The Queen's Language

 Read the given anecdote and analyse the similarities and differences with reference to ‘A Letter to God’. A very poor woman called-in a radio station asking for help from God. A non-believer, also listening to this radio program, decided to make fun of the woman. He got her address, called his secretary and ordered her to buy food and take it to the woman. However, the instruction was: "When the woman asks who sent the food, tell her that it’s from the devil.'' When the secretary arrived at the woman's house, the woman was very happy and grateful for the help. The Secretary then asked her, ''Don't you want to know who sent the food?'' The woman replied, ''No, I don't even care because when God orders, even the devil obeys!

1 Choose the option that might raise a question about M. Hamel’s “faithful service”. a) When Franz came late, M. Hamel told him that he was about to begin class without him. b) Franz mentioned how cranky M. Hamel was and his “great ruler rapping on the table”. c) M. Hamel often sent students to water his flowers, and gave a holiday when he wanted to go fishing. d) M. Hamel permitted villagers put their children “to work on a farm or at the mills” for some extra money 2 Which of the following idioms might describe the villagers’ act of attending the last lesson most accurately? a) ‘Too good to miss’ b) ‘Too little, too late’ c) ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’ d) ‘Too cool for school’ 3 Why does the narrator refer to M. Hamel as ‘Poor man!’? a) He empathizes with M. Hamel as he had to leave the village. b) He believes that M. Hamel’s “fine Sunday clothes” clearly reflected that he was not rich. c) He feels sorry for M. Hamel as it was his last French lesson. d) He thinks that M. Hamel’s...