The Last Lesson, Part 2: Summary, Glossary & question-Answers

 

The Last Lesson, Part 2

While I was thinking of all this, I heard my name called. It was

my turn to recite. What would I not have given to be able to say

that dreadful rule for the participle all through, very loud and clear,

and without one mistake? But I got mixed up on the first words

and stood there, holding on to my desk, my heart beating, and not

daring to look up. I heard M. Hamel say to me:

 “I won’t scold you, little Franz; you must feel bad enough. See how it is! Every day we have said to ourselves, ‘Bah! I’ve plenty of time. I’ll learn it tomorrow.’ And now you see where we’ve come out. Ah, that’s the great trouble with Alsace; she puts off learning till tomorrow. Now those fellows out there will have the right to say to you, ‘How is it; you pretend to be Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own language?’ But you are not the worst, poor little Franz. We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with.”

 

“Your parents were not anxious enough to have you learn. They

preferred to put you to work on a farm or at the mills, so as to have

a little more money. And I? I’ve been to blame also. Have I not often

sent you to water my flowers instead of learning your lessons? And

when I wanted to go fishing, did I not just give you a holiday?”

 

Then, from one thing to another, M. Hamel went on to talk

of the French language, saying that it was the most beautiful

language in the world — the clearest, the most logical; that we must

guard it among us and never forget it, because when a people are

enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison. Then he opened a grammar and read us our lesson. I was amazed to see how well I understood it. All he said seemed so easy, so easy! I think, too, that I had never listened so carefully, and that he had never explained everything with so much patience. It seemed almost as if the poor man wanted to give us all he knew before going away, and to put it all into our heads at one stroke.

 

After the grammar, we had a lesson in writing. That day M. Hamel had new copies for us, written in a beautiful round hand — France, Alsace, France, Alsace. They looked like little flags floating everywhere in the school-room, hung from the rod at the top of our desks. You ought to have seen how every one set to work, and how quiet it was! The only sound was the scratching of the pens over the paper. Once some beetles flew in; but nobody paid any attention to them, not even the littlest ones, who worked right on tracing their fish-hooks, as if that was French, too. On the roof the pigeons cooed very low, and I thought to myself:

 “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”

 

Whenever I looked up from my writing I saw M. Hamel sitting

motionless in his chair and gazing first at one thing, then at another,

as if he wanted to fix in his mind just how everything looked in that

little school-room. Fancy! For forty years he had been there in the

same place, with his garden outside the window and his class in

front of him, just like that. Only the desks and benches had been

worn smooth; the walnut-trees in the garden were taller, and the

hopvine that he had planted himself twined about the windows to

the roof. How it must have broken his heart to leave it all, poor

man; to hear his sister moving about in the room above, packing

their trunks! For they must leave the country next day.

But he had the courage to hear every lesson to the very last.

After the writing, we had a lesson in history, and then the babies

chanted their ba, be bi, bo, bu. Down there at the back of the room

old Hauser had put on his spectacles and, holding his primer inboth hands, spelled the letters with them. You could see that he,

too, was crying; his voice trembled with emotion, and it was so

funny to hear him that we all wanted to laugh and cry. Ah, how

well I remember it, that last lesson!

All at once the church-clock struck twelve. Then the Angelus. At

the same moment the trumpets of the Prussians, returning from drill,

sounded under our windows. M. Hamel stood up, very pale, in his chair. I never saw him look so tall.

“My friends,” said he, “I—I—” But something choked him. He

could not go on.

Then he turned to the blackboard, took a piece of chalk, and,

bearing on with all his might, he wrote as large as he could:

“Vive La France!”

Then he stopped and leaned his head against the wall, and, without a

word, he made a gesture to us with his hand ; “School is dismissed — you may go.”

the compact glossary for the extract, all difficult words included, no blank spaces, format: English word – simple meaning – Hindi meaning

Glossary

Dreadful – very bad or frightening – भयानक
Recite – say aloud from memory – सुनाना / दोहराना
Participle – verb-form used as adjective or tense – कृदन्त
Mixed up – confused – उलझ जाना
Daring – having courage to do something – हिम्मत करना
Scold – speak angrily – डांटना
Reproach – blame for a fault – दोष देना
Anxious – worried – चिंतित
Preferred – liked more – अधिक पसंद किया
Logical – reasonable, clear – तार्किक
Enslaved – kept under control – गुलाम बनाया हुआ
Amazed – very surprised – चकित
Patience – ability to stay calm – धैर्य
Stroke – single quick act – एक ही प्रयास
Round hand – neatly curved handwriting – गोल साफ़ अक्षर
Scratching – rough rubbing sound – खरोंचने की आवाज़
Tracing – drawing by following lines – नकल बनाना
Motionless – not moving – स्थिर
Twined – wrapped around – लिपटी हुई
Hopvine – climbing plant – होप की बेल
Broken his heart – made extremely sad – दिल टूट जाना
Primer – beginner’s book – प्रारंभिक पुस्तक
Trembled – shook with emotion – काँपा
Angelus – church prayer bell – प्रार्थना की घंटी
Trumpets – loud brass instruments – तुरही
Drill – military practice – अभ्यास / ड्रिल
Choked – unable to speak from emotion – गला रुँधना
Bearing on – pressing hard – ज़ोर देकर
Dismissed – allowed to leave – छुट्टी दी
Gesture – movement of hand to signal – इशारा

