Class 9 English Chapter 1 Question Answers - Moments

Very Short Answer Type Important Questions

Q1. Who were Sue and Johnsy?
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two artists.

Q2. What happened to Johnsy?
Ans: Johnsy became severely ill in November.

Q3. What fear did Johnsy have in her mind?
Ans: Johnsy had a fear in her mind that she would pass away on the day when the last leaf on the creeper fell.

Q4. Why was the doctor confused about Johnsy’s illness?
Ans: The doctor was perplexed because none of the medicines were proving effective on Johnsy's illness.

Q5. What was happening to the leaves on the creeper outside Johnsy’s window?
Ans: The leaves were falling due to the combination of extreme cold and strong wind outside Johnsy's window.

Q6. Who was Behrman?
Ans. Behrman was an old painter.

Q7. What did Behrman do?
Ans: Behrman painted a picture of a creeper with a single leaf on the wall.

Q8. What happened to Behrman?
Ans: Behrman passed away due to pneumonia.

Q9. Who saved Johnsy’s life?
Ans: Behrman, the old painter, saved Johnsy's life.

Q10. What was Behrman’s masterpiece?
Ans: Behrman's masterpiece was the painting of a creeper with a single leaf on it.

Short Answer Type Important Questions

Q1. Who were Sue and Johnsy? Where did they live?
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were young artist friends who were struggling to establish themselves in the world of art. Both lived in a small flat which was on the third floor of an old house. They shared this place. 

Q2. Why was Sue worried when Johnsy got sick?
Ans: Sue was worried because Johnsy was lying in bed without moving and only staring out the window. Although Johnsy had pneumonia, which could be cured, her condition was not improving. This made Sue concerned about Johnsy's health.

Q3. Why was Johnsy’s condition worrisome according to the doctor?
Ans: According to the doctor, Johnsy’s condition was worrisome because she did not show any signs of improvement despite good treatment. He thought that perhaps she had lost her will to live and no medicine could help her in this negative state of mind.

Q4. How did Johnsy associate herself with the falling leaves?
Ans: It was autumn and the ivy creeper leaves were falling gradually. This depressed an already ill Johnsy and strangely enough, she associated her falling health with the leaves. She believed that she would die when the last leaf fell. 

Q5. How did Sue try to revive Johnsy’s interest in things around her?
Ans: Sue talked about clothes and fashions to draw Johnsy’s interest in things around her. She also moved her drawing board to Johnsy’s room and whistled as she painted, to keep Johnsy’s mind off her illness.

Q6. How did Sue help Johnsy during her illness?
Ans: Sue helped Johnsy by looking after all her needs. She would give her hot soup from time to time and sit by her side and talk to her. She called the doctor and even sought help from their neighbour Behrman.

Q7. Why was Johnsy counting backwards while looking out of the window?
Ans: Johnsy kept looking out of the window and counted backwards to note the number of leaves left on the ivy creeper. She believed that she would die when the last leaf fell whereas the leaves were falling in a normal process of nature during the autumn season.

Q8. What quality of friendship do you find in Sue as a friend? 
Ans: Sue was a loving and earing friend of Johnsy. She was her best friend as Sue always provided her with mental support. When her friend was obsessed with the thought of dying with the fall of the last leaf on the ivy creeper, she tried to look at the positive side of things. She always convinced her friend to think positively and never think about death. Obviously, she represents true friendships and sacrifice in the story.

Q9. How did Sue try to convince Johnsy that her belief about dying with the last leaf was nonsense?
Ans: Sue immediately rubbished Johnsy’s belief as nonsense. She tried to convince her by telling her that old ivy leaves had nothing to do with her illness. The doctor too was confident that she would get better.

Q10. Why did Sue seek the promise from Johnsy not to look out of the window while she completed her painting?
Ans: Sue sought this promise because she did not want Johnsy to go deeper into the depression on see the ivy leaves fall. Moreover, she could not even pull the curtains to stop Johnsy from looking out as she needed the incoming light to complete her painting and get money for the two of them by selling it.

