NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 1 - The Last Lesson

Answer:

1. in great dread of: a feeling of great fear about something that might or will happen in future (for instance here scolding by his teacher).
2. counted on: to trust somebody to do something or to be sure that something will happen.
3. thumbed at the edges: to touch something with your thumb or thumbs, for instance here the edges of the old primer.
4. in unison: to do or say something at the same time (here repeating the lesson at the same time).
5. a great bustle: extremely busy and noisy activity, (for instance here tumult before opening of the school).
6. reproach ourselves with: to blame or criticise somebody for something that they have done or not done, because you are disappointed in them.

Answer:

Franz was expected to be prepared with lesson on participles because his teacher M. Hamel had said that he would ask them questions about it.

Answer:

Usually there used to be a great hustle and bustle and noise. But that day Franz noticed that it was all so still, calm and quiet.

Answer:

It was put up on the bulletin-board by Germans that only German could be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine in France.

Answer:

The order from Berlin was that only German language would be taught in the schools of Aslace and Lorraine in France. These two districts had passed into Prussian hands. It was the last day of the French teacher M. Hamel in the school. French will no more be taught in the school. So M. Hamel was leaving the school next day. M. Hamel had put on his fine Sunday clothes. The old men of the village were sitting there in the back of the room. It was their way of thanking M. Hamel for his forty years of faithful service. The children now taught the French language and the books written in that language as old friends.

Answer:

Franz felt sorry for not learning his lessons in French any more. His books that had seemed such a nuisance a short while ago, which he found so heavy to carry seemed to him old friends now that he could not give up. Franz's feelings about his French teacher M. Hamel also were changed. The idea that he was going away, that he (Franz) should never see him again, made Franz forget all about his teacher's ruler and how cranky or slightly eccentric he was.

Answer:

In the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), France was defeated by Prussia led by Bismarck. In this story the French districts of Alsace and Lorraine had been passed in Prussian hands. There was an order from Berlin that only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.

When the French master M. Hamel announced that it was their last French lesson and he was leaving, these words came as a peal of thunder. Franz and others felt sorry for not learning their lessons in French.

His books like French grammar and history of the saints which seemed a nuisance, a short while ago, looked like old friends now that he could not give up. The old men of the village sitting there in the back of the room had felt sorry about it. The people realised that they must protect the French language – the most beautiful language of the world, the clearest and most logical. The feeling that they would be deprived of learning French made them suddenly realise that how precious their language was to them.

Answer:

The order from Berlin that only German language would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine in France had a severe reaction from the people. Though they could not express their grudge openly, yet even little boy Franz felt, "Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?" When they were having a lesson in writing, there was pindrop silence.

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. Then on the roof the pigeons cooled very low and little Franz thought that would they make them sing in German, even the pigeons. It shows that though the human beings could be forced to learn a language which is not their own language, yet the birds are free from such pressures. They cannot be forced to sing in a particular way. That way birds are more free than the helpless human beings.

Answer:

When the people of a particular place or of a country are forced to be under a foreign rule, they are deprived of the freedom they can enjoy otherwise. If the language of the conquerers is imposed on them or they are forced to ignore or not to learn their own language, they feel enslaved or as if they had the key to their prison. There are various examples in history where the conquered people had their language taken away from them or had a language imposed on them.

For instance, India was under the British rule and its states like Pondicherry and Goa were under French and Portugal rule. Consequently, English, French and Portuguese were imposed on the people. British rulers felt that if the education system was changed to produce clerks in India, who could write and speak English, it would be easy to manage the day-to-day affairs. Even after so many years after freedom from the British rule, English is still a link language. That explains the widespread use of English in the countries like Australia or Canada and some African countries like South Africa.

Answer:

India is a vast country where so many languages are spoken. Even in some states, more than one vernacular language is spoken. Each and every individual, in a free country, has a fundamental right to speak or write ones language or mother tongue. But the problem arises when there is a linguistic minority in a state of a country or when the people of a particular country live in other countries.

In such cases, the major problem is how the people can keep their language alive. For example, how Punjabis living in Bangalore or Tamilians living in Mumbai or Kannadigas living in Delhi or Gujaratis living in Kolkata can keep their mother languages alive. They can do so by teaching their children their mother tongue or at least speaking to their children in their mother tongues as far as possible.

Answer:

One is deeply attached with ones mother tongue as one is attached with ones mother. But it is not possible in this global world to confine oneself to his or her mother tongue only. So, it is not possible to carry pride in ones language too far. Chauvinism is an aggressive and unreasonable belief that our own country or our own language is better than all others. So, linguistic chauvinism means that ones own language is better than all others. Our mother tongue is usually and mostly spoken in our own region or area.

As such we cant communicate with most of the people if we dont learn other languages in addition to our own mother tongue. Under British rule, a large number of Indians had to learn how to write and speak in English. Our knowledge of English opened doors to know many modern concepts, which was not possible otherwise.

In the present times, there are many more BPOs or call centres in India than in countries like China and Russia, who confined to Chinese and Russian. Not only in most parts of the world, the knowledge of English has been beneficial for Indians to communicate outside as well as in their own country. Thus in the present times, it is not possible to carry pride in ones language too far.

