The Best Christmas Present in the World class 8 Questions Answers

The Best Christmas Present in the World class 8 Questions Answers: The Best Christmas Present in the World is the lesson no 1 from class 8 NCERT English textbook Honeydew. Here you'll get to read The Best Christmas Present in the World class 8 Questions Answers.

The Best Christmas present in the World is written by Michael Morpurgo. The Best Christmas present in the World's scene is during the First World War, two enemies The British and German soldiers met on the no man's land inorder to celebrate christmas peacefully.

How the soldiers of two enemies forgot all fighting on the eve of christmas, they enjoyed a peaceful time, share their feelings, drunk and sang carol with each other. They even played a football match. This showed how two armies longed for peace.

The Best Christmas Present in the World theme.

Theme of the story The Best Christmas Present in the World is that war brings only destruction and sadness in the world. Only the path of peace will lead us to the happiness and welfare of mankind.

The Best Christmas Present in the World class 8 Summary in English

The story "The Best Christmas Present in the World" begins with the author buying an old cheap roll-top desk (table) from a junk shop. Though it was in a bad condition, the author thought that he would restore it.

On Christmas Eve, he started to repair it. The table was of the 19th century and was made of oak. The drawers were badly damaged due to fire and water.

The last drawer was shut tightly, the author pulled it out with full force and found a secret drawer inside. In that secret space there was a small black tin box and there was a letter.

On top of that box it was written, ‘Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes’.

Inside the tin box was an envelope with the address written on it, ‘Mrs. Jim Macpherson 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport.’ It said that it was his last letter and was dated December 26, 1914.

The author began to read the letter. It was written by Jim Macpherson, a captain of the English army to his wife Connie.

He had narrated a beautiful incident that took place on the battlefield on Christmas Day. It was Christmas day and the English and Germans were at war. Both the armies were in their respective trenches. All of a sudden, he saw someone waving a white flag from the German side.

He heard German soldiers wishing them Merry Christmas. Some of the English soldiers also wished them the same. Surprisingly, they saw German soldiers moving towards them which alarmed captain Macpherson. He thought it could be a trick. But the German soldiers brought canned meat and wine.

The soldiers were hugging and wishing each other. Hans Wolf, the German officer shook hands with Macpherson. Wolf told him that he was from Dusseldorf and played cello in an orchestra. Macpherson told him that he was a from Dorset and was a school teacher.

Hans Wolf told him that he knew English and Thomas Hardy is his favorite writer. In his book, ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’, he has described Dorset. Thus, he knew a lot about Dorset from there. Macpherson offered him the cake sent by his wife, Connie.

The soldiers played football together. After the match, all of them enjoyed the food and drinks. After all this, they parted back to their trenches unwillingly. Later at night, both the armies sang Carols for a while, and then there was silence.

Macpherson wrote that these memories are a treasure for his lifetime and hoped that the war will end soon.

After reading the letter, the author decided to return the letter to Mrs. Macpherson. He went to her house in Bridport, Dorset, and found that house was burnt.

Mrs. Macpherson, 101 years old, was inside the house at the time of the fire. The author comes to know that Mrs. Macpherson is in the nursing home.

The author finds her sitting on a chair there. When he called her Connie and returned the letter to her, her eyes lit up. She took his hand with eyes filled with tears and said that her Jim kept the promise.

Also, she made the author sit beside her and talked lovingly for long with him. She said that it is the best Christmas present in the World.

The Best Christmas Present in the World class 8 Summary in Hindi

कहानी "The Best Christmas Present in the World" की शुरुआत लेखक ने कबाड़ की दुकान से पुरानी सस्ते रोल-टॉप डेस्क (टेबल) खरीदने से की। हालांकि यह एक बुरी स्थिति में था, लेखक ने सोचा कि वह इसे मरम्मत करेगा।

Christmas की पूर्व संध्या पर, उन्होंने इसकी मरम्मत शुरू कर दी। टेबल 19 वीं शताब्दी की थी और oak से बनी थी। आग और पानी के कारण दराज बुरी तरह क्षतिग्रस्त हो गए।

अंतिम दराज को कसकर बंद कर दिया गया था, लेखक ने इसे पूरी ताकत से बाहर निकाला और अंदर एक गुप्त दराज पाया। उस गुप्त स्थान में एक छोटा काला टिन का डिब्बा था और एक पत्र था।

उस बॉक्स के ऊपर लिखा था, Jim का अंतिम पत्र, 25 जनवरी, 1915 को प्राप्त हुआ। समय आने पर मेरे साथ दफनाया जाए। '

टिन बॉक्स के अंदर एक लिफाफा था, जिस पर लिखा था, Mrs. Jim Macpherson 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport। ’इसने कहा कि यह उसका आखिरी पत्र था और 26 दिसंबर, 1914 को दिनांकित किया गया था।