MCQS

1. Why was Franz afraid of going to school that morning?
   A. He lost his books
   B. He had not prepared the lesson on participles
   C. He fought with classmates
   D. He overslept
   Answer: B
2. What topic was M. Hamel going to question the class on?
   A. Pronouns
   B. Participles
   C. Adjectives
   D. Verbs
   Answer: B
3. What did Franz notice on the way to school?
   A. Birds chirping and soldiers drilling
   B. Children playing
   C. A festival
   D. Shops closed
   Answer: A
4. Where were the Prussian soldiers drilling?
   A. In the schoolyard
   B. Behind the sawmill
   C. Near the church
   D. At the town hall
   Answer: B
5. Why was there a crowd in front of the town hall?
   A. A wedding ceremony
   B. A bulletin posted with news
   C. A protest march
   D. A market fair
   Answer: B
6. What type of news usually appeared on the bulletin-board?
   A. School events
   B. Bad news of the war
   C. Local festivals
   D. Birth announcements
   Answer: B
7. Who called out to Franz as he hurried?
   A. The mayor
   B. The blacksmith, Wachter
   C. M. Hamel
   D. A soldier
   Answer: B
8. What did Wachter say to Franz?
   A. “Run faster!”
   B. “You’ll reach school in plenty of time”
   C. “Go back home”
   D. “Pay attention to the bulletin”
   Answer: B
9. Why did Franz think Wachter was teasing him?
   A. He laughed at him
   B. He smiled
   C. He said Franz had plenty of time
   D. He waved his hand
   Answer: C
10. How was the classroom that day?
    A. Very noisy
    B. Completely silent
    C. Full of decorations
    D. Empty
    Answer: B
11. What did M. Hamel carry under his arm?
    A. A notebook
    B. His ruler
    C. A book of songs
    D. A cane
    Answer: B
12. How did M. Hamel greet Franz when he entered late?
    A. Angrily
    B. Kindly
    C. Ignoring him
    D. Critically
    Answer: B
13. What special clothes did M. Hamel wear?
    A. Green coat, frilled shirt, embroidered cap
    B. Black suit
    C. Brown jacket
    D. Military uniform
    Answer: A
14. Why were villagers sitting on the back benches?
    A. To monitor students
    B. To honour and respect M. Hamel
    C. To help in teaching
    D. To punish the children
    Answer: B
15. Who was Hauser?
    A. A student
    B. An old villager
    C. A soldier
    D. The mayor
    Answer: B
16. What did M. Hamel announce as he began the lesson?
    A. School would close permanently
    B. It was the last French lesson
    C. Exams were postponed
    D. He was going on leave
    Answer: B
17. From where did the order to teach only German come?
    A. Paris
    B. Berlin
    C. Vienna
    D. Rome
    Answer: B
18. When would the new German teacher arrive?
    A. The next week
    B. The next day
    C. Immediately
    D. After a month
    Answer: B
19. How did Franz feel upon hearing it was the last French lesson?
    A. Happy
    B. Excited
    C. Shocked and regretful
    D. Indifferent
    Answer: C
20. What did Franz regret?
    A. Losing his books
    B. Playing outdoors instead of learning
    C. Arriving late
    D. Not greeting the teacher
    Answer: B
21. How did Franz feel about his books during the last lesson?
    A. Useless
    B. Heavy
    C. Like old friends
    D. Boring
    Answer: C
22. How did Franz feel about M. Hamel at that moment?
    A. Angry
    B. Fond and respectful
    C. Indifferent
    D. Frightened
    Answer: B
23. Why had M. Hamel worn his best clothes?
    A. It was a festival
    B. To honour the last lesson
    C. It was inspection day
    D. To impress the villagers
    Answer: B
24. How long had M. Hamel taught in the village?
    A. 20 years
    B. 30 years
    C. 40 years
    D. 50 years
    Answer: C
25. Why did Franz wish to recite the participle rule correctly?
    A. To impress classmates
    B. To avoid punishment
    C. To make M. Hamel proud
    D. To show he understood
    Answer: C
26. What happened when Franz tried to recite?
    A. He recited perfectly
    B. He got mixed up
    C. He refused
    D. He asked for help
    Answer: B
27. How did M. Hamel respond to Franz’s mistake?
    A. Scolded him
    B. Ignored him
    C. Spoke gently
    D. Laughed at him
    Answer: C
28. Who was blamed for neglecting studies?
    A. Only Franz
    B. Only parents
    C. Both parents and M. Hamel
    D. The villagers
    Answer: C
29. Why did parents send children to work?
    A. To keep them busy
    B. To earn money
    C. To teach discipline
    D. To avoid school
    Answer: B
30. How did M. Hamel sometimes give children a holiday?
    A. Sending them to water flowers or fishing
    B. Cancelling school
    C. Organizing a picnic
    D. Giving candy
    Answer: A
31. How did M. Hamel describe French language?
    A. Difficult and confusing
    B. Most beautiful, clear, and logical
    C. Useless
    D. Simple but weak
    Answer: B
32. Why is language important for an enslaved people?
    A. To pass exams
    B. To write books
    C. It is like having the key to their prison
    D. To communicate with neighbours
    Answer: C
33. How did Franz feel while listening to M. Hamel’s grammar lesson?
    A. Confused
    B. Amazed
    C. Bored
    D. Sleepy
    Answer: B
34. How did M. Hamel explain the lesson?
    A. Quickly and roughly
    B. With patience and clarity
    C. Using only books
    D. Without examples
    Answer: B
35. How did Franz feel the teacher wanted to teach everything?
    A. He wanted to finish early
    B. He wanted to put all knowledge into students’ heads before leaving
    C. He wanted to write a book
    D. He was testing students
    Answer: B
36. What lesson came after grammar?
    A. History
    B. Geography
    C. Writing
    D. Science
    Answer: C
37. What words were written in the new copies for writing practice?
    A. Germany, Berlin
    B. France, Alsace
    C. M. Hamel, School
    D. Paris, Lorraine
    Answer: B
38. How did students behave during writing practice?
    A. Loud and playful
    B. Quiet and focused
    C. Sleeping
    D. Running around
    Answer: B
39. What distracted the students briefly?
    A. A teacher entered
    B. Some beetles flew in
    C. A bell rang
    D. A fight
    Answer: B
40. What did Franz wonder about the pigeons?
    A. If they would sing in German
    B. If they were alive
    C. If they were hungry
    D. If they would fly away
    Answer: A
41. How did M. Hamel observe the classroom?
    A. Talking loudly
    B. Motionless, gazing carefully
    C. Walking around
    D. Laughing
    Answer: B
42. What changes had M. Hamel noticed over 40 years?
    A. Worn desks, taller walnut trees, hopvine twined around windows
    B. New students only
    C. New walls and roof
    D. The teacher changed
    Answer: A
43. How did M. Hamel feel about leaving the school and village?
    A. Happy
    B. Heartbroken
    C. Angry
    D. Excited
    Answer: B
44. What lesson came after writing?
    A. Geography
    B. History
    C. Math
    D. Science
    Answer: B
45. What did the youngest students chant?
    A. Numbers
    B. Alphabet – ba, be, bi, bo, bu
    C. Songs
    D. Poems
    Answer: B
46. How did old Hauser behave while spelling letters?
    A. Calmly
    B. Trembled with emotion
    C. Angry
    D. Sleeping
    Answer: B
47. What struck at the same time as the Angelus?
    A. School bell
    B. Church clock struck twelve and Prussian trumpets sounded
    C. Doors slammed
    D. Wind blew
    Answer: B
48. How did M. Hamel react when he tried to speak near the end?
    A. Spoke clearly
    B. Choked with emotion
    C. Laughed
    D. Ignored students
    Answer: B
49. What did M. Hamel write on the blackboard at the end?
    A. “Learn German”
    B. “Vive La France!”
    C. “Goodbye students”
    D. “Study hard”
    Answer: B
50. How did the class end that day?
    A. Students stayed late
    B. M. Hamel dismissed them with a gesture, they left quietly
    C. Students protested
    D. School closed for a week
    Answer: B

