Question 1.

What was the mood in the classroom when M. Hamel gave his
last French lesson? (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
When M.Hamel was giving his last French ; lesson, the mood in
the classroom was solemn and sombre. When he announced that
this was their last French lesson everyone present in the
classroom suddenly developed patriotic feelings for their native
language and genuinely regretted ignoring their mother tongue.

Question 2.
What had the narrator counted on to enter the school,
unnoticed? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
The narrator (Franz) had counted on the hustle and bustle that
was usual when the school began in order to enter there
unnoticed. He had thought he could depend on the commotion to
get to his desk without anybody noticing that he was late for the
class.

Question 3.
“This is your last French lesson.” How did Franz react to this
declaration of M.Hamel? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
When M.Hamel declared that it was their last French lesson a
grim realisation dawned on Franz that he had so much more yet
to learn. He felt sorry for whiling away his time and skipping his
lessons. Now he did not want to part with his books, which he
had earlier consi¬dered a nuisance. He was also deeply pained at
the thought that M.Hamel was leaving.

Question 4.
“What a thunder clap these words were to me!” Which were the
words that shocked and surprised little Franz? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
When M.Hamel mounted on the chair and announced that he
was there to teach his last French lesson that day, Franz was
shocked and surprised. He felt very guilty for deliberately
ignoring to learn his native language and he suddenly developed
a strange fascination for his language and his school.
Question 5.
What changes came over little Franz after he heard M.Hamel’s
announcement? (All India 2010)
Answer:
When M.Hamel announced that this was to be their last French
class a grim realisation dawned on Franz that he could hardly
write his language and now he was being deprived of the
opportunity to learn it. He felt very guilty of neglecting his classes
and escaping school. The thought of losing his teacher, M.
Hamel, also pained him.

Question 6.
What was tempting Franz to keep away from school That
morning’? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Franz was very late for school ‘that morning’. M. Hamel was to
question the students on participles and Franz knew nothing and
feared a scolding. The bright weather, woods, fields and chirping
of birds tempted him to spend the day outdoors.

Question 7.
What was unusual about M. Hamel’s dress and behaviour on the
day of his last French lesson? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
On the day of his last French lesson M. Hamel was unexpectantly
kind. He had put on his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt and an
embroidered black silk cap that he normally wore only on
inspection and prize days. In his last lesson he explains
everything with unusual patience as if he wants to teach them
everything he has ever learned in their last French class.

Question 8.
Why had the bulletin-board become a centre of attention during
the last two years? (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
The bulletin-board had become a centre of attention because for
the last two years all the bad news had come from there. It was
the source of all bad news-the lost battles, the draft and the
orders of the commanding officers.

Question 9.
What was Franz expected to be prepared with for the school that
day? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Franz had started very late for school that morning. He feared
facing his class-teacher, M. Hamel. Because he was expected to
be prepared with his grammar lesson on participles and he did
not know even the first word about them. So he feared a scolding.

Question 10.
What had been put up on the bulletin board? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
A notice had been put up on the bulletin board informing the
people about the order from Berlin which declared that only
German was to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.
They had also been informed that the new German teacher was
coming on the following day.

Question 11.
Who did M.Hamel blame for the neglect of learning on the part of
boys like Franz? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Mr. Hamel blamed various people for different reasons for neglect
of learning on the part of boys like Franz. First he blamed the
parents for not being anxious to have their children learn and
rather engaging them into household work. He blamed the boys
themselves for preferring to work on mills and farms. He also
blamed himself for sending boys on errands for his convenience.

Question 12.
Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the
pigeons?” What does this tell us about the attitude of the
Frenchmen? (All India 2011)
Answer:
During his last French class Franz hears the pigeons cooing and
wonders if the Prussians would make them sing in German too.
His thought reveals the Frenchmen’s fear of complete domination
by the Germans whereby they would try to enslave even their
minds.

Question 13.
“What a thunderclap these words were to me!” – Which were the
words that shocked and surprised Franz? (All India 2011)
Answer:
When M.Hamel mounted on the chair and announced that he
was there to teach his last French lesson that day, Franz was
shocked and surprised. He felt very guilty for deliberately
ignoring to learn his native language and he suddenly developed
a strange fascination for his language and his school.

