Ch. 1.

THE LAST LESSON

SOURCE/CASE BASED QUESTIONS:
1. 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 up and down with his terrible iron
ruler under his arm.
A. Which of the following sounds could be heard at Franz’s school usually?
1) banging of desks
2) voices of students
3) tapping on wood
4) screams of students
5) swishing of rulers
6) rustle of paper
(a)(1), (2), & (3)
(b) (4), (5) & (6)
(c)(1), (3) & (5)
(d) (2), (5) & (6)
B. Choose another word that means ‘bustle’ and ‘commotion’.
a. tranquility
b. serenity
c. mess
d. furor

C. How did Franz usually slip into class?

a. By using magical powers
b. By hiding his face behind his satchel
c. By sneaking in through the window exploiting the noisy confusion
d. By taking advantage of his teacher’s carelessness

D. Why does Franz call M. Hamel’s iron ruler ‘terrible’?

a. The iron ruler was gigantic and sharp.
b. Franz was used to seeing the iron ruler.
c. The ruler was used as a drilling tool.
d. Franz might have been at the receiving end of it.

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2. 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!
A. 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
B. Read the quotes given below. Choose the option that might best describe 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 It tells you where people come from and where they are
going. – Rita Mae Brown
(iii) A poor man is like a foreigner in his own country- Ali IbnAbiTalib
(iv) The greatest propaganda in the world is our mother tongue, that is what learn as
children, and which we learn –unconsciously. That shapes our perceptions for life. –
Marshal McLuhan
(a) Option (i)
(b) Option (ii)
(c) Option (iii)
(d) Option (iv)
C. “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
D. Franz was able to understand the grammar lesson easily because he was –
a. Receptive.
b. Appreciative.
c. Introspective.
d. competitive
3.I started for school very late that morning and was in great dread of a scolding, especially
because M. Hamel had said that he would question us on participles, and I did not know the first
word about them. 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.

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 A. Why was Franz in great dread of scolding?
a. He had got late.
b. He hadn’t prepared his lesson on ‘participles’.
c. He always dreaded going to school.
d. He had other plans to settle in life.

B. Why did Franz think of running away?

a. He always dreaded school.
b. He was terribly afraid of M. Hamel’s asking about ‘participles’.
c. He wanted to enjoy the scenes of nature.
d. None of the above

C. What does Franz’s description of nature reveal of him?

a. Franz is a great lover of nature.
b. Franz likes being in nature.
c. The entire scene of nature is more captivating.
d. All of the above
D. An antonym of resist is-
a. Protest
b. Struggle
c. Withstand
d. Yield

4. When I passed the town hall there was a crowd in front of the bulletin-board. For the last two
years all our bad news had come from there – the lost battles, the draft, the orders of the
commanding officer – and I thought to myself, without stopping, “What can be the matter
now?”
A. The bulletin-board is central to the people to Alsace because
a. It displays the village news.
b. It records all the important events of the surroundings.
c. All go to and read it.
d. None of the above.

B. What amazes Franz when he passes the town hall?

a. a big crowd before the bulletin-board
b. beautiful scene of nature
c. army men parading
d. none of the above

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 C. Name some of the bad news around the place.
a. the lost battles
b. orders of the commanding officer
c. (a) and (b)
d. none of the above
D. For how many years had the bulletin board been a source of disappointment to the
villagers?
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
5. I jumped over the bench and sat down at my desk. Not till then, when I had got a little over
my fright, did I see that our teacher had on his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt, and the
little black silk cap, all embroidered, that he never wore except on inspection and prize days.
Besides, the whole school seemed so strange and solemn. But the thing that surprised me most
was to see, on the back benches that were always empty, the village people sitting quietly like
ourselves; old Hauser, with his three-cornered hat, the former mayor, the former postmaster
and several others besides.

A. What had surprised Franz the most?

a. his dread of going to school

b. his fear of M. Hamel
c. his not getting to know the participles
d. none of the above
B. What did the teacher’s dress indicate?
a. a signal of bad times
b. a signal of celebrations
c. things were not normal
d. (b) and (c)
C. How did M. Hamel give the shocking news to the students and the villagers and with
what effect?
a. M. Hamel spoke in a gentle and grave tone and the news shocked and stunned the
village elders.
b. M. Hamel spoke in a grave tone but the village elders were ecstatic to receive the
news.
c. M. Hamel conveyed the news happily and the villagers too received the news
happily.
d. M. Hamel spoke in a gentle and grave tone but the news made no difference to the
villagers.