ONE-MARK QUESTIONS

1. Q: Why was Franz afraid of going to school that morning?
   A: He feared a scolding for not knowing participles.
2. Q: What topic was M. Hamel going to question the class on?
   A: Participles
3. Q: What did Franz see birds doing on the way to school?
   A: Chirping at the edge of the woods
4. Q: Where were the Prussian soldiers drilling?
   A: In the open field behind the sawmill
5. Q: What did Franz notice at the town hall?
   A: A crowd reading the bulletin board
6. Q: Why did the bulletin-board frighten Franz?
   A: It always brought bad news
7. Q: Who called out to Franz as he hurried to school?
   A: The blacksmith, Wachter
8. Q: What did Wachter tell Franz?
   A: Not to go so fast; he would reach in time
9. Q: Why did Franz think Wachter was teasing him?
   A: Because he said Franz had plenty of time
10. Q: How was the classroom unusually quiet that day?
    A: There was no commotion; it was as quiet as Sunday morning
11. Q: What was M. Hamel carrying under his arm?
    A: His iron ruler
12. Q: How did M. Hamel greet Franz when he entered late?
    A: Kindly, telling him to go to his seat quickly
13. Q: What special clothes did M. Hamel wear that day?
    A: Green coat, frilled shirt, embroidered cap
14. Q: Why were villagers sitting on the back benches?
    A: To show respect and regret for not learning French earlier
15. Q: Who was sitting with spectacles and a primer at the back?
    A: Old Hauser
16. Q: What did M. Hamel announce to the class?
    A: That it was the last French lesson
17. Q: Where did the order to teach only German come from?
    A: Berlin
18. Q: When would the new German master arrive?
    A: The next day
19. Q: How did Franz feel upon hearing it was the last French lesson?
    A: Shocked and regretful
20. Q: What did Franz regret doing in the past?
    A: Wasting time instead of learning, playing outdoors
21. Q: How did Franz feel about his books during the last lesson?
    A: They felt like old friends
22. Q: How did Franz feel about M. Hamel at that moment?
    A: Kind and lovable, forgetting his crankiness
23. Q: Why had M. Hamel worn his best clothes?
    A: To honour the last lesson
24. Q: How long had M. Hamel taught in the village?
    A: Forty years
25. Q: Why did Franz wish to recite the participle rule correctly?
    A: To avoid mistakes and impress M. Hamel
26. Q: What happened when Franz tried to recite?
    A: He got mixed up on the first words
27. Q: How did M. Hamel respond to Franz’s mistake?
    A: He did not scold him, spoke gently
28. Q: What did M. Hamel blame for students’ neglect of learning?
    A: Both parents and himself
29. Q: Why did parents prefer sending children to work?
    A: To earn more money
30. Q: How did M. Hamel sometimes give children a holiday?
    A: By sending them to water flowers or go fishing
31. Q: How did M. Hamel describe the French language?
    A: Most beautiful, clear, logical
32. Q: Why did he say language is important for an enslaved people?
    A: Because it is like having the key to their prison
33. Q: How did Franz feel while listening to M. Hamel’s grammar lesson?
    A: Amazed at how well he understood
34. Q: What was different about how M. Hamel explained the lesson?
    A: He was patient and thorough
35. Q: How did Franz feel the teacher wanted to give the students his knowledge?
    A: He wanted to put it all into their heads before leaving
36. Q: What lesson came after grammar?
    A: Writing lesson
37. Q: What words were written in the new copies for writing practice?
    A: France, Alsace, France, Alsace
38. Q: How did the students behave during writing practice?
    A: Quietly, concentrating on their work
39. Q: What distracted the students briefly during writing?
    A: Some beetles flying in the classroom
40. Q: What did Franz wonder about the pigeons on the roof?
    A: If they would make them sing in German too
41. Q: How did M. Hamel sit while observing the classroom?
    A: Motionless, gazing carefully
42. Q: What changes had he noticed in the school and garden over 40 years?
    A: Worn desks, taller walnut trees, hopvine twined around windows
43. Q: How did M. Hamel feel about leaving the school and village?
    A: Heartbroken, sad to leave his home
44. Q: What lesson came after writing?
    A: History
45. Q: What did the youngest students chant after history?
    A: Ba, be, bi, bo, bu
46. Q: How did old Hauser behave while spelling letters?
    A: Trembled with emotion, cried quietly
47. Q: What struck at the same time as the Angelus?
    A: Church clock struck twelve and Prussian trumpets sounded
48. Q: How did M. Hamel react when he tried to speak to the class near the end?
    A: He choked and could not continue
49. Q: What did M. Hamel write on the blackboard?
    A: “Vive La France!”
50. Q: How did the class end that day?
    A: M. Hamel gestured, dismissed the students, and they left quietly

