HS Second Year English Question Answer
Lesson 1: The Last Lesson
Table of Contents
1. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
Ans: Franz was expected to prepare a lesson on “participles”. M. Hamel, his father, had announced that he would question them on participles on that day. Franz did not know even the “first word” about them. He was expecting a scolding from M. Hamel on that day. Hence, he feared to face M. Hamel and go to school.
2. What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
Ans: Franz noticed something unusual about the school on that day. When the school began previously, there used to be a great bustle. The noise could be heard out in the street. The opening and closing of desks and the lessons repeated loudly in unison made a lot of noise. But on that day everything was still and silent as on a Sunday morning. It was quite unusual and surprising.
3. What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
Ans: Every important news or public announcement was put upon the bulletin-board. For the last two years since German occupation, all their “bad news” had come from there. A new order from Berlin imposed German on the French speaking people of Alsace. A huge eager crowd gathered in front of the bulletin- board.
4. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
Ans: The order from Berlin caused a great dismay in the school that day. It upset all the students. M. Hamel, the class- teacher, was greatly agitated. Now onwards, the schools of Alsace and Lorraine would teach only German. It was their last lesson in French. From the next day they would be taught the language of their new masters.
5. How did Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school change?
Ans: Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school were totally changed now. The order from Berlin aroused patriotic feelings in him. He suddenly developed a strange fascination for his language and school. His books were his “old friends now”. He suddenly grew respect for M. Hamel. He even forgot all about his ruler. He also ignored how cranky Mr. Hamel was.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
HS Second Year English Question Answer: Lesson 1
1. The people in this story suddenly realise how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?
Ans: The order from Berlin imposes German on the French speaking people of Alsace. It makes all the difference. The order arouses patriotic feelings among the people. Suddenly they realise how precious their language is to them. The people of Alsace were earlier indifferent to their language. But now they develop a new-found love for French. M. Hamel goes on to declare that French is “the most beautiful language in the world”. It is the clearest and the most logical language. Even the village elders seem to endorse M. Hamel’s views. They come and sit there on the back benches. In this way, they show their respect for their language that is theirs no more. All of them hate the foreign language, German, being imposed on the French speaking people. Their patriotic feelings unite them for the cause of French.
Even Franz grows sentimental. This is his last lesson in French. He feels sorry for neglecting his lessons in French. Now he develops a craving for French and the teacher who taught it.
2. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”. What could this mean?
Ans: “The Last lesson” of Alphonse Daudet is set in the background of the Franco-Prussian War(1870-71). The French districts of Alsace and Lorraine fall into Prussian hands. Then comes an order from Berlin. They will teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. M. Hamel announces that “this is the last lesson” in French. Everyone is shocked. They will no more be taught in their own language. It is the most beautiful and logical language in the world. Patriotic feelings are aroused. Franz shows his dislike to German language. Franz sees pigeons cooing on the roof. He remarks sarcastically “will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”
Franz’s remark is quite revealing. Powerful Germans have occupied the French speaking district of Alsace. They can impose German language on the French speaking people. But they can’t impose German on the pigeons who are cooing on the roof. They can enslave people of Alsace and Lorraine. But they can’t have any authority over their feelings. Nor can they compel pigeons cooing in German.
TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
HS Second Year English Question Answer: Lesson 1
Q.1. “When people are enslaved as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison.”Can you think examples in history where the conquered people had their language taken away from them or had a language imposed on them ?
Ans : In America and Australia the conquered races imposed their languages on the natives. English was imposed in North America and Australia. Spanish and Portugues were imposed on the people of Latin American countries.
Q.2. What happens to a linguistic minority in a state? How do you think they can keep their language alive?
For example :
Punjabis in Bangalore
Tamilians in Mumbai
Kannadigas in Delhi
Gujratis in Kolkata.
Ans : A linguistic minority has to face a lot of hardship in a state. They have to speak in a language which is to them quite unfamiliar and different from their own. As a result they face the problem of expression. Education is also imparted to them in a strange language which is not their own. As a result it hinders their progress. Because it is proven that the mother tongue is the best medium to understand,to learn and to express. The punjabis in Bangalore, the Tamilians in Mumbai, the kannadigas in Delhi and the Gujratis in kolkata have to face the problems of language. It is not an easy task to learn a different language. And so they will be like fish out of water where they have to listen to a different language.
They can safe-guard their languages by virtue of their love for them. They must hold fast to their mother tongue even in the most complex situation. They should try to keep their language alive through their culture and tradition.
Q.3. Do you know what ‘linguistic chauvinism ‘ means ?