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 D. ‘The Last Lesson’ is about
a. values of native language, identity and patriotism.
b. the start of teaching German
c. M. Hamel’s last day at school
d. Franz’s test on participles.

6. 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, without hands
over our ears to understand better, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table.
But now it wasall 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.

A. Why did Franz hope to use the commotion of the school?

a. To join the other students in making noise
b. To help him sneak into the class without being noticed
c. To help him escape Mr Hamel’s scolding for not doing his homework
d. To help him reach his desk easily

B. What made Franz blush on reaching the school that day?

a. He was the first one to enter the class
b. He had not done his homework
c. He was late for school and embarrassed
d. Mr Hamel was waiting to scold him

C. The school seemed unusual to Franz that day because ___________

a. Mr Hamel was walking about with a ruler
b. He was late for school and was embarrassed
c. The sound of students could be heard from far off
d. There was a strange silence that day

D. While Franz’s classmates were already in the school, he was late which implies that
_______________
a. He preferred to remain alone while going to school
b. He was more casual and lazy than his classmates
c. He deliberately got delayed every day in reaching school
d. His classmates usually wanted to please Mr Hamel

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7. After the grammar, we had alesson in writing. That day M. Hamel had new copies for us,
written in a beautiful round hand— France, Alsace, France, Alsace. They looked like little
flags floating everywhere in the school-room, hung from the rod at the top of our desks.
You ought to have seen how everyone set to work, and how quiet it was! The only sound was
the scratching of the pens over the paper. Once some beetles flew in; but nobody paid any
attention to them, not even the littlest ones, who worked right on tracing their fish-hooks,
as if that was French, too. On the roof the pigeons cooed very low, and I thought to
myself, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”

A. Why did Mr. Hamel made them re-write ‘France, Alsace’ only?
a. Because he was in a hurry to use any other word
b. Because he wanted them to learn these spellings well
c. Because he wanted to instill patriotic feelings in them
d. Because Mr Hamel knew these were easy for them to write
B. What does the attentive behavior of the people suggest?
a. That they were very dedicated students
b. That they did not want to waste any time in the last class
c. That they were very enthusiastic about what was taught
d. That they very eager to learn new things
C. Select the option that lists the correct inference based on the context of the pigeons in
the above extract.
a. Once taken over, the pigeons would be forced to sing in German too
b. Franz wanted to protect the pigeons from being tortured by German soldiers
c. Pigeons are free birds and cooing is natural to them as French is to him
d. Germans would not be able to force the pigeons to sing in German
D. What impression did Franz form of the handwriting lesson copies?
a. That they looked like some flags in patriotic festival
b. That they looked like little confetti during a birthday party
c. That they were like bouquets decorated during a wedding ceremony
d. That they were like little balloons hanging from a rod

8. “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”
A. Why was Franz counting on the hustle and bustle to enter his class?-
a. He was late for school and wanted to enter unnoticed
b. He was scared of his teacher, M Hamel’s temper
c. Only (i) is correct
d. Both options (i) and (ii) are correct

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 B. Do you think that in your classroom there should be hustle and bustle?
a. Hustle and bustle indicate a proactive classroom where students are involved
b. No, as hustle and bustle will only lead to chaos
c. Yes, as this gives an opportunity for the backbenchers to have fun
d. Hustle and bustle indicate a boring classroom
C. Explain, ‘as quiet as a Sunday morning’ –
a. On Sundays people go to church so it is calm and quiet
b. Sundays are holidays and so the school without students was quiet
c. It was as relaxed as a bright, Sunday morning
d. None of the above
D. What was M. Hamel’s reaction to Franz’s late entry into class?
a. He was furious and rapped him with his ruler
b. He scolded him for being late
c. He ignored him and let him sit in the class
d. He was kind and asked him to be seated

9. “While I was wondering about it all, M. Hamel mounted his chair, and, in the same grave and
gentle tone which he had used to me, said, “My children, this is the last lesson I shall give
you. The order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and
Lorraine. The new master comes tomorrow. This is your last French lesson. I want you to be
very attentive.” What a thunderclap these words were to me! Oh, the wretches; that was what
they had put up at the town-hall! My last French lesson! Why, I hardly knew how to write! I
should never learn anymore! 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! ”