Q11. Who was Behrman? Why did Sue share her worry with him?
Ans: Behrman was a sixty-year-old painter who lived on the ground floor of the same building as Sue and Johnsy. Sue shared her worry with him because Behrman was an elderly person and his vast experience of life could be of great help.

Q12. Behrman has a dream. What is it? Does it come true? (Textual)
Ans: Behrman dreamt of painting a masterpiece someday. His dream did come true when he painted a leaf that was a near replica of a real leaf. This masterpiece saved a young life and fulfilled Behrman’s ambition too. Unfortunately, it cost him his life.

Q13. ‘I’m tired of waiting.’ Why did Johnsy say so to Sue?
Ans: Johnsy wanted Sue to finish her painting quickly so that she could see the last leaf fall. She believed that she would die with it but this was taking too long. She became tired of waiting for the last leaf to fall.

Q14. What did Sue and Behrman see from the window of the room next to Johnsy’s?
Ans: Sue and Behrman saw that only one leaf was left on the ivy creeper that was fluttering in the icy cold wind accompanied by heavy rain. Under such conditions, it was bound to fall anytime soon.

Q15. Why was Sue nervous and reluctant while drawing the curtains on the morning after the storm?
Ans: Sue was nervous because she was certain that the last leaf had fallen at night. This could make Johnsy quit all hope of survival as she had associated her death with the falling leaves of the ivy creeper.

Q16. What made Sue exclaim about looking out of the window on the morning after the storm?
Ans: Sue exclaimed in amazement and delight because the last leaf was still there on the ivy creeper. She pointed out to Johnsy that the leaf looked quite green and healthy. It had not fallen despite the fierce winds and rain. This meant that Johnsy, too, could recover.

Q17. What revived Johnsy’s will to live?
Ans: Johnsy had developed a superstition that she would die with the fall of the last leaf. A severe attack of pneumonia had left her mind morbid. When she saw the last leaf surviving after the windy wet night, her will to live revived. It made her realise that it was really a sin to want to die.

Q18. When did Johnsy realize her mistake?
Ans: When Johnsy saw the last leaf intact, she admitted that Sue had looked after her so lovingly and she, in turn, had been a bad, wicked, gloomy, and non-cooperative girl. She had now realized that it was a sin to want to die.

Q19. When and why was the doctor’s report encouraging about Johnsy’s condition?
Ans: The doctor gave an encouraging report about Johnsy’s condition after examining her in the afternoon a day after the storm. He believed that the report was encouraging because now Johnsy had regained her will to live.

Q20. What news about Behrman did the doctor convey to Sue when he came to examine Johnsy?
Ans: When the doctor came to examine Johnsy, he told Sue that Behrman, too, was suffering from pneumonia. He said that he was confident of Johnsy’s recovery but feared that there was no hope for Behrman.

Q21. What led to Behrman’s unfortunate death?
Ans: Behrman died because he had spent the entire stormy night painting a replica of the last leaf on the ivy creeper and had caught pneumonia as a result. He did this to save Johnsy’s life. He did not want her to see the creeper without its last leaf and lose the will to live

Q22. Which items were found near Behrman when he died? What did this signify?
Ans: A ladder and a lighted lantern were found near Behrman’s bed when he died. There were also some brushes and green and yellow AT paints on the floor near the ladder. This signified that the last green and fresh leaf had been painted by Behrman all through the stormy night.

Q23. What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so? (Textual)
Ans: Behrman’s masterpiece was the leaf that he painted on the wall opposite Johnsy’s window. He had braved icy winds and rains at night while painting the leaf. Sue called it a masterpiece as it was green and healthy like a real leaf. Besides, it saved Johnsy’; life by reviving her will to live. Thus, Behrman’s painting was a masterpiece in the sense that it saved a precious life and was able to be an artist.

Q24. What saved Johnsy’s life? 
Ans: The last half painted by Behrman on the wall opposite Johnsy’s window saved her life. The leaf was a true replica of the last leaf hanging on the ivy creeper. Johnsy mistook it to be a real leaf and felt that she had been wicked and it was a sin to want to die.