लेखक ने पत्र पढ़ना शुरू किया। यह Jim Macpherson,, अंग्रेजी सेना के एक कप्तान ने अपनी पत्नी Connie को अंग्रेजी सेना के एक कप्तान लिखा था।

उन्होंने Christmas के दिन युद्ध के मैदान में हुई एक खूबसूरत घटना सुनाई थी। यह Christmas का दिन था और अंग्रेजी और जर्मन युद्ध में थे। दोनों सेनाएँ अपनी-अपनी खाइयों में थीं। अचानक, उन्होंने किसी को German की ओर से एक सफेद झंडा लहराते देखा।

उन्होंने German सैनिकों को Merry Christmas की बधाई देते हुए सुना। अंग्रेजी सैनिकों में से कुछ ने भी उनकी यही कामना की। आश्चर्यजनक रूप से, उन्होंने German सैनिकों को उनकी ओर बढ़ते देखा, जो captain Macpherson को भयभीत कर रहे थे। उसने सोचा कि यह एक चाल हो सकती है। लेकिन German सैनिक डिब्बाबंद मांस और शराब ले आए।

सैनिक गले मिल रहे थे और एक-दूसरे को चाह रहे थे। German अधिकारी Hans Wolf ने Macpherson से हाथ मिलाया। Wolf ने उसे बताया कि वह Dusseldorf से था और orchestra में cello बजाता था। Macpherson ने उसे बताया कि वह Dorset से था और एक स्कूल शिक्षक था।

Hans Wolf ने उन्हें बताया कि वह अंग्रेजी जानते थे और Thomas Hardy उनके पसंदीदा लेखक हैं। अपनी पुस्तक में, 'Far from the Madding Crowd', उन्होंने Dorset का वर्णन किया है। इस प्रकार, वह Dorset के बारे में बहुत कुछ जानता था। Macpherson ने उन्हें अपनी पत्नी Connie द्वारा भेजे गए केक की पेशकश की।

सैनिकों ने एक साथ फुटबॉल खेला। मैच के बाद, सभी ने भोजन और पेय का आनंद लिया। इस सब के बाद, वे अनिच्छा से अपनी खाइयों में वापस भाग गए। बाद में रात में, दोनों सेनाओं ने थोड़ी देर के लिए कैरोल गाए, और फिर मौन था।

Macpherson ने लिखा कि ये यादें उनके जीवनकाल के लिए एक खजाना हैं और उम्मीद है कि युद्ध जल्द ही समाप्त हो जाएगा।

पत्र को पढ़ने के बाद, लेखक ने Mrs. Macpherson को पत्र लौटाने का फैसला किया। वह Bridport, Dorset में अपने घर गया, और पाया कि घर जल गया था।

Mrs. Macpherson, 101 वर्ष, आग के समय घर के अंदर थी। लेखक को पता चला कि Mrs. Macpherson नर्सिंग होम में हैं।

लेखक उसे वहाँ एक कुर्सी पर बैठा पाता है। जब उसने उसे Connie कहा और उसे पत्र लौटाया, तो उसकी आँखें जल उठीं। उसने आँसुओं से भरी आँखों से अपना हाथ उठाया और कहा कि उसके Jim ने वादा निभाया है।

इसके अलावा, उसने लेखक को अपने पास बैठाया और उसके साथ लंबे समय तक प्यार से बात की। उसने कहा कि यह दुनिया में मौजूद सबसे अच्छा क्रिसमस उपहार (The Best Christmas Present in the World) है।

The Best Christmas Present in the World class 8 Solutions

Comprehension Check

Page 10

Q1. What did the author find in a junk shop ?

Ans: The author found a roll-top desk for sale in a junk shop. It was made of oak wood, but it was in a very bad condition.

Q2. What did he find in a secret drawer ? Who do you think had put it in there ?

Ans: In the secret drawer of the desk, the author found a small tin box. It had a letter in it. I think the owner of the roll-top desk 'Mrs. Jim Macpherson' might have put it there.

Page 14

Q1. Who had written the letter, to whom, and when ?

Ans: Jim Macpherson had written the letter to his wife Connie Macpherson on December 26, 1914.

Q2. Why was the letter written - what was the wonderful thing that had happened ?

Ans: Jim wrote the letter to tell his wife about a wonderful thing that had happened on Christmas day. The British and the Germans were engaged in a war, but both the enemies met in no man's land. It was a wonderful thing because right in the middle of a war, the soldiers were making peace.

Q3. What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers ?

Ans: Hans Wolf was from Dusseldorf. Before joining army he played the cello in the orchestra. Jim Macpherson was a school teacher from Dorset.

Q4. 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 all about Dorset from reading Thomas Hardy's book, ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’

Q5. 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 therefore his wife Connie had preserved his letters.

