8.1. The Best Christmas Present in the World - 1

 8.1. The Best Christmas Present in the World - 1 

Hi! Friends,

✅ How to Use this Video?

✅ Just Close your eyes and listen to it carefully.

✅ If you are able to get the Central idea,  you can watch the video after which has been muted.

✅ what you must do is guessing that related sentence to the picture.

🙏 

8.1. The Best Christmas Present in the World - 1.

Before you read.

There are some dates or periods of time in the history of the world that are so significant that everyone knows and remembers them. The story you will read mentions one such date and event: a war between the British and the Germans in 1914. Can you guess

which war it was? Do you know which events the dates below refer to?

(a) 4 July 1776 (b) 17 December 1903

(c) 6 August 1945 (d) 30 January 1948

(e) 12 April 1961 (f) 20 July 1969

The answers are on page 23.

I spotted it in a junk shop in Bridport, a roll-top desk. The man said it was early nineteenth century, and oak. I had wanted one, but they were far too expensive. This

one was in a bad condition, the roll-top in several pieces, one leg clumsily mended, scorch marks all down one side. It was going for very little money. I thought I could

restore it. It would be a risk, a challenge, but I had to have it. I paid the man and brought it back to my workroom at the back of the garage. I began work on it on Christmas Eve.

I removed the roll-top completely and pulled out the drawers. The veneer had lifted almost everywhere… 

It looked like water damage to me. Both fire and water had clearly taken their toll on this desk. The last drawer was stuck fast. I tried all I could to ease it out gently. In the end I used brute force. I struck it sharply with the side of my fist and the drawer flew open to reveal a shallow space underneath, a secret drawer. There was something in there. I reached in and took out a small black tin box.

Sello-taped to the top of it was a piece of lined notepaper, and written on it in shaky handwriting: “Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.” I knew as I did it that it was wrong of me to open the box, but curiosity got the better of my scruples. It usually does. Inside the box there was an envelope. The address read: “Mrs Jim Macpherson, 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport, Dorset.” I took out the letter and unfolded it. It was written

in pencil and dated at the top — “December 26, 1914”..

Comprehension Check

1. What did the author find in a junk shop?

2. What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?. ✅

Video on Reading And Learning practice.