The Best Christmas Present in the World Summary and Solution chapter 1 CBSE Class 8 English Honeydew
Summary
Michael Morpurgo is the author of The Greatest Christmas Gift in the World. The author decides to purchase an antique roll-top desk at the beginning of the novel. He saw one at a Bridport junk shop. Although it was reasonable, it was in poor shape. He thus believed that he could fix it and take it home. Christmas eve was when he began working on it. When he took the drawers out, he saw that they were broken. The author had to exert additional force to open the final drawer since it was stuck so firmly.
When the drawer finally opened, he discovered a little area inside. There was a second little drawer inside the drawer. "Jim's last letter, received January 25, 1915" was scribbled on a piece of lined note paper that was attached to it. to be interred with me in the hereafter. An envelope with the address "Mrs. Jim Macpherson, 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport, Dorset" was discovered inside the box. He removed the mail and opened it. The date "December 26, 1914" was scribbled in pencil at the top of the writing.
In that hidden drawer, he discovered an envelope. The writer perused the missive. Jim Macpherson, a German captain, was the author of the letter. The letter was addressed to Connie, his wife. In this letter, Jim Macpherson described an amazing event that occurred on Christmas Eve on the battlefield.
Britain and Germany were at odds. On Christmas morning, both armies were in their trenches. The white flag was being waved by someone on the German side. They then called out to the British forces. They were wishing the British soldiers a Merry Christmas, and they were wished back. Surprisingly, some German troops began to approach them. The Captain was concerned because he suspected they would assault them. However, it was discovered that they had taken German alcohol and tinned meat with them. They hugged and enjoyed Christmas Eve together. They didn't have any firearms amongst them. They were attempting to make peace in the midst of the fight.
A German officer approached Macpherson. He introduced himself as Hans Wolf Dusseldorf and shook hands. He stated that he enjoyed playing the cello with the symphony and wished Macpherson a Merry Christmas. In answer, Macpherson described himself as a Dorset schoolteacher. Hans Wolf grinned and said he was familiar with Dorset. Although he had never visited Dorset or England, he had learned about England in school and had read novels in English. Thomas Hardy was his favourite author, and "Far from the Madding Crowd" was his favourite novel. Macpherson and Dusseldorf also enjoyed a Christmas cake. Jim was assured by Hans Wolf that the marzipan was the nicest he had ever eaten. This was stated by Macpherson in his letter.
Suddenly, another soldier appeared and pulled the football off the ground. A friendly match was played between British and German soldiers. The troops were applauded and praised by Macpherson and Dusseldorf. Jim Macpherson thought that instead of war, the two countries' dispute might be settled by a football match. He claimed this since no one dies in a football game, no children are orphaned, and no soldier's spouses become widows.
The football game was finally over. The match was won by the Germans. Soon after, everyone drank and ate their fill. Macpherson wished Dusseldorf well and promised to see him again with their families. He departed with a gentle reminder that after the conflict was over, they could all go home and spend meaningful time with their separate families. Dusseldorf saluted Macpherson before walking away slowly and reluctantly. The German troops were heard singing a Christmas tune that night. The English troops also sang "While Shepherds Watched" with them. Macpherson concluded the letter by telling Connie that those were the happiest times of his life. He concluded the letter by expressing his hope that the conflict will finish soon.
The author returned the letter to the envelope after reading it. He decided to give the letter to the intended recipient. He got up early the next morning and drove to Bridport. He arrived at House No. 12 and discovered it to be a burnt-out shell. He knocked on the door of the next home to inquire about Mrs Macpherson's whereabouts. An elderly resident in the vicinity stated that her house caught fire, most likely as a result of candle burning. However, she was saved by the firemen and admitted to a nursing facility on the opposite side of town, Burlington House on Dorchester Road.
Later, the author went there and found Mrs Macpherson was an old lady who was confined to a wheelchair at the Burlington House Nursing Home. The matron offered him a mince pie to eat. He introduced himself to Mrs Macpherson as her husband’s friend who had come to visit her on Christmas. He wished her and handed over the tin box containing her husband’s last letter to her. At that moment, her eyes lit up with recognition, and her face was filled with a sudden glow of happiness.