Q25. "It looks quite green and healthy". What was the cause of the leaf’s colour and freshness?
Ans: The last leaf on the ivy creeper looked quite green and healthy because it was not a real leaf, but a painted one. Behrman had painted it overnight to help save Johnsy’s life.

Q26. Why did Johnsy keep looking out of the window?
Ans: There was a creeper on the wall facing Johnsy’s window. She had a fancy that she would die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. The leaves were falling because it was an autumn season. So Johnsy kept looking out of the window.

Q27. How did Sue try to keep Johnsy cheerful?
Ans: The doctor had said that Johnsy’s chances of recovery were only one out of ten. Sue became sad and cried bitterly. But she wanted to cheer up Johnsy. So she entered her room, whistling a cheerful tune.

Q28. How did Behrman react to Johnsy’s fancy?
Ans: Johnsy had a fancy that she would die when the last leaf fell. Brennan did not like this fancy of Johnsy. He called her fancy mere nonsense. He said that she should not have such absurd ideas.

Q29. What did Johnsy believe about the falling leaves? Did Sue believe the same?
Ans: Johnsy got a fancy that she would die with the fall of the last leaf. But, Sue considered it a foolish idea. She said that there could be no relationship between the last leaf and somebody’s life.  

Q30. How did old Behrman die?
Ans: Behrman knew about Johnsy’s fancy about the falling leaves. He went out in the cold and snow and painted a leaf on the wall. l le caught pneumonia and died.

Q31. How did Johnsy realize her mistake?
Ans: Johnsy was suffering from pneumonia. There was a creeper on the wall facing her window. Johnsy had a fancy that she would die when the last leaf fell. One night, there was only one leaf left. She thought that she would also die with the falling of the leaf. But that night, Behanan painted a leaf in its place. So it did not fall. It made her realize that it was a sin to wish to die.

Q32. What kind of a friend was Sue to Johnsy?
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were close friends. Both were painters. Apart from that, their tastes and views were similar. They lived in the same small flat. When Johnsy suffered from pneumonia, Sue looked after her with love and care. It was largely because of her care that Johnsy’s life was saved.

Q33. Describe in your own words the colony where the artists lived.
Ans: The artists’ colony grew in the old village named Greenwich. It was to the west of Washington Square., Its streets were winding. These streets had strange angles and curves.

Q34. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the willingness to live?
Ans: Johnsy, a young artist, was ill. She was suffering from pneumonia. But later on, she suffered from a misconception that she would die as soon as the last leaf on the creeper fell. The medicine did not affect her. Her willingness to live could only cure her.

Q35. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers? 
Ans: Life has two aspects i.e. positive and negative. It depends upon us how we take it. Nowadays, it is very common that teenagers are getting depressed because of cut-throat competition. On the other hand, a majority of teenagers who take life positively and face difficulties boldly never lose hope and proceed further.

Also Check at EduRev: 

• Summary: The Last Leaf
• Character Sketches - The Last Leaf

Long Answer Type Important Questions

Q1. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her – the medicine or her willingness to live?
Ans: Johnsy suffered an attack of pneumonia in the cold winter month of November. Her illness made her so weak that she went into depression. She would lie still on her bed and keep gazing out of the window. The autumn added to her gloom when she saw the trees shedding leaves. She began to associate her death with the falling leaves and this negative thought deteriorated her health. When she gave up all hope in life, she refused to eat anything and medicines lost their effect. According to the doctor, her recovery depended on her willingness to live. In the absence of determination to get well soon, even the medicines failed to affect positively. 

