CBSE Class 12 English Last Lesson Worksheet Set B

Very Short Answer type Questions

Question. Who did M. Hamel blame for the neglect of learning on the part of boys like Franz ?
Answer: M. Hamel blamed the pupils, their parents and to quite an extent, himself too for the neglect of learning French. Everybody, at some point of time, thought that there was still time to learn the language.

Question. Why did M. Hamel write ‘Vive La France!’ on the blackboard ? 
Answer: M. Hamel wrote ‘Vive La France!’ on the blackboard because of the love for his country. It could also be considered as an expression of rebellion against imposition of the German.

Question. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for the school that day ?
Answer: Franz was expected to be prepared with the rules of participles for the school that day.

Question. Why were the elders of the village sitting in the classroom ?
Answer: The elders of the village were sitting in the classroom to attend the last French lesson by M. Hamel. They were there not only to pay their respect to M. Hamel, but also to their country and mother tongue that was perhaps being taught for the last time in the village.

Question. “We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with,” said M. Hamel. Comment.
Answer: M. Hamel blamed himself, the students and the parents of his students for neglecting the study of French language. They had all needlessly postponed the learning. He himself had sent his students to water his flowers and sometimes gave them a holiday when he had wanted to go fishing.

Question. “This is your last French lesson.” How did Franz react to this declaration of M. Hamel ?
Answer: To Franz, the words sounded like thunderclap. He was shocked, at first, to hear that it was going to be his and everybody’s last French lesson. However, he was soon overcome with a feeling of remorse and regret.

Question. What made M. Hamel cry towards the end of this last lesson?
Answer: Towards the end of the class, M. Hamel cried because he was deeply saddened by the thought that France was no longer a free country. Alsace and Lorraine had been occupied by the Germans and from now on his beloved language French would not be taught in the schools.

Question. What had been put up on the bulletin board ?
Answer: There was an order from Berlin that only German was to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.

Question. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons ?” What does this tell us about the attitude of the Frenchmen ?
Answer: It shows the pitiable state of the Frenchmen. They feared the German atrocity. They thought that they would be forced to learn and read German and no one will be spared.

Question. What had the narrator counted on to enter the school unnoticed ?
Answer: The narrator had counted on commotion, noise and hustle and bustle, in other words, preoccupation of the teacher, to enter the school unnoticed.

Question. What was unusual about M. Hamel’s dress on his last day in the school?
Answer: On his last day in the school, M.Hamel put on his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt and a silk cap. It was an attire he would wear on important occasions.

Question. Why was Franz not scolded for reaching the school late that day ?
Answer: On reaching the school late that day, Franz was not scolded because the atmosphere in the school was sombre; order had come from Berlin that German was to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine from now on. Everyone, was sad that it was going to be their last French lesson.

Question. What words did M. Hamel write on the blackboard before dismissing the last class ? What did they mean ?
Answer: Before dismissing the last class, M. Hamel wrote “Vive La France!” on the blackboard. The French expression means “Long Live France.”

Question. “What a thunderclap these words were to me!” —Which were the words that shocked and surprised Franz ?
Answer: M. Hamel announced in the class that this would be the last French lesson he would be teaching them. He disclosed that an order had come from Berlin. All the schools of Alsace and Lorraine would now teach only German. The new teacher was to come the next day. The news left everyone shocked and grieved.

Short Answer type Questions

Question. What tempted Franz to stay away from school ?
Answer: Franz was tempted to stay away from school because he was running late, he had not revised his lessons on participles and was dreading a scolding from his teacher, M. Hamel. Moreover, it was a warm, bright day, the birds were chirping at the edge of the woods. The Prussian soldiers were drilling in the open field at the back of the sawmill. Altogether, the outdoor seemed more interesting to Franz than going to school.

Question. “What a thunderclap these words were to me!” What were the words that shocked and surprised the narrator?
Answer: The narrator was shocked and surprised to hear from M. Hamel that it was going to be their last French lesson. The order had been sent from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine and the new teacher was expected to arrive the very next day.

Question. How did M. Hamel display his love for the French language ?
Answer: M. Hamel taught French for last forty years. Knowing that his students and the village elders would never again learn a word of French, M. Hamel wanted to teach them everything in the last class. According to him, French was the most beautiful language in the world. It was the clearest and the most logical language. M. Hamel wanted the French people to preserve it as it would help them to be free from the foreign rule. Before ending his last French lesson, M. Hamel wrote “Vive La France!” on the board.

