Key Concept: Johnsy’s Illness

b) Pneumonia

[Solution Description]

Johnsy is suffering from pneumonia, which is a serious illness that affects the lungs. Her condition worsens not just because of the physical illness but also due to her lack of willingness to live.

Key Concept: Character Motivation

a) She thought the leaf symbolized her life

[Solution Description]

Johnsy was in a state of deep depression and had lost her will to live. She associated her life with the last leaf on the vine, thinking that when it fell, she would also die. This belief was a manifestation of her despair and lack of hope.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Masterpiece

b) The last ivy leaf; It gave Johnsy hope

[Solution Description]

Behrman’s masterpiece is the painting of the last ivy leaf. Sue calls it a masterpiece because it fooled Johnsy into thinking it was a real leaf, giving her hope to live.

Key Concept: Friendship and Sacrifice

a) He painted a leaf on the wall

[Solution Description] Mr. Behrman painted a realistic ivy leaf on the wall during a stormy night to replace the real leaf that had fallen. This act gave Johnsy the will to live, as she saw the “last leaf” still clinging to the creeper.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Masterpiece

c) The last leaf he painted on the ivy creeper

[Solution Description] Behrman’s masterpiece is the last leaf he painted on the ivy creeper. This is revealed when Sue and Johnsy find the ladder, lantern, and paints near his bed after his death. The correct answer is the last leaf he painted on the ivy creeper.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Masterpiece

b) The last leaf on the ivy creeper

[Solution Description]

Behrman’s masterpiece is the painting of the last leaf on the ivy creeper. He painted it during a stormy night to give Johnsy hope and motivation to live. This act ultimately led to his death due to pneumonia.

Key Concept: Johnsy’s Illness

b) Pneumonia

[Solution Description]

In the story, it is mentioned that Johnsy fell very seriously ill and was diagnosed with pneumonia.

Key Concept: Purpose of Foreshadowing

c) To create suspense

[Solution Description]

Authors use foreshadowing to create suspense, build tension, and prepare readers for upcoming events in the story.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Masterpiece, The Last Leaf

c) To give Johnsy hope and help her recover

[Solution Description]

Behrman painted the last leaf to give Johnsy hope and help her recover from her illness. He knew that she believed she would die when the last leaf fell, so he painted a realistic leaf to keep her spirits up. This act of selflessness ultimately led to his own death but saved Johnsy’s life.

Key Concept: Character Analysis

c) Johnsy’s friend

[Solution Description]

Sue is Johnsy’s friend who becomes very worried when Johnsy falls ill with pneumonia. She tries her best to make Johnsy take an interest in life and supports her throughout her illness.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Masterpiece

b) The last ivy leaf; it gave Johnsy hope

[Solution Description]

Behrman’s masterpiece is the last ivy leaf he painted on the wall during the stormy night. Sue refers to it as his masterpiece because it gave Johnsy the will to live by not falling, despite the harsh weather.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Masterpiece

c) The painted ivy leaf

[Solution Description]

Behrman’s masterpiece is the painted ivy leaf that he created on the wall during the stormy night. This act of painting the leaf gave Johnsy the will to live, making it his greatest work.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Sacrifice

a) Johnsy recovered but Behrman fell ill and died.

[Solution Description]

Behrman’s act of painting the leaf gave Johnsy the will to live, leading to her recovery. However, Behrman himself fell ill and passed away as a result of his actions.

Key Concept: Role of Positive Thinking

d) It helps her develop a positive mindset

[Solution Description]

The last leaf staying on the creeper despite the storm makes Johnsy realize her mistake in wanting to die. It changes her mindset, making her want to live, which aids her recovery. This is evident when she says: “The last leaf has shown me how wicked I have been. I have realised that it is a sin to want to die.”

Key Concept: Setting and Context

b) A ladder and a lantern

[Solution Description]

After Mr. Behrman’s death, a ladder, a lantern still lighted, and some brushes with green and yellow paints were found near his bed. These items indicate he had been painting before he died.

Key Concept: Johnsy’s Illness and Hopelessness

b) She believed the falling leaves predicted her death.

[Solution Description]

Johnsy associated her fate with the falling leaves of an ivy creeper outside her window. She believed that when the last leaf fell, she would die. This belief stemmed from her hopelessness and lack of will to live, as she had convinced herself that she would not recover from her illness.

Key Concept: Character Analysis

b) To paint a masterpiece for Johnsy.

[Solution Description]

Behrman went out in the stormy night to paint a leaf on the wall where the last leaf of the creeper had fallen. He did this to give Johnsy hope and save her life, as she believed she would die when the last leaf fell.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Secret Act

b) It is a sin to want to die and she has been wicked.

[Solution Description] After observing the last leaf that did not fall during the storm, Johnsy realizes that she has been wicked and depressed. She acknowledges that it is a sin to want to die and decides to change her attitude towards life. This realization leads her to express gratitude to Sue for her care and support.

Key Concept: Plot Details

b) Two days

[Solution Description]

The text mentions that Mr Behrman was ill for only two days before he died.

Key Concept: Irony and Surprise Ending

c) An ivy leaf

[Solution Description]

Behrman painted an ivy leaf on the wall to give Johnsy hope. This act is considered his masterpiece because it saved her life.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Masterpiece

b) An ivy leaf

[Solution Description] Behrman painted an ivy leaf on the wall during a stormy night to give Johnsy hope. This act became his masterpiece and helped Johnsy regain her will to live.

