The Best Christmas Present in the World
Comprehension Check
Question 1: What did the author find in a junk shop?
Answer: The author found a nineteenth-century roll-top desk which was put up for sale in a junk shop. It was in a very bad condition, with scorch marks all down one side and several broken pieces, as one leg was clumsily mended.
Question 2: What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think put it in there?
Answer: The author found a shallow space underneath the roll-top desk drawer which was a secret drawer. There was a small black tin box which had a piece of lined notepaper that was sello-taped to its top. There was a note written on it in shaky handwriting: “Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.”
It seems the letter was put inside the box by Mrs Jim Macpherson, with her full name and address written on the envelope.
Comprehension Check
Question 1: Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?
Answer: Captain Jim Macpherson of the British army, who was fighting a war against the Germans, had written the letter to his wife Connie on 26th December 1914.
Question 2: Why was the letter written — what was the wonderful thing that had happened?
Answer: Jim Macpherson wrote the letter to his wife, Connie, and described the wonderful event that happened on the day of Christmas. Although a war was going on between the British and the Germans, they celebrated Christmas and played a friendly football match together.
Question 3: What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?
Answer: 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: No, Hans had never been to Dorset in the past. He had learned about Dorset from school and read several English books. One of his favourite books was ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ written by Thomas Hardy.
Question 5: Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?
Answer: No, it appears that Jim Macpherson never returned home from the war. Perhaps, due to this reason, his wife Connie had preserved all his letters carefully.
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Comprehension Check
Question 1: Why did the author go to Bridport?
Answer: The author went to Bridport to meet Connie Macpherson and deliver the letter which had her address – Mrs. Jim Macpherson, 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport and Dorset. He wanted to deliver the letter to her written by her husband, which the author had mistakenly opened and read the contents of.
Question 2: How old was Mrs Macpherson now? Where was she?
Answer: Mrs Connie Macpherson was a hundred and one years old. She was in the Burlington House Nursing Home that was located on Dorchester Road, on the other side of town.
Comprehension Check
Question 1: Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?
Answer: Connie Macpherson thought that the visitor carrying the letter was her husband, Jim Macpherson.
Question 2: Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity?
Answer: 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”. From this sentence, we understand that although the author tries his best to explain how he found the letter on the old roll-top desk, Mrs Macpherson didn’t pay attention to his words; rather, she stroked the letter tenderly with her fingertips.
Working with the text
Question 1: For how long do you think Connie has kept Jim’s letter? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer: Connie kept Jim’s letter for a long period. We understand this from the fact that she told the narrator how she used to read the letter every day and could feel Jim’s presence around her always.
Question 2: Why do you think the desk had been sold, and when?
Answer: The roll-top desk was put up for sale when the house in which Mrs Jim Macpherson lived caught fire, and she was taken to the Burlington House Nursing Home. Most of the things got burned and were put up for sale thereafter.
Question 3: Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts? Do you agree?
Answer: Jim and Hans thought that games or sports were good ways of resolving conflicts because nobody lays down their lives in matches. Neither do children become orphans, nor do wives become widows of martyred soldiers. Both Jim and Hans thought that war only leads to death, conflict and devastation, whereas playing matches is a good way to end the conflicts.
Yes, I agree with both Jim and Hans that playing friendly matches is an ideal way to resolve conflicts between two enemy countries without any loss of life and property.
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: The soldiers of the two armies are similar to each other for the following reasons derived from the story:
- Both armies celebrated Christmas together.
- They shared good moments by eating, laughing, drinking and talking with each other.
- Both armies played a friendly football match and approved the fact that conflicts could have been resolved by playing a match.
- They agreed about the consequences or negative impact that war has upon families.
- Both armies longed for peace and exchanged Christmas carols, and hoped to unite with their respective families soon.
Question 5: Mention the various ways in which the British and the German soldiers become friends and find things in common at Christmas.