Question. What was the mood in the classroom when M. Hamel gave his last French lesson ?
Answer: The order from Berlin was to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. As this was going to be his last day at the school M.Hamel had put on his best clothes, which he wore only on special occasions, The whole school seemed so strange and solemn. On the back benches that were always empty, the elderly village people were sitting quietly with a sad visage. Some of them were even crying. The students paid a great deal of attention during their last French lesson, even the little ones. Most affected was M. Hamel. Although he taught every lesson with dedication, he looked sombre and pensive with tears in his eyes.

Question. What was the order from Berlin and what changes did it cause in the school ?
Answer: The order from Berlin was to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. As this was going to be his last day at the school M.Hamel had put on his best clothes, which he wore only on special occasions, The whole school seemed so strange and solemn. On the back benches that were always empty, the elderly village people were sitting quietly with a sad visage. Some of them were even crying. The students paid a great deal of attention during their last French lesson, even the little ones. Most affected was M. Hamel. Although he taught every lesson with dedication, he looked sombre and pensive with tears in his eyes.

Question. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in the school ? 
Answer: The order from Berlin was to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. As this was going to be his last day at the school M.Hamel had put on his best clothes, which he wore only on special occasions, The whole school seemed so strange and solemn. On the back benches that were always empty, the elderly village people were sitting quietly with a sad visage. Some of them were even crying. The students paid a great deal of attention during their last French lesson, even the little ones. Most affected was M. Hamel. Although he taught every lesson with dedication, he looked sombre and pensive with tears in his eyes.

Question. Who occupied the back benches in the class room on the day of the last lesson ? Why ?
Answer: The village people, including the former Mayor, the former postmaster, old Hauser and several others, occupied the back benches in the classroom on the day of the last lesson. They had come to pay respect to the teacher, M. Hamel for his faithful service and also to the country that was no longer theirs. Being present for the last lesson was an opportunity for everybody to bid farewell to their mother tongue and also to rid the conscience of the guilt of not having learnt the language when there was still time.

Question. Whom did M. Hamel blame for Franz’ inability to answer his questions ?
Answer: M. Hamel blamed the students, their parents and to some extent, himself too for Franz’ inability to answer his questions. M.Hamel expressed his deep regret that for various reasons, especially thinking that there was plenty of time to learn, studying French was not given due importance by the adults, let alone the children.

Question. What did M. Hamel tell them about the French language ? What did he ask them to do and why ?
Answer: M. Hamel said that the French was the most beautiful language in the world-the clearest and the most logical.
He asked the students and the village elders to guard it and never forget because it would give them a cultural identity, a sense of freedom and would also help them to remain united.

Question. 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.
Answer: M. Hamel blames himself and the natives for neglecting their native language, French. He laments that the village elders and he himself too, did not give much importance to learning French. On many occasions, he gave the students holiday because he wanted to go fishing. He even asked the students to water his flowers.
Hamel also found fault with the parents who sent their children to work instead of making them attend school. The village elders too were regretful. On the last day of the French lesson, they all sat silently crying on the back benches of the classroom. They came to learn French from M. Hamel and expressed their sadness and regret they felt in their heart. A deeply disheartened M.Hamel appealed to the class that they hold fast to French, their language, a key to their freedom.

Question. How did Franz react to the declaration that it was their last French lesson?
Answer: Franz was overcome with a feeling of remorse and regret when he heard that hence forth only German was to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. He wished that he hadn’t spent so much time in trivial pursuits like seeking birds’ eggs, or going sliding in the Saar. The books that seemed such a nuisance earlier appeared like old friends now.

Question. How did M. Hamel say farewell to his students and the people of the town ?
Answer: M. Hamel announced in the class that it was going to be the last French lesson. He regretted not being stricter when there was enough time to teach French. He asked everybody to preserve their language, French, since it was the most beautiful of all languages. He also said that their language was the key to their freedom. At last, he stood up on his chair to say something. However, his melancholy made him choke. So, instead, he wrote “Vive La France!” on the blackboard and making a gesture with his hand, he said, “School is dismissed, you may go.”