Question 14.
“What announcement did M. Hamel make? What was the impact
of this on Franz? (All India 2011)
Answer:
When M.Hamel declared that it was their last French lesson a
grim realisation dawned on Franz that he had so much more yet
to learn. He felt sorry for whiling away his time and skipping his
lessons. Now he did not want to part with his books, which he
had earlier consi¬dered a nuisance. He was also deeply pained at
the thought that M.Hamel was leaving.

Question 15.
What did M. Hamel tell the people in the class about French
language? What did he ask them to do and why? (Comptt. Delhi
2011)
Answer:
M. Hamel told the people in his class that French was the most
beautiful, the clearest and the most logical language in the world.
He advised them to guard it among themselves j and never to
forget it because it would prove to be the key to their prison when
they were I enslaved.

Question 16.
What was the mood in the classroom when M.Hamel gave his last
French lesson? (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
When M.Hamel was giving his last French; lesson, the mood in
the classroom was solemn and sombre. When he announced that
this was their last French lesson everyone present in the
classroom suddenly developed patriotic feelings for their native
language and genuinely regretted ignoring their mother tongue.

Question 17.
What changes did the order from Berlin cause in the school?
(Delhi 2012)
Answer:
The shocking order from Berlin that only German would be
taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine saddened and hurt
the pride of the French people. So as a gesture to express their
solidarity for their language the village elders also attended
school for the last French lesson. The usual hustle and bustle
was missing from school and it was unusually quiet. M. Hamel
was also dressed in his formal suit which he wore only on special
occasions.

Question 18.
How did M.Hamel say farewell to his students and the people of
the town? (All India 2012)
Answer:
To bid farewell to his students and the people of the town
M.Hamel wore his formal suit on the day he gave his last French
lesson. He assumed the role of a mentor and advised the villagers
to safeguard their language, which was the most beautiful and
logical language in the world. Being rimmed up with emotions, he
wrote “Vive La France” which mean Tong live France’ in order to
inculcate a feeling of patriotism within everyone.

Question 19.
What were Franz’s regrets after M. Hamel’s announcement of his
last lesson? (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
When M. Hamel announced that it was their last French lesson,
Franz realised he had so much more to learn. He felt sorry for
whiling away his time and skipping his lessons. He was also
deeply pained at the thought of M. Hamel leaving the school.

Question 20.
What change was there in Franz’ attitude towards M. Hamel?
(Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
Franz’s attitude towards M. Hamel underwent a complete change
on the day of the last French lesson. He developed a strange
fascination for his school and the French language. When M.
Hamel read out a grammar lesson to the class, Franz was amazed
at how well he understood it. All M. Hamel said seemed so easy
to Franz and he genuinely regretted ignoring M. Hamel’s classes
and lessons.

Question 21.
Why did M. Hamel not scold Franz when the latter fumbled with
the rule for the participle? (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
Since it was M. Hamel’s last class in Alsace, he did not scold
Franz when the latter fumbled with the rule for the participle. He
told Franz that he would not scold him as he knew that Franz
was already feeling terrible enough and reproaching himself a
great deal.

Question 22.
How did Franz react to the declaration that it was their last
French lesson? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
When M.Hamel declared that it was their last French lesson a
grim realisation dawned on Franz that he had so much more yet
to learn. He felt sorry for whiling away his time and skipping his
lessons. Now he did not want to part with his books, which he
had earlier considered a nuisance. He was also deeply pained at
the though that M.Hamel was leaving.

Question 23.
“What a thunderclap these words were to me !” What were the
words that shocked and surprised the narrator? (Delhi, Comptt.
All India 2013)
Answer:
When M.Hamel mounted on the chair and announced that he
was there to teach his last French lesson that day, Franz was
shocked and surprised. He felt very guilty for deliberately
ignoring to learn his native language and he suddenly developed
a strange fascination for his language and his school.

Question 24.
What did M. Hamel tell them about the French language? What
did he ask them to do and why? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
M. Hamel told the people in his class that French was the most
beautiful, the clearest and the most logical language in the world.
He advised them to guard it among themselves j and never to
forget it because it would prove to be the key to their prison when
they were I enslaved.

