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The Last Lesson, , , , J fel 4), k r, , 1 The Last Lesson |, , 12074cH01, About the author, , Alphonse Daudet (1840-1897) was a French novelist, and short-story writer. The Last Lesson is set in the, days of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) in which, France was defeated by Prussia led by Bismarck., Prussia then consisted of what now are the nations of, Germany, Poland and parts of Austria. In this story the, French districts of Alsace and Lorraine have passed, into Prussian hands. Read the story to find out what, effect this had on life at school., , Notice these expressions in the text., Infer their meaning from the context, , © in great dread of © inunison, © counted on © agreat bustle, thumbed at the edges reproach ourselves with, , I started for school very late that morning and was in great, dread of a scolding, especially because M. Hamel had said, that he would question us on participles, and I did not, know the first word about them. For a moment I thought of, running away and spending the day out of doors. It was so, warm, so bright! The birds were chirping at the edge of the, woods; and in the open field back of the sawmill the, Prussian soldiers were drilling. It was all much more, tempting than the rule for participles, but I had the, strength to resist, and hurried off to school., , When I passed the town hall there was a crowd in, front of the bulletin-board. 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?”, , , , 2021-22, , , , Then, as I hurried by as fast as I could go, the, blacksmith, Wachter, who was there, with his apprentice,, reading the bulletin, called after me, “Don’t go so fast,, bub; you'll get to your school in plenty of time!”, , I thought he was making fun of me, and reached, M. Hamel's little garden all out of breath., , 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