Answer: Both the British and the German soldiers were enemies at war and belonged to different camps. However, at the end of the day, both armies comprised human beings who had similar feelings of love and compassion for their respective families and all those who were fighting the war. Both groups shared the festive spirit of Christmas and enjoyed a feast together by eating, drinking and making merry together. They also talked of Bathsheba and Gabriel Oak and Sergeant Troy and Dorset. They also sang Christmas carols together and spent some quality time with each other. They got over hatred and played a friendly game of football and wished that all conflicts in the world could be resolved by playing games. Both Jim and Hans hated war and knew well how the war affected the lives of their families. Both were anxious to return home to their families once the war came to an end.
Question 6: What is Connie’s Christmas present? Why is it “the best Christmas present in the world”?
Answer: When the narrator visits Connie to deliver her husband’s letter, she mistook him to be her husband, Jim Macpherson due to her old age and memory loss. She was looking forward to Jim returning home for Christmas. She felt this was the best Christmas present she could ever receive.
This was the best Christmas present in the world for Connie because Jim had mentioned in the letter that he would return home from the war on Christmas. She used to read that letter multiple times a day to feel her husband’s presence nearby. Hence, when the narrator told her how he found the letter, she was extremely happy and felt it was Jim who had come to visit her after a long time.
Question 7: Do you think the title of this story is suitable for it? Can you think of any other title(s)?
Answer: In my opinion, the title of the story is very apt and suits it perfectly. The festive spirit of Christmas prevails throughout the story. It mentions how the warring troops longed for peace and had a strong desire to return home safely to their respective families. They shared a wonderful moment together by sharing food and drinks, talked to their heart’s content and played a football match among themselves. However, when the narrator goes to visit Connie along with the letter written by her husband, Jim Macpherson, she presumes the author to be her husband and thanks him for gifting her the best Christmas present ever.
Some suitable titles could be – “The Best Christmas Gift” and “When a Christmas wish comes true”.
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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.
(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: 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.
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.
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.
When 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: 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.
- My friends set out to see the caves in the next town, but I stayed at home because I had seen them already.
- 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!
- So they sat outside and ate the lunch I had packed for them.
- By the time I returned, they had fallen asleep!
| Past | Earlier past |
Answer:
- My friends set out to see the caves in the next town, but I stayed at home because I had seen them already.
- 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!
- So they sat outside and ate the lunch I had packed for them.
- By the time I returned, they had fallen asleep!
| Past | Earlier past |
| set out, stayed | had seen |
| arrived, came | had left, had gone |
| sat, ate | had packed |
| returned | had fallen |
Question 2: Dictionary work
By the end of the journey, we had run out of drinking water.
Look at the verb 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.
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:
- Burn out: “House number 12 turned out to be nothing but a burned-out shell, the roof gaping, the windows boarded-up.” – This line implies that the house was destroyed by fire.
- Light up: “That was the moment her eyes lit up with recognition and her face became suffused with a sudden glow of happiness.” – This line implies that Connie’s face brightened up with happiness.
- 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.” – This line implies that both Jim and Hans watched and cheered each other while playing a football match.
- 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.” – This line implies that the game was over and so was the fun and food that was all used up.
- 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.” – This line implies that they tried to avoid the cold by clapping their hands and stamping their feet.
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Question 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 headword, 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.
Answer: Check the question properly and try to understand the placement of noun phrases and adjectives in it.
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!
| Nouns | Adjectives |
| elephant | circular, striped, enormous, multi-coloured, round, cheerful, wild, blue, red, chubby, large, medium-sized, cold |
| face | |
| building | |
| water |
Answer:
| Nouns | Adjectives |
| elephant | enormous, large, cheerful, wild, medium-sized |
| face | round, cheerful, chubby, |
| building | multi-coloured, blue, red, 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: War brings in a lot of hatred and devastation with it. It exhibits the unseen and unfair side of humans. Nations fight a war sometimes for petty reasons like sharing or conquering a piece of land or due to religion. Soldiers who fight the war leave their families behind, their children become orphaned, and wives become widows when they lay down their lives for their respective countries. Therefore, wars are definitely not an ideal way to end conflicts and cause huge destruction to life and property.
