Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Extract:
But he had the courage to hear every lesson to the very last. After the writing, we had a lesson in history, and then the babies chanted their ba, be bi, bo, bu. Down there at the back of the room old Hauser had put on his spectacles and, holding his primer in both hands, spelled the letters with them. You could see that he, too, was crying; his voice trembled with emotion, and it was so funny to hear him that we all wanted to laugh and cry. Ah, how well I remember it, that last lesson!
(The last lesson)
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Question (i)
List any two sensory details present in this extract.
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
Two sensory details present in this extract are:
- The sound of the babies chanting their ba, be bi, bo, bu
- The sight of old Hauser spelling the letters with his primer
Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:
- 🌱To answer this question, we need to identify two details in the extract that appeal to one or more of the five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. We can use nouns and adjectives to describe them.
- 🎵We can say that one sensory detail present in this extract is the sound of the babies chanting their ba, be bi, bo, bu. This detail appeals to the sense of sound, and it creates a contrast between the innocence and the ignorance of the young children and the sadness and the wisdom of the older people.
- 👓We can also say that another sensory detail present in this extract is the sight of old Hauser spelling the letters with his primer. This detail appeals to the sense of sight, and it creates a poignant image of an old man who is trying to learn his language for the last time.
Question (ii)
Complete the sentence appropriately.
You could see that he, too, was ___________.
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
You could see that he, too, was crying.
Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:
- 📚To answer this question, we need to recall what the narrator said in the extract. He said that you could see that he, too, was crying; his voice trembled with emotion.
- ✅Therefore, the sentence can be completed appropriately with crying.
Question (iii)
Explain any one possible inference that can be drawn from the line "it was so funny to hear him that we all wanted to laugh and cry."
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
One possible inference that can be drawn from this line is that the narrator and his classmates felt a mixture of emotions, such as amusement, pity, and sorrow, when they heard old Hauser spelling the letters.
Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:
- 🧐To answer this question, we need to explain what we can understand or conclude from this line based on our prior knowledge and the context of the story. We can use words like because, since, or as to show the evidence and the reasoning.
- 😂😭We can say that one possible inference that can be drawn from this line is that the narrator and his classmates felt a mixture of emotions, such as amusement, pity, and sorrow, when they heard old Hauser spelling the letters. This is because it was an unusual and absurd sight to see an old man learning like a child, but it was also a touching and tragic sight to see him losing his language and culture.
Question (iv)
What did M. Hamel have the courage to do till the very last?
A) To hear every lesson
B) To teach every lesson
C) To learn every lesson
D) To write every lesson
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
B) To teach every lesson
Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:
- 📚To answer this question, we need to recall what the narrator said in the extract. He said that he had the courage to hear every lesson to the very last.
- 🤔Let's look at the other options and see why they are wrong.
- A) To hear every lesson. This is not what M. Hamel had the courage to do till the very last, and it is not his role. He was the teacher, not the student, and he did not hear but taught the lessons.
- C) To learn every lesson. This is also not what M. Hamel had the courage to do till the very last, and it is not his duty. He was the teacher, not the learner, and he did not learn but taught the lessons.
- D) To write every lesson. This is also not what M. Hamel had the courage to do till the very last, and it is not his task. He was the teacher, not the writer, and he did not write but taught the lessons.
- ✅Therefore, the correct answer is B) To teach every lesson.
Question (v)
What did old Hauser hold in both hands while spelling the letters with the babies?
A) His spectacles
B) His primer
C) His ruler
D) His handkerchief
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
B) His primer
Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:
- 📕To answer this question, we need to recall what the narrator said in the extract. He said that old Hauser had put on his spectacles and, holding his primer in both hands, spelled the letters with them.
- 🤔Let's look at the other options and see why they are wrong.
- A) His spectacles. This is not what old Hauser held in both hands while spelling the letters with the babies, and it is not logical. He put on his spectacles, not held them, and he used them to see better, not to spell better.
- C) His ruler. This is also not what old Hauser held in both hands while spelling the letters with the babies, and it is not relevant. He did not have a ruler, but a primer, and he used it to learn the letters, not to measure them.
- D) His handkerchief. This is also not what old Hauser held in both hands while spelling the letters with the babies, and it is not necessary. He did not have a handkerchief, but a primer, and he used it to spell the letters, not to wipe his tears.
- ✅Therefore, the correct answer is B) His primer.
Question (vi)
What was the name of the thing that M. Hamel used to teach writing?
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
His iron ruler
Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:
- 📏To answer this question, we need to recall what the narrator said in the extract. He said that the sight of M. Hamel's dress and his iron ruler.
- ✅Therefore, the answer is His iron ruler
