CBSE Class 8 English Chapter 1 – The Best Christmas Present in the World Important Question Answers from Honeydew Book
Class 8 The Best Christmas Present in the World Question Answers – Looking for The Best Christmas present in the World Important questions and answers for CBSE Class 8 English Honeydew Book Chapter 1? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practicing Class 8 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Chapter 1: The Best Christmas Present in the World now. The questions listed below are based on the latest CBSE exam pattern, wherein we have given Text book Questions (NCERT Solutions) to the chapter’s Extract-based Questions and Extra Question Answers
Also, practising with different kinds of questions can help students learn new ways to solve problems that they may not have seen before. This can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and better performance on exams.
- The Best Christmas Present in the World Text Book Questions
- The Best Christmas Present in the World Grammar Exercises
- The Best Christmas Present in the World Extract Based Questions
- The Best Christmas Present in the World Extra Question Answers
Related:
- The Best Christmas Present in the World Summary, Explanation
- The Best Christmas Present in the World MCQs
- The Best Christmas Present in the World Character Sketch
Class 8 English The Best Christmas Present in the World Text Book Questions – NCERT Solutions
1. What did the author find in a junk shop?
Ans. In the junk shop,the author found a nineteenth-century roll-top desk made of oak. Old as it was, it was in a poor shape; the roll top was not in single piece, one of its legs was unskillfully repaired and it had marks on one of its sides as if it were burnt down.
2. What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?
Ans. The author discovered a black coloured tin box inside the secret drawer. Fixated on its top side, there was a letter on which it was written “Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.” in shaky handwriting.
It was meant for Jim’s wife, Mrs Macpherson. Thus, she must have been the one to keep it there safely.
3. Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?
Ans. Jim Macpherson, the officer of the British army had written the letter to his wife, who he refers to as Connie, with love.The letter is dated December 26, 1914; after the best Christmas celebration, they had with the German army.
4. Why was the letter written — what was the wonderful thing that had happened?
Ans. The letter was written by Jim to share “the wonderful thing” that had happened a day before. While the English army was behind their trenches against the German army, they were shown the white flag by the Germans, symbolising a truce. The German men then came to the no man’s land, hereby inviting the Tommies or English men to celebrate Christmas with them over Schnapps and sausages. Both the armies celebrated Christmas and made peace in the midst of war, even if it was for a day. Jim met the officer of the German army, Hans Wolf and they spent a lot of time talking about a lot of things. Even though they were enemies, they agreed upon almost everything.
Both the sides played football and enjoyed rum, schnapps and sausages. They spent the day laughing, drinking, eating and enjoying with each other. They finally departed to their ways after the football match and that night, they even exchanged carols.
5. What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?
Ans. When Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson were not serving their respective armies, they had other jobs that kept them occupied. Hans Wolf, officer of the German army played cello in an orchestra and Jim Macpherson, officer of the British army taught at a school in Dorset, in the West of England.
Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset? Why did he say he knew it?
No, Hans Wolf had never been to Dorset, or for that matter, any part of England. Even then, he said he knew quite well about the place because he learned a lot about England in school and he liked reading English books which gave him all the knowledge he needed to know.
6. Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?
Ans. No, Jim Macpherson did not come back from the war. The tin box that the narrator found had “Jim’s last letter” written on it which means he wrote no letter after this one.
Also factually, the letter was written in the early years of World War I in which the Germans emerged victorious, which clearly hints at the defeat of the British army.
7. Why did the author go to Bridport?
Ans. The author could not sleep after reading the letter. So, the next morning he decided to go to Bridport which was just a few miles away from where he lived. He had gone there to find Mrs Macpherson at the address mentioned on the envelope so that he could give her the letter.
8. How old was Mrs Macpherson now? Where was she?
Ans. Mrs Macpherson was now a hundred and one years old. Her house in Bridport burned down years ago and now she was in a Nursing home named Burlington House on Dorchester road, which is on the other side of the town.
9. Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?
Ans. Connie Macpherson thought the visitor was her husband Jim Macpherson.
10. Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity?
Ans.The lines that show that the visitor did not try to hide his identity are, “I explained about the desk, about how I had found it, but I don’t think she was listening.”
11. For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim’s letter? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans. Connie had kept the letter with her for a very long time. No clear time had been mentioned but by the series of events mentioned in the story, we can say she possessed it until her house caught fire. This is because the author found it in the partially-burnt roll-top desk that he bought from the junk shop. It was kept in a secret drawer in a tin box that said, “to be buried with me”. Thus, Connie kept the letter safe with her and intended to do so till eternity. It was the fire that separated her from that letter.
12. Why do you think the desk had been sold, and when?
Ans. The desk must have been sold after it got burned partially in the house fire. Connie was taken to a Nursing home after that. All the furniture along with that desk must have been sold after that.
13. Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts? Do you agree?
Ans. Jim and Hans are of the opinion that if countries could resolve their conflicts by playing football or cricket, no lives would be sacrificed, no parent would lose their son, no children would be orphaned and no wives would be left widowed. Yes, I agree with their opinion. Wars only cause destruction. A nation that emerges victorious from the war, must actually not take it as a reason to celebrate, as it is only a result of massive bloodshed and sacrifice. Nations must refrain from declaring war-like situations and solve the conflicts with negotiations, peacefully.
14. 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.
Ans. The soldiers from the two armies, British and German are quite similar to each other. They are soldiers from different countries, but in reality are simple men who want to negotiate peacefully so that they can reunite with their families as soon as possible. It is evident from these lines in the story, “ I wished Hans well and told him I hoped he would see his family again soon, that the fighting would end and we could all go home. “I think that is what every soldier wants, on both sides,” Hans Wolf said.”
Also, the line “We agreed about everything, and he was my enemy.” suggests that Jim and Hans got along with each other quite well as they made peace amidst an ongoing war.
15. Mention the various ways in which the British and the German soldiers become friends and find things in common at Christmas.
Ans. On Christmas Day, the Fritz (German soldiers) came out on no man’s land and invited the Tommies (British army) to celebrate the day over Schnapps and sausages. The celebrations began when the Tommies in Khaki joined them. While men in grey and Khaki met each other, the officers of the two armies also introduced themselves to each other. They talked over a variety of things like Dorset, Hans’ favourite writer and book and even the characters from the book. As they talked, they found a lot of things in common between them, as Jim said, “We agreed about everything, and he was my enemy. ” All of them shared each other’s quota of rum, schnapps and sausage.
All men were seen laughing, eating, drinking, talking and enjoying themselves. They even played a football match. In the end, all they wished for each other was to reunite with their families and children and for things to end peacefully.
16. What is Connie’s Christmas present? Why is it “the best Christmas present in the world”?
Ans. As the author decided to return Jim’s letter to his wife Connie, he went to meet her at the Nursing Home to hand it over to her personally. He gave the letter to Connie and explained to her how he found it but she didn’t listen to a word of what he said. So, she misunderstood the author to be Jim and became joyful. She considered it her Christmas present and according to her, it was “the best Christmas present in the whole world” as she had been waiting for Jim since long and she had longed to hear his voice every day. Her eyes were filled with tears as she sat with her Christmas present.
17. Do you think the title of this story is suitable for it? Can you think of any other title(s)?
Ans. The lesson revolves around the day of Christmas. The letter that Jim worte is all about how the two armies came together to celebrate the spirit of Christmas despite being enemies in war. Moreover, in that letter, he assures Connie to be there with her next Christmas.
Apart from this, the author gives back the letter to Connie on Christmas day and Connie, who had been longing to see and hear from Jim, considers the author to be her husband and the best ever Christmas present. Thus, the title, “The Best Christmas Present in the World” is apt.
