CH: 1.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT IN THE WORLD

By Michael Morpurgo
INTRODUCTION:
The lesson “The Best Christmas Present in the World” recites a Christmas story during a war.
It reflects upon the longing of the soldiers to reunite with their families. On the other hand, it
also throws light upon the longing of the families of these soldiers.
QUESTION ANSWERS:
1. What did the author find in a junk shop?
Ans. In the junk shop, the author found a very old roll-top desk made of oak. It was in a poor
condition. The roll top was not in a single piece, one of its legs was clumsily repaired and it
had marks on its sides as if it were burnt down.
2. What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?
Ans. The author discovered a black coloured tin box inside the secret drawer which had a
piece of lined notepaper that was cello-taped to its top on which it was written “Jim’s last
letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.” in shaky
handwriting.
It seems the letter was put inside the box by Mrs Jim Macpherson, with her full name and
address written on the envelope. Thus, she must have been the one to keep it there safely.
3. Why was the letter written — what was the wonderful thing that had happened?
Ans. Jim Macpherson wrote the letter to his wife, Connie, and described the wonderful thing
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. The
soldiers of the opposite nations celebrated Christmas together.
4. What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?
Ans. When Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson were not serving their respective armies, they
had other jobs that kept them occupied. 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.
5. Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset? Why did he say he knew it?
Ans. 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.
6. Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?
Ans. No, it appears that Jim Macpherson never returned home from the war. The tin box that
the narrator found had “Jim’s last letter” written on it which means he wrote no letter after
this one. Perhaps, due to this reason, his wife Connie had preserved all his letters carefully.
7. Why did the author go to Bridport?
Ans. The author could not sleep after reading the letter. So, the next morning he decided to go
to Bridport which was just a few miles away from where he lived. He had gone there to find
Mrs Macpherson at the address mentioned on the envelope so that he could give her the letter.
8. How old was Mrs Macpherson now? Where was she?
Ans. Mrs Macpherson was now a hundred and one years old. Her house in Bridport burned
down years ago and now she was in a Nursing home named Burlington House on Dorchester
Road, which is on the other side of the town.
9. Why do you think the desk had been sold, and when?

A. The desk must have been sold after it got burned partially in the house fire. Connie was
taken to a Nursing home after that. All the furniture along with that desk must have been sold
after that.

Long Answer Questions:

1. 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 if countries could resolve their conflicts by playing football or
cricket, no lives would be sacrificed, no parent would lose their son, no children would be
orphaned and no wives would be left widowed.
Yes, I agree with their opinion. Wars only cause destruction. A nation that emerges victorious
from the war, must not take it as a reason to celebrate, as it is only a result of massive
bloodshed and sacrifice. Nations must refrain from declaring war-like situations and solve the
conflicts with negotiations, peacefully.
2. Mention the various ways in which the British and the German soldiers become
friends and find things in common at Christmas.
Ans. 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.

HOMEWORK QUESTIONS:
Q1. For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim’s letter? Give reasons for your
answer.

Q2. Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity?

Q3. Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was? How do you know that?

Q4. Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?