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Question
Answer the following question in about 40-50 words.
When do the residents of Alsace realise how precious their language is to them?
Solution
When the people of Alsace learn that French will no longer be taught to them, they discover how important their native tongue is to them. Mr. Hamel explains to them that “when people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language, it is as if they have the key to their prison.”
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- in great dread of
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Find out about the following (You may go to the internet, interview people, consult reference books or visit a library.)
(a) Linguistic human rights
(b) Constitutional guarantees for linguistic minorities in India
Given below is a survey form. Talk to at least five of your classmates and fill in the information you get in the form.
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Languages you know |
Home language |
Neighbourhood language |
City/Town language |
School language |
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Have you ever changed your opinion about someone or something that you had earlier liked or disliked? Narrate what led you to change your mind.
Read the given extract and answer the questions.
| Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street, the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison, very loud, with our hands over our ears to understand better, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table. But now it was all so still! 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. Through the window I saw my classmates, already in their places, and M. Hamel walking up and down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had to open the door and go in before everybody. You can imagine how I blushed and how frightened I was. |
- List any two sensory details present in this extract. (1)
- Why does the protagonist feel anxious about entering the classroom on this particular day? (1)
- The classmates have started the lesson
- The teacher is in a bad mood
- The classroom is too quiet
- The protagonist is running late
- Complete the sentence appropriately. (1)
The phrase "as quiet as Sunday morning" suggests that ______. - Pick evidence from the extract that helps one infer that this was not the protagonist’s first time being late to school. (1)
- What does the term 'terrible iron ruler' indicate about M. Hamel? (1)
- Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract? (1)
- The Fears of a Latecomer
- The Importance of Punctuality
- The Rigidity of the School System
- The Anxiety of a Young Student
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- Are you happy with what you could study this year?
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- What was the best moment for you this year?
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In what region does the story take place?
In what time period does the story take place?
How did M. Hamel dress up on special occasions?
Think and answer:
Why is it the last lesson?
Think and answer:
What subjects does Franz study in school?
Think and answer:
Why were the old men of the village attending school that day?
According to M. Hamel, who are the people that did not take education seriously? What examples does he give to support his view?
Where does M. Hamel live? Who lived with him?
Guess why M. Hamel was leaving the country.
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List the people and their occupations mentioned in the story.
Find five words ending with ‘-ing’ and five words ending with ‘-ed’ from the lesson.
Find five examples of commonly used past participles from the story. For example, said, learnt.
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
______ was in great dread of
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
______ did not know the first word about them
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
Terrible iron ruler
What is the meaning of the following word and phrase in the passage? Choose the correct alternative.
What a thunderclap these words were to me!
What should people never lose even when they lose freedom?