Question. What is ‘linguistic chauvinism’? Analyse the order from Berlin in this light. How do you justify M. Hamel’s views about French and the new-found love of the people towards their language?
Answer: Carrying pride in one’s language too far leads to ‘linguistic chauvinism’. We can analyse the order from Berlin in this light. It is nothing but a pure example of linguistic chauvinism. The imposition of German language over the French speaking population can’t be justified at all. It is the worst kind of colonialism.
M. Hamel’s love for French is genuine. The shocking order from Berlin arouses patriotic feelings in him. He loves French and feels it to be the most beautiful language in the world. He calls it the clearest and most logical language too. He regrets that the people of Alsace did not pay much heed to the learning of this great language. He asks the people to safeguard it among themselves. It is the key to their unity and freedom.
The people of Alsace, particularly the village elders, suddenly realise how precious their language is to them. Students like Franz too are not immune to patriotic feelings. Franz feels sorry for neglecting the learning of French. He hates the idea of German language being imposed on them. He remarks sarcastically, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” The last lesson was so impactful that it helped to revive the love for the language among the people of Alsace.

Question. How can you estimate M. Hamel as a man with a ruler and as a man with a gesture?
OR
How does M. Hamel prove to be an ideal teacher?
Answer: In ‘The Last Lesson’, Alphonse Daudet presents M. Hamel’s character with due sympathy and respect. Initially, he is presented in the mould of a traditional schoolmaster. He used his terrible ruler under his arm. Everyone could hear the rapping of the ‘great ruler’ on the table even outside in the street. Franz reminds us ‘how cranky’ M. Hamel was. The students used to dread their schoolmaster. Franz was scared of being scolded as he had not prepared his lesson on participles. For a moment he even thought of running away from school. Mr Hamel was a hard task master. He maintained discipline in the class. The other side of Mr Hamel’s character is seen after the order from Berlin came. He had been transformed now. He became soft and gentle towards his students. He didn’t scold Franz for coming late. He did not even use his ruler when little Franz got mixed up and confused when his turn to recite came. He declared that it was his last lesson in French as from the next day German would be taught in the schools of Lorraine and Alsace. He would leave the next day. A new teacher would come in his place. He wore his best dress in honour of the last lesson.
M. Hamel was given respect not only by his students but even by the village elders. He was totally dedicated to the cause of teaching. He had been teaching for forty years in the same school. The village elders came to pay their respect to such a grand teacher. They sat on the back benches to listen to his last lesson.
M. Hamel loved France and French from the depth of his heart. He regarded French as the most beautiful language in the world. He told the people to guard it among themselves and never to forget it. On hearing the sound of trumpets of the Prussian soldiers under his window, patriotic feelings overpowered him. He mounted the chair and tried to speak however something choked him. He wrote “Vive La France” with a piece of chalk on the blackboard and dismissed the class.

Question. Write a character sketch of Franz.
Answer: Franz was a student of a school in Alsace. His schoolmaster was M. Hamel. Franz was not brilliant. Franz enjoyed spending time out of doors. He liked the warm and bright day and loved to listen to the chirping of the birds and watching the drilling of the prussian soldiers. He preferred this to being in the classroom. He didn’t prepare his lesson on participles. When he was asked to recite, he got mixed up and confused. He was not excited to go to school and did not show any interest in M. Hamel’s teaching. But he was scared of M. Hamel’s scolding. He always dreaded the great ruler that M. Hamel kept under his arm. Franz knew how ‘cranky’ M. Hamel was.
However, Franz was forced to change his opinion about M. Hamel. An order came from Berlin pronouncing that German language would be taught in the schools of French districts of Alsace and Lorraine. On knowing that it was the last lesson that Mr. Hamel was going to deliver, his views about him changed. He started respecting the man who had spent forty years in the same school. He felt sorry for not learning French. He shared M. Hamel’s views about French. It was the most beautiful language in the world. Franz sarcastically remarked, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” After the last lesson his views about French took a patriotic turn. He listened to M. Hamel’s last lesson with rapt attention and dignity and regretted having been careless and inattentive.

