The-Best-Christmas-Present-in-the-World Question Answer

English Note (C.B.S.E)
Class- 8
Chapter- 1
The Best Christmas Present in the World

Comprehension Check- I

1. What did the author find in a junk shop?
Ans: The author found a nineteenth century old roll-top desk in a junk shop.

2. What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?
Ans: The author found a small black tin box inside the drawer which had a letter in it.
I think the box was put inside the drawer by Mrs. Jim Macpherson.

Comprehension Check- II

1. Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?

Ans: Captain Jim Machpherson of the British army who was fighting war against the Germans had written the letter letter to his wife Connie on 26th December, 1914.

2. Why was the letter written – what was the wonderful thing that had happened?

Ans: Jim Macpherson wrote the letter to his wife Connie to describe the wonderful event that had happened on the day of Christmas. Although a war was going on between the British and the Germans, they celebrated Christmas and played a friendly football match together.

3. What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?

Ans: Before joining the armed forces, Hans Wolf used to play the cello in an orchestra and Jim Macpherson was a school teacher.

4. Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset? Why did he say he knew it?

Ans: No, Hans Wolf had never been to Dorset. He had learned about Dorset from his school and read several English books.

5. Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?

Ans: No, Jim Macpherson never came back home from the war. Perhaps, due to this reason his wife Connie had preserved his letter.

Comprehension Check- III

1. Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?
Ans: Connie Macpherson thought that the visitor was her husband, Jim Macpherson.

2. Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity?
Ans: The sentence which shows that that the visitor did not try to hide his identity is, “I explained about the desk, and how I had found it, but I don’t think she was listening.”

Working With The Text

1. For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim’s letter? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans: Connie must have kept Jim’s letter for a long time. This is because she told the narrator how she read it quite often every day so that she could feel that Jim was near her.

2. Why do you think the desk had been sold, and when?

Ans: The desk must have been sold when Connie’s house had burnt. The table had been damaged by fire as well as water.

3. Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts? Do you agree?

Ans: Both Jim and Hans were soldiers. Both were warm hearted. They had seen the sufferings of war. So, it was natural for them to hate war. They favoured a peaceful solution to settle disputes. Games or sports, they said, were good ways of resolving conflicts. I also quite agree with them.

4. Do you think the soldiers of the two armies are like each other, or different form each other? Find evidence from the story to support your answer.

Ans: All human beings are alike in many ways. They love peace and hate war. They want to live together. Examples from the story: “Then they were calling out to us from across no man’s land. “Happy Christmas, Tommy! Happy Christmas! “When we had got over the surprise some of us shouted back.”
Same to you, Fritz! Same to you!”

5. Mention the various ways in which the British and the German soldiers become friends and find things in common at Christmas.

Ans: The British and the German soldiers belonged to different camps. They were enemies in war time. But after all they were human beings and therefore they had similar feelings. They shared the festive spirit of the Christmas. they got over hatred and played games, feasted and drank like good friends. Both hated war. Both were anxious to go back to their families at the end of war.

6. What is Connie’s Christmas present? Why is it the best Christmas present in the world?

Ans: Connie thought that Jim had come back home from war. She mistook the author as Jim. She had been waiting for her husband Jim. So, the coming home of Jim was the best Christmas present in the world for her.

7. Do you think the title of the story is suitable for it? Can you think of any other title(s)?

Ans: The title of the story is most suitable. For the old Connie, no other present could have given her such joy as the coming home of Jim, her husband. Her presumption might be wrong but she got the greatest happiness of her life. Since the story revolves around Christmas, the alternate title of the story could be War and Peace’ or ‘Christmas Gift’. But neither can be match to the present title.