CLASS XII SUBJECT - ENGLISH

TEXTBOOK- FLAMINGO
The Last Lesson
Very short answer type questions

1. Give one reason why Franz was reluctant to go to school?

Answer-Franz was reluctant to go to school because his teacher M. Hamel was
about to ask the rules of participles in the school that day.

2. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for the school that day?
Answer—Franz was expected to be prepared with his grammar lesson on
participles for the school that day.
3. Why were people standing in front of the bulletin board in ‘The Last Lesson’?
Answer-A new order had come from Berlin that from the next day a new teacher
would teach German instead of French in the school. So the people were reading
this new order in the bulletin board.

4. Why did Franz not join the crowd in the town Hall?

Answer- Franz was already late for school. So he did not join the crowd in the
Town Hall to read the bulletin board.
5. What was tempting for Franz that he thought to stop going away from school on
the morning of the last lesson?
Answer:Franz was very late for school ‘that morning’. M. Hamel was to question
the students on participles and Franz knew nothing and feared a scolding. The
bright weather, woods, fields and chirping of birds tempted him to spend the day
outdoors.

6. Why had the bulletin-board become a centre of attention during the last two
years?
Answer:The bulletin-board had become a centre of attention because for the last
two years all the bad news had come from there. It was the source of all bad news-
the lost battles, the draft and the orders of the commanding officers.

7. What had been put up on the bulletin board?

Answer:A notice had been put up on the bulletin board informing the people about
the order from Berlin which declared that only German was to be taught in the
schools of Alsace and Lorraine. They had also been informed that the new German
teacher was coming on the ne day.

8. What was unusual about the school on the day of the last French lesson?

Answer- The usual hustle and bustle of the morning hours could not be seen on the
day of the last lesson. It was all very still and quiet as it used to be on a Sunday
morning.

9. Who were sitting on the backbenches on the day of the last lesson?
Answer:The village people old hauser, the former mayor, the former postmaster
and several others were sitting on the backbenches in the classroom on the day of
the last lesson.

9. What was unusual about M. Hamel’s dress and behaviour on the day of his last
French lesson?
Answer: On the day of his last French lesson M. Hamel was very kind. He had put
on his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt and an embroidered black silk cap that he
wore only on inspection and prize days.

10. “What a thunder clap these words were to me!” Which were the words that
shocked and surprised little Franz?

Answer: When M.Hamel announced that it was his last French lesson and the
new German teacher was arriving the next day Franz was shocked and surprised.
He felt very guilty for neglecting his studies.
11.What changes came over little Franz after he heard M.Hamel’s announcement?
Answer: On hearing the announcement that it was their last French lesson Franz
realized that he could hardly write his mother tongue. He felt sorry for neglecting
his classes and escaping school

Question 11.According to M. Hamel who should be blamed for the neglect of

learning on the part of boys like Franz?
Answer:M Hamel blamed the parents of the students, himself for neglecting of
learning on the part of boys like Franz. He blamed the boys themselves for
preferring to work on mills and farms.

12.Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What
does this tell us about the attitude of the Frenchmen?
Answer:During his last French class Franz hears the pigeons cooing and if the
Prussians would make them sing in German too. His thought indicate the
Frenchmen’s fear of being completely dominated by the Germans

13. What did M. Hamel tell the people in the class about French language?

Answer- M. Hamel told the people in his class that French was the most beautiful,
the clearest and the most logical language in the world.

14. What did M Hamel ask to do in his last class regarding French language?

Answer- M Hamel advised them to guard it among themselves and never to forget
it because it would prove to be the key to their prison when they were enslaved.

15.How did M.Hamel say farewell to his students and the people of the town?
Answer- M.Hamel wore his formal suit on the day he gave his last French lesson.
After the day’s lesson was over he was overcome with emotions and wrote
“Vive La France” on the board. Then he signaled them to leave the class.

16. Why did M. Hamel write ‘Vive La France’ on the blackboard?

Answer- M. Hamel writes ‘Vive La France’ or Long Live France on the
blackboard because he was a patriot and he wanted the people of Alsace to
safeguard their language and identity among themselves as this was the key to their
prison.
17. Who were sitting on the back-benches on the day of the last lesson?
Answer- The village people occupied the backbenches in the classroom on the day
of the last lesson. They included the old Hauser, the former mayor, the former
postmaster and several others. They had come there to thank their master for his
valuable service and to show their respect for their language and country which
was no longer theirs.