Question. Our native language is part of our culture and we are proud of it. How does the presence of village elders in the classroom and M. Hamel’s last lesson show their love for French?
OR
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.
Answer: M. Hamel told the students and villagers that henceforth only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Those who called themselves Frenchmen would neither be able to speak nor write it. He praised French as the most beautiful, the clearest and most logical language in the world. He said that for the enslaved people, their language was the key out of prison. Only then the people realised the importance of their language. This shows people’s love for their own culture, traditions and country. Pride in one’s language reflects pride in motherland.
When Franz jumbled while it was his turn to answer, M. Hamel expresses regret at the pathetic state of the language among the folks of Alsace.
He regrets the fact that everyone chose to Procrastinate. Also he felt the parents preferred that their children worked in the farms for that extra income. He worried that the Germans would ridicule them for being incapable of speaking and writing their language. He blames everyone including himself for being careless lazy and Lackadaisical. (unenthusiastic, lack of determination).

Question. Everybody during the last lesson is filled with regret. Comment. (The last Lesson)
Answer: Everybody during the last lesson is filled with regret. There was a general sadness about not being able to utilise the opportunities of learning French when it was easily accessible. Franz wished he had attended classes more often and regretted not being attentive in his classes earlier. He suddenly found his lessons more interesting and easy. The villagers, who were sitting at the usually empty back benches and had come to show their respect and gratitude to M. Hamel, regretted not going to school more than they did. The order also brought about a great change in the feelings of the people towards their country and their native language. M. Hamel regretted sending his students to water his flowers instead of learning their lessons. He also regretted giving holiday to students whenever he wanted to go on fishing.

Long Answer type Questions

Question. The entire classroom, M. Hamel as well as those present in the class, is full of regret. For what and why ?
Answer: M. Hamel blames himself and the natives for neglecting their native language, French. He laments that the village elders and he himself too, did not give much importance to learning French. On many occasions, he gave the students holiday because he wanted to go fishing. He even asked the students to water his flowers.
Hamel also found fault with the parents who sent their children to work instead of making them attend school. The village elders too were regretful. On the last day of the French lesson, they all sat silently crying on the back benches of the classroom. They came to learn French from M. Hamel and expressed their sadness and regret they felt in their heart. A deeply disheartened M.Hamel appealed to the class that they hold fast to French, their language, a key to their freedom.
The order from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine left a deep impact on M. Hamel as well as the villagers. Everybody was extremely hurt by the announcement because it meant that they could no longer teach, learn or speak in their native language, French. This made the last lesson, taught by M. Hamel, all the more significant and memorable. The village people who always neglected learning French felt sorry for not having gone to school more often. M. Hamel too expressed regret for not having been stricter with his students when there was still time. On the day of the last French lesson, amidst the strange solemnity, the students and the village elders present in the classroom listened to M. Hamel quite attentively. While he carried on with the lesson, he appealed to everyone to preserve French not only because it was the most beautiful language in the world, but also because holding on to their mother tongue would always keep them united. Before the class ended, overwhelmed by emotions, M. Hamel wrote ‘Vive La France!’ on the blackboard to express his undying love for French.

Question. The order from Berlin aroused a particular zeal in the school. Comment.
Answer: The order from Berlin, to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine from now on, aroused a particular zeal in the school on the day of the last French lesson.
The air that day, was mixed with pride and sorrow. Students as well as elderly members of the village came to attend the class. The ambiance was quite sombre as the children were serious and some of the elders, sitting at the back benches, were crying.
M. Hamel, who was dressed in his best attire, appeared to be in a pensive mood. His students and the village elders too paid great attention to everything that was being taught in the class. They hoped to learn as much as possible. Even Franz seemed to love his books. M. Hamel told those present in the class to hold on to French as it was the most beautiful language in the world. He said that their mother tongue was the key to their freedom.
A feeling of oneness and immense love and respect for the mother tongue showed on everyone’s face. The class ended with M. Hamel writing ‘Vive La France!’ on the board.

