Mock Test Revision Ch-1 The Last Lesson And Lost Spring

Class XII English Core

Important Question Bank with Answers

The Last Lesson – 20 Questions

Lost Spring – 20 Questions

Part A: The Last Lesson

Very Short Answer Questions

Q1. Who was Franz?

Ans. Franz was a schoolboy from Alsace. He was a student of M Hamel.

He was a slow learner boy.

Q2. Why was Franz afraid of going to school?

Ans. He had not prepared the rules of participles and feared that M. Hamel would question him.

Q3. What was unusual about the school that morning?

Ans. The school was unusually quiet and serious like Sunday, villagers were sitting on the back benches, M Hamel was in a new look.

Q4. What had been displayed on the bulletin board?

Ans. An order from Berlin that from tomorrow German would be taught instead of French in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.

Q5. Who was M. Hamel?

Ans. M. Hamel was the French teacher in Franz's school. He had been teaching since 40yrs. He is a dedicated and strict teacher,very responsible and proud of his language.

Q6. What did M. Hamel wear on the day of the last lesson?

Ans. He wore his special dress consisting of his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt and embroidered black silk cap. Because it was his last day of the school.

Q7. Why were the villagers sitting at the back of the classroom?

Ans. They had come to attend the last French lesson and show their respect for M. Hamel and their language.

Short Answer Questions

Q8. Why did Franz suddenly develop a love for his books?

Ans. Franz realised that he would no longer have the opportunity to study French in school. The thought of losing something made him value it. His books, which earlier seemed burdensome, suddenly became precious to him.

Q9. What did M. Hamel say about the French language?

Ans. M. Hamel said that French was the most beautiful, clearest and most logical language in the world. He urged the people to preserve and guard it. If They forgot their language they would forget their identity.

Q10. Why did M. Hamel blame himself and the people of Alsace for their lack of learning?

Ans. M. Hamel felt that everyone had postponed learning French. Parents preferred sending children to work, while students often avoided their lessons. He also admitted that he sometimes gave them holidays when he wanted to go fishing.

Q11. What did Franz notice about the villagers in the classroom?

Ans. Franz noticed that several villagers were sitting quietly at the back. They had come to show respect for M. Hamel and regret for not having attended school more regularly.

Q12. Why was the last lesson important to Franz?

Ans. It made Franz understand the value of his language, education and freedom. He realised how much he had taken his lessons for granted.

Q13. What does the story tell us about the importance of freedom?

Ans. The story shows that people often realise the value of freedom only when it is taken away. The ban on French makes the people of Alsace realise the importance of their language and national identity.

Long Answer Questions

Q14. Describe Franz's transformation during the last lesson.

Ans. At first, Franz was reluctant to attend school and was afraid of being questioned about participles. When he discovered that it was the last French lesson, his attitude changed. He became attentive and deeply emotional. He regretted wasting his time and developed respect for M. Hamel. He also realised the importance of his mother tongue and education.

Q15. How does M. Hamel emerge as a dedicated teacher?

Ans. M. Hamel is shown as a sincere and dedicated teacher. He continues teaching French even though it is his final lesson. He dresses formally and explains the importance of the French language. He does not hide his emotions. His final words and actions show his love for his language, students and homeland.

Q16. Explain the significance of the title The Last Lesson.

Ans. The title refers literally to the final French lesson taught by M. Hamel. At a deeper level, it represents the loss of freedom and cultural identity. The last lesson makes Franz, the villagers and M. Hamel realise the importance of their language. Thus, the title has both personal and patriotic significance.

Q17. “The Last Lesson” is a story about linguistic and cultural identity. Explain.

Ans. French is more than a school subject for the people of Alsace; it is part of their identity. The order to replace French with German threatens their cultural freedom. M. Hamel's emotional speech shows that preserving one's language means preserving one's heritage and identity.

Q18. What message does The Last Lesson convey?

Ans. The story teaches us to value freedom, education and our mother tongue. It also warns us against postponing important responsibilities. People often understand the importance of something only after they are about to lose it.

Q19. Why did Franz feel that the pigeons were also being commanded to speak German?

Ans. Franz was deeply disturbed by the forced replacement of French with German. His thought about the pigeons reflects his emotional resistance to the loss of freedom and the absurdity of controlling people's language.

Q20. “When a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language, it is as if they have the key to their prison.” Explain.

Ans. Language preserves a people's culture, history and identity. Even when political freedom is taken away, a community can preserve its sense of identity through its language. M. Hamel's statement therefore expresses the power of language as a symbol of resistance and hope.