Q2. Sue is a true and faithful friend. Comment.
Ans: Sue displays the virtues of a true and faithful friend. She and Johnsy were young artist friends who shared a small flat. When Johnsy fell ill, Sue did not spare any effort to nurse her back to health. She exhibited the values of sincerity and commitment to her friend by calling the doctor who would visit them daily to review Johnsy’s condition. She tried to lift Johnsy’s spirits by talking cheerfully to her thus exemplifying the value of unwavering support to a depressed friend.
She would sit beside Johnsy’s bed and paint so that she could earn for herself and Johnsy. She comforted Johnsy and dealt with her cranky behaviour very patiently. With her cheerful disposition and her optimism, she tried her best to reassure Johnsy that the old ivy leaves had nothing to do with her illness. Sensing the seriousness of Johnsy’s health and her state of mind, she at once sought Behrman’s help. Thus, Sue proves to be a compassionate human being and a true friend.

Q3. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers?
Ans: Yes, the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers. It is so because, like Johnsy, they, too, lack emotional maturity. They fail to understand that sorrows are as much a part of our lives as joys are. Certain situations in life are unpredictable as well as unavoidable. Teenagers become nervous while encountering such situations. They begin to gather negative thoughts and have a fear of failure. It becomes a vicious cycle, and their weak health aggravates emotional instability. Pessimism begins to destroy their willpower.
Another problem is that like Johnsy, teenagers take a lot of time to get convinced. They are difficult to counsel and try their loved one’s patience a lot. The absence of a healthy lifestyle pushes them further into negativity and depression becomes deep-rooted.  Therefore, teenagers should inculcate positive values like optimism, strong willpower, and faith through meditation and regular exercise in order to enjoy the blessings of a sound mind in a robust body.

Q4. How did Behrman save Johnsy’s life?
Ans: Behrman saved Johnsy’s life by sacrificing himself at the altar of art. “The Last Leaf” is about his extreme sacrifice that infuses life in a young, depressed woman. Johnsy’s illness was serious but could be cured if she had the will to live. Her falling health was more due to her state of depression than pneumonia. The sixty-year-old painter Behrman took upon himself the difficult responsibility of saving Johnsy. He made a single-handed effort to brave the icy winds and rain to reach the window by climbing a ladder and finally painting a fresh and green leaf that looked natural and real. The readiness with which he gave up his life shows art's unparalleled commitment to talent. He painted the leaf with such passion that it revived the sinking breath of Johnsy. He thus saved Johnsy’s life by sacrificing his own.

Q5. Imagine Behrman survives the attack of pneumonia. His family takes him back to his native countryside in order to serve the old man and nurse him back to health. As Johnsy, write a letter to Behrman expressing your gratitude.
Ans:-
(Date)
2-111 Floor Ivy Apartments
London
Dear Mr. Behrman
Trust your health is improving with each day. Sue and I think of you all the time and miss you a lot. We have always looked up to you as a friendly neighbour and a kind gentleman artist. Words fail me when I express gratitude for the extraordinary help extended by you during our moments of crisis.  Shivers run down my spine when I recall the time you risked your life to save a silly girl like me. You are a very brave person and a true artist. Your masterpiece reflects your passion and dedication and it has made me realize that my whims were utterly senseless.
Your life is an inspiration for young people like me. I have learned from you that the worthiest thing is being alive. I promise that I shall never let pessimism overshadow me again. Sue and I wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see you soon. We expect to have you back here and wish that you may paint many more masterpieces.
With warm regards
Johnsy

Q6. Describe briefly how Behrman saved Johnsy’s life.
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young girl artists. They lived together in the artists’ colony. Once Johnsy caught pneumonia. She developed a fancy that she would die when the last leaf on the I y creeper fell. The doctor said that she should take an interest in life and wish to live. Only then could she be saved. Behrman was an old painter. He lived on the ground floor beneath them. He was a failure in art. For forty years, he had been trying to paint a masterpiece, but he had not yet started h. He came to know of Johnsy’s fancy. The night the last leaf fell, he painted a leaf on the wall. He worked all night in the air and snow and painted the leaf. The next morning, Johnsy saw the leaf on the wall: Her will to live returned. Her life was saved. But Behrman caught pneumonia and died. Thus, he sacrificed his life and saved Johnsy’s life. The last leaf painted on the wall was his masterpiece.

