitting in the back of the room? _______.
a) There were first time permitted in the class to learn the French
b) They came to remind their old days of learning
c) they felt sorry that they had not gone to school.
 d) it was unknown to the narrator
6. when they people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had
the key to their _______.
a) native
b) prison
c) learning
d) career
7. It seemed almost as if the poor man wanted to give us all he knew before going away, and to
put it all into our heads at one stroke. Who is underlined person? _______
a) Former Mayor
b) Hauser, the painter
c) Wachter, the blacksmith
d) M.Hamel the teacher of French language
8. The grandmother went with the author to the school as _______
a) She wanted to study with author
b) the school was attached with temple where she could read the scriptures.
c) the teacher was her friend so she could pass her time there.
d) She liked to feed the dogs at the gate of the school.
9. The order has come from Berlin to teach old _______in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.
a) German
b) English
c) Russian
d) Urdu
10. What according to the teacher was the reason that Franz’s Parents were not enough to have
him learn? _______
a) Franz learned preferred to send them to learn French
b) They preferred to get training of battle and warfare
c) They Preferred to put them to work on farms or mills.
d) All of the given
11. Why did Franz understand grammar of French in the last lesson better than regular class?
Because _______.
a) Even elders were attending the class
b) He listened it very carefully than ever
c) The teacher explained it with a lot of patience.
d) Both (b) and (c)
12. For _______M.Hamel had been there in the same place, with his garden outside the window.
a) Two decades
b) Forty years
c) Twenty years
d) Five years only
13. The narrator had counted on the _______ to get his desk without being seen; but, of course,
that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning.
a) Figures
 b) Marbles
c) Commotion
d) None of the given
14. Hauser had brought _______, thumbed at the edges, and he held it open on his knees with his
great spectacles lying across the pages.
a) his pet with him c) his brush
b) his two kids d) old primer
15. M. Hamel often sent franz to _______ instead of learning yours lessons.
a) loiter in the garden c) water flowers
b) go for fishing d) play football
16. who sat on the back bench on the last lesson?
a) Franz c) The village peoples
b) Prussians d) The new teacher
17. For the last two years, where did all the bad news come from?
a) The bulletin board c) School
b) Town hall d) M. Hamel’s House
18. Who asked Franz not to hurry to school?
a) Old Hauser c) Former Postmaster
b) Former Mayor d) Blacksmith Watcher
19. What was M. Hamel going to question Franz about?
a) Participles c) Old primer
b) Adjectives d) Ba bi bi bobu
20. What was unusual about M. Hamel’s dress?
a) wore clean clothes
b) worse a brand new outfit
c) wore clothes he wore on prize day
d) wore old clothes
21. what order had come from berlin?
a) To close the school
b) Teach German in school of Alsace and Lorraine
c) To open a new school in Alsace and Lorraine
d) That Hamel would have to leave
22. Why did Hamel blame himself?
a) Not having taught them enough French
b) Not being strict
c) giving students a holiday at times
d) not being responsible
23. What does the last lesson taught by Hamel Symbolize ?
a) no more teaching of French
b) domination of Prussia
c) learning of German
d) loss of language and loss of freedom
24. What is the moral that the Alphonse Daudet wants to bring out
a) not to put off things that one can do that day
b) old order changed to new
c) one should accept everything that happens
d) teachers should be respected
25. What does the marching of soldiers under the windows represent?
a) The departure of Hamel c) freedom for Franz
b) dawn of Prussia in France d) sorrow of the villagers
26. What does M. Hamel’s motionless posture reflect?
a) the school is dismissed c) changing order of life
b) sense of finality d) feeling of nostalgia
27. Why does Hamel blame the parents?
a) they preferred children to work in farms
b) they were not strict
c) they did not come to M. Hamel’s class
d) they did not love the French language
28. Franz thinks- “will they make them sing in German- even the pigeons?” what could this
mean?
a) German would use brutal force over everyone
b) harsh orders will be passes
c) when people are deprived of their essence even the surroundings are affected
d) the Germans will rob France of its language
29. why does the author urge the reader respect his language?
a) It is what makes you respect your countrymen
b) It is the key to freedom
c) You can express yourself.
d) It is unique and reflects literature and art.