Part B: Lost Spring

Very Short Answer Questions

Q1. Who is Saheb?

Ans. Saheb is a poor ragpicker who lives in Seemapuri . He is a son of migrant family.

Q2. Where did Saheb come from?

Ans. Saheb came from Bangladesh in 1971

Q3. What does Saheb's full name mean?

Ans. Saheb e Alam.It means “lord of the universe.”

Q4. What does Saheb do for a living?

Ans. He roams in the street. He collects and sells garbage. He supports his family.

Q5. Where does Saheb live?

Ans. He lives in Seemapuri, on the outskirts of Delhi. Seemapuri is very backward area, no source of income 

Q6. Who is Mukesh?

Ans. Mukesh is a poor boy from Firozabad who belongs to a family of bangle makers.

Q7. What does Mukesh want to become?

Ans. Mukesh wants to become a motor mechanic. He wants to drive car. He has a daring nature.

Short Answer Questions

Q8. Why do the ragpickers migrate to Seemapuri?

Ans. They migrate in search of food and livelihood. They believe that the garbage dumps of Seemapuri provide them with opportunities to survive.

Q9. Why is garbage called “gold” by the ragpickers?

Ans. Garbage is valuable to the ragpickers because it provides them with money and sometimes food or useful objects. For them, it is a means of survival.

Q10. Why does Saheb lose his carefree look after getting a job at the tea stall?

Ans. Earlier, Saheb had freedom to roam around and work according to his own wishes. At the tea stall, he becomes an employee under someone else's control. His loss of freedom makes him lose his carefree expression.

Q11. Why does the author say that Seemapuri is a place on the periphery of Delhi?

Ans. Seemapuri is physically located on the outskirts of Delhi and is socially and economically separated from the developed city. Its residents live in poverty and lack basic facilities.

Q12. Why is Mukesh's dream of becoming a motor mechanic important?

Ans. Mukesh's dream shows his desire to escape the traditional occupation of bangle making. It represents hope, ambition and the possibility of a better future.

Q13. What problems do the bangle makers of Firozabad face?

Ans. They suffer from poverty, child labour, poor working conditions and exploitation. They remain trapped in the traditional bangle-making occupation.

Long Answer Questions

Q14. Describe the miserable life of Saheb and the ragpickers of Seemapuri.

Ans. Saheb and the other ragpickers live in extreme poverty. They lack proper housing, sanitation, education and other basic facilities. They depend on garbage for their livelihood. Children are forced to work instead of enjoying education and childhood. Their condition reflects social and economic inequality.

Q15. Compare Saheb and Mukesh as victims of poverty.

Ans. Both Saheb and Mukesh belong to poor families and are forced into labour at a young age. Saheb becomes a ragpicker and later works at a tea stall. Mukesh belongs to a family of bangle makers. However, Mukesh differs from Saheb because he has a clear dream of becoming a motor mechanic and wants to change his future.

Q16. How does Lost Spring highlight the problem of child labour?

Ans. The story presents children who should be studying and playing but are instead working for survival. Saheb collects garbage, while children in Firozabad work in the bangle industry. Their poverty, exploitation and lack of opportunities deprive them of education and childhood.

Q17. Explain the significance of the title Lost Spring.

Ans. Spring symbolises youth, happiness, beauty and hope. The children described in the story lose these experiences because of poverty and child labour. Their childhood is taken away by social and economic circumstances. Hence, the title Lost Spring refers to the loss of childhood and opportunities.

Q18. Describe the cycle of poverty and exploitation in Firozabad.

Ans. The bangle makers of Firozabad are trapped in poverty for generations. Children inherit the traditional occupation from their parents. They work in unhealthy conditions and have little access to education. Middlemen, moneylenders and other powerful groups exploit them, making it difficult for them to escape poverty.

Q19. What does Mukesh's character teach us?

Ans. Mukesh teaches us the importance of dreams and determination. Although he belongs to a poor family of bangle makers, he dreams of becoming a motor mechanic. His willingness to choose a different profession shows courage and hope for a better future.

Q20. “The real sufferers in Lost Spring are not merely the poor but also those who exploit them.” Discuss.

Ans. The story shows that poverty is maintained by a system of exploitation. The poor workers have little power to improve their conditions, while middlemen and other influential people benefit from their labour. Children are also forced into work. Thus, the story exposes the social structure that keeps poor families trapped in poverty and denies them dignity and opportunity.