Question 25.
What was the order from Berlin and what changes did it cause in
the school? (All India 2013)
Answer:
The shocking order from Berlin that only German would be
taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine saddened and hurt
the pride of the French people. So as a gesture to express their
solidarity for their language the village elders also attended
school for the last French lesson. The usual hustle and bustle
was missing from school and it was unusually quiet. M. Hamel
was also dressed in his formal suit which he wore only on special
occasions.

Question 26.
Why did Franz think of running away from the school that
morning? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Franz was tempted to run away and spend the day outside
instead of attending school as it was a warm and bright day and
he wanted to watch the Prussian soldiers’ drill. Moreover he had
not done his lesson on participles from which his teacher, M.
Hamel was going to question and feared a scolding from his
teacher.

Question 27.
What did Franz see when he passed the town hall? (Comptt.
Delhi 2013)
Answer:
When Franz passed the town hall he saw there was a crowd in
front of the bulletin board. For the last two years all the bad news
of lost battles, the draft etc. had come from there and Franz
thought to himself what the matter was then and what bad news
awaited them.

Question 28.
When Franz reached his school, what unusual situation did he
observe? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The usual hustle and bustle of the morning hours could not be
seen on the day of the last lesson. It was all very still and quiet as
it used to be on a Sunday morning. The din of opening and
closing of desks and the rapping of the teacher’s ruler on the
table could not be heard. The students had already taken their
places and even the village elders had gathered there.

Question 29.
After sitting down at his desk what unusual things did Franz
observe about M. Hamel? (Comptt. All India)
Answer:
Franz realised that M. Hamel was not his usual cranky self and
said nothing to him even though he was late for the class.
Moreover their teacher was wearing his beautiful green coat, his
frilled shirt and the little black silk cap, all embroidered, that he
wore only on special days in school.

Question 30.
“But the thing that surprised me most was to see ” What
surprised Franz most in the class? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
The thing that surprised Franz the most when he entered the
classroom was to see the village people sitting as quietly as the
students on the back benches of the class that were always
empty. This included old Hauser, the former mayor, the former
postmaster and several others.

Question 31.
What tempted Franz to stay away from school? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Little Franz was tempted to run away and spend the day outside
instead of attending school as it was a warm and bright day with
the birds chirping merrily. Moreover, he was tempted to watch
the Prussian soldiers’ drill. All these things appeared rather
tempting considering he did not know his participles and feared
the French teacher M. Hamel’s scolding on that day.

Question 32.
Why were the elders of the village sitting in the classroom? (All
India 2014)
Answer:
The elders of the village were sitting in the classroom as a mark
of respect which they wanted to show for their language and their
country. They felt sorry for not having learnt their language and
wanted to thank M. Hamel for his forty years of faithful service.

Question 33.
What words did M. Hamel write on the black¬board before
dismissing the last class? What did they mean? (Comptt. Delhi
2014)
Answer:
Before dismissing the last French class, M. Hamel turned to the
blackboard, took a piece of chalk and wrote as large as he could -
“Vive la France!” These words meant “Long Live France”. He then
made a gesture with his hand that the class was dismissed.

Question 34.
Who were sitting on the back benches during M. Hamel’s last
lesson? Why? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
The village elders were sitting on the back benches during M.
Hamel’s last lesson. They included old Hauser, the former mayor,
the former postmaster and several others. They were there to
show their respect for their language and their country.

Question 35.
Why is the order from Berlin called a thunderclap by Franz?
(Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
The order from Berlin is called a thunderclap by Franz, because
it was a complete shock for him. He had never thought that he
would be deprived of the right of learning his native language. He
realised he had so much more yet to learn and was going to lose
the opportunity.

Question 36.
Why does M. Hamel reproach himself for his students’
unsatisfactory progress in studies? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
M. Hamel reproaches himself for his students’ unsatisfactory
progress in studies. He had often sent them to water his flowers
instead of learning their lessons. And when he wanted to go
fishing, he gave them a holiday.

Question 37.
What made M. Hamel cry towards the end of his last lesson?
(Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
Towards the end of his last French lesson, as the church clock
struck twelve and the trumpets of the Prussians sounded under
the window, M. Hamel was completely overwhelmed with
emotions. Feeling choked, he was unable to talk further and
dismissed the class by making a gesture with his hand.

