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Explanation: 'The Last Lesson' is a short story written by the French author Alphonse Daudet, set against the backdrop of the Franco-Prussian War.
2. In which region of France is the story 'The Last Lesson' set?
A. Normandy
B. Alsace
C. Provence
D. Brittany
Answer: B. Alsace
Explanation: The story is set in the Alsace region of France, which was annexed by Prussia after France's defeat, resulting in German replacing French as the language of instruction.
3. Why was Franz afraid of going to school on that particular day?
A. He had lost his books
B. He was not prepared for M. Hamel's questions on participles
C. He was ill
D. He had a fight with his friend
Answer: B. He was not prepared for M. Hamel's questions on participles
Explanation: Franz feared reaching school late and also dreaded being questioned on participles, a grammar lesson he had not learned, by his teacher M. Hamel.
4. What was the order that had come from Berlin?
A. Schools would be closed permanently
B. Only German was to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine
C. All teachers were to be replaced
D. French books were to be burned
Answer: B. Only German was to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine
Explanation: An order came from Berlin that only German would henceforth be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine, making that day M. Hamel's last French lesson.
5. Why had the village elders, like old Hauser, come to attend the last class?
A. To learn French for the first time
B. To pay their respects and express regret for not valuing their language and schooling earlier
C. To celebrate a festival
D. To meet M. Hamel socially
Answer: B. To pay their respects and express regret for not valuing their language and schooling earlier
Explanation: The villagers attended the last lesson to honour their teacher of forty years and to express their regret for not having valued French language education while they still could.
6. What did M. Hamel write on the blackboard at the end of the lesson?
A. 'Goodbye, my friends'
B. 'Vive La France!'
C. 'Long live Germany'
D. Nothing at all
Answer: B. 'Vive La France!'
Explanation: At the end of his last lesson, overcome with emotion, M. Hamel wrote 'Vive La France!' (Long live France!) on the blackboard as a final act of patriotic defiance.
7. What does M. Hamel say is the key that people enslaved should always hold on to?
A. Their wealth
B. Their language
C. Their weapons
D. Their land
Answer: B. Their language
Explanation: M. Hamel emphasizes that when a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their own language, it is as though they hold the key to their prison, preserving their identity.
8. How did M. Hamel appear differently on this particular day?
A. He wore his usual everyday clothes
B. He wore his best Sunday clothes reserved for special occasions
C. He wore a torn coat
D. He did not come to school at all
Answer: B. He wore his best Sunday clothes reserved for special occasions
Explanation: M. Hamel dressed in his best green coat, frilled shirt, and embroidered black silk cap, garments he wore only on special occasions like inspections or prize days, to mark the solemnity of the occasion.
9. What sound interrupted the classroom and signalled that Franz's lesson on participles had ended?
A. A church bell and trumpets of Prussian soldiers drilling outside
B. A fire alarm
C. The school bell for lunch
D. Thunder and rain
Answer: A. A church bell and trumpets of Prussian soldiers drilling outside
Explanation: The tolling of the church clock striking twelve, along with the sound of Prussian soldiers marching back from drill, interrupted the classroom, marking the sorrowful end of the lesson.
10. What does Franz notice as unusual about the classroom atmosphere on this last day?
A. It was noisy and chaotic as always
B. It was unusually quiet and still, like a Sunday morning
C. It was empty of students
D. Everyone was laughing
Answer: B. It was unusually quiet and still, like a Sunday morning
Explanation: Franz notices a strange, solemn stillness in the classroom, comparing it to the quiet of a Sunday morning, quite unlike the usual noise and bustle of a regular school day.
11. Why does M. Hamel blame himself, the parents, and the village at large?
A. For not respecting France's laws
B. For carelessly postponing children's education for trivial reasons like farm work or fishing
C. For starting the war
D. For not paying taxes
Answer: B. For carelessly postponing children's education for trivial reasons like farm work or fishing
Explanation: M. Hamel admits his own faults, like sending students on errands instead of teaching, and blames parents for prioritizing work over their children's education, and himself for not stressing its importance sooner.
12. What central theme does 'The Last Lesson' primarily convey?
A. The importance of sports in schools
B. The value and pride associated with one's mother tongue and cultural identity
C. The benefits of learning multiple languages
D. The joys of village life
Answer: B. The value and pride associated with one's mother tongue and cultural identity
Explanation: The story powerfully conveys how language is deeply tied to a people's identity and freedom, and how its loss under occupation is deeply mourned only when it's about to be taken away.
This page contains a chapter-wise objective practice set. Try the questions without checking the answer first, then use the explanation to understand the point you missed. The current page contains 12 questions, so you can practise in smaller sets when you are revising.
Quick revision tip
After the practice set, write down the question numbers you missed and revise only those concepts once more. This makes MCQ practice more useful than repeatedly attempting the same questions without reviewing mistakes.
