Page 2 - The Last Leaf

E. SUE and Johnsy, two young artists, shared a small flat. The flat was on the third storey of an old house.
Johnsy fell very seriously ill in November. She had pneumonia. She would lie in her bed without moving,
just gazing out of the window. Sue, her friend, became very worried. She sent for the doctor. Although
he came every day there was no change in Johnsy’s condition. One day the doctor took Sue aside and
asked her,” Is anything worrying Johnsy?” “No,” replied Sue. “But why do you ask?” The doctor said
“Johnsy, it seems, has made up her mind that she is not going to get well. If she doesn’t want to live,
medicines will not help her.”

Q1. Which disease did Johnsy suffer from?
Q2. What did the doctor say about Johnsy’s condition?
Q3. What did the two girls do for a living?
Q4. Find a word from the extract which means the same as “staring” .

F. They tiptoed into the room. Johnsy was sleeping. Sue drew the curtains together and they went to the
next room. She peeped out through the window. There was only one leaf on the creeper.
It was raining heavily and an icy-cold wind was blowing. It seemed as though the leaf would fall any
minute now. Behrman did not say a word. He went back to his room.
Johnsy woke up next morning. In a feeble voice she asked Sue to draw the curtains. Sue was nervous.
She drew back the curtains very reluctantly. “Oh!” Sue exclaimed as she looked at the vine creeper.
“Look, there is still one leaf on the creeper. It looks quite green and healthy. In spite of the storm and
the fierce winds, it didn’t fall.”

Q1. Why was Sue reluctant to open the curtains?
Q2. What does Johnsy see as her symbol of coming death?
Q3. Why did the leaf not fall despite a violent storm?
Q4. Find a word from the given extract which means the same as “weak and puny” .

Answer in 20-30 words

1. Why did Sue seek the promise from Johnsy not to look out of the window while she completed her
painting?
2. Why was Sue nervous and reluctant while drawing the curtains on the morning after the storm?
3. Describe in your own words the colony where the artists lived.
4. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the willingness to live?
5. How did Sue pour out her worries to Behrman? What was his reaction?

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