1.    

The Last Lesson, Part 1: Summary, Glossary & question-Answers

 

 The Last Lesson

About the author

Alphonse Daudet (1840-1897) was a French novelist and short-

story writer. The Last Lesson is set in the days of the Franco-

Prussian War (1870-1871) in which France was defeated by

Prussia led by Bismarck. Prussia then consisted of what now

are the nations of Germany, Poland and parts of Austria. In this

story the French districts of Alsace and Lorraine have passed

into Prussian hands. Read the story to find out what effect this

had on life at school.

I started for school very late that morning and was in great dread

of a scolding, especially because M. Hamel had said that he would

question us on participles, and I did not know the first word about

them. For a moment I thought of running away and spending the

day out of doors. It was so warm, so bright! The birds were chirping

at the edge of the woods; and in the open field back of the sawmill

the Prussian soldiers were drilling. It was all much more tempting

than the rule for participles, but I had the strength to resist, and

hurried off to school.

When I passed the town hall there was a crowd in front of

the bulletin-board. For the last two years all our bad news had

come from there — the lost battles, the draft, the orders of the

commanding officer — and I thought to myself, without stopping:

“What can be the matter now?”

Then, as I hurried by as fast as I could go, the blacksmith,

Wachter, who was there, with his apprentice, reading the bulletin, called after me:

 “Don’t go so fast, bub; you’ll get to your school in plenty of time!”

I thought he was making fun of me, and reached M. Hamel’s little garden all out of breath.

Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which

could be heard out in the street, the opening and closing of desks,

lessons repeated in unison, very loud, with our hands over our ears

to understand better, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the

table. But now it was all so still! I had counted on the commotion

to get to my desk without being seen; but, of course, that day

everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning.

Through the window I saw my classmates, already in their places, and M. Hamel walking up and down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had to open the door and go in before everybody. You can imagine how I blushed and how frightened I was.

But nothing happened. M. Hamel saw me and said very kindly:

“Go to your place quickly, little Franz. We were beginning without

you.”

I jumped over the bench and sat down at my desk. Not till

then, when I had got a little over my fright, did I see that our

teacher had on his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt, and the

little black silk cap, all embroidered, that he never wore except on

inspection and prize days. Besides, the whole school seemed so

strange and solemn. But the thing that surprised me most was to see,

on the back benches that were always empty, the village people sitting quietly like ourselves; old Hauser, with his three-cornered hat, the former mayor, the former postmaster, and several others besides. Everybody looked sad; and Hauser had brought an old primer, thumbed at the edges, and he held it open on his knees with his great

spectacles lying across the pages.

While I was wondering about it all, M. Hamel mounted his

chair, and, in the same grave and gentle tone which he had used to

me, said:

“My children, this is the last lesson I shall give you. The

order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of

Alsace and Lorraine. The new master comes tomorrow. This is your

last French lesson. I want you to be very attentive.”

What a thunderclap these words were to me!

Oh, the wretches; that was what they had put up at the town-hall!

 

My last French lesson! Why, I hardly knew how to write! I should

never learn any more! I must stop there, then! Oh, how sorry I was

for not learning my lessons, for seeking birds’ eggs, or going sliding

on the Saar! My books, that had seemed such a nuisance a while ago,

so heavy to carry, my grammar, and my history of the saints, were

old friends now that I couldn’t give up. And M. Hamel, too; the idea

that he was going away, that I should never see him again, made me

forget all about his ruler and how cranky he was.

 

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.

Glossary

Dread – Fear; great worry – भय, आशंका
Scolding – Getting spoken to angrily – डांट
Participles – Verb forms used as adjectives or to form tenses – कृदन्त रूप
Chirping – Making short, high sounds (birds) – चहचहाना
Drilling – Military practice/training – कवायद करना
Tempting – Attractive; causing desire – लुभावना
Resist – To fight against; not give in – प्रतिरोध करना
Bulletin-board – Public notice board – सूचना पट्ट
Draft – Compulsory army recruitment – अनिवार्य भर्ती
Apprentice – Trainee under a skilled person – प्रशिक्षु
Bustle – Lively noise and activity – चहल-पहल
Commotion – Noise, confusion – हलचल
Solemn – Serious and dignified – गंभीर
Spectacles – Glasses – चश्मा
Primer – Beginner’s book – प्रारंभिक पुस्तक
Grave – Serious – गंभीर
Mounted – Climbed up; stood up on – चढ़कर खड़ा होना
Thunderclap – Sudden shocking surprise – अचानक का झटका
Wretches – Cruel/wicked people – दुष्ट लोग
Nuisance – Annoying or troublesome thing – झंझट
Cranky – Irritable – चिड़चिड़ा
Faithful – Loyal – निष्ठावान
Service – Dedicated work – सेवा
Respect – Honour – सम्मान
Nuisance – Trouble; annoyance – परेशानी
Thumbed – Worn out by frequent use – घिसा-पिटा
Edges – Borders or sides of a page – किनारे
Attentive – Paying careful attention – ध्यानपूर्वक
Commanding officer – Senior army officer giving orders – उच्च अधिकारी
Inspection – Formal checking or review – निरीक्षण
Frilled – Decorated with folds – झब्बेदार
Embroidered – Decorated with needlework – कढ़ाईदार
Tempting – Attractive; appealing – लुभावना

Paraphraes

PARAGRAPH 1

Original

I started for school very late that morning and was in great dread of a scolding, especially because M. Hamel had said that he would question us on participles, and I did not know the first word about them. For a moment I thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. It was so warm, so bright! The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods; and in the open field back of the sawmill the Prussian soldiers were drilling. It was all much more tempting than the rule for participles, but I had the strength to resist, and hurried off to school.