30. M. Hamel is introduced as a ruler-wielding teacher. This demonstrates that:
a) he is concerned c) he is unfeeling
b) he is adamant d) he is hard taskmaster
31. M. Hamel emerges as a when he teacher his last lesson.
a) meek person c) repentant man
b) true patriot d) defeated the man
32. What was Franz banking on to enter the class as he was late?
 a) M. Hamel’s teaching on the blackboard
b) Commotion in the class
c) Hauser helping him sneak in
d) To quietly walk in when everyone was preoccupied with participles.
33. Which district came under the Prussian rule?
a) Alsace and Berlin c) Alsace and Lorraine
b) Berlin and Lorraine d) The southern districts of France
34. ‘Viva la France’ became an emotion evidence of M. Hamel’s?
a) sadness and patriotism d) love for the school and teaching as a
b) finality and depression profession
c) nostalgia and emotional outburst
35. Franz looked for opportunities to skip school to do what?
a) work on mills c) water the plants
b) go fishing d) collect birds’ eggs
36. who peened The Last Lesson?
a) Alphonse Daudet c) Ashokamitran
b) Louis Fisher d) Anees jung

Extra Long Questions – Answers

1. How did M. Hamel react when Franz failed to recite rule for the participle?
- M.H standing there, holding on to his desk, his heart beating and not daring
to look up. But M.Hamel instead scolding, he told Franz that he must feel
bad enough. He said that every day we think that we have plenty time and
we will learn it tomorrow. And now you see where we have come out by
putting off learning to tomorrow. Now those fellows out there will have the
right to say to you, ? How is it; you pretend to be Frenchman and yet you
can neither speak nor write your own language? Then M.Hamel told Franz
that only he was no to be blamed. His parents were not anxious enough to
have him learn. They preferred to put Franz to work on a farm or at the
mills, so as to have a little more money, M.Hamel blamed himself for it also.
He said that quite often he had been sending Franz to waterhis flowers
instead of learning his lessons. And when he wanted to go for fishing, he
would just give him a holiday.
2. What does M.Hamel tell about the significance and safeguarding of French
language? How does he conclude his last lesson?
- M.Hamel said that French was the most beautiful, clear and logical language
in the world. They must guard it among them and never forget it because
when the people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is
as if they had the key to their prison. Then M.Hamel opened a grammar and
read the students their lesson. All he said seemed so easy. He had never
explained everything with so much patience. After the grammar, they had a
lesson in writing. M.Hamel had new copies for the students, written in a
beautiful round hand: France, Alsace, France, Alsace. He had the courage to
hear every lesson to the very last. It seemed almost as if he wanted to give us
all he knew before going away and put it all into their heads at one stroke.
He wanted to say something, but he could not go on. Then he turned on the
blackboard, took a piece of chalk and wrote? Vive La France! Lastly, he
said: 'School is dismissed-you may go.’
3. How did Franz realize the importance of his mother tongue?
- Franz was an irregular student who wished to live and spend his much of the
time out of doors. He thought of skipping the classes as he was aware of the
nature of his class teacher. He took his lessons as a medium of boredom. When
he got to know about the order that came from Berlin, he got the land skipped
under his feet. On reaching school, he learnt the lessons honestly and succeeded
in learning all of them. Then, he realized that it was his fault that he never paid
attention to his studies. When M.Hamel taught him about the importance of his
mother tongue (French) that it is the clearest and the most logical language of
this world & they should guard it, he repents over his negligence towards his
mother tongue. On seeing M.Hamel emotions and his patriotism realized the
importance of his mother tongue.
4. What impression do you form of M.Hamel on the basis of your study of the
story? The Last Lesson?
- M.Hamel is an experienced teacher who has been teaching in school for
forty years. He imparts primary education in all subjects. He is a hard task
master and students like Franz, who are not good learners, are in great dread
of being scolded by him. The latest order of the Prussian rulers upsets him.
He has to leave the place forever and feels heart broken. He feels sad but
exercises self-control. He has the courage to hear every lesson to the last.