Question 38.
What was unusual about M. Hamel’s dress on his last day in the
school? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
In honour of his last French lesson in the school, M. Hamel had
put on his fine Sunday clothes. He had on his green coat, his
frilled shirt and the little black, all embroidered silk cap that he
never wore except on inspection and prize days.

Question 39.
Who occupied the back benches in the classroom on the day of
the last lesson? Why? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
The village people occupied the backbenches in the classroom on
the day of the last lesson. They included the old hauser, the
former mayor, the former postmaster and several others. They
had come there to thank their master for his valuable service and
to show their respect for their language and country which was
no longer theirs.

Question 40.
Why did M. Hamel write ‘Vive La France’ on the blackboard?
(Delhi 2015 )
Answer:
Before dismissing the class, M. Hamel writes ‘Vive La France’
(Long Live France) on the blackboard. He was extremely patriotic
and he does this to make the Alsacians conscious that they had
to safeguard their language and identity among themselves as
this was the key to their prison.

Question 41.
“We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with”, said M.
Hamel. Comment. (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
M. Hamel blamed everyone for putting off learning till the next
time and thus losing out on the opportunity to learn their native
language, French. The parents preferred to put their children to
work on a farm or at the mills so that they could earn more
money. M. Hamel too sent them to water his flowers and gave
them a holiday when he wanted to go for fishing.

Question 42.
How did the order from Berlin change the situation in the school?
(All India 2015)
Answer:
The shocking order from Berlin after the defeat of France shocked
the French people. It declared that all the schools in the two
French districts of Alsace and Lorraine would now teach only
German. This not only saddened but also hurt the pride of the
people of France. On the day of the French teacher M.Hamel’s
last lesson, even the village elders came to show their respect to
him for serving the community faithfully for forty years. The
usual hustle and bustle too was missing from school and Franz
found it unusually quiet as it used to be on a Sunday morning.
M.Hamel was dressed in his formal suit. Even though Franz
reached late M.Hamel did not scold him. He then went on to
praising the French language at length by referring to it as the
most beautiful language. He called upon the French people to
safeguard their language among themselves and not to forget it
ever.

Question 43.
Whom did M.Hamel blame for Franz’s inabil¬ity to answer his
questions? (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Hamel blamed the parents who sent the children to work instead
of sending them to school. He blamed himself for making them
water the plants and giving them a holiday when he wanted to go
fishing. He also blamed the students themselves for delaying the
learning of their lessons thinking that there was plenty of time.

Question 44.
How did M.Hamel display his love for the French language?
(Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
M. Hamel had great love for the French language which he had
been teaching for forty years. For him it was the most beautiful,
most logical and clearest language. He wanted the French people
to preserve it among themselves and this would enable them to
be free from foreign rule.

Question 45.
What was the bulletin board news that caused a change in the
school? (Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
The bulletin board news that caused a change in the school was
that, that day was going to be the last French lesson for the
schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The order had come from Berlin
to teach only German in the schools and their new German
teachers would come the next day.

Question 46.
Who were sitting on the backbenches on the day of the last
lesson? Why? (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
The village people occupied the backbenches in the classroom on
the day of the last lesson. They included the old hauser, the
former mayor, the former postmaster and several others. They
had come there to thank their master for his valuable service and
to show their respect for their language and country which was
no longer theirs.

Question 47.
Why were people standing in front of the bulletin board in ‘The
Last Lesson’? Why did Franz not join the crowd? (Comptt. All
India 2016)
Answer:
For the past two years the bulletin board had been the bearer of
all bad news—the lost battles, drafts, orders from the
commanding officer. That day an order had come from Berlin
that from the next day a new teacher would teach German
instead of French in the school. Franz could not join the crowd as
he was already late for his class and could not afford further
delay.

Question 48.
Why did Franz not want to go to school that day? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Franz was tempted to run away and spend the day outside
instead of attending school as it was a warm and bright day and
he wanted to watch the Prussian soldiers’ drill. Moreover he had
not done his lesson on participles from which his teacher, M.
Hamel was going to question and feared a scolding from his
teacher.

Question 49.
Why was Franz not scolded for reaching the school late that day?
(Delhi 2016)
Answer:
It was to be their last French lesson that day. The order from
Berlin allowed only German language to be taught in the schools
of Alsace and Lorraine. Hence their teacher, M. Hamel, was in a
sad and sombre mood. So he did not scold Franz for reaching
school late that day.