Paraphrase (English)

That morning I left for school very late and feared that the teacher would scold me, especially since M. Hamel had announced he would test us on participles, and I knew nothing about them. I even thought for a moment about running away and spending the day outside. The weather was warm and sunny, the birds were singing near the forest, and Prussian soldiers were practising in the fields near the sawmill. All these things were far more attractive than studying participles, but I controlled myself and rushed to school.

Paraphrase (Hindi)

उस सुबह मैं बहुत देर से स्कूल के लिए निकला और मुझे डर था कि अध्यापक मुझे डाँटेंगे, खासकर इसलिए क्योंकि एम. हमर ने कहा था कि वे हमसे पार्टिसिपल्स के बारे में पूछेंगे, और मुझे उनके बारे में कुछ भी पता नहीं था। एक पल के लिए मैंने सोचा कि भाग जाऊँ और पूरा दिन बाहर ही घूमूँ। मौसम गर्म और उजला था, जंगल के किनारे चिड़ियाँ चहक रही थीं, और आरा-मिल के पीछे वाले मैदान में प्रुशियन सिपाही अभ्यास कर रहे थे। यह सब पार्टिसिपल्स के नियमों से कहीं अधिक आकर्षक था, लेकिन मैंने अपने आप को रोका और जल्दी से स्कूल पहुँच गया।

PARAGRAPH 2

Original

When I passed the town hall there was a crowd in front of the bulletin-board. For the last two years all our bad news had come from there — the lost battles, the draft, the orders of the commanding officer — and I thought to myself, without stopping: “What can be the matter now?”

Paraphrase (English)

As I passed the town hall, I saw a group of people gathered around the notice board. For the past two years, all the terrible news — defeats in battles, army drafts, and orders from officers — had been posted there. Without stopping, I wondered what new trouble had appeared now.

Paraphrase (Hindi)

जब मैं टाउन हॉल के पास से गुज़रा, तो देखा कि सूचना-पट्ट के सामने लोगों की भीड़ लगी है। पिछले दो वर्षों से हमारी सारी बुरी खबरें—युद्ध में हार, भर्ती के आदेश, और अधिकारियों के निर्देश—वहीं से आती थीं। बिना रुके मैंने सोचा, “अब क्या हुआ होगा?”

PARAGRAPH 3

Original

Then, as I hurried by as fast as I could go, the blacksmith, Wachter, who was there, with his apprentice, reading the bulletin, called after me: “Don’t go so fast, bub; you’ll get to your school in plenty of time!” I thought he was making fun of me, and reached M. Hamel’s little garden all out of breath.

Paraphrase (English)

As I rushed past, the blacksmith Wachter, who was reading the notice with his helper, called out to me, “Don’t run so fast, boy; you’ll still reach school in time!” I assumed he was teasing me, so I hurried quickly and reached M. Hamel’s small garden, breathing heavily.

Paraphrase (Hindi)

जब मैं तेज़ी से वहाँ से गुज़र रहा था, तो लोहार वाख्टर, जो अपने शागिर्द के साथ सूचना पढ़ रहा था, मुझे पुकारकर बोला, “इतना तेज़ मत भागो, बेटे; तुम समय पर स्कूल पहुँच जाओगे!” मुझे लगा वह मेरा मज़ाक उड़ा रहा है। मैं दौड़ता हुआ एम. हमर के छोटे से बगीचे तक पहुँचा और पूरी तरह हाँफ गया।

PARAGRAPH 4

Original

Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle… but now it was all so still! … everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning.

Paraphrase (English)

Normally, when school started, there was a lot of noise — desks opening and closing, students loudly repeating lessons, and the teacher’s ruler striking the table. But that day everything was completely silent. It was as quiet as a Sunday morning.

Paraphrase (Hindi)

आम तौर पर, जब स्कूल शुरू होता था, तो बहुत हलचल होती थी—डेस्क खुलने-बंद होने की आवाज़, छात्र एक साथ ज़ोर से पाठ दोहराते, और शिक्षक की पट्टी की ठक-ठक। लेकिन उस दिन सब कुछ बिल्कुल शांत था। वह रविवार की सुबह जितना शांत था।

PARAGRAPH 5

Original

Through the window I saw my classmates already in their places… I had to open the door and go in before everybody… But nothing happened. M. Hamel saw me and said kindly, “Go to your place quickly, little Franz.”

Paraphrase (English)

Looking through the window, I noticed all the students already seated, and M. Hamel walking around with his ruler. I had no choice but to enter in front of everyone. I was scared and embarrassed, but M. Hamel simply told me gently to take my seat quickly.

Paraphrase (Hindi)

खिड़की से मैंने देखा कि सभी विद्यार्थी अपनी-अपनी जगह बैठे थे, और एम. हमर अपनी पट्टी हाथ में लिए इधर-उधर घूम रहे थे। मुझे सबके सामने दरवाज़ा खोलकर अंदर जाना पड़ा। मैं बहुत डर और शर्म महसूस कर रहा था, लेकिन एम. हमर ने बस नरमी से कहा, “जल्दी अपनी जगह पर बैठ जाओ, छोटे फ़्रांज़।”

PARAGRAPH 6

Original

Not till then… I saw that our teacher had on his beautiful clothes… the whole school looked strange and solemn… villagers sat at the back benches.

