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In NCERT Solutions and Notes for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1: The Best Christmas Present in the World, we have words and meanings included in the chapter. You can use these words to improve your vocabulary. Thereafter, you come across important questions and answers in this Honeydew chapter. All questions are answered by subject experts, who are well-versed with the prose and aware of the CBSE guidelines.
Download NCERT Solutions Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1: The Best Christmas Present in the World
Table of Contents
Explore Notes for all chapters of Honeydew:
| Unit 1 Chapter | Unit 2 Chapter | Unit 3 Chapter | Unit 4 Chapter |
| Unit 5 Chapter | Unit 6 Chapter | Unit 7 Chapter | Unit 8 Chapter |
NCERT Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1 Prose: The Best Christmas Present in the World
Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1 ‘The Best Christmas in the World’ is a story by Michael Morpurgo. This is a story about two soldiers from the British and German armies. Also, an old lady is a pivotal part of this amazing story.
Important Words and Phrases and their Meanings
After reading the story, you can get all the important words and phrases and their meanings in this section. Understand them to get a grasp of the story.
- Spotted it: Found it
- Scorch marks: Burn marks
- Veneer: A thin layer of decorative wood or plastic on wood furniture
- Restore: To repair
- Stuck fast: Shut tight
- Taken their toll on: Destroyed
- Scruples: Feelings of hesitation to do something immoral
- Standing to: Taking positions
- Trenches: Long deep ditches in the ground where soldiers hide from enemy
- Fritz: A common German name
- Tommy: A common British name
- That would be that: That was the end of all
- Schnapps: A German drink derived from grain
- Cello: A musical instrument
- Marzipan: A sweet coating of eggs, sugar, and almonds made for cakes
- Dugout: A hole dug in ground for soldiers in battlefield
- Burned out: Damaged by fire
- Muddle-headed: Puzzled
- Boarded up: Covered with wooden boards
- Lit up: Felt joy and became excited
- Suffused with: Spread all over
Also Read: 20+ Daily Used English Words: with Meaning
Download NCERT Solutions for all chapters of Honeydew:
| Unit 1 Chapter | Unit 2 Chapter | Unit 3 Chapter | Unit 4 Chapter |
| Unit 5 Chapter | Unit 6 Chapter | Unit 7 Chapter | Unit 8 Chapter |
NCERT Solutions Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1: The Best Christmas Present in the World
In this section, we have NCERT Solutions Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1 The Best Christmas Present in the World. All solutions are as per the latest CBSE curriculum. Use the answers to ace your Class tests and terminal examinations. Prepare well!!
Comprehension Check I (Page 10)
Ques 1: What did the author find in a junk shop?
Ans: In the junk shop, the author came across a roll-top desk, which was made of oak. It was in extremely bad condition when the author found it.
Ques 2: What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?
Ans: The author found a tiny tin box in the secret drawer of the roll-top desk. The box had a letter in it. According to me, the owner of the desk might have put it there.
Comprehension Check II (Page 14)
Ques 1: Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?
Ans: Jim Macpherson had written the letter to his wife Connie. The letter was dated 6 December 1914.
Ques 2. Why was the letter written — what was the wonderful thing that had happened?
Ans: Jim Macpherson wrote the letter to describe an exciting event. He describes how the British and German armies celebrated Christmas together, even though they were fighting against each other.
Ques 3. What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?
Ans: Before becoming a soldier, Jim Macpherson and Hans Wolf were a school teacher from Dorset and a cello player in Dusseldorf, respectively.
Ques 4. Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset? Why did he say he knew it?
Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1
Ques 5. Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?
Ans: It is likely that Jim Macpherson did not return from the war, as suggested by the notepaper attached to the tin box, which referred to the enclosed letter as Jim’s “last letter.” This letter might have been the final communication Connie received from Jim.
During a Christmas celebration in no man’s land, British and German soldiers engaged in a football game. Hans expressed his hope that the war could be resolved through a football match, but Jim suggested cricket instead, admitting he wasn’t skilled in football. The Germans emerged victorious in the match, possibly reflecting their success in the actual battle between the two troops.
Comprehension Check III (Page 16)
Ques 1. Why did the author go to Bridport?
Ans: The author visited Bridport because that was the recorded address of Mrs Macpherson. The author wanted to give the letter back to Mrs Macpherson.
Ques 2. How old was Mrs Macpherson now? Where was she?
Ans: She was 101 years old. She lived in a nursing home in Burlington House.
Comprehension Check IV
Ques 1. Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?
Ans: She thought that her visitor was Jim Macpherson, her husband.
Ques 2. Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity?
Ans: The sentence from the text is: ‘I explained about the desk, about how I had found it, but I don’t think she was listening’.
Working with the Text
Ques 1. For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim’s letter? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans: Connie has kept her husband’s letter for many years. Her reason for keeping the letter was that she wanted to read it every day to feel the presence of Jime near her.
Ques 2. Why do you think the desk had been sold, and when?
Ans: Connie Macpherson’s house caught fire, and as a result, her desk was likely sold. After the fire, Connie had to move to a nursing home. The neighbours probably sold the damaged items from the fire.
Ques 3. Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts? Do you agree?
Ans: Jim and Hans believed games or sports are better for solving conflicts because no one dies in matches. This means no children become orphans, and no wives become widows. Games are better than wars, which only cause death and destruction.
Ques 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.