Question. Everybody during the last lesson is filled with regret. Comment.
Answer: M. Hamel blames himself and the natives for neglecting their native language, French. He laments that the village elders and he himself too, did not give much importance to learning French. On many occasions, he gave the students holiday because he wanted to go fishing. He even asked the students to water his flowers.
Hamel also found fault with the parents who sent their children to work instead of making them attend school. The village elders too were regretful. On the last day of the French lesson, they all sat silently crying on the back benches of the classroom. They came to learn French from M. Hamel and expressed their sadness and regret they felt in their heart. A deeply disheartened M.Hamel appealed to the class that they hold fast to French, their language, a key to their freedom.
The order from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine left a deep impact on M. Hamel as well as the villagers. Everybody was extremely hurt by the announcement because it meant that they could no longer teach, learn or speak in their native language, French. This made the last lesson, taught by M. Hamel, all the more significant and memorable. The village people who always neglected learning French felt sorry for not having gone to school more often. M. Hamel too expressed regret for not having been stricter with his students when there was still time. On the day of the last French lesson, amidst the strange solemnity, the students and the village elders present in the classroom listened to M. Hamel quite attentively. While he carried on with the lesson, he appealed to everyone to preserve French not only because it was the most beautiful language in the world, but also because holding on to their mother tongue would always keep them united. Before the class ended, overwhelmed by emotions, M. Hamel wrote ‘Vive La France!’ on the blackboard to express his undying love for French.

Question. What did the French teacher tell his students in his last French lesson ? What impact did it have on them ? Why ?
Answer: On the day of his last French lesson, M.Hamel told his students and village elders present in the classroom that the order had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. He also told them that the new master was supposed to be arriving the next day. As the last lesson progressed, M. Hamel told the class that French is the most beautiful language in the world. He asked them to preserve it because it was the key to their freedom.
The whole classroom seemed so strange and solemn. On the back benches that were always empty, some of the elderly village people sat, crying. That day, the students paid a great deal of attention, even the elder ones. The news of the last French lesson sounded like a thunderclap in the ears of little Franz. He was shocked, at first, but soon he was overcome with a feeling of remorse and regret. Most of all, it was M. Hamel who was saddened by the news. He regretted not giving French language its due importance and now, their mother tongue was being taken away from them.

Question. Our native language is part of our culture and we are proud of it. How does the presence of village elders in the classroom and M.Hamel’s last lesson show their love for French ?
Answer: The order from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine left a deep impact on M. Hamel as well as the villagers. Everybody was extremely hurt by the announcement because it meant that they could no longer teach, learn or speak in their native language, French. This made the last lesson, taught by M. Hamel, all the more significant and memorable. The village people who always neglected learning French felt sorry for not having gone to school more often. M. Hamel too expressed regret for not having been stricter with his students when there was still time. On the day of the last French lesson, amidst the strange solemnity, the students and the village elders present in the classroom listened to M. Hamel quite attentively. While he carried on with the lesson, he appealed to everyone to preserve French not only because it was the most beautiful language in the world, but also because holding on to their mother tongue would always keep them united. Before the class ended, overwhelmed by emotions, M. Hamel wrote ‘Vive La France!’ on the blackboard to express his undying love for French.

Multiple Choice Questions based on an extract

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” clearly 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.
Answer: (c)

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’
Answer: (b)

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 put their children “to work on a farm or at the mills” for some extra money.
Answer: (c)

IV) Choose the option that most appropriately fills in the blanks, for the following description of the given extract.
The villagers and their children sat in class, forging with their old master a (i) _____ togetherness. In that moment, the class room 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
Answer: (d)

Short Answers

Question 1. What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
Answer: Franz noticed there was no commotion; everything was as quiet as a Sunday morning. Mr Hamel was not annoyed when Franz walked into the classroom late. M. Hamel was in his Sunday best. The village folk were sitting on the back benches of the classroom.

Question 2. What do you infer about the schooling in those days from your reading of the last lesson?
Answer: Schooling was characterized by heterogeneous classes, the school and teacher’s residence were often in the same building, it was a one-teacher system, and corporal punishment was prevalent.

Long Answer Question

Question 1. Justify the title ‘The Last Lesson’.
Answer: The title ‘The Last Lesson’ is significant and conveys the central theme of the story. The title highlights the fact that sometimes even the most precious things in our lives are taken for granted by us. The people of Alsace never gave much thought or importance to their mother tongue. They did not insist that their children should give it wholehearted attention. They did not encourage regular attendance of their children in French classes. They thought there was plenty of time to learn it. They preferred their children to work and earn rather than learn. They received a severe jolt when orders came from Berlin to ban French and make German compulsory. This brutal order from Prussians made them realise the importance of their mother tongue. So they came in full force to attend M. Hamel’s last lesson. In fact, the story shows the awakening of their conscience and the importance of their mother tongue. Thus, the title ‘The Last Lesson’ reveals the theme of the story and is fully justified.