Page 15

Q1. Why did the author go to Bridport ?

Ans: The author went to Bridport to meet Mrs Jim Macpherson and deliver to her Jim’s letter.

Q2. How old was Mrs Macpherson now ? Where was she ?

Ans: At that time Mrs. Macpherson was 101 year old.

She was in a nursing home in Burlington house, on the Dorchester road, on the other side of town.

Page 16

Q1. Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was ?

Ans: Mrs. Connie Macpherson thought that her visitor was her husband, Jim. Macpherson.

Q2. Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity ?

Ans: No, the author / visitor did not try to hide his identity. The sentence which shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity is,

'I explained about the desk, about how I had found it, but I don't think she was listening.'

The Best Christmas Present in the World NCERT Questions Answers

Working with the Text

Page 16

Q1. For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim’s letter ? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans: Connie had kept Jim’s last letter till January 25, 1915. The letter was dated December 26, 1914.

Q2. 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.

Q3. Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts ? Do you agree ?

Ans: Though Jim and Hans both were soldiers, warm hearted. They had seen the sufferings of war and hated 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 as we all aware of the negative aspects of war.

Q4. 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 of the two armies were like each other. Some evidence from the story to prove are,

(i) Both the armies celebrated Christmas.

(ii) Both the armies shared their food and spent time together in smoking, laughing, talking, drinking and eating.

(iii) They played a football match and agreed that conflicts and disputes may be resolved by football match

(iv) They agreed about the negative aspects of war and longed peace.

(v) They exchanged carols and hoped to unite with the families again.

The Best Christmas Present in the World class 8 Long Questions Answers

Q5. 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 were opponents to each other in a war. However, on the day of Christmas, the German soldiers started with waving hands at the British soldiers.

At first, the British soldiers thought that it was a trick to deceive them but soon they realised that it was not. They all met and greeted each other, ate together, laughed together, and played a football match with each other. They shared their thoughts on wars and hoped for a peaceful end.

At the end of the day, they exchanged carols for a while and then they all fell silent.

Q6. What is Connie’s Christmas present ? Why is it the best Christmas present in the world ?

Ans: On the day of Christmas, the author went to Connie to deliver her husband’s letter to her. It had been such a long time since she was hoping for her husband to return, that she mistook author to be her husband. Her eyes were filled with tears and said that it was the best Christmas present in the world.

This is because, in the letter, her husband had mentioned that he would return by Christmas time next year. However, when the author told her how he found the letter, she ignored all that he said and felt it was Jim who had come to visit her after a long time.

Q7. Do you think the title of the story is suitable for it ? Can you think of any other title (s) ?

Ans: The title, “The Best Christmas Present in the World” is suitable here as the old lady had waited for her husband for a very long time. He was to return on Christmas day and therefore when the author visited her to return the last letter written by her husband, she mistook him to be her husband. However, she was wrong but also was genuinely happy.

Working with Language

Page 17

1. (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.

Ans: 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.

Ans: 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 quarrelled 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!

(d) By the time I returned, they had fallen asleep!

Ans:

Past Earlier Past

set out, stayed had seen

arrived, came had left, had gone

sat, ate had packed

returned had fallen

The Best Christmas Present in the World class 8 short Questions Answers

Q1. Who is the author the lesson 'The best Christmas Present in the World' ?

Ans: Michael Morpurgo.

Q2. Where did the author find the roll-top desk ?

Ans: The author found roll top desk at a junk shop in Bridport

Q3. What did the author find in the secret-drawer ?

Ans: He found a small black tin-box cello taped to the top of that was a piece of lined notepaper in the secret drawer.

Q4. What was written on the tin box ?

Ans: ‘Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915.’ was written on the tin box.

Q5. Who was Jim Macpherson ?

Ans: Jim Macpherson was a school teacher. He was from Dorset, in the west of England.

Q6. Who was Hans Wolf ?

Ans: Hans Wolf was the officer of Fritz. He was from Dusseldorf. He played a cello in the orchestra.

Q7. Who won the football match ?

Ans: Fritz won the football match.

The Best Christmas Present in the World class 8 extra Questions Answers

Q1. Describe the condition of roll - top desk.

Ans: The roll-top box was made up of oak wood. It was in very bad condition. It brings scorch mark all down one side & one leg is clumsily mended.

Q2. Why did the author buy roll top box even though it was in bad condition ?

Ans: The Author bought roll top box of bad condition because it cost little money and he could easily restore it by working on it.

Q3. What was there inside the small tin box ?

Ans: Inside the box there was an envelope, addressed ‘Mrs. Jim Macpherson, 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport Dorset'.

Q4. Describe briefly about Christmas morning on the behalf of letter sent by Jim to Connie.

Ans: Christmas morning was crisp and quiet all about, as beautiful a charming day. It was totally cold and frosty as a Christmas morning should be.

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