The Last Lesson - Short Answers

 The Last Lesson

Short Answers

1) What kind of news was usually put up on the bulletin board?

For the last two years all the bad news such as the lost battles, the draft, the orders of the commanding officer had come from the bulletin board

 

2) What was the usual scene when school began every day?

When school began every day, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street. The opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table were the usual scene.

 

3) Other than the students, who were present in the class?

Other than the students, there were villagers, the old Hauser, the former mayor, the former postmaster and several others were present in the class.

 

4) Why did Mr. Hamel say it was the last French lesson?

Mr. Hamel said that it was the last French lesson because order had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine and the new master would come the following day.

 

5) What was Franz asked to tell? Was he able to answer?

Franz was asked to tell the rules of participles. No, he was not able to answer.  

 

6) Why did Mr. Hamel blame himself?

Mr. Hamel blamed himself because he often sent Franz to water his flowers and for declaring holiday to school when he wanted to go fishing. So Franz was not able to learn French.

 

7) What did M. Hamel say about the French language?

The French language was the most beautiful, the clearest and the most logical language in the world.

 

8) How many years had M. Hamel been in the village?

M. Hamel had been in the village for forty years.

 

9) Why did Franz dread to go to school that day?

Franz dreaded to go to school that day because M. Hamel had said that he would question them on participles and Franz did not know even the first word about it.

 

10) What were the various things that tempted Franz to spend his day outdoors?

The day was so warm and bright. The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods. In the open field, the Prussian soldiers were drilling at the back of saw mill. These were the various things that tempted Franz to spend his day outdoors.

11) Why was the narrator not able to get to his desk without being seen?

The narrator was not able to get to his desk without being seen because my classmates were already in their places, and M. Hamel walking up and down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm.

12) What was Frank sorry for?

Franz was sorry for not learning the lessons.

13) Why were the old villagers sitting in the last desk?

The old villagers were sitting in the last desk because they were there to attend Hamel’s last lesson and it was their way of thanking the master for his forty years of faithful service.

14) What were the thoughts of the narrator’s parents?

The thoughts of the narrator’s parents were to put him to work on a farm or at the mills, so as to have a little more money.

15) Why does M. Hamel say that we must guard our language?

M. Hamel says that we must guard our language because when people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison.

16) M. Hamel was gazing at many things. What were they?

M. Hamel was gazing at everything in the little classroom and in the garden that includes the walnut trees and the hopvine.

17) When and how did M. Hamel bid farewell to the class?

When the church-clock struck twelve, M. Hamel bid farewell to the class. He could not speak as he felt choking due to anguish. He wrote “Vive La France!” on the blackboard and dismissed the class with a gesture using his hand.