(Note: Students may depict their views in front of the whole class as per their thinking).
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 some time.)
Answer: On the personal front, I do not like the practice of exchanging costly gifts. However, if we want to thank someone with a present, we can buy some flowers as a token of affection for the respective person. Due to this reason, we notice that on formal occasions, many guests bring flower bouquets as gifts to express their warm feelings.
(Note: Students may depict their views and discuss them with their partner at their convenience).
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…..
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:
25 December 1919
It’s Christmas today, but the town looks different from other days. The town was devastated by war. The buildings have been destroyed and are in complete ruins. My house is almost burnt by the bombardments happening due to war. All such events have taken a heavy toll on the lives of the soldiers as well as the civilians as a whole. I am in complete distaste of whatever is happening around me and want to curse the warmongers. I truly long for peace and brotherhood among the countrymen and the people from across the borders.
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: In the year 1929, when India was under the British Raj, the English education system enlightened the minds of a few people. Gradually people started thinking progressively and were fighting hard to free the country from British rule. At that time, a young, newly married doctor was framed in a conspiracy case and sent to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which was located in the Bay of Bengal. He was a freedom fighter who was exiled to the infamous Cellular Jail for a few years. He, along with other prisoners in this jail, was subjected to inhuman torture due to the revolt made by the inmates. One fine day, he was hanged. But his wife kept waiting for his return until she grew old. However, she never lost her hope and faith and continues to wait for her husband to return someday.
The Ant and the Cricket
Working with the poem
Question 1: The cricket says, “Oh! what will become of me?” When does he say it, and why?
Answer: The cricket said the line, “Oh! What will become of me?” when he found out that winter had arrived, but his cupboard was empty. He could not find a single crumb on the snow-covered ground, nor could he see a flower or a leaf on the tree. He thought that as it was getting cold and he had nothing to eat to survive, he would die of starvation very soon.
Question 2: (i) Find in the poem the lines that mean the same as “Neither a borrower nor a lender is” (Shakespeare).
(ii) What is your opinion of the ant’s principles?
Answer:
- The line from the poem that means the same as “Neither a borrower nor a lender is” is “But we ants never lend; we ants never lend.”
- From the ant’s principle, we learn that we should save enough for the future so that we might not need to borrow or lend from anyone in times of need. We should toil hard when the sun shines and make the best utilisation of time and available resources.
Question 3: The ant tells the cricket to “dance the winter away”. Do you think the word ‘dance’ is appropriate here? If so, why?
Answer: When the ant told the cricket to “dance the winter away”, she meant the cricket didn’t utilise his precious time and the available resources during summer to save up enough for the cold season. He was making merry and dancing when the sun was shining bright. Therefore, when the ant mentions the word ‘dance’, she means that the cricket should try to dance and sing in the winter just as he did during the summer and not bother her by asking for food and shelter. Hence, the word ‘dance’ in context is associated with the irresponsible and careless nature of the cricket who made merry when the sun shone bright but didn’t save adequate food to survive in the winter season.
Question 4: (i) Which lines in the poem express the poet’s comment? Read them aloud.
(ii) Write the comment in your own words.
Answer:
- The lines in the poem that express the poet’s comment are, “Folks call this a fable. I’ll warrant it true”.
- The above comment, as mentioned by the poet in the poem, is a fable which has a moral behind it. In this story, the cricket is the one who has a very carefree nature and believes in making merry and dancing when the sun is shining bright during the summer season. He was so engrossed with dancing and singing that he didn’t save anything for the cold season. On the other hand, the ant used to toil hard every day during the summer and saved enough grains for the future so that she had enough food stock to survive the cold winter season. Hence, the moral of the story is that we should always be prepared to work hard and ready to face adverse situations as and when they arise. Otherwise, our condition would become like the cricket that didn’t save enough for a secure future.