Comprehension Check
Page 10
Q1: What did the author find in a junk shop?
A: The author found a roll-top desk for sale in a junk shop. It was made of oak wood but was in very bad condition.
Q2: What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?
A: In the secret drawer of the desk, the author found a small tin box containing a letter. I think the owner of the roll-top desk might have put it there.
Page 14
Q3: Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?
A: John Macpherson, a captain in the British army, had written the letter, dated December 26, 1914, to his wife, Connie.
Q4: Why was the letter written — what was the wonderful thing that had happened?
A: The letter described a wonderful event where the two armies—the British and the Germans—celebrated Christmas together.
Q5: What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?
A: Before joining the army, Hans played the cello in the orchestra, while Jim was a teacher.
Q6: Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset? Why did he say he knew it?
A: No, Hans had never been to Dorset. He had only read about it in Hardy’s novel Far from the Madding Crowd.
Q7: Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?
A: No, Jim Macpherson never came back home from the war, which might be why his wife, Connie, preserved his letters.
Page 15
Q8: Why did the author go to Bridport?
A: The author went to Bridport to meet Mrs. Jim Macpherson and deliver Jim’s letter to her.
Q9: How old was Mrs. Macpherson now? Where was she?
A: Mrs. Macpherson was 101 years old and lived in a nursing home.
Page 16
Q10: Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?
A: Connie thought the visitor was her own husband, Jim Macpherson.
Q11: Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity?
A: The sentence is: “You told me you’d come home by Christmas, dearest,” she said, “And here you are, the best Christmas present in the world. Come closer, Jim dear, sit down.”
Working with the Text
Page 16
Q1: For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim’s letter? Give reasons for your answer.
A: Connie had kept Jim’s last letter until January 25, 1915. The letter was dated December 26, 1914.
Q2: Why do you think the desk had been sold, and when?
A: The desk must have been sold when Connie’s house burnt down. The table had been damaged by fire as well as water.
Q3: Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts? Do you agree?
A: Both Jim and Hans were soldiers who had seen the sufferings of war. They favored peaceful solutions to settle disputes and believed that games or sports were good ways of resolving conflicts. I agree with them.
Q4: 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.
A: All human beings are alike in many ways; they love peace and hate war. For example, the soldiers called out to each other, “Happy Christmas, Tommy! Happy Christmas!”
Q5: Mention the various ways in which the British and the German soldiers became friends and found things in common at Christmas.
A: Despite being enemies, the British and German soldiers shared the festive spirit of Christmas. They played games, feasted, and drank together, overcoming their hatred.
Q6: What is Connie’s Christmas present? Why is it the best Christmas present in the world?
A: Connie mistook the author for Jim, her husband, thinking he had returned from the war. Therefore, Jim’s homecoming was the best Christmas present for her.
Working with Language
Page 17
(i) Read the passage below and highlight the verbs in the past tense.
A man boarded the train and took a seat. The compartment was empty except for one woman. She removed her gloves. A few hours later, the police apprehended the man. They detained him for 24 hours before releasing him.
Answer:
A man boarded the train and took a seat. The compartment was empty except for one woman. She removed her gloves. A few hours later, the police apprehended the man. They detained him for 24 hours before releasing him.
Now consider these sentences:
“The veneer had peeled almost everywhere. Both fire and water had damaged this desk.”
Notice the verb forms “had peeled” and “had damaged.”
The author discovered and purchased the desk in the past. However, the desk suffered damage before the author found and bought it. Fire and water had harmed the desk prior to the author’s acquisition.
We use verb forms like “had damaged” to refer to events that occurred earlier in the past. When there are two events in the past, the past perfect tense (“had …”) is employed for the event that happened first. Additionally, we utilize the past perfect tense to express wishes or expectations that existed before a specific time in the past. For instance, “I had always desired one.”
Discuss the differences in meaning between the following sentences with a partner:
- When I arrived at the station, the train departed.
- When I arrived at the station, the train had departed.
(ii): Fill in the blanks using the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
A:
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) Identify and Highlight the Verbs
Read the sentences below. Underline the verbs and categorize them into two columns: Past and Earlier.
Sentences:
(a) My friends set off to explore the caves in the next town, but I remained at home because I had visited them before.
(b) When they reached the station, their train had already departed. They returned home, but by then, I had left to watch a movie!
(c) So they waited outside and enjoyed the lunch I had prepared for them.
(d) By the time I got back, they had already fallen asleep.
Organize the Verbs
| Past | Earlier |
|---|---|
| set | had seen |
| stayed | had left |
| arrived | had gone |
| came | had packed |
| sat | had fallen |
| ate | |
| returned | |
| got |
Dictionary Work
Find these phrasal verbs in the story and write down the sentences in which they occur.
- Turned out: “House number 12 turned out to be nothing but a burned-out shell …”
- Lit up: “That was the moment her eyes lit up with recognition…”
- Looked on: “Hans Wolf and I looked on and cheered…”
- Run out: “…the schnapps and the run and the sausage had long since run out…”
- Keep out: “…clapping our hands and stamping our feet, to keep out the cold…”
Noun Phrase
Q1: Describe each noun using adjectives.
| Nouns | Adjectives |
|---|---|
| Elephant | enormous, striped, wild |
| Face | cheerful, round, chubby |
| Building | circular, large, multicoloured |
| Water | blue, cold |
Speaking
Page 19
Q1: Discuss whether wars are a good way to end conflicts between countries.
A: War means bloodshed, hate, and destruction. It often fails to resolve issues and leads to more suffering. Understanding and dialogue are better solutions for ending conflicts.
Q2: What kind of presents do you like and why?
A: I prefer simple gifts, as they suit everyone. A token of affection is more meaningful than an expensive gift. When buying for others, I consider their likes and needs.
Writing
Question 1: Diary Entry as Jim
25 December, 1919
It’s Christmas today, but the town looks very different from what I had imagined. It has been ravaged by war, with buildings in ruins and a graveyard silence. I hate the fighting instinct in us and curse the war makers. Can’t we live in peace like brothers?
Question 2: Letter to a Friend
12-A, Block 4, Dorset
August 10, 2009
Dear Smith,
I am in a dilemma. I delivered a letter written by a soldier, Jim Macpherson, to his wife, but she mistook me for him. I don’t know whether to reveal my identity or let her believe Jim has returned.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Short Answer Type Questions
Q1: How did the author find Jim’s letter? What did it contain?
A: The author found Jim’s letter in a small black tin box inside an old desk. It contained a heartfelt message to his wife about celebrating Christmas with German soldiers.
Q2: What incident did Jim describe?
A: Jim described a Christmas truce where British and German soldiers temporarily stopped fighting and celebrated together.
Q3: Who are Fritz and Tommy?
A: Fritz refers to the German soldiers, while Tommy refers to the British soldiers.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q1: Describe the author’s meeting with Connie.
A: Connie was excited to see the author, mistaking him for Jim. She expressed her joy at receiving his letter and revealed her hopes of Jim returning home.
Q2: What had happened to Mrs. Macpherson? Describe her condition.
A: After Jim went to war, Mrs. Macpherson’s house caught fire. Now in a nursing home, she has grown extremely old and relies on a wheelchair.
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