Question 50.
What did Franz wonder about when he entered the class that
day? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Franz wondered about a number of things when he entered the
class that day. He wondered as to why he was not given a
scolding by his teacher, M. Hamel for being late, why his teacher
was wearing his formal clothes which he wore only on inspections
and prize days and why the village elders were sitting on the
backbenches in the classroom.

Question 51.
Why were some elderly persons occupying the backbenches that
day? (All India 2016)
Answer:
The elders of the village were sitting in the classroom as a mark
of respect which they wanted to show for their language and their
country. They felt sorry for not having learnt their language and
wanted to thank M. Hamel for his forty years of faithful service.

Question 52.
“What a thunderclap these words were to me!” (Franz). What were
those words and what was their effect on Franz? (All India 2016)
Answer:
When M.Hamel mounted on the chair and announced that he
was there to teach his last French lesson that day, Franz was
shocked and surprised. He felt very guilty for deliberately
ignoring to learn his native language and he suddenly developed
a strange fascination for his language and his school.

Question 53.
How were the parents and M. Hamel respon¬sible for the
children’s neglect of the French language? (All India 2016)
Answer:
M. Hamel blamed everyone for putting off learning till the next
time and thus losing out on the opportunity to learn their native
language, French. The parents preferred to put their children to
work on a farm or at the mills so that they could earn more
money. M. Hamel too sent them to water his flowers and gave
them a holiday when he wanted to go for fishing.

Question 54.
How is the title ‘The Last Lesson’ appropriate? (Comptt. Delhi
2016)
Answer:
The title ‘The Last Lesson’ is appropriate because it was M.
Hamel’s last lesson and also the last French lesson in the school.
During the last lesson, the teacher, as well as all those who were
attending it, were feeling nostalgic and repentant.

Question 55.
What changes did the order from Berlin cause on the day of the
last lesson? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
The shocking order from Berlin that only German would be
taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine saddened and hurt
the pride of the French people. So as a gesture to express their
solidarity for their language the village elders also attended
school for the last French lesson. The usual hustle and bustle
was missing from school and it was unusually quiet. M. Hamel
was also dressed in his formal suit which he wore only on special
occasions.

Question 56.
How different did M.Hamel look that particu¬lar morning in ‘The
Last Lesson’? (Comptt. All India)
Answer:
In honour of his last French lesson in the school, M. Hamel had
put on his fine Sunday clothes. He had on his green coat, his
frilled shirt and the little black, all embroidered silk cap that he
never wore except on inspection and prize days.

Question 57.
What was M.Hamel’s regret on the day of the last lesson?
(Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
M. Hamel’s regret on the last day of the French lesson was that
they all had put off learning their language till the next day and
now most of them who claimed to be Frenchmen could neither
speak nor write their language. For this they all, including M.
Hamel himself, had a great deal to reproach themselves with.
Question 58.
How different was the scene in the classroom on the day of the
last lesson? (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
The usual hustle and bustle of the morning hours could not be
seen on the day of the last lesson. It was all very still and quiet as
it used to be on a Sunday morning. The din of opening and
closing of desks and the rapping of the teacher’s ruler on the
table could not be heard. The students had already taken their
places and even the village elders had gathered there.

Question 59.
What did the French teacher tell his students in his last French
lesson? What impact did it have on them? Why? (All India 2009)
Answer:
M. Hamel told his students that a new order from Berlin has
declared that all schools of Alsace and Lorraine would teach only
German so this was going to be their last French lesson. This
new order aroused patriotic feelings in him and he, in turn,
wanted to arouse similar patriotism in his students and the
village elders. He made them conscious of the glory and value of
the French language and told them to safeguard it among
themselves and keep it alive at all costs as it was the key to their
unity and liberation. Everyone listened to him sadly but with rapt
attention and respect. Even little Franz listened to his teacher’s
words with a new-found interest. He felt sorry that he had
neglected learning French. Everyone from the village assembled
in the class to thank Mr. Hamel for his forty years of faithful
service to the community.