Answer:

The origin of the following words is as under:

1. tycoon: Origin Japanese, great lord.
2. tulip: Origin French, tulipe.
3. logo: Origin Greek logos meaning word.
4. bandicoot: Origin from a word in Indian language, meaning pig-rat.
5. barbecue: Origin Spanish barbacoa meaning wooden frame.
6. veranda: Origin Portuguese varanda meaning railing.
7. robot: Origin Czech robota meaning forced labour.
8. zero: Origin Arabic, cipher.
9. ski: Origin Norwegian.
10. trek: Origin South African Dutch trekken meaning to pull, travel.

Answer:

1. (ii) startling and unexpected
2. (ii) are attached to their language
3. (iii) early enough
4. (ii) seemed very confident

Answer:

1. "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?" (This form of past perfect has been used to indicate earlier past, i.e., bad news put on the bulletin-board indicating what happened in the earlier past over a period of two years).
2. "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." (This form had been used to indicate what used to happen in the earlier past, for instance, hustle and bustle in the class).
3. "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." (This form has been used to indicate how Franz felt in the recent past).
4. "I think, too, that I had never listened so carefully, and that he had never explained everything with so much patience." (This form has been used to indicate how Franz had listened in earlier past and how his teacher used to explain in the earlier past).
5. "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." (This form has been used to compare things, trees and creeper as they used to be in earlier past).

Answer:

Answer:

The Importance of Studying Three Languages at School

India is a vast country where too many languages are spoken. It is not practically possible to learn all these languages. However, I earnestly feel that if students learn three languages at school, they can communicate well within India as well as outside it.

First of all mother tongue should be taught at school. Then our national language Hindi should be taught at schools. The third language which should be taught at schools, I think, should be English. It is not only the lingua franca of the world, but it is also a link language in India itself. That is why I think these three languages should be studied at schools of India.

Answer:

About two months back, we had a new neighbour in our colony, Mr. Som Nath alongwith his family. He seemed quite arrogant and snabbish to everybody because he remained self-centred. He rarely talked to anybody. We just saw him going to office in the morning and coming back from office in the evening.

He hardly wished anybody. People of the colony were surprised at his behaviour. I also felt that he did not observe even the basic courtsies, which we learn in our primary school. A few people tried to socialise with him, but he preferred to remain aloof and reserved. Gradually it appeared to us as if Mr. Som Nath did not exist for us.

But one day my opinion about him was changed when my father met with an accident. While coming back from office, Mr. Som Nath saw my father bleeding and in a state of unconsciousness. He took my father to the hospital, informed us immediately and used his good influence to see that my father is treated well. From that day my impression about him was changed.

Answer:

For self attempt and class-room activity

Answer:

The old men of the village were sitting on the back benches during M Hamel's last lesson because they were sorry that they had not attended school more often. They also wanted to thank their teacher for his forty years of faithful service and to show their respect for the country that was theirs no longer.

Answer:

M Hamel wrote the words 'Vive La France!' in big letters on the blackboard before dismissing the last class. These words meant, 'Long Live France!' This shows his patriotic nature.

Answer:

On his last day in school, M. Hamel had put on his fine Sunday clothes - his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt, and his little black silk cap, all embroidered. He wore these fine clothes only on inspection and prize days. His behaviour was also unusually kind and patient. He spoke to everyone very gently and taught with great patience.

Answer:

Yes, M Hamel is filled with regret because he had not taken enough interest in teaching French, as he often sent students for petty errands and gave them a holiday when he didn't want to teach. Franz regretted that he had not been learning his lessons, but skipping school for enjoying other activities. He also regretted that M Hamel was going away, that he would never see him again, despite his strictness and crankiness. The villagers regretted that they did not utilize the opportunities given to them for learning French when it was possible; that is why they had turned up in full strength for the last lesson. Thus, all of them regretted that this was their last lesson in French.

Answer:

Franz was expected to be prepared with his lesson on participles for school that day because M. Hamel had said that he would question the students on participles. But Franz had not prepared his lesson. Instead of going to school, he thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. He was tempted by the warm, bright day and the sight of the Prussian soldiers drilling in the open field. When he finally decided to go to school, he was already late and was afraid of being scolded by M. Hamel.

Answer:

What will You Conquer? – by Sunil

During the Franco-Prussian war, as related in the story 'The Last Lesson' France lost two of its districts to Germany. The Germans passed the order that from now on, only German will be taught in the schools. The imposition of German over French was humiliating. It filled the people with great patriotic feelings. Suddenly, on the roof when the pigeons coo in a low tone, Franz asks himself whether they will make the pigeons also sing in German.

This remark is a Frenchman's typical reaction to the imposition of learning German. The attitude of the French is full of hate and desperation. This also shows the extent the Germans would go in their attempts at linguistic chauvinism. The instance in question makes it clear that man has a strong desire to impose his will upon others, to subdue others. This very instinct of man is responsible for tension, turmoil and conflicts in the world. In today's world, only the feeling of compassion, tolerance and brotherhood towards our fellow beings can lead us towards peace and prosperity.