The author explained that he had come to visit her as he brought a Christmas present for her and explained about the roll-top desk. Mrs Macpherson’s eyes were filled with tears, and she was completely lost in thoughts. She assumed that the author was her husband and asked him to sit beside her. She expressed that she missed him badly all the years when he was away fighting the war. Besides she also said that she prepared a nice Christmas cake, marzipan, all around for him because she knew how much he relished it. Thus, the story ends with a note that Mrs Macpherson mistook the author for her long-awaited husband, for whom she had been waiting for many years.
Solution of the chapter
The Best Christmas Present in the World Comprehension check
Question 1.
What did the author find in a junk shop ?
Answer:
In a junk shop, the author discovered a roll-top desk.
Question 2.
What did he find in a secret drawer ? Who do you think had put it in there?
Answer:
He discovered a little tin box there. Ms. Macpherson, I believe, had placed it there.
The Best Christmas Present in the World Comprehension check
Question 1.
Who had written the letter, to whom, and when ?
Answer:
On Christmas Eve, Jim Macpherson penned a letter to his wife, Connie, from the battlefield.
Question 2.
Why was the letter written–what was the wonderful thing that had · happened?
Answer:
The letter was prepared to explain an uncommon thing/event that occurred at the battlefield on Christmas Eve.Both opponents celebrated the holiday with brutality. They shared German beverages and bratwurst. And their carols were lauded by one another. It was the fantastic occurrence that had occurred on the battlefield.
Question 3.
What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?
Answer:
Jim Macpherson was an instructor, and Hans Wolf was a cellist in the orchestra.
Question 4.
Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset ? Why did he say he knew it ?
Answer:
No, he had never been to Dorset. He learned about the place from school and reading books in English
Question 5.
Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war ? How do you know this ?
Answer:
Jim Macpherson did not return from the war. On tin box, it was written in a clumsy handwriting : “Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.” This line supports our answer
The Best Christmas Present in the World Comprehension check
Question 1.
Why did the author go to Bridport ?
Answer:
The author went to Bridport in search of Mrs. Connie Macpherson.
Question 2.
How old was Mrs. Macpherson now ? Where was she ?
Answer:
Mrs. Macpherson was 101 years old. She was in a Nursing Home situated at Dorchester Road named as Burlington House. The place was on the other side of the town.
The Best Christmas Present in the World Comprehension check
Question 1.
Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?
Answer:
Connie Macpherson thought her visitor was her own husband, Jim Macpherson.
Question 2.
Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity
Answer:
The sentence ‘I said I was a friend come to visit Mrs. Macpherson to bring her a Christmas present’ shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity.
The Best Christmas Present in the World Working With the Text
Question 1.
For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim’s letter? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
I believe she kept Jim's letter until their house was fined.
The following are the reasons:
The roll-up desk was from the early nineteenth century, the date on the letter was December 26, 1914, and she was now 101 years old. All of these arguments support my response.
Question 2.
Why do you think the desk had been sold, and when ?
Answer:
I believe the desk was sold when the house burned down. Mrs. Macpherson must have sold it to a trash trader because it was badly burned. She then left the house to reside in a nursing home.
Question 3.
Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts ? Do you agree?
Answer:
Sports and games may be a good way to settle disputes between two countries or communities because no one ever dies while participating in them. Playing sports leaves women widowed and orphans among their children. I support the idea of settling disputes. Better for all of mankind, that is.
Question 4.
Do you think the soldiers of the two armies are like each other, or different from each other ? Find evidence from the story to support your answer.
Answer:
Soldiers are not at all different from one another. They both want harmony and calm. Together, they ate meat and wine and celebrated Christmas in the trenches. They also engaged in football. They cheered each other on at night by singing carols. Hans Wolf also told the story of how every soldier wanted the war to finish quickly so they could return home. Even they desired to use sports to settle disputes.
Question 5.
Mention the various ways in which the British and the German soldiers become friends and find things in common at Christmas.
Answer:
The British soldiers received Christmas wishes from the Germans. Following that, they discussed hosting a party with sausages and schnapps in no man's land. The British gave it a courageous and heartfelt response. They became friends and enjoyed eating, laughing, drinking, and conversing while sharing one other's kindness and moments of calm. In addition, they played a game of football that the Germans won two goals to one.
