1.1. The Best Christmas Present in the world (Prose) 1.pptx

Yah class 8 ki story hai class 8 mein jo English ke honeydew Wali book Hai uska chapter van maine yahan per acche se samjhaya hai.

1. Objectives : - 1. To understand the theme of the story. 2. To understand the importance of peace. 3. Why hatred and conflict should not be in society.

2. Introduction :- The Story ‘The Best Christmas Present In The World’ has beautifully depicted the moral lesson. It conveys that war and fight can bring sadness and humiliation all around the world. One should follow the path of peace. This would be the best Christmas gift.

3. Important characters :- Jim Macpherson – was the captain of his regiment during world war I in 1914. Connie Macpherson – she is a mentally stressed wife suffering from the pain of separation. Hans Wolf – was the captain of German troop. He was from Dusseldorf.

4. Explanation of the chapter :- The author found a roll – top desk in a junk shop. It was in a bad condition, but cheap. He thought that he could restore it. So he bought it. He began to work on it. He pulled out the drawers. He found that roll – top desk had been badly damaged by fire and water.

5. When the author opened the drawer it revealed a secret space. In it he found a small black tin box. On the top of the box words were written “Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915”. To be buried with me when the time comes. Inside there was an envelope with the address “Mrs. Jim Macpherson 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport”. The date was Dec 26, 1914.

6. The author read the letter and thought that the owner of the desk must have put it in. the letter had been written by the captain of English army. His name was Jim Macpherson. He had written this letter to his wife Connie.

7. While reading the letter the narrator came to know about a surprising event happened on the battlefield on the Christmas day. The English and the Germans were at war. Suddenly Macpherson saw someone waving the white flag from the enemy side. Jim alarmed his soldier as it could be a trick.

8. The German officer and English officer met. They introduced themselves. German officer said, he is from Dusseldorf and he played Cello in the orchestra. He gave his name as Hans Wolf. In return Macpherson introduced himself. He said that he was a school teacher from Dorset.

9. Hans wolf said he knew Dorset, but he had never been to England. He knew English and his favourite writer was Thomas Hardy. His favourite book is ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’. Macpherson shared with Hanswolf the Christmas cake his wife had sent for him.

10. During the conversation Hanswolf suggested that the world would be much better if the problems were resolved by a football match. The soldiers from the rival camp smoked, laughed, drank and feasted. They played football also.

11. Macpherson wrote in his letter he would treasure these moment in his life. Macpherson ended the letter hoping that the war would end soon. Both armies longed for peace and was sure they would be together again.

12. The author put the letter back into the envelope and drove into Bridport. He meant to hand over the letter to Connie (Mrs. Macpherson).Connie was 101 years old. Her house had caught fire, but she was saved. She was in a conservatory.

13. The author found Mrs. Macpherson sitting in a wheel chair. She looked up at the author but her eyes lit up when he called her ‘ Connie’. Narrator told her how he had got the letter. But she was not listening to him. She reached out and took his hand. Her eyes were filled with tears. She felt that her husband (Jim) had returned.

14. She said that Jim had kept his promise. He had returned on the eve of Christmas. She made him sit beside her. She kissed his cheek. She talked long and lovingly to him. She said that she got the best Christmas present in the world.

15. SUMMARY The narrator of the story went to a junk shop and purchased a roll-top desk which was in bad condition. The narrator started its repairing on Christmas Eve and found a letter in its drawer. He read the letter. It was from Jim Macpherson to his wife Connie as written on top. After reading the letter, he found that Jim Macpherson was the leader of the England Army and he described that England and German were engaged in a war but on the Christmas morning a wonderful thing happened, first Germans wishes happy Christmas to English soldiers and same response was given by English also. The leaders shared their ideas and feelings with each other and celebrated Christmas by eating, laughing, talking and drinking. After that they played football match in which Germans won. In the night both troops sang carols and had a peaceful Christmas. The author decided to gave this letter to Jim’s wife back. He went to the address which was written on the letter envelope where he found that an accidental fire caught in the house and she was in nursing home. He rushed to nursing home where he found Jim’s wife. As she was grown too old in the waiting of his husband he mistook the author by understanding him as Jim, his husband when narrator met him. She declared him as best Christmas present in the world.

16. Prepared by :- KANISHK PRATP SINGH