8th class-cbse english (Honeydew) Chapter-1 (The best Christmas present in the world) (Michael Morpurogo)

Answer following questions in short.

Q1) What did the author find in a Junk shop?

Ans1) The author found in a junk shop a roll-top desk.

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

Ans2) In the secret drawer he found a small tin box. It contained Jim‘s last letter. According to me it had been kept there by Mrs. Macpherson.

Q3) Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?

Ans3) The letter was written by Jim Macpherson to his wife, Connie, on Christmas from the battlefield.

Q4) Why was the letter written –what was the wonderful thing that had happened?

Ans4) The letter was written at wartime to describe a unusual event which happened on the Christmas eve. It was wonderful as fritz celebrated Christmas in the terrible sight of war, they were joined by the German. They enjoyed together drinks and sausage. Enemies became friends for sometime in the battlefield.

Q5) What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?

Ans5) Hans Wolf played a cello in the orchestra and Jim Macpherson was a school –teacher when they were not soldiers.

Q6) Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset? Why did he say he knew it?

Ans6) No, he had never gone to Dorset. He learnt about it from school by reading books in English. So he said he knew it.

Q7)  Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?

Ans7) Jim Macpherson did not return from the war. We know this because on the box. , It was written “Jim’s last letter, received on January 25, 1915 .To be buried with me when the time comes.” These lines shows that Jim never came back from the war.

Q8) Why did the author go to Bridport?

Ans8) The author went to Bridport to meet Mrs. Macpherson to deliver her letter.

Q9) Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?

Ans9) Mrs. Macpherson thought that he was her husband Jim Macpherson.

 Q10) Why do jim and Hans think that games or sports are good way of resolving conflicts? Do you agree?

Ans10) Jim and Hans thought that games or sports are good ways to resolve conflicts because no one dies in a sport. Neither the children got orphaned nor do the wives become widows.

I agree with this concept also as war gives nothing but deaths on both sides

Q11) What is Connie’s Christmas present? Why is it “the best Christmas present in the world”?

Ans11) Connie’s Christmas present was Jim’s last letter. She had been 101 years old. The last letter of her husband brought the sweet memory back after so many years. No other gift could be more pleasing and satisfying.