The British soldiers received Christmas wishes from the Germans. Following that, they discussed hosting a party with sausages and schnapps in no man's land. The British gave it a courageous and heartfelt response. They became friends and enjoyed eating, laughing, drinking, and conversing while sharing one other's kindness and moments of calm. In addition, they played a game of football that the Germans won two goals to one.
The Best Christmas Present in the World Working With Language
The Best Christmas Present In The World Class 8 Questions And Answers CBSE
Click here to get access to the best NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Each and every question of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1 The Best Christmas Present in the World has been answered with easy to download solutions in PDF format.
The Best Christmas Present in the World NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1
The Best Christmas Present in the World NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers
The Best Christmas Present in the World Comprehension check (Page-10)
Question 1.
What did the author find in a junk shop ?
Answer:
The author found a roll-top desk in a junk shop.
Question 2.
What did he find in a secret drawer ? Who do you think had put it in there?
Answer:
He found a small tin box there. It had been placed there by Ms. Macpherson as I think.
The Best Christmas Present in the World Comprehension check (Page-14)
Question 1.
Who had written the letter, to whom, and when ?
Answer:
Jim Macpherson wrote the letter to his wife, Connie, on the Christmas Eve from the battlefield.
Question 2.
Why was the letter written–what was the wonderful thing that had · happened?
Answer:
The letter was written to describe an unusual thing/event happened on the Christmas eve at the battlefield.Both the enemies celebrated the eve in the ferocity of war. They enjoyed together German drinks and sausage. And their carols were praised by each other. It was the wonderful event that had happened on the battlefield.
Question 3.
What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?
Answer:
Jim Macpherson was a school-teacher whereas Hans Wolf used to play a cello in the orchestra.
Question 4.
Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset ? Why did he say he knew it ?
Answer:
No, he had never been to Dorset. He learned about the place from school and reading books in English
Question 5.
Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war ? How do you know this ?
Answer:
Jim Macpherson did not return from the war. On tin box, it was written in a clumsy handwriting : “Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.” This line supports our answer
The Best Christmas Present in the World Comprehension check (Page – 15)
Question 1.
Why did the author go to Bridport ?
Answer:
The author went to Bridport in search of Mrs. Connie Macpherson.
Question 2.
How old was Mrs. Macpherson now ? Where was she ?
Answer:
Mrs. Macpherson was 101 years old. She was in a Nursing Home situated at Dorchester Road named as Burlington House. The place was on the other side of the town.
The Best Christmas Present in the World Comprehension check (Page – 16)
Question 1.
Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?
Answer:
Connie Macpherson thought her visitor was her own husband, Jim Macpherson.
Question 2.
Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity
Answer:
The sentence ‘I said I was a friend come to visit Mrs. Macpherson to bring her a Christmas present’ shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity.
The Best Christmas Present in the World Working With the Text (Page-16)
Question 1.
For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim’s letter? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
I think she must have kept Jim’s letter till their house caught fine.
The reasons are :
The roll-up desk was of early 19th century, the date on the letter i.e., 26th Dec. 1914 and moreover she was now 101 years old. All these reasons support my answer.
Question 2.
Why do you think the desk had been sold, and when ?
Answer:
The desk, I think, must have been sold when the house got fire. As it was badly burnt,it must have been sold to a junk dealer by Mrs. Macpherson. She left then the place to live in a Nursing Home.
Question 3.
Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts ? Do you agree?
Answer:
As no one dies in a game or sport, it can be a right way to resolve conflicts between the two nations or societies. Sports netive make children orphan and nor make wives widows. I agree to this concept of resolving conflicts. It would be better for the entire humanity.
Question 4.
Do you think the soldiers of the two armies are like each other, or different from each other ? Find evidence from the story to support your answer.
Answer:
Soldiers are like each other and they are not at all different. Both wanted peace and harmony. They enjoyed wine and meat together, celebrated Christmas on the battlefield. Moreover they played football. At night they applauded each other by singing carols. Hans Wolf also narrated that each soldier must wish the fight to end soon and they wanted to go homes. Even they wanted to resolve the conflicts by sports.
Question 5.
Mention the various ways in which the British and the German soldiers become friends and find things in common at Christmas.