Question 60.
How different from usual was the atmosphere at school on the
day of the last lesson? (All India 2015)
Answer:
Acquiring power over the Alsacians made the Prussians so
dominating that they even imposed their language on them. This
way the Prussians intended to dominate the hearts and minds of
the Alsacians and wanted them to even think in their language
and thereby lose their complete identity. An order had been
received from Berlin that only German would be taught in
schools of Alsace and Lorraine. So there was something unusual
about the school on the last day of the French lesson. The usual
hustle and bustle was missing. Everything was ‘strange and
solemn’ as on a Sunday morning. The village elders were seated
on the back desks.

M.Hamel, who had been teaching French at the school for the
last forty years, was wearing his formal suit in honour of the last
French lesson. While delivering the last lesson, he called upon
his students and the village elders to guard the French language
among themselves and never forget it, declaring French to be the
most beautiful language in the world. Franz developed a sudden
fascination for school and the French language and a sudden
respect for M.Hamel. He wanted his teacher to stay and felt very
guilty for having neglected his French lessons as now he was
being deprived of the opportunity of learning his language.

Question 61.
Everybody during the last lesson is filled with regret. Comment.
(All India 2015)
Answer:
The one common feeling that fills each and every person who is
present in the last French lesson is an acute sense of regret. M.
Hamel reproaches himself for putting off his students’ learning
till the next day and sending them to water his flowers instead of
learning their lessons. He also gave his students a holiday when
he wanted to go fishing. Franz felt sorry for not learning his
lessons and escaping school. He wished he had attended his
classes more often and even the thought of losing his teacher
saddened him. The village elders occupied the back benches of
the class to atone for their guilt and express their regret for not
having attended school regularly. They were now showing their
respect for the country that was theirs no more.

Question 62.
Our language is part of our culture and we are proud of it.
Describe how regretful M.Hamel and the village elders are for
having neglected their native language, French. (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
The feeling of regretfulness for having neglected their native
language, French comes quite late to M. Hamel and the village
elders. They realise rather late that their language is part of their
culture and they should be proud of it. It is only after they have
been deprived of learning their language that they understand its
value. The imposition of German language made them suddenly
realise the authority of their captors and they felt a loss of
freedom. So on the day of the last French lesson the village elders
are seated on the back desks and M. Hamel, who had been
teaching French at the school for the last forty years, was
wearing his formal suit as a mark of respect for the last French
lesson. M. Hamel expressed how they all had a great deal to
reproach themselves for as most of the people of Alsace could
neither speak nor write French. Parents preferred to put their
children to work on farms or mills.

M. Hamel regretfully said how he himself sometimes sent his

students to water his flowers instead of learning their language
lessons. While delivering the last lesson M. Hamel called upon his
students and the village elders to guard the French language
among themselves, declaring it to be the most beautiful language
tn the world. Each one of them felt guilty for having ignored the
French lessons.

Question 63.
Our native language is part of our culture and we are proud of it.
How does the presence of village elders in the classroom and
M.Hamel’s last lesson show their love for French? (All India 2016)
Answer:
Acquiring power over the French made the Prussians so
dominating that they decided to impose even their language on
them. So on the day of the last French lesson the village elders
were seated on the back seats of the classroom. They felt sad and
sorry for not having gone to school more often. Their presence
was also their way of thanking their master, M.Hamel for his
forty years of faithful service. M.Hamel himself had put on his
fine Sunday clothes in honour of the last French lesson.
Assuming the role of mentor he advised the class to safeguard
and preserve their language among themselves and never forget
it. He called French the most beautiful and logical language in
the world. By the end of the class M.Hamel was so choked with
emotion and could not speak so he took a piece of chalk and
wrote on the blackboard “Vive la France!” (Long Live France) and
then dismissed the class.

Question 64.
Describe the atmosphere in the class on the day of the last
lesson. (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
On the day of the last French lesson the atmosphere in the class
was strange and solemn. The school was as quiet as if it was a
Sunday morning. The teacher (M.FIamel) moving in the class with
his ruler under his arm was wearing his special dress for the last
class. The elders of the village were sitting on the backbenches of
the classroom. All the students were studying with complete
attention and the teacher was teaching with full dedication. All
this was due to an order from Berlin that from the next day
German would be taught instead of French by a new teacher.
While delivering the last lesson, the teacher called upon his
students and the village elders to guard the French language
among themselves and never forget it, declaring French to be the
most beautiful language in the world.