His performance during the last lesson is exemplary. He is kind even to a
late comer like Franz. He uses a solemn and gentle tone while addressing the
 students. He has a logical mind and can analyze problems and deduce the
reasons responsible for it. The problem for Alsace is that it puts off learning
till tomorrow.He knows the emotional hold of a language over its users. He
is a good communicator and explains everything patiently. Partings are
painful and being human, M.Hamel too is no exception. He fails to say
good-bye as his throat is choked. On the whole, he is a patriotic gentleman.
5. Franz' attitude towards school as well as towards M.Hamel changes when he
comes to know about the takeover of his village by Prussians. Do you agree?
Discuss with reference to the 'Last Lesson'.
- The orders from Berlin to take over the village where Franz lives have been
pasted on the school notice board. Only German language would be taught
in the school and French teacher had to go. Franz felt sorry for not learning
his lessons in French any more. His books that had seemed such a nuisance a
short while ago, which he found so heavy to carry seemed to him old
friends. His feelings about his French teacher M.Hamel Were changed. He
decided to pay attention to the lesson. The school became very important for
him. The idea that the teacher was going away, genuinely upset Franz who
became too serious for history and grammar. I fully agree with it as one has
to take one's deeds seriously when he feels the loss of it.
6. Give a brief description of M.Hamel.
- M.Hamel was a very devoted, dedicated and a strict man of discipline.
Students were afraid of his cranky nature and iron ruler. He was a true
patriot and a sincere teacher who dedicatedly served the school for long
forty years. The heart of this true Frenchman totally broke when he received
the order from Berlin to vacate his place to make the space for a new
German teacher. He remained upset during his last class. This changed his
behavior too and he behaved rather very politely and patiently. When Franz
was not able to say his lesson correctly, he, instead of scolding him, just
made him understand about the importance and relevance of learning the
mother tongue. He preached everyone presented in the class that important
things should never be postponed as time flies very fast.
7. What do you think is the theme of the story "The Last Lesson”? What is the
reason behind its universal appeal?
-The theme of the story "The Last Lesson" is linguistic chauvinism of the proud
conquerors and the pain the is inflicted on the people of a territory by them by
taking away the right to study or speak their own language and thus make them
aliens in their own land of birth. The story has a sub-theme also. It highlights
 the attitudes of the students and teachers to learning and teaching. Though the
story is located in a particular village of Also district of France which had
passed into Prussian hands, it has a universal appeal. It highlights the efforts of
the victors to crush their victims-the vanquished people in all possible manner
materially, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Taking away mother tongue
from the people is the harshest punishment. The proper equation between
student and teacher, his focused attention, helpful and encouraging attitude and
kind treatment can encourage students to learn better.
8. What is linguistic chauvinism? Is it possible to carry pride in one 'slanguage too
far ?
- Linguistic chauvinism means an aggressive and unreasonable belief that
your own language is better than a others. This shows an excessive or
prejudiced support for one's own language. Sometimes pride in one's own
language goes too far and the linguistic enthusiasts can be easily identified
by their extreme zeal for the preservation and spread of their language. In
their enthusiasm, love and support for their own language, they tend to
forget that other languages too have their own merits, long history of art,
culture and literature behind them. Instead of bringing unity and winning
over others as friends, having excessive pride in one's own language creates
ill-will and disintegration. The stiff resistance to the acceptance of Hindi as
national language by the southern states of India is a direct outcome of the
fear of being dominated by Hindi enthusiasts. The result is that ?one India ?
remains only a slogan.
9. Justify the title "The Last Lesson." Lesson.
- The story has an appropriate and suggestive title. It is the center of attention
throughout and the whole story revolves around it. The beginning of the
story serves as preparation for it. The unusual quietness at school presence
of village elders and the teacher in his Sunday best dress - all point out to the
unusual and unique occasion- the last lesson in French in a French village
school in a district conquered by the Prussians. While delivering the last
lesson, the teacher wants to transmit all his knowledge in one go. He
explains everything with patience and the students as well as old villagers
listen attentively. For the narrator it is an unforgettable experience." Ah, how
well I remember it, that last lesson." says he. Old Hauser is crying and his
voice tremble with emotion. As the teacher is unable to explain his emotions
because of choked throat, he ends the lesson by writing: 'Vive La France on
 the blackboard. He makes a gesture with his hand to indicate that the school
is dismissed and students can go home.
