If you are searching for Bihar Board Class 8 English Chapter 1 Solutions then you are at the right place. Below we have shared the written solutions with the complete question-answer of chapter 1 – “The Best Christmas Present in the World” for free. This solution is from the new book of class 8 English – Honeydew.
This touching story by Michael Morpurgo is about a letter found in an old desk, written by a soldier named Jim to his wife Connie during World War I. It describes a special Christmas in 1914 when enemy soldiers celebrated together, showing peace and kindness. Students will learn about love, war, and the joy of reuniting with loved ones.
Bihar Board Class 8 English Chapter 1 Solutions
Contents
| Chapter | Prose 1. The Best Christmas Present in the World |
| Subject | English (Honeydew) |
| Class | 8th |
| Board | Bihar Board |
COMPREHENSION CHECK
From Page No – 10
1. What did the author find in a junk shop?
Ans: The author found a very old roll-top desk from the 19th century in a junk shop. The desk was made of oak wood but was in very bad condition. The roll-top was broken into many pieces. One leg was badly repaired and there were burn marks on one side.
2. What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?
Ans: The author found a small tin box in a secret drawer of the desk. There was a piece of paper stuck on top of the box which said “Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.” Jim’s wife, Mrs. Connie Macpherson, must have put it there because her name and address were written on the envelope inside the box.
COMPREHENSION CHECK
From Page No – 14
1. Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?
Ans: Jim Macpherson wrote the letter to his wife Connie Macpherson on December 26, 1914.
2. Why was the letter written — what was the wonderful thing that had happened?
Ans: Jim wrote the letter to tell his wife about something amazing that happened on Christmas Day. Even though the British and German soldiers were fighting a war, on Christmas Day both armies came out and met peacefully in the area between their trenches. It was wonderful because enemies became friends for one day.
3. What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?
Ans: Hans Wolf was from Germany and played the cello in an orchestra. Jim Macpherson was a school teacher from England.
4. Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset? Why did he say he knew it?
Ans: No, Hans had never visited Dorset in real life. He said he knew it because he had read about it in a famous book called ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ by Thomas Hardy.
5. Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?
Ans: No, Jim probably did not return from the war. The paper on the tin box called it “Jim’s last letter.” This means it was the last time Connie heard from her husband. Also, when Hans and Jim talked about winning the war through games, Jim said he was not good at football but would win at cricket. Since the Germans won the football match, it might mean they also won the real battle.
COMPREHENSION CHECK
From Page No – 15
1. Why did the author go to Bridport?
Ans: The author went to Bridport because that was Mrs. Macpherson’s address. He wanted to return Jim’s letter to her.
2. How old was Mrs Macpherson now? Where was she?
Ans: Mrs. Macpherson was 101 years old. She was living in a nursing home called Burlington House.
COMPREHENSION CHECK
From Page No – 16
1. Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?
Ans: Connie Macpherson thought that her visitor was her husband Jim who had returned from the war.
2. Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity?
Ans: The sentence is: “I explained about the desk, about how I had found it, but I don’t think she was listening.” This shows that the author tried to tell her the truth about who he was.
WORKING WITH THE TEXT
1. For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim’s letter? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans: Connie kept Jim’s letter for about 86 years (from 1915 to 2001). She told the author that she read it every day because it made her feel that Jim was close to her. This shows how much the letter meant to her.
2. Why do you think the desk had been sold, and when?
Ans: The desk was probably sold when Connie’s house caught fire. Since she was very old and alone, she had to move to a nursing home. All her damaged belongings, including the desk, were sold to junk dealers.
3. Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts? Do you agree?
Ans: Jim and Hans believe that games are better than wars because in games, nobody dies. No wives become widows and no children lose their fathers. Games bring joy instead of pain. I agree with them because wars only cause death and destruction, while games bring people together and create friendship. The Christmas football match showed that enemies can become friends through sports.
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 were very similar to each other. Both armies enjoyed celebrating Christmas together. They laughed, talked, shared food and drinks, and played games. Jim shared his wife’s cake with everyone. Hans and Jim talked about books and found they liked the same things. They played football together and sang songs. This shows that all soldiers were just ordinary people who wanted peace and happiness, not war.
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 soldiers became friends in many ways:
- They came out of their trenches and met in the middle
- They shared food and drinks together
- They smoked and talked like old friends
- Jim shared Connie’s Christmas cake with everyone
- Hans and Jim talked about books and places they knew
- They played a friendly football match
- They cheered and clapped for each other during the game
- At night, they sang Christmas carols together
- They found they had similar interests and feelings
6. What is Connie’s Christmas present? Why is it “the best Christmas present in the world”?
Ans: Connie’s Christmas present was the author’s visit, which she believed was her husband Jim returning home. Because of her old age, she forgot that Jim had died in the war and thought the author was Jim. In his letter, Jim had promised to come home for Christmas. When the author visited on Christmas Day, Connie felt that Jim had kept his promise. This made her extremely happy, making it the best Christmas present she could ever receive.