Ans: The soldiers from both armies were alike. They celebrated Christmas together, sharing food and enjoying eating, smoking, talking, laughing, and drinking. They even discussed their favourite books and agreed on everything. They played football, cheered, clapped, and stamped their feet. At night, they exchanged carols. They shared the belief that wars only bring death and destruction, and they hoped to reunite with their families. All these examples highlight the similarities between the soldiers of the two armies.
Ques 5. 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 German troops celebrated Christmas together, enjoying each other’s food and sharing Connie’s cake. They smoked, laughed, talked, drank, and ate together. Hans and Jim discussed characters like Bathsheba, Gabriel Oak, Sergeant Troy, and Dorset, even sharing their favourite books. They agreed on everything and cheered for both sides during a football game. At night, they exchanged carols, celebrating Christmas together and discovering common ground between them.
Ques 6. What is Connie’s Christmas present? Why is it “the best Christmas present in the world”?
Ans: Connie received a box from the narrator and thought it was her husband Jim. She believed Jim had returned for Christmas, making it the best gift ever. Jim had promised in a letter to be home for Christmas, and Connie had eagerly read that letter multiple times to feel close to him. Now that he was actually there, she was overjoyed.
Ques 7. Do you think the title of this story is suitable for it? Can you think of any other title(s)?
Ans: The story’s title fits well as it revolves around the Christmas spirit. On a Christmas day during a war, two enemy troops found peace, making it the best gift. The narrator visited Mrs. Macpherson on Christmas to return her husband’s letter, which she cherished. She believed the narrator was her husband, Jim, fulfilling the promise to return on Christmas – the best gift for her.
Working with Language
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. |
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.
| 1. When I reached the station, the train left.2. When I reached the station, the train had left. |
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 _(a)_________ (come) back from school yesterday, she had _(b)_________ (tear) her dress. We _(c)_________ (ask) her how it had _(d)_________ (happen). She _(e)_________ (say) she _(f)_________ __________ (have, quarrel) with a boy. She _(g)_________ __________ (have, beat) him in a race and he _(h)_________ __________ (have, try) to push her. She _(i)_________ __________ (have, tell) the teacher and so he _(j)_________ __________ (have, chase) her, and she _(k)_________ __________ (have, fall) down and _(l)_________ __________ (have, tear) her dress.
Ans:
(a) came
(b) torn
(c ) asked
(d) happened
(e) said
(f) had quarrelled
(g) had beaten
(i) had tried
(j) had chased
(k) had fallen
(l) had torn
(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 |
Ans:
(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 | Ate |
| Returned | Had returned |
Ques 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.
Ans:
| Burn Out | House number 12 turned out to be nothing but a burned-out shell, the roof gaping, the windows boarded up. |
| Light up | That was the moment her eyes lit up with recognition and her face became suffused with a sudden glow of 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
Ques 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 |
| 1. Elephant2. Face3. Building4. Water | circular, striped, enormous, multicoloured, round, cheerful, wild, blue, red, chubby, large, medium-sized, cold |
Ans:
| Noun | Adjective |
| Elephant | Medium-sized, wild, large, enormous, cheerful |
| Face | Chubby, round, cheerful |
| Building | Multi-coloured, blue, red, large, medium-sized |
| Water | Blue, cold |
Writing
Ques 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, 1919It’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.
Ans:
| December 25, 1919, It is Christmas, but the town doesn’t match my festive expectations. War has left it in ruins – buildings destroyed and an eerie quietness prevails. My own home was burned during an attack. The war’s impact on both civilians and soldiers is evident. I despise our inclination for conflict and curse those who promote war. Can’t we simply live in peace as brothers? |
OR
| 12-A, Block 4,Dorset10 August 2009 Dear Smith,I am facing a tough situation and need your advice. I bought an old desk and found a letter inside from Jim, a British soldier, to his wife. I decided to deliver it to Mrs. Jim in Briport. When I gave her the letter, she, at 101 years old, believed I was her husband Jim returning home. She was excited and kissed me without listening to my attempts to explain. Now, I’m unsure whether to reveal my true identity. I ended up walking away quickly. What should I do? |
Ques 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.
Ans: Once upon a time in India, there was a young doctor who had recently gotten married. Little did he know that he would soon become a freedom fighter, standing up against the British rule. Unfortunately, his fight for independence led to him being exiled to the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
In the Andamans, there stood a dreaded place known as the Cellular Jail, infamous for imprisoning those who dared to challenge the British. The prisoners, including our young doctor, faced brutal torture in the pursuit of freedom.
The conditions in the jail were harsh, but the spirit of the inmates remained unbroken. One day, fueled by their shared desire for liberty, the prisoners staged a brave revolt against their oppressors.
However, the British responded with cruelty, and our young doctor was caught in their clutches. The harsh punishment for his involvement in the revolt was execution, and he faced the gallows.
As the doctor faced his fate, his newlywed wife was left alone, waiting for his return. Despite the passage of time, she held onto hope and faith that he would come back to her.
Years went by, and the wife grew old, but her determination never wavered. She continued to wait, hoping against hope for the return of her beloved husband, the young doctor turned freedom fighter. Their tale became a symbol of unwavering love and resilience against the backdrop of India’s struggle for independence.
Download NCERT Solutions Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1: The Best Christmas Present in the World
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FAQs
Ans: The story is written by Michael Morpurgo.
Ans: The story mentions the British and the German armies
Ans: His wife was Connie Macpherson, a 101-year-old lady.
Also, you can access Notes and NCERT Solutions of all chapters in the Class 8 English ‘It So Happened’ textbook
For NCERT study material, follow CBSE Notes Class 8 English by Leverage Edu now.