Literary Comprehension Passage: The Last Leaf (Inspired by O. Henry)

On a cold, gloomy evening in November, two young artists, Sue and Johnsy, lived in a small apartment in Greenwich Village. They were friends who had come to the city to follow their dream of painting. One day, Johnsy fell seriously ill with pneumonia. She lay in bed, weak and silent, staring out of the window.

Outside her window stood an old ivy vine, climbing the brick wall of the building next door. The cold wind shook its dying leaves. Day after day, Johnsy watched the leaves fall. Eventually, she began to count them backward — she believed that when the last leaf fell, her life would end too. No amount of comforting from Sue could make her feel hopeful.

Worried and desperate, Sue shared her fears with Behrman, an elderly artist who lived downstairs. He had always dreamed of painting a masterpiece but had never succeeded. Hearing about Johnsy, Behrman scolded her foolish belief — but something in his heart stirred.

That night, a storm came. In the morning, Johnsy awoke and asked Sue to raise the curtain. To their surprise, one ivy leaf still clung to the vine outside. Day after day, the leaf did not fall. Inspired by its resilience, Johnsy’s will to live returned, and she began to recover.

Later, Sue told Johnsy the truth. That last leaf was not real — it was painted by Behrman during the stormy night. He had gone out in the rain to paint it while the real leaves fell. He caught pneumonia himself and died two days later. At last, Behrman had painted his masterpiece — a leaf that gave someone the strength to live.

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Questions

Short Answer Questions (2–3 sentences):

1. Who were Sue and Johnsy, and where did they live?

2. Why did Johnsy keep looking at the ivy vine?

3. What belief did Johnsy hold about the falling leaves?

4. Who was Behrman, and what had he always wanted to do?

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Long Answer Questions (4–6 sentences):

5. How did the last leaf influence Johnsy’s recovery?

6. Describe the sacrifice Behrman made and explain why it is considered a masterpiece.

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Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs):

7. What illness did Johnsy suffer from?
   a) Tuberculosis
   b) Fever
   c) Pneumonia
   d) Influenza

8. What made the last leaf special?
   a) It was magical
   b) It never changed colour
   c) It survived the storm naturally
   d) It was painted secretly by Behrman

9. What was Behrman’s dream throughout his life?
   a) To travel the world
   b) To open an art school
   c) To paint a great masterpiece
   d) To write a book

10. What is the main theme of this story?
    a) Greed and selfishness
    b) Courage and friendship
    c) Magic and fantasy
    d) Time and memory

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Answers

Short Answer Keys:

1. Sue and Johnsy were two young artists living in Greenwich Village, New York.

2. She watched the ivy vine because she believed her life was tied to its falling leaves.

3. Johnsy believed that she would die when the last leaf of the vine fell.

4. Behrman was an old artist who lived downstairs and always wanted to paint a great masterpiece.

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Long Answer Keys:

5. The last leaf gave Johnsy the hope to live. When it didn’t fall despite the storm, she began to believe that she, too, could survive. The leaf’s strength gave her inner strength, and gradually, she started recovering from her illness.

6. Behrman sacrificed his life to paint the leaf on the wall during a cold stormy night. Knowing Johnsy’s life depended on the illusion of that last leaf, he risked everything to give her hope. Though he died of pneumonia, his painting saved her — making it his true masterpiece.

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MCQ Keys:

7. c) Pneumonia

8. d) It was painted secretly by Behrman

9. c) To paint a great masterpiece

10. b) Courage and friendship