Lesson 14
Words to the text
regret
waste
tiresome
call
lift
tongue
finally
attentively
dotted about
scratch
pigeon
oblige
impress
in concert
clock
strike
rise
chalk
choke
letter
lean
sign
dismiss
Words to the dialogue
analyse
complex
complex sentence
subject
predicate
clause
qualify
function
adverbial
phrase
modify
Additional words
simple sentences
object
attributive
Text
THE LAST LESSON
(Continued)
My last lesson in French! I hardly knew how to write, and I never should learn now. How I regretted the hours
wasted in the woods and fields, the days when I had played and should have studied!
My books that a short time ago had seemed so tiresome, so heavy to carry, now seemed to me like old
friends.
I was thinking of this when I heard my name called. It was my turn to recite. What would I not have given to be
able to say the rules without a mistake! But I could not say a word, and stood at my bench without daring to lift
my head. Then I heard the master speaking to me.
"I shall not scold you, little Franz. You are punished enough now. Every day you have said to yourself, 'I have
plenty of time. I will learn my lessons tomorrow.' Now you see what has happened."
Then he began to talk to us about the French language, saying that it was the most beautiful tongue in the
world, and that we must keep it among us and never forget it.
Finally he took the grammar and read us the lesson. I was surprised to see how well I understood. Everything
seemed easy. I believed, too, that I had never listened so attentively; and it almost seemed as if the good man
were trying to teach us all he knew at this last lesson.
When the lesson in grammar was over we began our writing. For that day the master had prepared some
cards on which were written, "Alsace, France; Alsace, France."
They seemed like so many little flags dotted about the schoolroom. How we worked! Nothing was heard but
the voice of the master and the scratching of pens on paper. There was no time for play now. On the roof of the
schoolhouse some pigeons were softly cooing, and I said to myself, "Will they, too, be obliged to sing in
German?"
From time to time, when I looked up from my page, I saw the master looking about him as if he wished to
impress upon his mind everything in the room.
After writing, we had a history lesson. Next, the little ones recited in concert their "Ba, be, bi, bo, bu".
Oh, I shall always remember that last lesson!
Suddenly the church clock struck twelve. The master rose from his chair. "My friends," said he, "my friends, ...
I ... I ..."
But something choked him; he could not finish the sentence. He returned to the blackboard, took a piece of
chalk, and wrote in large letters, "VIVE LA FRANCE."
Then he stood leaning against the wall, unable to speak. He signed to us with his hand. "The lesson is over.
You are dismissed."
Dialogue
Analysing a sentence
How do you analyse this sentence, comrade? My books that a short time ago had seemed so tiresome, so heavy to carry, now seemed to me like old friends.
Let me see. This is a complex sentence. Its subject is my books and seemed to me like old friends is its
predicate, that a short time ago had seemed etc. is a clause qualifying books.
Thank you for your help, but what is the function of phrase a short time ago?
It is an adverbial phrase, modifying had seemed. |