Q7. In “The Last Leaf” why did Sue cry bitterly when the doctor had gone? Later she walked into Johnsy’s room whistling a cheerful tune. Why?
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young girls. They were painters. They lived like sisters. The studio is in an artists’ colony. One day, Johnsy had an attack of pneumonia. Her condition worsened. Shhaedloasitctihnet will live. One day, the doctor told Sue that Johnsy’s disease was psychological too. She did not want to live. In such a condition, no medicine could work. If she did not get back the will to live, her chances of recovery were only one out of ten. When Sue heard this, she felt very sad. She cried bitterly as soon as the doctor had gone. But the next moment, she entered Johnsy’s room, whistling. Sue did so because she wanted to cheer up Johnsy.

Q8. What did Johnsy believe about the falling leaves? Did Sue believe the same thing?
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young artist girls. They had a joint studio. They loved each other like sisters. One day, Johnsy caught pneumonia. There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house. Johnsy could see it through her window. The leaves of this creeper were falling fast in the cold winds. Johnsy developed a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. She lost the will to live. Sue came to know of Johnsy’s fancy. She tried her best to cheer up Johnsy. She told her that there was no link between the falling of leaves and her death. She nursed Johnsy with love and care. She told Behrman about Johnsy’s fancy. Behrman was a painter. He painted a leaf on the wall when the last leaf fell. This saved Johnsy’s life. Thus, Sue played an important role in saving Johnsy’s life.

Q9. Write a brief character sketch of old Behrman.
Ans: Old Behrman was a painter. He was past sixty. But he was a failure in art. He earned very little through his paintings. He always said that he was going to paint a masterpiece. But for the last forty years, he had not even begun it. Behrman was a drunkard. His beard was long and curling. It gave him the look of an imp. He was a tough fellow. He hated weakness in a man. He lived on the ground floor beneath Sue and Johnsy. He considered himself their guardian. He was very kind and helpful at heart. When he came to know of Johnsy’s fancy, he decided to help her. He went out in the rain and snow and painted a leaf on the wall. It saved Johnsy’s life. But he caught pneumonia and died. Thus, Behrman plays a very important role in the story. He sacrificed his life and saved Johnsy’s life.

Q10. Justify the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf ‘.
Ans: This is a psychological story. The whole story is based on the last leaf. Johnsy was a young artist girl. She and her friend Sue lived together. One day, Johnny caught pneumonia. There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house. From her window, Johnsy watched that creeper. Its leaves were falling fast in the cold winds. Johnsy got a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. She lost the will to live. Her condition became worse. Barman, an old painter, came to know of this fancy of Johnsy. The next night, the last leaf fell. But the same night, Hellman painted a leaf on the wall. It looked like a real leaf. When Johnsy saw that leaf, her will to live returned. That painted leaf saved Johnsy’s life. Thus the leaf plays an important role in the story. So the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf’ is justified.

Q11. Draw a brief character sketch of Sue. 
Ans: She is an important character in the story ‘The Last Lear. She is an artist girl. She and Johnsy have a joint studio in the artists’ colony. She is kind and noble at heart. She has the qualities of a true friend. Johnsy gets an attack of pneumonia. Sue nurses her with love and care. She works day and night to earn enough money. With this money, she buys medicines and a good diet for her friend. She feels shocked when the doctor says that Johnsy doesn’t have many chances of recovery. Johnsy has a fancy that she will die when the last leaf of the creeper falls. She tries her best to cheer her up. She says that her fancy is foolish and baseless. She tells of John’s fancy of old Behrman. He paints the last leaf on the wall and saves Johnsy. Thus, Sue is a kind and noble girl. She is a true friend.

Q12. Behrman’s masterpiece helped Johnsy to survive. Explain how the last leaf influenced Johnsy.
Ans: The story reveals Behrman’s sacrifice. He was a poor old artist. He had a dream to paint a masterpiece. Once Johnsy fell ill and established a bond of her life with the ivy leaves. One day, Sue found her whispering this. Sue looked after Johnsy and she informed Behrman about her condition. It was a stormy night and there was a single leaf on the creeper. Behrman thought that the leaf would fall that stormy night. So he decided to paint the leaf on the wall. He painted the leaf so beautifully that it looked natural. But he got pneumonia that night and died two days after his painting. Hence, this story becomes the story of supreme sacrifice.