7. Do you think the title of this story is suitable for it? Can you think of any other title(s)?
Ans: Yes, the title is perfect for this story. Christmas is the main theme throughout. The peace between enemy soldiers on Christmas Day was their best present. For Connie, believing that Jim had returned on Christmas was her best present ever. Other suitable titles could be:
- “A Christmas Promise”
- “The Christmas Letter”
- “When Enemies Became Friends”
- “A Promise Kept”
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.
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.
Ans: 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 quarreled (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.
(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 |
|---|---|
| set out | had seen |
| stayed | had left |
| arrived | had gone out |
| came back | had packed |
| sat | had fallen asleep |
| ate | |
| returned |
2. Dictionary work
Find these phrasal verbs in the story and write down their meanings:
Burn out, Light up, Look on, Run out, Keep out
Ans:
(i) burn out – “The fire had burned out in the grate.”
Meaning: To stop burning completely
(ii) light up – “That was the moment her eyes lit up with recognition.”
Meaning: To become bright with happiness or excitement
(iii) look on – “Hans Wolf and I looked on and cheered.”
Meaning: To watch something happening
(iv) run out – “The schnapps and the rum had long since run out.”
Meaning: To be completely used up or finished
(v) keep out – “Keep out of no man’s land.”
Meaning: To stay away from a place
3. Noun phrase
Ans: To understand only.
4. Use adjectives to describe the nouns:
Ans:
| Nouns | Adjectives |
|---|---|
| Elephant | enormous, large, wild, cheerful, chubby, striped, multicolored |
| Face | round, cheerful, cold, chubby, red, smiling, serious, wrinkled |
| Building | tall, enormous, circular, large, multicolored, modern, old, beautiful |
| Water | cold, blue, clear, deep, refreshing, sparkling, clean, muddy |
SPEAKING
1. In groups discuss whether wars are a good way to end conflicts between countries.
Ans: Wars are not a good way to solve problems between countries.
Wars cause:
- Loss of many innocent lives
- Destruction of homes and cities
- Economic problems
- Hatred between people
- Long-lasting pain and suffering
Better ways to solve conflicts are:
- Talking and discussing problems
- Using international organizations like the United Nations
- Making peace treaties
- Sharing resources fairly
- Understanding each other’s cultures
2. What kind of presents do you like and why? What do you keep in mind when buying presents for others?
Ans: I like presents that are thoughtful rather than expensive. A good present shows that someone cares about you. When buying gifts for others, I think about:
- What the person likes and needs
- Their hobbies and interests
- Something useful they can use often
- Something that will make them happy
- My budget
WRITING
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…..
Ans:
25 December, 1919
It’s Christmas today, but the town looks so different. Many houses are quiet. The shops are open, but they don’t look cheerful. Some of my old friends are not here anymore, they died in the war. I miss them a lot.
I walked to the town square and saw a new memorial. It has the names of the people who never came back. I stood there for a while and read the names. Some were my close friends. I felt very sad.
The streets I used to walk on are still the same, but they feel empty now. The laughter, the songs, the celebrations, everything feels less happy. Maybe it will take time for things to feel normal again.
I’m glad to be home, but it’s hard to forget what I saw and lost. Tonight, I lit a candle by the window for all those who are gone and for a better tomorrow.
Jim.
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:
Dear Friend,
I am writing to you about something that happened yesterday. I went to return an old letter to a 101-year-old lady named Connie. But when I met her, she thought I was her husband Jim who died in World War I.
I didn’t know what to do. Should I tell her the truth and make her sad? Or should I let her believe that her husband had come back? She looked so happy thinking that Jim had returned as he had promised.
I decided to let her be happy. Sometimes a beautiful lie is better than a painful truth. I spent some time with her, and she was the happiest I had ever seen anyone. For her, I became the best Christmas present in the world.
I think I did the right thing. What do you think? Please write back soon.
Your friend.
2. Given below is the outline of a story. Construct the story using the outline.
Ans: The Doctor’s Sacrifice
Dr. Raman was a young doctor who had just married his childhood sweetheart, Priya. He was not only dedicated to healing people but also to freeing his country from British rule. He secretly worked as a freedom fighter, helping other revolutionaries and treating injured fighters.
One day, the British discovered his activities and arrested him. Despite Priya’s tears and pleas, he was sentenced to exile in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Before leaving, he promised Priya he would return.
Dr. Raman was sent to the infamous Cellular Jail, where prisoners were tortured daily. The conditions were horrible – little food, dirty water, and cruel punishments. But Dr. Raman did not lose hope. He secretly treated sick prisoners and planned escapes.
When the prisoners could bear no more, Dr. Raman led a revolt against the British guards. Though they fought bravely, the revolt failed. As punishment, the British decided to hang Dr. Raman as an example to others.
On the day of his execution, Dr. Raman thought of Priya and his dream of a free India. He died with courage, shouting “Long live India!”
Meanwhile, Priya waited for him every day. Years passed, seasons changed, and she grew old, but she never stopped believing that her husband would return. She kept his photograph close to her heart and told everyone that Dr. Raman would come back soon.
Even in her old age, she would sit by the window every evening, waiting for the sound of his footsteps. Her faith and love never died, just like the memory of her brave husband who gave his life for the country.