Ans : Linguistic chauvinism means an absurdly extravagant pride in one’s language. Germany of Bismarch reflected that pride. German ‘Linguistic chauvinism was reflected when it imposed German on the French speaking population of Alsace and Lorraine.
Prose Section
HS Second Year English Question Answer: Lesson 1
Working With Words
Q.1. English is a language that contains words from many other languages. This inclusiveness is one of the reasons, it is now a world language. For example :
Petite – France kindergarten – German
Capital – Latin. Democracy – Greek
Bazaar – Hindi
Find out the origin of the following words :
Tycoon, barbecue, zero, tulip, veranda, ski, logo, robot, trek, bandicoot
Ans :
| Word | Origin |
| Tycoon. | Japanese(taikum) |
| Logo. | German(logos) |
| Barbecue. | Spanish(barbacoa) |
| Robot. | Czech(Robota) |
| Ski. | Norwegian |
| Tulip. | French(Tulipe) |
| Bandicoot. | Telugu(pandikokku) |
| Veranda. | Portugese(veranda) |
| Zero. | Arabic(cipher) |
| Trek. | Dutch |
Q.2. Notice the Underlined words in these sentences and tick the option that best explains their meaning.
(a) What a thunderclap these words were to me.
(a) loud and clear.
(b) Startling and unexpected.
(c) Pleasant and welcome.
Ans :(b) Startling and unexpected.
(b) When a people are enslaved ,as long as they hold fast to their language ,it is as if they had the key to their language.”
(a) Do not lose their language.
(b) are attached to the language.
(c) quickly learn the conqueror’s language.
Ans : (b) are attached to the language.
(c) Don’t go so fast ,you will get to your school in plenty of time.
(a) very late.
(b) too early.
(c) early enough.
Ans : (c) early enough
(d) I never saw him look so tall.
(a) had grown physically taller.
(b) seemed very confident.
(c) stood on the chair.
Ans : (b) seemed very confident.
Noticing form
HS Second Year English Question Answer: Lesson 1
Read this sentence: M. Hamel had said that he would question us on participles.In the sentence above, the verb from ‘had said’ in the first part is used to indicate an ‘earlier past’. The whole story is narrated in the past tense. M. Hamel’s saying happened earlier than the event in this story. This from of the verb is called ‘past perfect ‘.Pick out five sentences from the story with this form of the verb and say why this from has been used.
Ans : (1) For the last twenty years all our bad news had come from there………
(2) I had counted on the commotion to get to my dest without being seen………
(3) Hauser had brought an old primer……..
(4) Not till then, when I had got a little over my fright……
(5) It was in honour of his last lesson that he had put on his fine Sunday clothes…..
When two events take place in the past, the event completed earlier than the other, is expressed in the past perfect tense.
Writting
1. Write a notice for yours school bulletin board. Your notice could be on announcement of a forthcoming event, or a requirement to be fulfilled, or a rule to be followed.
Ans : Notice
XYZ school, Guwahati
10th May 2020
‘Debate Competition’
It is hereby notified that a debate competition is going to be held in our school on 12th May from 11 AM onwards. The topic of the debate is “wealth is better than learning” The students who want to take part are requested to submit their names to the secretary of debate. The submission of names after 10th May will not be entertained.
Kiran
Secretary
(Debate and symposium)
Q.2. Write a paragraph of about 100 words arguing for or against having to study three languages at school.
Ans : At school it is quite logical to teach three languages. One should learn one’s mother tongue. It is the backbone of any nation and it should be kept with us. The other languages may be a national language that helps to integrate a country by increasing understanding. There should also be a place for an international language. It helps the students to know the world where they are born, grow up. Now-a-days learning of an international language is considered a positive point everywhere. In this age of globalization we must adapt our students to the global environment. So, it is necessary to have the knowledge of three languages. The study of three languages only compliments and supplements one another.
Q.3. Have you ever changed your opinion about someone or something that you had earlier liked or disliked ? Narrate what led you to change your mind.
Ans : Yes, I had to change my opinion about my mathematics teacher. He was a strict and disciplined person. He made us practise mathematics so seriously that I felt annoyed at his method. He used to give us much advise not to fear the subject. Sometimes, he scolded the entire class for neglecting their subject. At first it seemed to me that he wanted us to read mathematics only. He behaved as if we had no other subjects to study.
But now, I understand why he behaved in that way. Though he was rough to us there always was an under current of love in his heart. I have also made out that to be good at mathematics we must work hard and everyday, through his hard endeavour he wanted to remind of this fact. Therefore, my heart is now full of respect for him.
HS Second Year English Question Answer: Lesson 1
