The Last Lesson – MCQs (25+ Questions)
- Who is the protagonist and narrator of "The Last Lesson"?
a) M. Hamel
b) Franz
c) Hauser
d) The blacksmith - In which country and region is the story set?
a) Germany, Prussia
b) France, Alsace-Lorraine
c) Austria, Vienna
d) Italy, Rome - What historical event forms the backdrop of the story?
a) The Napoleonic Wars
b) The Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)
c) World War I
d) The American Civil War - Why is Franz late to school on the day of the last lesson?
a) He overslept
b) He was ill
c) He was watching Prussian soldiers drilling
d) He was helping his parents - What grammar lesson was Franz supposed to prepare?
a) Verbs conjugation
b) The rules of participles
c) Noun declension
d) Pronoun agreement - What does Franz see posted on the bulletin board at the town hall?
a) A notice about the Prussian occupation
b) News of lost battles
c) Orders banning the teaching of French
d) Draft notices for soldiers - What is the order from Berlin about French language teaching?
a) French lessons will continue but only in German
b) All French lessons are to stop immediately
c) French can be taught only on certain days
d) Only German will be taught in Alsace-Lorraine schools - What is unusual about M. Hamel's appearance on this particular day?
a) He is dressed in military uniform
b) He is wearing his beautiful green coat and shirt
c) He is dressed in black as a sign of mourning
d) He is wearing simple working clothes - Who sits at the back of the classroom on this day?
a) Only other teachers
b) Prussian soldiers
c) Elder villagers from the community
d) Franz's parents - What does Franz realize about why the elder villagers are present?
a) They have come to inspect the school
b) They also regret not valuing their language education earlier
c) They have come to protest the occupation
d) They are attending a special assembly - What happens when Franz is called upon to recite the lesson?
a) He recites it perfectly
b) He refuses to answer
c) He stammers and stumbles, unable to answer
d) He runs out of the classroom - How does M. Hamel react to Franz's failure to answer?
a) He scolds him harshly
b) He does not scold him but uses it as a lesson for the class
c) He ignores him and continues the lesson
d) He expels him from the class - What does M. Hamel explain about French language neglect?
a) The students did not have enough time to study
b) The Prussians prevented them from learning
c) They procrastinated and always said they would learn tomorrow
d) The textbooks were too difficult - What does M. Hamel say about the importance of French language?
a) It is just a subject like any other
b) It is the key to freedom and French identity
c) It is no longer important in the modern world
d) It is only important for writers and scholars - What does M. Hamel assign for the writing lesson?
a) An essay on patriotism
b) A letter to the Prussian authorities
c) Repeated writing of the words "France" and "Alsace"
d) A description of their village - What is the emotional atmosphere in the classroom during the writing exercise?
a) Children are noisy and inattentive as usual
b) Everyone is quiet, diligent, and emotionally focused
c) Students are sad and crying
d) Students are angry and rebellious - What sound marks the end of the lesson?
a) A bell from the church
b) The whistle from a factory
c) The sound of Prussian trumpets
d) The school bell - What does M. Hamel write on the blackboard at the end of the lesson?
a) "Goodbye"
b) "Good luck"
c) "Vive la France!" (Long live France!)
d) "Adieu, mes enfants" (Farewell, my children) - What is M. Hamel's physical and emotional state at the end of the lesson?
a) He is smiling and cheerful
b) He is pale and choked with tears, unable to continue
c) He is angry and agitated
d) He is relieved and calm - Why does M. Hamel turn to the blackboard before writing his final message?
a) To erase old lessons
b) So his tears would not be visible to the students
c) To check for dust
d) To attract the students' attention - What is Franz's emotional realization by the end of the story?
a) School is not important
b) Language and education are precious and should be valued
c) The Prussians are not as bad as he thought
d) He wants to become a teacher - What does the blacksmith Wachter do during the lesson?
a) He sits quietly in the back
b) He puts on his glasses and practices reading with the youngest students
c) He leaves the classroom
d) He argues with M. Hamel - What does old Hauser do during the lesson?
a) He teaches other students
b) He reads from a rudimentary textbook and recites simple syllables
c) He writes on the blackboard
d) He leaves the classroom in tears - What is the central theme of "The Last Lesson"?
a) The horror of war
b) The importance of education, language, and cultural identity
c) The cruelty of teachers
d) The superiority of German over French - What does Franz's procrastination in his studies represent?
a) Laziness
b) The society's failure to value their own language and culture
c) His rebellion against authority
d) His desire to become a soldier - What is the ultimate message of the story?
a) War is inevitable and unavoidable
b) The importance of appreciating and preserving cultural identity and mother tongue
c) Teachers are cruel and unreasonable
d) Education is a waste of time - Who was the historical leader of Prussia during this period?
a) Napoleon
b) Frederick the Great
c) Otto von Bismarck
d) Wilhelm II
Answer Key
1. b) Franz
2. b) France, Alsace-Lorraine
3. b) The Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)
4. c) He was watching Prussian soldiers drilling
5. b) The rules of participles
6. c) Orders banning the teaching of French
7. d) Only German will be taught in Alsace-Lorraine schools
8. b) He is wearing his beautiful green coat and shirt
9. c) Elder villagers from the community
10. b) They also regret not valuing their language education earlier
11. c) He stammers and stumbles, unable to answer
12. b) He does not scold him but uses it as a lesson for the class
13. c) They procrastinated and always said they would learn tomorrow
14. b) It is the key to freedom and French identity
15. c) Repeated writing of the words "France" and "Alsace"
16. b) Everyone is quiet, diligent, and emotionally focused
17. a) A bell from the church
18. c) "Vive la France!" (Long live France!)
19. b) He is pale and choked with tears, unable to continue
20. b) So his tears would not be visible to the students
21. b) Language and education are precious and should be valued
22. b) He puts on his glasses and practices reading with the youngest students
23. b) He reads from a rudimentary textbook and recites simple syllables
24. b) The importance of education, language, and cultural identity
25. b) The society's failure to value their own language and culture
26. b) The importance of appreciating and preserving cultural identity and mother tongue
27. c) Otto von Bismarck