Class VIII, NCERT English Guide - Honeydew - Answers of CBSE Sample Questions on the lesson The Best Christmas Present in the World

 

CBSE Class VIII English - NCERT Guide
Honeydew, The Best Christmas Present

For NCERT (CBSE) solutions of Chapter Exercise questions click:
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 …..
Answer:
25 December, 1919
It’s Christmas today, but the town looks somewhat gloomy. It’s natural. This town has lost many of its brave sons in the war. Their memories in the hearts of the people are still fresh. They are so burdened with sorrow that they can not feel cheerful even after its being Christmas today. They see the beautiful cold weather and the crisp frosty morning associated with it. They can see the beauty but unfortunately they can not feel it. In the meantime the politicians have visited the town. They have praised the bravery of the martyrs. They have raised their statuses, honoured their parents and much more. Nevertheless, how can things compensate the loss of a child, a husband or a brother?
War is the most dreadful event of which I am aware too. Oh, I wish I could forget those war scenes which I have seen so closely. The problems are bound to be there. In stead of going for a war people should find some peaceful way to resolve such problems.      
Question.2: Suppose you are Jim. You are in a dilemma. You don’t 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:
23 Dorset
21st June, 1920
My dear Morkel,
A recent incident has touched my heart to such a great extent that I can’t help sharing it with you. You know I always longed for a roll-top desk. At last I got a second hand one in a junk shop. I purchased and decided to restore it. In the process I came upon a letter in one of its drawers.
It was quite an old letter written in early nineteenth century. The write called Jim, was a captain of the then British Army. It was kept in a box captioned with words: “Jim’s last letter received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.” The letter was addressed to Mrs. Jim Macpherson, 12 copper Beaches, Birdport. I don’t know why but, I decided to search and handover the letter to the lady to whom it belonged.
I got her in a conservatory. It was a Christmas day. Seeing me at first she looked confused. But when I gave her the letter, her eyes suddenly sparkled with extreme joy and satisfaction. She had mistaken to recognize me as Jim. She made me sit beside her and kissed me. She told me that she was waiting for me for long time and that she had got the best Christmas present in the world. I tried to tell her who I was and how I got that letter but she was not prepared to listen to me.
Now I was in a great dilemma whether to force my identity to her and disappoint her or shall I let her believe that her dear Jim had come back to her? At last I decided not to bring her down from the world of contentment and joy for which she had waited for so long. I walked away from her stealthily after sometime.
I don’t know if I have done anything wrong, but I responded to my conscious which seemed to be more logical at that time.
Yours sincerely,
Jim               
Question.3: What did the Germans call out and how did the English respond to it?
Answer: The Germans were calling out “Happy Christmas” and the English responded by reciprocating in the same manner.
Question.4: Who of the two armies took the initiative for celebrating the Christmas together? How did they begin it?  
Answer: The Germans took the initiative. One of the German soldiers waved a white flag. Then they started to call out to the English from the no-man’s land.  
Question.5: How was the atmosphere on that Christmas morning which Jim describes in his letter?
Answer: That Christmas morning was crisp and quiet as Jim described in his letter. It was as beautiful as one could imagine of it.
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