Q. 1. “We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with”, said Mr. Hamel. Comment. [Delhi Set III, 2015]
OR
“We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with” said M. Hamel. Refer to the context and explain what he wanted to convey to his students. (SQP 2018-19)
OR
How were the parents and M. Hamel responsible for the children’s neglect of the French language? [Outside Delhi, Set-III, 2017]
Ans. M. Hamel said these words to Franz when he felt embarrassed at not being able to answer. — He consoles Franz by saying everyone in Alsace is to be blamed for them not learning their mother tongue/parents ,teacher and children all are to be blamed /Alsace puts off learning for tomorrow.
Detailed Answer : Mr. Hamel, during his last lesson, regretted the fact that he had not fully utilized the time to teach French to his students. There were times when he would give them the day off, to go for his fishing trips or he would send them to water his plants. He also blamed the parents who instead of sending their children to school sent them to the fields to work. Now that French would not be taught anymore in their district, he wished he could have utilized all the time to teach French to the students.
Q. 2. Why did Franz not want to go to school that day? [Delhi Set I, 2017]
Ans. Value Points:
— late for school
— great dread of scolding
— hadn’t learnt participles
— it was a warm and bright day
— birds chirping
— Prussian soldiers drilling
— outside was more tempting than the rules of participles
Detailed Answer: Franz thought of running away from the school that day because his teacher Mr. Hamel had asked them to prepare the chapter on participles and he hadn’t done it. Morever, he was late for school and was in great dread of scolding from Mr. Hamel. The weather also was good and was tempting him not to go the school.
Q. 3. After sitting down at his desk, what unusual thing did Franz observe about Mr. Hamel.
Ans. Franz observed that Mr. Hamel was dressed in his fine clothes which he wore only on special occasions. He was also milder in his attitude that day.
Q. 4. How was Mr. Hamel dressed differently that day? Why? [Comptt., Outside Delhi, Set-I, 2017]
OR
What was unusual about Mr. Hamel’s dress on his last day in school? [Comptt., Outside Delhi-III, 2014]
Ans. Mr. Hamel had put on his beautiful green coat,frilled shirt and a silk cap, the dress he used to wear on special occasions. He was dressed differently because it was his last day in the school.
Q. 5. Who occupied the back benches in the classroom on the day of the last lesson? Why? [Comptt., Delhi Set I, 2015]
OR
Why were some elderly persons occupying the back benches that day? (Outside Delhi 2017, Set I)
OR
How different was the scene in the classroom on the day of the last lesson [Comptt., Outside Delhi, Set-III, 2017]
Ans. Value Points: Unusually quiet school ; older villagers occupying back benches of the classroom; teacher dressed in best clothes; children understanding the lesson better; M. Hamel explained patiently.
Q. 6. ‘But the thing that surprised me most was to see’ What surprised Franz most in the class? [Comptt., Outside Delhi Set-II, 2013]
OR
What did Franz wonder about when he entered the class that day? [Delhi Set III, 2017]
Ans. Value Points:— didn’t get scolded in fact was spoken politely to— everything appeared strange and solemn — M. Hamel wearing formal clothes — elders of the village sitting on back benches.
Detailed Answer: The thing that surprised Franz the most was to see on the back benches, that were always empty, the village people sitting quietly like the students; the old Hauser, with his three cornered hat, the former Mayor, the former Postmaster, and several others. Besides, everybody looked sad. Mr. M. Hamel had also dressed in formal attire which he normally wore on inspection days or prize-giving functions.
Q. 7. Why is the order from Berlin called a thunder clap by Franz?
OR
What was the bulletin board news that caused a change in the school?
Ans. Value Points: Study of French language prohibited, German made mandatory in all schools in Alsace and Lorraine/unexpected development.
Detailed Answer: The order from Berlin was called a thunderclap by Franz because it was a shock for him to know that the study of French language had been prohibited in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine and only German would be taught there. It was an unexpected development.
Q. 8. Which words of Mr. Hamel were a thunderclap to Franz? [Comptt., Outside Delhi Set-III 2013]
OR
“What a thunderclap these words were to me!”(Franz). What were those words and what was their effect on Franz? [Outside Delhi, Set-II, 2017]
Ans. Value Points:
— words-’French will not be taught any longer’— only German to be taught
— the new master to arrive/take charge from the next day
— Franz was shocked that M. Hamel was leaving
— developed sudden love and regard for his books,French and his teacher
— regretted his negligence
Detailed Answer: Mr. Hamel told them that it was the last lesson he would teach them. The order had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new master would come the next day. That was their last French lesson. Franz was shocked that Mr. M. Hamel was leaving and he developed sudden love and regard for his boutes, language and teaches.