A. What are the predominant emotions during the last lesson?-

a. Shock, sadness and regret
b. Shock and anger
c. Shock and sadness
d. None of the above
B. What is ‘Saar’ in the above lesson?-
a. Mountain range
b. A city
c. A forest
d. A river
C. What were the implications of the order to teach only German for M. Hamel?-
a. He had to stop teaching French to the students of Franz’s school
b. He had to leave Alsace the next day
c. Both options i and ii are correct
d. Only option i is correct

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 D. Why was German being made compulsory in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine?-
a. An order had come from Berlin to impose German
b. Alsace and Lorraine had passed into Prussian hands
c. It is an example of linguistic chauvinism
d. All of the above

10. “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.”

A. What temptations did the speaker have?

a. Chirruping of birds and sawmill
b. Chirruping of birds and Prussian soldiers drilling
c. Open field and sawmill
d. People crowding in front of bulletin board
B. Why did the speaker think of running away?
a. Because the weather was pleasant that day.
b. Because he wanted to join the Prussian army.
c. Because he didn’t prepare his lessons.
d. He hated going to school.
C. Explain- “I had the strength to resist”.
a. The speaker had the courage to overcome his temptations.
b. The speaker had the courage to fight against the Prussians.
c. The speaker had the patience to learn his mother tongue.
d. The speaker could stop himself from wasting time idly.
D. Find the word in the extract which is similar to ‘withstand’.
a. Open
b. Edge
c. Tempt
d. Resist

11. 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 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.
A. What is Saar here?
a. A lake
b. A town park
c. A river
d. A crook

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 A. What is the tone of the speaker here?
a. Joyful
b. Sarcastic
c. Ambiguous
d. Regretful
B. Find the word in the passage which means ‘burden’.
a. Sorry
b. Nuisance
c. Cranky
d. Heavy
C. What was the previous opinion of the speaker about M. Hamel?
a. That he was a wonderful teacher who loved them a lot.
b. That he was a hard taskmaster and a bit crazy.
c. That he was a good friend to him.
d. That he was a sadist who loved to punish the students.

12. 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 as 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.
A. Which of the following can be attributed to M Hamel’s declaration about the French
language?
a. Subjective expertise
b. Nostalgic pride
c. Factual accuracy
d. Patriotic magnification
B. Which among the following is NOT true from the perspective of M. Hamel on language?
a. Language is the key to freedom.
b. To learn a language, one must know its grammar.
c. Language is the road map of a culture.
d. One must always protect one’s mother tongue

C. Select the option that does NOT explain why Franz found the grammar lesson easy on
that day.
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.

9|Page 8 October 2021 ZIET, BHUBANESWAR

 D. Find the word in the extract which means ‘to subjugate’.
a. To be logical
b. To enslave
c. To imprison
d. To amaze
13. Bah! I’ve plenty of time. I’ll learn it tomorrow.
A. Who is being referred to?
a. M. Hamel
b. Franz
c. Hauser
d. Students of the present and past
B. What was Franz supposed to be prepared with?
a. Participles
b. Gerund
c. Infinitives
d. Determiners
C. Who was responsible for the education?
a. M. Hamel
b. Parents
c. Students
d. Everyone was collectively responsible
D. Give a single word describing the attitude of the villagers towards studies.
a. Callous
b. Procrastinate
c. Meticulous
d. Diligent

14. 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 up and
down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm.
A. Which of the following sounds could be heard at Franz’s school usually?
1) banging of desks 3) rapping on wood 5) swishing of rulers
2) voices of students 4) screams of students 6) rustle of paper

a. (1), (2), & (3)

b. (4), (5) & (6)
c. (1), (3) & (5)
d. (2), (5) & (6)