Answer:
The Germans wished Happy Christmas to the British soldiers. After that they thought of having a party at no-man’s land with schnapps and sausages. The British responded it bravely and warm-heartedly. They became friends and shared each others goodwill and time of peace by enjoying, eating, laughing, drinking and talking. Besides, they played football that was won by the Germans by two goals to one.
Question 6.
What is Connie’s Christmas present ? Why is it “the best Christmas present in the world” ?
Answer:
Jim’s last letter was Connie’s Christmas present. He was away on the front. She had been waiting for his return. Unfortunately her house caught fire and she had lost everything. So, after so many years when she got her husband’s letter on the Christmas Eve, she lost in memory. So it is the best Christmas present in the world ‘for her’.
Question 7.
Do you think the title of this story is suitable for it ? Can you think of any other title(s)?
Answer:
The entire story resolves around the letter that belongs to Mrs. Macpherson. It is really valuable for Connie Macpherson as it turns out to be the best Christmas gift for her. Nothing can be thought beyond the letter. Some other titles may be : An extra ordinary Christmas present, the most adorable Christmas present.
The Best Christmas Present in the World Working With Language (Page 17)
Question 1.
Look at these sentences from the story.
I spotted it in a junk shop in Bridpot… The man said it was made in the early nineteenth
century… . This one was in bad condition… The italicised verbs are in the past tense. They tell us what happened in the past, before now.
Read the passage below and underline the verbs in the Past tense.
A man got on the train and sat down. The compartment was empty except for one lady. She took her gloves off. A few hours later the police arrested the man. They held
him for 24 hours and then freed him.
Answer:
The following are the verbs in the Past tense :
got, sat, took, arrested, held , freed.
• Now look at these sentences.
The veneer had lifted almost everywhere. Both fire and water had taken their toll on this desk.
Notice the verb forms had lifted, had taken (their toll)
The author found and bought the desk in the past.
• The desk was damaged before the author found it and bought it.
Fire and water had damaged the desk before the author found it and bought it. K
We use verb forms like had damaged for an event in the ‘earlier past’. If there are two events in the past, we use the ‘had ..’form for the event that occurred first in the past.
We also use the Past Perfect tense to show that something was wished for, or expected before a particular time in the past. For example, I had always wanted one …
Discuss with your partner the difference in meaning in the sentences below. W
hen I reached the station, the train left.
When I reached the station, the train had left.
(ii) Fill in the blanks using the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
My little sister is very naughty. When she ……………….. (come) back from school yesterday, she had …………………… (tear) her dress. We …… ……………… (ask) her how it had ………………………… (happen). She ……………………….. (say) she ……….. (have, quarrel) with a boy. She ……………… (have, beat) him in a race and he….. (have, try) to push her. She …… …………. (have, tell) the teacher and so he ….. (have, chase) her and she … (have, fall) down and ….. ……… ….. (have, tear) her dress.
Answer:
came, torn, asked, happened, said, had quarrelled, had beaten, had tried, had told, had chased, had fallen, had torn
(iii) Underline the verbs and arrange them in two columns, Past and Earlier past.
(a) My friends set out to see the caves in the next town, but I stayed at home, because I had seen them already.
(b) When they arrived at the station, their train had left. They came back home, but by that time I had gone out to see a movie!
(c) So they sat outside and ate the lunch I had packed for them.
(d) By the time I returned, they had fallen asleep!
2. Dictionary work
By the end of the journey, we had run out of drinking water. Look at the very run out of in this sentence. It is a phrasal verb: it has two parts, a verb and a preposition or an adverb. Phrasal verbs often have meanings that are
different from the meanings of their parts.
• Find these phrasal verbs in the story
burnt out, lit up, look on, run out, keep out
Write down the sentences in which they occur. Consult a dictionary and write down
the meaning that you think matches the meaning of the phrasal verb in the sentence.
Answer:
Burn out-destroyed by fine
(i) H.No. 12 turned out to be nothing but a burned out shell, the roof gaping ………
Lit up become bright.
(ii) That was the moment her eyes lit up with recognition …………
Look on-watch.
(iii) Hans Wolf and I looked on and cheered, clapping ………………….
Run out-disappear.
(iv) The time came and all too soon, when the game was finished the schnapps and the ruin and the sausage had long since run out and we knew it …………….