Q. 9. How did Franz react to the declaration that it was their last French lesson?
Ans. Franz became sentimental. He knew very little about French. But, suddenly, he developed a strange fascination and love for this language. Only a while ago, his books seemed a nuisance to him, but now these were as if his old friends.
Q. 10. Why were the elders of the village sitting in the classroom? [Outside Delhi Set-I, 2017, 2014]
Ans. Value Points:
— as a mark of respect/to bid farewell to M. Hamel for his forty years of service
— last day of French class
— pay homage to their country which was theirs no more
— repented not having attended class/school
— love for their mother tongue
Detailed Answer: The elders of the village were sitting in the classroom as they had come to know about the orders from Berlin that they would not be taught French any more. They were sitting there to thank the teacher Mr. Hamel for his forty years of service and to show their respect for their language and the country.
Q. 11. What did Franz see when he passed the town hall?
Ans. When Franz passed the town hall, he saw that there was a crowd in front of the bulletin board which normally displayed bad news received from the commanding officer.
Q. 12. Whom does Mr. Hamel reproach for his students’ unsatisfactory progress in studies? [Comptt., Outside Delhi, Set-I, 2017]
Ans. He blamed himself also because many-a-times he would give them the day off or sent the students to water his garden when he had to go fishing with his friends.
Q. 13. Whom did Mr. Hamel blame for Franz’s inability to answer his questions?
OR
Whom did Mr. Hamel blame for the neglect of learning on the part of boys like Franz?
Ans. Mr. Hamel blamed the parents of such children and himself for they had neglected the children’s learning because of their own selfish interests.
Q. 14. What was M. Hamel’s regret on the day of the last lesson? [Comptt., Outside Delhi, Set-II 2017]
Ans. Value Points : — had to leave France after forty years — had not learnt the language properly — could not speak the language — parents did not send children to school — M. Hamel himself gave holiday to the children Detailed Answer : M. Hamel’s regret on the day the last lesson was that he had to leave france after giving forty year of service and his students had not proper the language properly. Mr. Hamel reproached himself for his students’ unsatisfactory progress because he often sent his students on personal errands, for example, to water his plants or gave them a holiday when he wanted to go fishing.
Q. 15. What words did Mr. Hamel write on the blackboard before dismissing the last class ? What did they mean?
Ans. He wrote ‘Vive La France!’. It means Long Live France.
Q. 16. What made Mr. Hamel cry towards the end of his last lesson?
Ans. Value Points: — had spent more than forty years but was forced to leave the school, the thought of his departure. — the thought that France was no longer a free country/Alsace had been occupied by the Germans. — the thought of missing his school, his pupils and the village folk
Detailed Answer: Mr. Hamel cried because he had spent more than forty years there but was now, forced to leave the school. Secondly, the thought that France was no more a free country and was occupied by the Germans made him sad.
Q. 17. Why did Mr. Hamel write ‘Vive La France’ on the blackboard?
Ans. Mr. Hamel wrote ‘Vive La France’ as a tribute to his country that had lost the war to Prussia. He wanted to remind everyone the importance of loving one’s country and one’s language.
Q. 18. How does Mr. Hamel prove to be an ideal teacher? [CBSE, SQP 2014-15]
OR
What was M. Hamel’s regret on the day of the last lesson? [Comptt., Outside Delhi, Set-II, 2017]
Ans. Value Points:— A selfless dedication help in the inception of school. — 40 years of meritorious service made people conscious of importance of their language and national identity.
Detailed Answer: Mr. Hamel proved to be an ideal teacher because he worked with selfless dedication and rendered his 40 years of meritorious service. He made people conscious of the importance of their language and national identity.
Q. 19. Why was Franz not scolded for reaching school late that day? [Delhi, Set-II, 2017, Delhi 2015]
Ans. 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 then on. Everyone was sad that it was going to be their last French lesson.
Q. 20. How is the title ‘The Last Lesson’ appropriate? [Comptt., Delhi, Set-I/III, 2017]
Ans. Value Points: Last lesson of the French teacher (M. Hamel)/ the last lesson in French/conquest of village by the Prussian leading to ban of leaning French/the moment of realisation of the loss by the villagers/realisation of the importance of one’s language.
Detailed Answer: The title ‘The Last Lesson’ is appropriate because it was M. Hamel’s Last Lesson. It was also the last French lesson as the order from Berlin had declared the ban on teaching French.
Q. 21. What changes did the order from Berlin bring about on the day of the last lesson? [Comptt., Delhi, Set-II, 2017]
Ans. Value Points: Unusually quiet school / older villagers occupying back benches of classroom / teacher dressed in best clothes/ children could understand the lesson better/ M. Hamel taught patiently.
Detailed 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. The one who had been most affected was M. Hamel. Although he taught every lesson with dedication, he looked sombre and pensive with tears in his eyes.
