The best christmas present in the world question answer: Ncert solutions for class 8 english honeydew chapter 1
| Textbook | Ncert |
| Class | Class 8 |
| Subject | English Honeydew |
| Chapter | Chapter 1 |
| Chapter Name | The Best Christmas Present in the World ncert solutions |
| Category | Ncert Solutions |
| Medium | English |
Are you looking for Class 8 English Honeydew chapter 1 question answers? Now you can download The best christmas present in the world question answer pdf from here.
Comprehension Check (Page 10)
Question 1: What did the author find in a junk shop?
Answer 1: The author found a roll-top desk for sale in a junk shop. It was made of oak wood, but it was in a veiy bad condition.
Question 2: What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?
Answer 2: 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 might have put it there.
Comprehension Check (Page 14)
Question 1: Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?
Answer 1: John Macpherson, a captain in the British army, had written that letter, dated Dec. 26, 1914, to his wife Connie.
Question 2: Why was the letter written — what was the wonderful thing that had happened?
Answer 2: 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, yet on this day, both the troops met in no man’s land. It was a thing of wonder because right in the middle of a war, the warring soldiers were making peace.
Question 3: What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?
Answer 3: Before joining the armed forces, Hans Wolf from Dusseldorf used to play the cello in an orchestra and Jim Macpherson was a school teacher from Dorset.
Question 4: Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset? Why did he say he knew it?
Answer 4: No, Hans never went to Dorset and had learned all about England from the school and reading books in English. Thomas Hardy was his favourite writer and from his novels, he learned a lot about England.
Question 5: Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?
Answer 5: I think Jim Macpherson never came back from the war. The fact that when their house caught fire, Mrs Macpherson was alone in the house. She lived there alone proves it. Secondly, Mrs Macpherson had written on the tin box that it contained Jim’s last letter. It was to be buried with her after her death.
Comprehension Check (Page 15)
Question 1: Why did the author go to Bridport?
Answer 1: The author went to Bridport because that was the address where Mrs. Macpherson lived. He wanted to give that letter back to her.
Question 2: How old was Mrs Macpherson now? Where was she?
Answer 2: Mrs. Macpherson was 101 years old now. She was in Burlington House Nursing Home.
Comprehension Check (Page 16)
Question 1: Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?
Answer 1: Connie Macpherson thought that her visitor was her husband, Jim.
Question 2: Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity?
Answer 2: 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.’
Working with the Text
Question 1: For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim’s letter? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer 1: Connie had kept Jim’s last letter till January 25, 1915. The letter was dated Dec. 26, 1914.
Question 2: Why do you think the desk had been sold, and when?
Answer 2: The desk must have been sold when the house in which Connie Macpherson lived had caught fire. She was taken to a nursing home. All the burnt up things must have been sold after that.
Question 3: Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts? Do you agree?
Answer 3: While playing games, nobody dies at the end of it. No woman becomes a widow and no child loses their father. Jim and Hans did think that games or sports are a good way of resolving conflict. Wars only cause destruction and death, and nothing is gained after that.
The way the soldiers celebrated Christmas by playing football in no man’s land was such a beautiful incident to show that wars are a useless way to show dominance and its humanity that wins at last.
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 4: The soldiers of the two armies were like each other. Below are some instances from the story to prove:
- Both the armies celebrated Christmas
- Both the armies shared their food and spent time together in smoking, laughing, talking, drinking and eating.
- They played a football match and agreed that conflicts and disputes may be resolved by football match
- They agreed about the negative aspects of war and longed peace.
- They exchanged carols and hoped to unite with the families again.
Question 5: Mention the various ways in which the British and the German soldiers become friends and find things in common at Christmas.
Answer 5: 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.
Question 6: What is Connie’s Christmas present? Why is it “the best Christmas present in the world”?
Answer 6: Her husband’s last letter is Connie’s best Christmas present. It is the best Christmas present because it brings back to her the memories of her husband. It is a symbol of her husband’s return on the Christmas eve.
Question 7: Do you think the title of this story is suitable for it? Can you think of any other title(s)?
Answer 7: I think the title of this story is suitable for it. The story opens, develops and concludes around this title. Husband, a human, is the best Christmas gift for Connie. There can be no other title suitable for this story.
Working with Language
Question 1: Look at these sentences from the story.
I spotted it in a junk shop in Bridport… The man said it was made in the early nineteenth century… This one was in a bad condition… The italicised verbs are in the past tense. They tell us what happened in the past, before now.
Question 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.
Answer 1(i): 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.
Question 1(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 1(ii): My little sister is very naughty. When she came (come) back from school yesterday, she had torn (tear) her dress. We asked (ask) her how it had happened (happen). She said (say) she had quarrelled (have, quarrel) with a boy. She had beaten (have, beat) him in a race and he had tried (have, try) to push her. She had told (have, tell) the teacher and so he had chased (have, chase) her, and she had fallen (have, fall) down and had torn (have, tear) her dress.
Question 1(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!
| Past | Earlier past |
| —- | —- |
| —- | —- |
| —- | —- |
| —- | —- |
Answer 1(iii): (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 |
| came | had packed |
| sat | had fallen |
| ate | |
| returned |
Question 2: 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.
Answer 2: (i) burn out
House number 12 turned out to be nothing but a burned-out shell, the roof gaping, the windows boarded-up.
(ii) light up
That was the moment her eyes lit up with recognition and her face became suffused with a sudden glow of happiness.
(iii) look on
Hans Wolf and I looked on and cheered, clapping our hands and stamping our feet, to keep out the cold as much as anything.
(iv) run out
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.
(v) keep out
Hans Wolf and I looked on and cheered, clapping our hands and stamping our feet, to keep out the cold as much as anything.
Question 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!
| Noun | Adjective |
| elephant | circular, striped, enormous, multicoloured, round, cheerful, wild, blue, red, chubby, large, medium-sized, cold |
| face | |
| building | |
| water |
Answer 4:
| Noun | Adjective |
| elephant | enormous, cheerful, wild, large, medium-sized, |
| face | round, cheerful, chubby |
| building | multi-coloured, blue, red, large, medium-sized |
| water | blue, cold |
Speaking
Question 1: In groups discuss whether wars are a good way to end conflicts between countries. Then present your arguments to the whole class.
Answer 1: War means bloodshed, hate and destruction. It shows the animalism in man. Even the animals fight for some sound reason. But nations go to war to settle some petty dispute or in the name of religion. War solves no problem. Understanding alone can end differences. All religions condemn greed and bloody quarrels. Let us learn this great lesson from history.
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 2: Personally I am against the practice of exchanging expensive gifts. A rose or a token of affection suits every person and every pocket. This is why some guests offer bouquets or greeting cards alone. In case the gift is essential, it should satisfy some need and1 have utility. When I go to buy a present, I first take into account the liking of my classmate, relative or girl/boy friend.