10.How did Franz's feelings about M.Hamel and school change?
- Franz was shocked when M.Hamel told the students about the order from
Berlin and that it was their last French lesson. He forgot about his teacher's
ruler and crankiness. He developed a fondness for M. Hamel at the troubling
idea of being separated from him forever. He understood the pain and agony
his teacher was undergoing. And, he became more sympathetic towards his
teacher. His school too, now, carried a different meaning. His books and
lessons seemed old friends whom he couldn't give up. He realized with pain
how much French meant to him and regretted not being attentive in his
classes earlier. Suddenly, he felt that the difficult concepts had never
actually been difficult.
11.The people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to
them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?
- The crowd surrounding the bulletin-board, the presence of the villagers in
the class, the silence in place of the routine hustle and bustle of the school,
the emotions that gripped M. Hamel and Franz. representing that of the
teacher and the student community respectively, were all indicators of the
realization of the importance of their language to them. In the story, M.
Hamel says that people realize the importance of somebody or something in
their lives very often when it is lost to them. Similarly, it was the order from
Berlin that made people realize the importance of their language for them.
12.Franz thinks, will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons? What
could this mean?
- Alphonse Daudet's "The Last Lesson' very prominently-raises the question
of linguistic and cultural hegemony of the colonial and imperial powers and
their lust for controlling the world and influencing their cultures and
identities. Prussians acquired the districts of Alsace and Lorraine in Franco-
Prussian War, but they were not satisfied with mere political domination,
they desired to enforce their own language on the people of the defeated
nation. They released the order that from now German would be taught in
schools rather than French, Franz wondered whether they would make even
pigeons sing in German. It means that they had grown up using French as
their language and now snatching away their language from them would be
unfair and unkind. The language was as natural to them as cooing is to the
pigeon. So, compulsion to speak another language is like dominating the
 force of nature and enslaving it. As it is next to impossible to alter the way
pigeons sing, in the me way it is difficult for people to accept a language
which is forcibly imposed on them. Adopting a new language causes pain
and discomfort.
OR
- This sentence could possibly mean that however hard the authorities try to
embed German language in the culture of Alsace and Lorraine, the natural
status of French, for them, will remain unchanged. French flows in the air
and the entire place is imbued with its effect. Even though they train
students in German, the basic mode of communication would remain
unchanged like the cooing of the pigeons.

Extra Short Questions – Answers

1. What was more tempting for Franz than going to school & why ?
- Franz was attracted by the warm weather outside. The birds that chirped at
the edge of the forest and the Prussian soldiers who were drilling also
slowed down his interest to go to school.
2. Why was Franz worried?
- Franz was worried because he was late for the school & he didn't prepare or
start his lessons on participles and also, he did not know the first word about
it.
3. What difference did Franz observe at school?
- He observed that teacher did not scold him at all & simply asked him to take
his seat and also Mr. Hamel was specially dressed in his green coat which he
normally wore on inspection days and even the back benches were occupied
by the villagers.
4. What did Franz observe on the way to school?
 - Franz observed a crowd near the bulletin board & also he met Blacksmith
Watcher who asked him not to run because he had plenty of time to reach
the school.
5. Why did Hamel feel very sad to leave that school?
- M. Hamel had served the school for the past 40 years. He was also
emotionally attached to the school & children. He was in great despair after
knowing that French will no longer be taught in the schools of Alsace &
Lorraine. He did not want the French People to lose their identity.
6. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
- Franz was expected to be prepared with participles that day for school, as
Mr. Hamel had said that he would question them on participles.
7. Why was Franz tempted to play truant from school?
- The French teacher M. Hamel was going to ask questions on participles
which Franz had not prepared. To avoid being scolded he was tempted to
play truant from school and spend the day out doors in a pleasurable manner.
8. What did Watcher mean by saying Franz would get to his school in plenty of
time?
- Watcher, the blacksmith, meant it ironically. He meant there was no more
French taught in the school as per the ban imposed by the Prussians and it
would take a long time to get it back and therefore there was no need to
hurry to his school.
9. What was unusual about the school that Franz noticed when he entered the
school?