The other titles that would be suitable for the story are, “The Christmas Miracle”, “The spirit of Christmas” or “The Christmas Messenger”.
The Best Christmas Present in the World Grammar Exercises
(i) 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.
Solution– 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.
(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.
Solution– My little sister is very naughty. When she came back from school yesterday, she had torn her dress. We asked her how it had happened. She said she had quarreled with a boy. She had beaten him in a race and he had tried to push her. She had told the teacher and so he had chased her, and she had fallen down and had torn her dress.
(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!
Solution- (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!
|
Past |
Earlier Past |
| Set out | Had seen |
| stayed | Had left |
| arrived | Had gone out |
| Came back | Had packed |
| sat | Had fallen asleep |
| ate | |
| returned |
iv ) Find these phrasal verbs in the story.
| Burn out | Light 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.
Solution-
1. Burn out
Meaning- be or cause to be destroyed by fire
House number 12 turned out to be nothing but a burned-out shell, the roof gaping, the windows boarded-up.
2. Light up
Meaning- (of a person’s face or eyes) suddenly become animated with liveness or joy
That was the moment her eyes lit up with recognition and her face became suffused with a sudden glow of happiness.
3. Look on
Meaning- watch without getting involved
Hans Wolf and I looked on and cheered, clapping our hands and stamping our feet, to keep out the cold as much as anything.
4. Run out
Meaning- (of a supply of something) be used up
The time came, and all too soon, when the game was finished, the schnapps and the rum and the sausage had long since run out, and we knew it was all over.
5. Keep out
Meaning- remain or cause someone or something to remain outside
Hans Wolf and I looked on and cheered, clapping our hands and stamping our feet, to keep out the cold as much as anything.
v) 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!
|
Nouns |
Adjectives |
| Elephant | circular, striped, enormous, multicolored, round, cheerful, wild, blue, red, chubby, large, medium-sized, cold |
| Face | |
| Building | |
| Water |
Solution-
| Nouns |
Adjectives |
| Elephant | Giant, gigantic, enormous, docile, wild, furious, wise, huge, old, extinct, stubborn, circular, striped, enormous, multicoloured |
| Face | Pale, narrow, broad, round, expressionless, happy, troubled, lean, red, wild, blue, medium-sized, cold |
| Building | Tall, shabby, older, narrower, coloured, residential, industrial, unfinished, roofed, filthy |
| Water | Clean, fresh, refreshing, hot, cold, thunderous, quenching, renewable, natural, sparkling |
Class 8 English The Best Christmas Present in the World Chapter 1 Extract Based Questions
Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow-
A. I spotted it in a junk shop in Bridport, a roll-top desk. The man said it was early nineteenth century, and oak. I had wanted one, but they were far too expensive. This one was in a bad condition, the roll-top in several pieces, one leg clumsily mended, scorch marks all down one side. It was going for very little money. I thought I could restore it. It would be a risk, a challenge, but I had to have it. I paid the man and brought it back to my workroom at the back of the garage. I began work on it on Christmas Eve.
Q1. What was the desk made of?
Ans. It was made of oak wood.
Q2. The desk was from _______
Ans. 19th century
Q3. Describe the desk.
Ans. The desk was in a bad condition, the roll-top in several pieces, one leg clumsily mended, scorch marks all down one side.
Q4. How much did the desk cost?
Ans. It costed very little money.
Q5. When did the writer begin to work on the desk?
Ans. He started working on it on Christmas eve.
B. I removed the roll-top completely and pulled out the drawers. The veneer had lifted almost everywhere — it looked like water damage to me. Both fire and water had clearly taken their toll on this desk. The last drawer was stuck fast. I tried all I could to ease it out gently. In the end I used brute force. I struck it sharply with the side of my fist and the drawer flew open to reveal a shallow space underneath, a secret drawer. There was something in there. I reached in and took out a small black tin box. Sello-taped to the top of it was a piece of lined notepaper, and written on it in shaky handwriting: “Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.” I knew as I did it that it was wrong of me to open the box, but curiosity got the better of my scruples. It usually does.