Key Concept: Understanding the Doctor’s Warning

b) Her will to live is crucial

[Solution Description]

The doctor mentions that Johnsy\’s recovery depends on her will to live. If she does not want to live, medicines will not help her. Therefore, the key factor in her recovery is her desire to survive.

Key Concept: Johnsy’s Illness

c) She associated her survival with the falling of the last ivy leaf

[Solution Description]

Johnsy believed that she would not recover because she associated her survival with the falling of the last leaf from the ivy creeper outside her window. She thought that when the last leaf fell, she would die. This belief was rooted in her pessimistic state of mind and lack of will to live.

Key Concept: About the Author: O. Henry

b) New York City

[Solution Description]

O. Henry spent a significant portion of his life in New York City, where he gained inspiration for many of his short stories set in urban environments.

Key Concept: Johnsy’s Illness

b) Pneumonia

[Solution Description]

Johnsy is suffering from pneumonia, as mentioned in the text. The doctor notes her condition and mentions that she has pneumonia.

Key Concept: American Short Story Writer

d) Sherwood Anderson

[Solution Description] This question focuses on an American short story writer who portrays rural life and the struggles of ordinary people. Flannery O’Connor is known for her Southern Gothic style. John Steinbeck’s works often depict the lives of ordinary people, especially during the Great Depression. F. Scott Fitzgerald is more associated with the Jazz Age and the American Dream. Sherwood Anderson, however, is celebrated for his short stories that vividly depict rural life and the struggles of ordinary people, as seen in his collection “Winesburg, Ohio.”

Key Concept: Sue’s Attempts to Help Johnsy

b) To be her model for a painting

[Solution Description]

Sue called Behrman to her apartment because she needed him to be her model for a painting she was working on, which was an old miner.

Key Concept: Symbolism

c) It mirrors her decision to fight for her life

[Solution Description]

The persistence of the last leaf against the storm mirrors Johnsy’s eventual decision to fight for her life. Just as the leaf clings to the creeper, Johnsy finds the strength to cling to life.

Key Concept: Character Motivation

c) She associates the falling leaves with her own mortality and loss of hope.

[Solution Description]

Johnsy is emotionally fragile and has fallen into a state of deep despair due to her illness. She associates the falling of the ivy leaves with her own impending death, believing that when the last leaf falls, her life will also end. This belief is a reflection of her mental state rather than any medical reality.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Masterpiece

c) The last leaf on the ivy creeper

[Solution Description]

Behrman’s masterpiece is the leaf he painted on the wall during the stormy night. This is revealed when Sue tells Johnsy, “That’s Behrman’s masterpiece. He painted it the night the last leaf fell.”

Key Concept: Behrman’s Masterpiece

b) A painting of the last ivy leaf

[Solution Description]

Behrman’s masterpiece is the painted ivy leaf that he created on the night of the storm. This leaf symbolizes hope and life for Johnsy, as it makes her realize the importance of living and overcomes her depression.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Masterpiece

b) By painting a leaf on the wall

[Solution Description]

Behrman helped Johnsy by painting a leaf on the wall during a stormy night. This act made Johnsy realize the importance of life and gave her the will to live.

Key Concept: Artists’ Lifestyle

b) They were painters

[Solution Description]

Both Johnsy and Sue were artists, so their profession was directly related to art.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Masterpiece

c) An ivy leaf painted on the wall

[Solution Description]

In the story, Behrman paints a single ivy leaf on the wall during a stormy night to give Johnsy hope that she will survive. This act of painting the leaf, which ultimately saves Johnsy’s life, is considered Behrman’s masterpiece.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Dream

b) To paint a masterpiece

[Solution Description]

Behrman’s lifelong dream was to paint a masterpiece, which he eventually achieves by painting the last leaf on the ivy creeper.

Key Concept: Behrman’s Dream

b) To paint a masterpiece

[Solution Description]

Behrman’s lifelong dream was to paint a masterpiece. Although he had not achieved this dream for many years, he eventually succeeds by painting the last leaf on the wall to inspire Johnsy.

Key Concept: Johnsy’s Condition

c) She had lost interest in living and believed she would die.

[Solution Description] The doctor observed that Johnsy had made up her mind that she was not going to get well. He explained that if a patient does not want to live, medicines will not help them. This indicates that Johnsy’s lack of will to live was the primary concern for her recovery.

Key Concept: Basic Concept

c) Including excessive details and complex arguments

[Solution Description]

In the introduction section of a document, it is important to avoid providing too much detail or delving into complex arguments. The introduction should be concise and focused on setting up the main discussion points.

Key Concept: Symbolism in “The Last Leaf”

c) The leaf symbolizes hope and strengthens Johnsy’s will to live.

[Solution Description]

The last leaf does not fall because it symbolizes hope and resilience. It serves as a metaphor for Johnsy’s will to live, giving her the strength to overcome her illness and despair. The leaf’s persistence through the storm mirrors Johnsy’s recovery and newfound determination.

Key Concept: Imagery and Descriptive Writing

b) Her will to live.

[Solution Description]

For Johnsy, the last leaf on the creeper symbolizes her will to live. When she sees that the leaf has not fallen despite the storm, she realizes that it is a sin to want to die and decides to live.

Key Concept: Hope and the Will to Live

c) The last leaf not falling

[Solution Description] Johnsy changes her mind about dying when she sees the last leaf still clinging to the creeper despite the storm. This gives her hope and makes her realize that wanting to die is a sin.