Keep out to be safe from
(v) ……………. clapping our hands and stamping our feet, to keep out the cold as much as anything.
3. Noun phrase
Read the following sentence.
I took out a small black tin box.
The phrase in italics is a noun phrase.
It has the noun-box—as the head word, and three adjectives preceding it.
Notice the order in which the adjectives occur-size (small), colour (black) and material (tin) of which it is made.
We rarely use more than four adjectives before a noun and there is no rigid order in
which they are used, though there is a preferred order of modifiers/adjectives in a noun phrase, as given below.
4. The table below contains a list of nouns and some adjectives.
Use as many adjectives as you can to describe each noun. You might come up with some funny descriptions!
The Best Christmas Present in the World Speaking
Question 1.
In groups discuss whether wars are a good way to end conflicts between countries. Then present your arguments to the whole
Answer:
All that is left of war is devastation. After the war, losses in terms of personnel, finances, and supplies are felt. They are an effective means of resolving disputes between the nations. It is only via a well-paced conversation that tension may be reduced. When a country is attacked by war, it loses strength both materially and economically. No country desires conflict.
Question 2.
What kind of presents do you like and why ? What are the things you keep in mind when you buy presents for others ? Discuss with your partner. (For example, you might buy a book because it can be read and re-read over a period of time.)
Answer:
Present-giving varies from person to person. If you are giving an elderly woman a gift, you should choose a scarf or knee caps rather than a book. A set of airtight containers is more valuable to a homemaker than a book. When choosing a gift to offer, we need to exercise extreme professionalism. While certain gifts are useful to some, others see little value in certain items. Make a wise decision by balancing your needs and preferences.
The Best Christmas Present in the World Writing
Question 1.
Imagine that you are Jim. You have returned to your town after the war. In your diary record how you feel about the changes you see and the events that occur in your town. You could begin like this
25 December, 1919
It’s Christmas today, but the town looks …………….
Answer:
December 25, 1919
Even though it's Christmas, the town appears unhappy. There are no signs of houses, bazaars, buildings, or stores. Nothing is the same. Only ruins seldom discovered. All that was left of my house was a charred shell. Nobody can relate to my emotions and sorrow. It's all lost. There's sadness everywhere. Should it be put into a fire, what would happen? All that's left of war is devastation. A portion of my heart feels like it's squeezing my ribs. God, oh! Deliver us from a society on the verge of collapse.
Or
Suppose you are the visitor. You are in a dilemma. You don’t know whether to disclose your identity and disappoint the old lady or let her believe that her dear Jim has come back. Write a letter to a friend highlighting your anxiety, fears and feelings.
Answer:
Bridport
27th December, 19xx
Dear Sonal,
Here I am to share my anxiety, fears and feelings with you. They are about a roll-top desk I purchased from a junk shop. In its one drawer I found a letter. It was written by some Jim to his wife Mrs. Macpherson. Jim was an army officer and fought the war against Germany during World War I. The letter described an incident that occurred on the Christmas morning on the battlefield where the Germans invited the British to relish their shnapps, play a football match.
The letter had so touching details, I decided to search Mrs. Macpherson and deliver the letter. Having made some enquiries I reached a nursing home and found the lady who was now 101 years old. I went up and handed over the letter to her. That was the Christmas morning. Her eyes lit up and she looked at me and believed that Jim had come back. She kissed my cheek, offered me tea and cake. I was spell-bound. I am in a fix whether to disclose my identity or disappoint the old lady. I could not make up my mind. Please do help me. What should I do? Your loving friend, Jane
Question 2.
Given below is the outline of a story. Construct the story using the outline.
A young, newly married doctor ………… freedom fighter ……………………… exiled to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by the British ………………………. infamous Cellular Jail …………….. prisoners tortured ………. revolt by inmates …… doctor hanged ……….. wife waits for his return … becomes old continues to wait with hope and faith.
Answer:
A young newly married doctor was captured on a false notion of a freedom fighter. He was exiled to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by the British to the infamous Cellular Jail. In jail most of the prisoners had been tortured since long. Some of the inmates did revolt. The doctor was sentenced to death. But his wife waits for his return. She has become old and pathenic in nature. But he never returns. She continues to wait with the hope and faith that one day he will return her charming days with a happy later marriage life.
Hello,
May I help you ?