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 B. Choose another word that means ‘bustle’ and ‘commotion’.
a. tranquility
b. serenity
c. mess
d. furore
C. How did Franz usually slip into class?
a. By using magical powers
b. By hiding his face behind his satchel
c. By sneaking in through the window exploiting the noisy confusion
d. By taking advantage of his teacher’s carelessness
D. Why does Franz call M. Hamel’s iron ruler ‘terrible’?
a. The iron ruler was gigantic and sharp.
b. Franz was used to seeing the iron ruler.
c. The ruler was used as a drilling tool.
d. Franz might have been at the receiving end of it.
15. On the roof the pigeons cooed very low, and I thought to myself, “Will they make them sing
in German, even the pigeons?” whenever I looked up from my writing, I saw M. Hamel
sitting motionless in his chair and gazing first at one thing, then at another, as if he wanted to
fix in his mind just how everything looked in that little school-room. Fancy! For forty years
he had been there in the same place, with his garden outside the window and his class in front
of him, just like that.
A. 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 passed
c. the people cannot be deprived of their essence
d. the Germans will rob France of its language
B. What does M. Hamel's motionless posture reflect?
a. The school is dismissed forever
b. Sense of finality
c. Changing order of life
d. Feeling nostalgic
C. What made Franz forget about M. Hamel's ruler and crankiness?
a. Strange quietness
b. Encroachment of Prussian soldiers drilling and marching
c. He did not take his mother tongue seriously
d. Thought of M. Hamel leaving forever
D. What is the tone of the speaker in the first line?
a. melancholic
b. remorseful
c. courageous
d. inspiring
16. 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

2|Page 8 October 2021 ZIET, BHUBANESWAR

 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. But nothing happened. M. Hamel
saw me and said very kindly, “Go to your place quickly, little Franz. We were beginning
without you.”
A. What is the state of the speaker here?
a. Scared and reddened
b. Ecstatic and reddened
c. Tiresome and ecstatic
d. None of these
B. 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 to quietly walk in
d. everyone was preoccupied with participles
C. What is the phrasal verb 'Count on' mean here?
a. Calculate
b. Reckon
c. Estimate
d. All of these
D. Explain “but nothing happened”.
a. M. Hamel did not ask any questions on participles
b. M. Hamel scolded him
c. M. Hamel made him stand outside the classroom
d. Instead of scolding Franz M. Hamel put him at ease
17. 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.
A. “The great bustle” here means _____
a. The sound that was heard from school that day
b. The commotion usually caused in M Hamel’s school
c. The noise heard from the streets
d. The silence at school that day

B. “Lesson repeated in unison” means-

a. Lessons on the topic “unison”
b. Lessons repeated together
c. Lesson repeated by M Hamel as revision
d. Repeating with hands over the ears

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C. “I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk” infers that (analysis)
a. Franz wanted to be seated at his desk without others noticing
b. He wanted to count the commotion before he got to his desk
c. He didn’t want to be scolded as he was late
d. He depended upon the commotion that was going on in the class
D. Franz blushed because-
a. He had not learnt his last lesson
b. He had not learnt participles
c. He was shy with all the other children already seated.
d. He was shy as all the grown-ups and children were already seated.
18. I heard M. Hamel say to me, “I won’t scold you, little Franz; you must feel bad enough. See
how it is! Every day 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.”
A. Mr. Hamel says he wouldn’t scold him even though-
a. He was late for school
b. He had not recited the rules of participles well
c. He had plenty of time
d. He was the worst boy in the class.
B. When Mr. Hamel says, “And now you see where we’ve come out”, he is-
a. Critical
b. Happy
c. Angry
d. Scolding
C. “…. she puts off learning till tomorrow”. Here Hamel is emphasising-
a. That Prussian have the right to teach German.
b. On the need of postponing the work
c. On the need of doing the work in time
d. That they have plenty of time
D. “Now those fellows out there will have the right to say to you.” “Those fellows” mentioned
refers to:
a. French men
b. Prussians
c. People of Alsace
d. Those not in the class

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ANSWER KEY: SOURCE BASED QUESTION

Q.N 1 Q.N Q.N Q.N Q.N 9 Q.N Q.N Q.N Q.N

3 5 7 11 13 15 17

A a A b A d A c A a A c A d A c A b

B d B c B d B b B d B d B a B a B b

C b C d C a C c C c C b C d C d C a

D d D d D a D a D d D b D b D b D c

Q.N Q. Q. Q. Q. Q.N Q.N Q. Q.

2 N N N N 12 14 N N
4 6 8 10 16 18

A d A b A b A d A B A d A a A a A b

B b B a B c B a B C B b B d B b B a

C d C c C d C c C A C d C c C d C c

D a D a D b D d D d D b D d D d D b

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