Paraphrase (English)

Only after I sat down and calmed myself did I notice that M. Hamel was wearing his best clothes, the ones he used only on special occasions. The classroom felt unusual and serious. I also saw several villagers seated quietly on the back benches.

Paraphrase (Hindi)

जब मैं बैठकर थोड़ा शांत हुआ, तब मैंने देखा कि एम. हमर ने अपने सबसे अच्छे कपड़े पहन रखे थे, जो वे केवल खास दिनों पर पहनते थे। पूरी कक्षा कुछ अलग और गंभीर लग रही थी। पीछे की खाली बेंचों पर कई गाँववाले चुपचाप बैठे थे।

PARAGRAPH 7

Original

“My children, this is the last lesson I shall give you… the order has come from Berlin… only German will be taught… This is your last French lesson.”

Paraphrase (English)

M. Hamel climbed onto his chair and announced gently that this would be his final lesson. A new order from Berlin demanded that only German be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. A new teacher would replace him the next day, so this was their final French class.

Paraphrase (Hindi)

एम. हमर कुर्सी पर चढ़े और धीमी, गंभीर आवाज़ में बोले कि यह उनका आख़िरी पाठ होगा। बर्लिन से आदेश आया है कि अलसास और लोरेन के स्कूलों में अब केवल जर्मन पढ़ाई जाएगी। नया शिक्षक कल से आएगा, इसलिए यह उनकी अंतिम फ़्रेंच कक्षा थी।

PARAGRAPH 8

Original

What a thunderclap these words were to me! … My last French lesson! … I was sorry for not learning… My books seemed like old friends now… even M. Hamel seemed lovable.

Paraphrase (English)

These words shocked me deeply. I could not believe that this was my final French lesson. I regretted wasting time earlier and not studying properly. The books I once disliked now felt dear to me, like old friends. Even M. Hamel, whom I had often feared, suddenly seemed kind and precious.

Paraphrase (Hindi)

यह सुनकर मैं बिल्कुल हिल गया। मुझे यकीन नहीं हो रहा था कि यह मेरी आख़िरी फ़्रेंच कक्षा है। मुझे बहुत अफ़सोस होने लगा कि पहले मैंने पढ़ाई पर ध्यान नहीं दिया। जो किताबें मुझे बोझ लगती थीं, वे अब पुराने दोस्तों जैसी लग रही थीं। और एम. हमर, जिनसे मैं पहले डरता था, अब मुझे प्यारे और सम्माननीय लग रहे थे।

PARAGRAPH 9

Original

Poor man! … villagers were sorry too… They were thanking the teacher for his forty years of service and showing respect for a country that was no longer theirs.

Paraphrase (English)

Poor M. Hamel had dressed up in honour of his last lesson. I now understood why the old villagers had come. They too regretted not having studied more in their youth. Their presence showed their gratitude for M. Hamel’s forty years of teaching and their respect for their mother tongue, even though their land was no longer under French rule.

Paraphrase (Hindi)

बेचारे एम. हमर ने अपनी अंतिम कक्षा के सम्मान में अच्छे कपड़े पहने थे। अब मुझे समझ आया कि बुज़ुर्ग गाँववाले क्यों आए थे। उन्हें भी अफ़सोस था कि वे अपने बचपन में अधिक नहीं पढ़ पाए। उनका वहाँ बैठना एम. हमर की चालीस वर्षों की सेवा का धन्यवाद था और अपनी मातृभाषा के प्रति सम्मान, भले ही अब उनका देश फ्रांसीसी शासन में नहीं रहा।

 

MCQS

multiple-choice questions you provided, now numbered sequentially, along with their answers:

1. Why was Franz afraid of going to school that morning?
A. He lost his books
B. He forgot his homework
C. He feared a scolding for being late
D. He fought with a classmate
Answer: C

2. What topic was M. Hamel going to question the class about?
A. Adjectives
B. Participles
C. Pronouns
D. Verbs
Answer: B

3. What tempting sight did Franz see near the woods?
A. Butterflies flying
B. Farmers working
C. Birds chirping
D. Children playing
Answer: C

4. Where were the Prussian soldiers drilling?
A. In the schoolyard
B. In the open field behind the sawmill
C. At the village square
D. Near the river
Answer: B

5. Why was there a crowd at the town hall?
A. A fair was being announced
B. A new school was opening
C. A bulletin had been posted
D. A lost child notice was there
Answer: C

6. What kind of news had come from the bulletin-board for the last two years?
A. Good harvest news
B. New school rules
C. Bad news about the war
D. Job offers
Answer: C

7. Who called out to Franz while he was hurrying?
A. The mayor
B. The baker
C. Wachter, the blacksmith
D. The postman
Answer: C

8. What did Wachter tell Franz?
A. To skip school
B. To run faster
C. Not to go so fast
D. To go home
Answer: C

9. Why did Franz think Wachter was teasing him?
A. Because Wachter always teased children
B. Because he smiled at Franz
C. Because he said Franz had plenty of time
D. Because Franz was angry
Answer: C

10. What was unusual about the classroom that day?
A. The desks were gone
B. Everyone was noisy
C. It was completely silent
D. Students were writing a test
Answer: C

11. What noise was usually heard when school began?
A. Laughter
B. Songs
C. Bustle of desks and recitation
D. Military drills
Answer: C