Q13. Johnsy felt her survival was related to the falling ivy leaves. Explain how blind beliefs can cause harm to us.
Ans: Johnsy was seriously ill with pneumonia. She was highly depressed and lay in bed looking vacantly out of the window. She would keep watching for hours the creeper up the opposite wall shedding its leaves. She would count the number of leaves left on the creeper. She was obsessed with a foolish superstition. She would die with the fall of the last leaf. The doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live. It seemed to the doctor that Johnsy had no willingness to live in a state of depression. In such a state, no medicine could save her life. So, the doctor advised Sue to try her best to take her friend out of that state.

Q14. Sue played a very important role in saving her friend Johnsy. Explain how she played the role of a trusted friend.
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were good friends. Both of them were artists. They loved each other and shared the same room. One day, Johnsy fell ill. She was suffering from pneumonia. She believed that she would die with the falling of the last leaf on the ivy creeper. Sue looked after her like a mother. She tried to instil in her a desire to live a happy life. She kept whistling in order to make her happy and break her calmness. When her condition started deteriorating, she became anxious and informed Behrman about her condition. Behrman took it seriously. He painted the leaf on the wall to save her life. So, Sue succeeds in saving her life.

Q15. “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. Do you think the story “The Last Leaf” supports this statement? 
Ans: A friend plays a very important role in one’s life. A true friend supports one in every step. A friend is a person who stands with you in happiness or crises. In the story,
In "The Last Leaf” when Johnsy was suffering from Pneumonia, she was not getting well because she was the victim of negative feelings. She attached her life to the falling of leaves from a creeper outside the window. She had thought she would die the moment when the last leaf of the creeper fell. Sue tried her best to cheer her up when she learned Johnsy’s foolish belief. She shared her concern with Behrman. Behrman went out on a rainy night and painted a leaf on the ivy, which looked like a real leaf. Sue helped Johnsy to recover. She gave her a lot of courage. In reality, she was a kind girl and a friend indeed.

Q16. “You have to live for your friends.” How far do you agree with this advice given by Sue to her friend Johnsy? 
Ans: The doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live. It seemed to the doctor that Johnsy had no willingness to live in a state of depression. In such a state, no medicine could save her life. So, the doctor advised Sue to try her best to take her friend out of that state. Behrman had a dream to paint a masterpiece in his life. He kept waiting for the opportunity to give it a practical shape. Yes, he could materialize his dream when he painted the last leaf of the ivy creeper.

Q17. What is the need to maintain a positive attitude in life? Comment with reference to Johnsy’s attitude to life. 
Ans: Johnsy was a young girl and lived with one of her friends. They were artists. She was suffering from pneumonia. Her friend Sue looked after her. She loved her very much. The doctor kept visiting Johnsy and had regular check-ups. But there was no improvement in her condition. Her condition went from bad to worse. Both the doctor and Sue were worried. Later on, it was found that she was depressed. In that state of mind, she lost her interest in everything. She kept lying calm, gazing through the window. She did not like to live and suffered from the misconception that she would die with the last leaf of the creeper. They tried to convince her but in vain. She had lost her will to live. In this mental condition, only God could save her.

Q18. The story ‘The Last Leaf is a story of supreme sacrifice by an old artist. Do you agree?
Ans: Firm determination and strong willpower are the tools of success in life. A person who has a firm determination and strong willpower can never feel depressed on small losses in life and God blesses such a person with success. In the story, The Last Leaf, it is the determination and strong willpower that help a patient, Johnsy to recover fast. Johnsy, who felt dejected and depressed, had lost the will to live. Medicine was ineffective. She thought that she would die with the fall of the last leaf on the ivy. But Behrman and Sue brought her out of this fanciful idea and convinced her that there was no relationship between her life and the falling of a leaf. Gradually, with the efforts of Sue and Behrman, she regained willpower, and thus her willingness to live saved her.