- On entering the school, Franz noticed that there was unusual silence. There
was no noise of opening and closing of desks. The village elders had
occupied the last benches that were always empty. M. Hamel was in his very
fine Sunday clothes. Everybody looked sad.
10.What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
- Franz had a negative view about the bulletin-board as for the last two years
only bad news had come from it. That day was no exception as Germans had
put up an order passed from Berlin on the bulletin-board to teach only
Germanin the school of Alsace and Lorraine.
11.What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
- The order from Berlin caused man changes in the school that day. The entire
school seemed strange and solemn. The old villagers were sitting on the
back benches of the classroom quietly to thank M.Hamel for his forty years
of faithful service and for showing their respect for the country. M.Hamel
 also hadput on his best dress on that day though it was not an inspection or
prize day. The order from Berlin also brought a sense of repentance for those
who in spite of having time didn't learn the French properly.
12.How did Franz's feelings about M. Hamel and school change?
- Earlier Franz didn't like M.Hamel much because of his ruler and cranky
nature and he would feel fear from him but now all those feelings were
entirely changed for M. Hamel. The message conveyed by M. Hamel about
the order from Berlin was at hunderclap for little Franz. He immediately felt
sorry for not being sincere in the school and for not learning the French
language and other lessons properly. His books, which seemed a nuisance
and a burden earlier ere now Franz's oldfriends.
13.What reasons did M.Hamel give for their lack of interest in learning French?
- The lack of interest in learning French was:(a) due to the parents who
wanted their children to work in farm What reasons did M.Hamel give for
their lack of interest in learning French? or mill to earn,(b) due to the
students who were reluctant to learn and often put off the lesson for the next
day (c) and due to himself as he asked them to water the flower and gave
them off when he had to go for fishing

14. Why doesn’t M. Hamel want the people to forget French?

- M. Hamel wanted them not to forget French as it is the most beautiful, clear
and logical language in the world and as long as they hold fast to their
language it would be as if they had the key to the prison.
15.Franz thinks, will they make them Sing in German, even the pigeons? What
could this mean?
- The Frenchmen were highly patriotic and took a pride in their language. A
strong feeling of revolt was in the air against the Germans. It shows that
Franz did not accept their rule and thought that they can’t tame pigeons.
16. Describe how M.Hamel Conducted the last lesson.
- In his last French class though M. Hamel was emotional he fully involved
himself in the teaching learning process. He heard every lesson to the last
sitting motionless in the chair. When the church belly struck twelve he stood
up plae and wrote ‘Vive La French’ and with gesture he communicated that
the school is dismissed.
17. What did M. Hamel say about the French Language?
 - M. Hamel said that French language was world’s most beautiful, clearest
and logical language and therefore it should be guarded and should not be
forgotten by them. He also added that the love with one’s own language can
be proven as the key to the prison for the people who are enslaved.
18.How did the classroom look different that last day? Whose presence was
extraordinary?
- For the first time in its existence, M. Hamel’s classroom looked like an ideal
classroom. There was deep silence in the class. No one spoke a word. All
were sad. Besides, the presence of the villagers there was extraordinary.
19.Why did all villagers come to school that day?
- The old men of the village came to the school that day to thank M. Hamel
for his forty years of faithful service. They also came to show their respect
for the country that was theirs no more.
20. Describe the atmosphere of the school on usual days.
- On usual days the school no longer looked like a school. The noises inside
the school could be heart out in the street. Children were in a playful mood,
opening and closing their desks and shouting theirs lessons in chorus. The
teacher had to use his ruler to silence the class.

21.Franz related the extraordinary changes in the classroom to the ban on French
that had been published on the bulletin board. How?
- When Franz passed the bulleting board at the Town Hall, he didn’t know
what was so curious about it. Later, when he reached his school there were
changes and curiosity there too. Finally, when he was told of the ban on
French and of M. Hamel’s transfer, he connected the order on bulletin board
and the extraordinary changes in the classroom.
22.How did Franz find teaching and learning that day?
- Franz found teaching and learning very interesting that day. He was very
attentive and careful. Franz also realized that M. Hamel had never explained
everything with so much patience. It seemed almost as if the poor man
wanted to give them all he knew before going away. M. Hamel wanted to
put it all into their heads at one stroke as it as theirs last lesson.