Chapter 1 The Best Christmas Present in the World Solutions
Question - 1 : - What did the author find in a junk shop?
Answer - 1 : -
The author found a nineteenth century roll-top desk in the junk shop. It was made of oak. It was in a very bad condition. The roll-top was broken into several pieces. One of the legs was clumsily mended and there were scorch marks down one side. The author bought it in order to restore it.
Question - 2 : - What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?
Answer - 2 : -
The author found a small black tin box in the secret drawer. There was a paper sello-taped to its top. It said, ‘Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.’
Most likely, it was put there by Mrs. Jim Macpherson, who was Jim’s wife. Her name and address were on the envelope inside the box.
Question - 3 : - Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?
Answer - 3 : -
Jim Macpherson had written the letter to his wife Connie Macpherson on December 26, 1914.
Question - 4 : - Why was the letter written−−what was the wonderful thing that had happened?
Answer - 4 : -
Jim wrote the letter to tell his wife about a wonderful thing that had happened on Christmas day. The British and the Germans were engaged in a war, yet on this day, both the troops met in no man’s land. It was a thing of wonder because right in the middle of a war, the warring soldiers were making peace.
Question - 5 : - What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?
Answer - 5 : -
Hans Wolf was from Dusseldorf. He played the cello in the orchestra. Jim Macpherson was a school teacher from Dorset.
Question - 6 : - Had Hans Wolf even been to Dorset? Why did he say he knew it?
Answer - 6 : -
No, Hans Wolf had never been to Dorset. He had learned all about England from school and from reading books in English.
Question - 7 : - Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?
Answer - 7 : -
No, it is most likely that Jim Macpherson did not come back from the war. The notepaper sello-taped to the tin box mentioned the letter contained in the box to be the “last letter” from Jim. This was perhaps the last that Connie heard from Jim.
While celebrating Christmas in no man’s land, the British and German soldiers played a game of football. Hans told Jim that he hoped the war would also be resolved by a football match. To this Jim replied that he wasn’t very good at football, but would be sure of winning if they played cricket. The match was won by the Germans. This perhaps indicates that the Germans might have also won the actual battle between the two troops.
Question - 8 : - Why did the author go to Bridport?
Answer - 8 : -
The author went to Bridport because that was the address where Mrs. Macpherson lived. He wanted to give that letter back to her.
Question - 9 : - How old was Mrs Macpherson now? Where was she?
Answer - 9 : -
Mrs. Macpherson was a hundred and one years old. She was in a nursing home in Burlington House.
Question - 10 : - Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?
Answer - 10 : -
Connie Macpherson thought that her visitor was her husband, Jim.