Class 9 English - The Last Leaf Previous Year Questions

Very Short Answer Type Questions 

Q1: How many leaves were there on the tree three days ago?
Ans: There were almost a hundred leaves on the tree three days ago.

Q2: What was Johnsy watching through the window?
Ans: Johnsy was watching the falling leaves from the ivy creeper tree through the window.

Q3: Why was it natural for the creeper to shed its leaves?
Ans: It was Autumn, and it was natural for the creeper to shed its leaves during that season.

Q4: What was Johnsy’s thought?
Ans: Johnsy believed that she would die after the fall of the last leaf of the tree

Q5: What would Sue do with her painting?
Ans: Sue would sell her painting to get money for them.

Short Answer Type 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 did Sue become worried when Johnsy fell ill?
Ans. Sue became worried because Johnsy would lie in her bed without moving, just gazing out of the window. Johnsy had pneumonia and it seemed curable but her condition indicated otherwise.

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.

Q3. 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.

Q4. 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. 

Q5.What did Sue see when she heard Johnsy counting backwards?
Ans. When Sue heard Johnsy counting backwards, she looked out of the window and saw an old ivy creeper climbing half way up the brick wall opposite their window. The creeper was shedding leaves due to the strong autumn wind.

Q6. 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 that old ivy leaves had nothing to do with her illness. The doctor too was confident that she would get better.

Q7. Behrman has a dream. What is it? Does it come true?
Or
What was Behrman’s dream? How did it come true?
Ans. Behrman dreamt of painting a masterpiece some day. 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.

Q8. What made Sue exclaim on looking out of the window on the morning after the storm?
Or
What did Sue point out to Johnsy when she looked out of the window in 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 in spite of the fierce winds and rain. This meant that Johnsy too could recover. 

Q9. What did Johnsy admit to Sue when the last leaf did not fall?
Or
When did Johnsy realise 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 realised that it was a sin to want to die.

Q10. What led to Behrman’s unfortunate death?
Or
Why did Behrman spend a night out in the storm and rain?
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

Long Answer Type Questions 

Q1. 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 and 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 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.

Q2. 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 to enjoy the blessings of a sound mind in a robust body.  

Q3. How did Behrman save Johnsy’s life?
Ans. Behrman learnt about Johnsy's fancies. He did not waste a single second. He took a lantern because it was dark. He took a Ladder because he had to paint the leaf on the wall. He took brushes and colours. He painted the leaf on the wall though it was raining heavily. The real leaf had already fallen. 

The painted leaf stuck to the wall. Johnsy said the last leaf still intact. It revived confidence and will to live in her. It was Behrman's masterpiece. Behrman died of pneumonia but saved Johnsy's life.

Q.6. Describe briefly how Behrman saved Johnsy’s life. 
OR
‘The Last Leaf’ is a story of supreme sacrifice by a wretched drunken artist. Comment 
OR 
Who was Behrman? What was his masterpiece and why did he paint it?
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 Ivy creeper fell. The doctor said that she should take an interest in life and wish to live. Only then she could 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. 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 john’s life. The last leaf painted on the wall was his masterpiece.

Q4. Write a brief character sketch of old Behrman. 
OR 
Write a few sentences on the looks and personality 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 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.