12. What was M. Hamel carrying under his arm?
A. A book
B. A ruler
C. A cane
D. A notebook
Answer: B

13. How did M. Hamel speak to Franz when he entered late?
A. Angrily
B. Rudely
C. Kindly
D. Ignoring him
Answer: C

14. What special clothes was M. Hamel wearing?
A. A red coat
B. His Sunday clothes
C. A soldier’s uniform
D. A farmer’s outfit
Answer: B

15. Why did the classroom appear solemn?
A. It was decorated
B. A celebration was happening
C. There was a serious and sad atmosphere
D. There was an exam
Answer: C

16. Who were seated on the back benches?
A. New students
B. Policemen
C. Villagers and old men
D. Government officers
Answer: C

17. What was Hauser holding?
A. A newspaper
B. A map
C. An old primer
D. A storybook
Answer: C

18. What announcement did M. Hamel make?
A. School was closing forever
B. He was being transferred
C. It was the last French lesson
D. Exams were cancelled
Answer: C

19. From where had the order to teach only German come?
A. Paris
B. London
C. Berlin
D. Rome
Answer: C

20. When would the new master arrive?
A. That evening
B. The next day
C. After a week
D. After a month
Answer: B

21. How did Franz feel after hearing the announcement?
A. Happy
B. Bored
C. Shocked and sad
D. Indifferent
Answer: C

22. How did Franz now feel about his books?
A. They were boring
B. They were useless
C. They felt like old friends
D. They were too difficult
Answer: C

23. Why did Franz forget about M. Hamel’s crankiness?
A. He was tired
B. He disliked the lesson
C. He realised the teacher was leaving
D. He wanted to sleep
Answer: C

24. Why had M. Hamel worn his best clothes?
A. It was his birthday
B. It was festival day
C. To honour the last lesson
D. He had a meeting
Answer: C

25. Why had the villagers come?
A. For a school inspection
B. To punish students
C. To thank the teacher and show regret
D. To attend a meeting
Answer: C

26. How long had M. Hamel taught in the school?
A. 10 years
B. 20 years
C. 30 years
D. 40 years
Answer: D

27. What were the villagers showing respect for besides the teacher?
A. Mathematics
B. Their mother tongue, French
C. German rulers
D. New books
Answer: B

28. Which regions had passed into Prussian hands?
A. Paris and Lyon
B. Alsace and Lorraine
C. Rome and Venice
D. Berlin and Hamburg
Answer: B

29. Who led the Prussians in the Franco-Prussian War?
A. Napoleon
B. Hitler
C. Bismarck
D. Kaiser Wilhelm II
Answer: C

30. What did Franz compare the silence in class to?
A. Midnight
B. A cemetery
C. A Sunday morning
D. A festival
Answer: C

31. What childish activities had Franz done instead of studying?
A. Fishing
B. Playing football
C. Searching for birds’ eggs and sliding on the Saar
D. Flying kites
Answer: C

32. What did the bulletin-board usually display?
A. Local news
B. School timetables
C. War-related bad news
D. Advertisements
Answer: C

33. What tone did M. Hamel use that day?
A. Loud and angry
B. Harsh and rude
C. Grave and gentle
D. Fast and excited
Answer: C

34. Why did the villagers feel sad?
A. They were poor
B. They lost their country
C. They disliked French
D. They wanted holidays
Answer: B

35. What subject was being replaced by German?
A. History
B. Geography
C. French
D. Mathematics
Answer: C

36. What aspect of M. Hamel's appearance surprised Franz the most that day?
A. His bald head
B. His cheerful smile
C. His special "Sunday" clothes
D. His old, worn-out suit
Answer: C

37. Why did Franz initially think the school atmosphere was so quiet?
A. It was a national holiday.
B. The teacher was absent.
C. He thought everyone was already in their places because he was late.
D. A class test was in progress.
Answer: C

38. What literary device is used in the phrase "a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street"?
A. Metaphor
B. Simile
C. Hyperbole
D. Personification
Answer: C (Hyperbole, as the noise being heard out in the street suggests an exaggeration of the usual noise)

39. What does "thumbed at the edges" suggest about old Hauser's primer?
A. It was new and well-maintained.
B. It was old and frequently used.
C. It was borrowed and needed care.
D. It was torn and ready to be thrown away.
Answer: B

40. What did Franz understand was the real reason for M. Hamel wearing his formal clothes?
A. He was attending a wedding after school.
B. He wanted to impress the Prussian soldiers.
C. He wanted to honour the last French lesson.
D. It was inspection day, as usual.
Answer: C

41. What does Franz's sudden change of heart towards his books ("my grammar, and my history of the saints, were old friends now that I couldn’t give up") signify?
A. A new interest in reading in general.
B. A realization of the value of his native language and education.
C. A desire to leave school and study at home.
D. A fear that new German books would be heavier.
Answer: B

42. The phrase "What a thunderclap these words were to me!" suggests the news was:
A. Exciting and relieving.
B. Expected but still sad.
C. Sudden, shocking, and impactful.
D. Quiet and barely noticeable.
Answer: C

43. Who does the word "wretches" refer to in the sentence, "Oh, the wretches; that was what they had put up at the town-hall!"?
A. The village people
B. The students
C. M. Hamel
D. The Prussian authorities
Answer: D

44. What emotion primarily drove the villagers to attend the last lesson?
A. Curiosity about the new German rules.
B. Anger towards M. Hamel.
C. Regret for not attending school more often and showing patriotism.
D. Hope that M. Hamel would change the order.
Answer: C

45. What feeling made Franz "forget all about his ruler and how cranky he was"?
A. Pity and sadness for M. Hamel leaving.
B. Joy that he would no longer be scolded.
C. Fear of the new teacher coming tomorrow.
D. Excitement about speaking German.
Answer: A

46. What aspect of M. Hamel's character is evident when he tells Franz, "Go to your place quickly, little Franz. We were beginning without you."?
A. Strictness
B. Patience and kindness
C. Indifference
D. Irony
Answer: B