Q1. What had damaged the desk?
Ans. Fire and water had damaged it.
Q2. What did the writer find in the last drawer?
Ans. He found a secret drawer, a small shallow space.
Q3. What was there in the secret drawer?
Ans. There was a small tin box in the secret drawer.
Q4. Was the writer feeling guilty for opening the tin box?
Ans. Yes, he felt that it was wrong of him to open the box but curiosity had got the better of him.
Q5. What had the receiver of the letter desired?
Ans. The person wished that the letter be buried along with him / her when the time came.
C. I should like to be able to tell you that we began it. But the truth, I’m ashamed to say, is that Fritz began it. First someone saw a white flag waving from the trenches opposite. 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!” I thought that would be that. We all did. But then suddenly one of them was up there in his grey greatcoat and waving a white flag. “Don’t shoot, lads!” someone shouted. And no one did. Then there was another Fritz up on the parapet, and another. “Keep your heads down,” I told the men, “it’s a trick.” But it wasn’t.
Q1. Fritz refers to _____
Ans. The German soldiers.
Q2. Who was waving white flags from the trenches?
Ans. German soldiers
Q3. Whom does ‘Tommy’ refer to?
Ans. It refers to the British soldiers because Tommy is a common British name.
Q4. What did the writer think it was at first?
Ans. At first he thought that it was a trick played by the enemy soldiers.
Q5. What does “that would be that” mean?
Ans. It means that was all.
D. One of the Germans was waving a bottle above his head. “It is Christmas Day, Tommy. We have schnapps. We have sausage. We meet you? Yes?” By this time there were dozens of them walking towards us across no man’s land and not a rifle between them. Little Private Morris was the first up. “Come on, boys. What are we waiting for?” And then there was no stopping them. I was the officer. I should have stopped them there and then, I suppose, but the truth is that it never even occurred to me I should. All along their line and ours I could see men walking slowly towards one another, grey coats, khaki coats meeting in the middle. And I was one of them. I was part of this. In the middle of the war we were making peace
Q1. Who was waving a bottle above his head?
Ans. One of the German soldiers.
Q2. What is schnapps?
Ans. It is a kind of drink.
Q3. What is happening in the story?
Ans. The enemy soldiers are meeting each other to celebrate Christmas over schnapps and sausage.
Q4. What were the soldiers doing?
Ans. in the middle of the war, they were making peace.
Q5. The writer should have done something that he didn’t do. What was it?
Ans. Being the officer, he should have stopped the soldiers from moving ahead and meeting the enemy soldiers but it did not occur to him and he did not do it.
Class 8 The Best Christmas present in the World Extra Question Answers
Answer the following questions-
Q1. How old was Connie Macpherson? What had happened to her house?
Ans. She was one hundred and one years old. As she preferred using candles than electricity, her house caught fire and she was rescued in time.
Q2. “ All along their line and ours I could see men walking slowly towards one another, grey coats, khaki coats meeting in the middle.” What do the grey and khaki coats signify?
Ans. They grey coats indicated the German soldiers while the khaki coats belonged to the British soldiers.
Q3. “ “Jim Macpherson,” he said after a while, “I think this is how we should resolve this war. A football match. No one dies in a football match. No children are orphaned. No wives become widows.”” What message does the writer want to convey?
Ans. He wants to end wars which lead to death and destruction. The German soldier suggests that instead of fighting in a war, they can have a football match and the winner should be the winner of the war. This way, the war will be through without causing deaths of soldiers.
Q4. What did both Hans and Jim wish for?
Ans. Both of them wished that the war ended soon and they could go home to their families.
Q5. What all did the soldiers do together?
Ans. They shared drinks and food. Then they played a football match. Later in the night, they sang Christmas carols.
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This was so so helpful….
Thank you very much 🥰