47. What did the "order from Berlin" essentially aim to suppress?
A. The local economy.
B. French cultural identity and language.
C. M. Hamel's teaching career.
D. The school building itself.
Answer: B

48. Franz mentions the "lost battles" and "the draft" from the bulletin board. What do these refer to?
A. School sports outcomes and new student enrollment.
B. War defeats and military conscription orders.
C. Local election results and new laws.
D. Missing persons reports and job opportunities.
Answer: B

49. What does the story's setting during the Franco-Prussian War help to highlight?
A. The everyday impact of political conflict on ordinary lives.
B. Franz's personal struggles with education.
C. The excitement of military drills.
D. The beauty of the Alsace and Lorraine districts.
Answer: A

50. The villagers sitting on the back benches demonstrated their:
A. Support for the new German masters.
B. Lack of interest in the final lesson.
C. Respect and gratitude for M. Hamel's service.
D. Desire to go back to school full-time.
Answer: C

ONE-MARK QUESTIONS

1. Q: Who is the narrator of the story?
A: Franz.

2. Q: What was Franz in great dread of that morning?
A: A scolding from M. Hamel.

3. Q: What topic was M. Hamel supposed to question the students on?
A: Participles.

4. Q: Did Franz know anything about participles?
A: No, he did not know the first word about them.

5. Q: What tempting thought did Franz have for a moment?
A: Running away and spending the day out of doors.

6. Q: What was the weather like that morning?
A: It was warm and bright.

7. Q: What were the birds doing at the edge of the woods?
A: Chirping.

8. Q: What were the Prussian soldiers doing in the open field back of the sawmill?
A: Drilling.

9. Q: What made Franz resist the temptation to stay outdoors?
A: He had the strength to resist.

10. Q: Where did Franz see a crowd while passing the town hall?
A: In front of the bulletin-board.

11. Q: For how long had all the bad news come from the bulletin-board?
A: The last two years.

12. Q: What kind of news typically came from the bulletin-board?
A: Lost battles, the draft, and orders of the commanding officer.

13. Q: Who called out to Franz as he hurried by the town hall?
A: The blacksmith, Wachter.

14. Q: What did the blacksmith tell Franz?
A: "Don't go so fast, bub; you'll get to your school in plenty of time!"

15. Q: What did Franz initially think the blacksmith was doing?
A: Making fun of him.

16. Q: Where did Franz arrive "all out of breath"?
A: M. Hamel's little garden (the school).

17. Q: What "great bustle" was usually heard when school began?
A: The opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison, and the teacher’s ruler rapping on the table.

18. Q: Why was Franz counting on the commotion that day?
A: To get to his desk without being seen.

19. Q: What was different about the school atmosphere that day?
A: It was all very still, like a Sunday morning.

20. Q: Who did Franz see walking up and down in the classroom?
A: M. Hamel.

21. Q: What was M. Hamel carrying under his arm?
A: His terrible iron ruler.

22. Q: How did Franz feel when he had to open the door and go in before everybody?
A: He blushed and was frightened.

23. Q: How did M. Hamel react when Franz entered the classroom late?
A: He spoke very kindly.

24. Q: What did M. Hamel say to Franz?
A: "Go to your place quickly, little Franz. We were beginning without you."

25. Q: What special clothing was M. Hamel wearing that day?
A: His beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt, and the little black silk cap, all embroidered.

26. Q: When did M. Hamel usually wear these special clothes?
A: Only on inspection and prize days.

27. Q: What else about the school seemed strange and solemn?
A: The presence of the village people on the back benches.

28. Q: Who were some of the village people present in the classroom?
A: Old Hauser, the former mayor, the former postmaster, and several others.

29. Q: How did the village people look?
A: Everybody looked sad.

30. Q: What did Hauser bring with him?
A: An old primer, thumbed at the edges.

31. Q: How did M. Hamel begin his announcement?
A: In a grave and gentle tone.

32. Q: What "thunderclap" news did M. Hamel deliver?
A: That this was their last French lesson, and only German would be taught from the next day.

33. Q: Where had the order come from to teach only German?
A: Berlin.

34. Q: In which districts were these changes taking place?
A: Alsace and Lorraine.

35. Q: What was Franz's initial reaction to the news?
A: He was shocked, as if by a "thunderclap".

36. Q: What were "the wretches" that Franz referred to?
A: The Prussians who put the order on the town-hall bulletin board.

37. Q: Why was Franz immediately sorry after hearing the news?
A: He had not learned his lessons and now wouldn't get the chance.

38. Q: What activities did Franz regret doing instead of studying?
A: Seeking birds’ eggs or going sliding on the Saar.

39. Q: How did Franz's books seem to him after the news?
A: They seemed like "old friends" he couldn’t give up.

40. Q: What specific books are mentioned?
A: His grammar and his history of the saints.

41. Q: The idea of M. Hamel going away made Franz forget what?
A: M. Hamel's ruler and how cranky he was.

42. Q: Why did M. Hamel wear his fine Sunday clothes?
A: In honour of his last lesson.

43. Q: Why were the old men of the village sitting in the back of the room?
A: They were sorry they had not gone to school more.

44. Q: How long had M. Hamel served at the school?
A: Forty years.

45. Q: What was the villagers' visit a way of showing?
A: Their thanks for M. Hamel's faithful service and their respect for their country.

46. Q: What detail showed Hauser's sadness and preparation?
A: He brought an old, thumbed primer and had his great spectacles lying across the pages.

47. Q: The story is set during which war?
A: The Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871).

48. Q: Who led Prussia during this conflict?
A: Bismarck.

49. Q: What did Prussia consist of at that time?
A: What are now the nations of Germany, Poland, and parts of Austria.

50. Q: What does the story's setting immediately establish?
A: A context of political defeat and cultural loss for the French.