FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH - KSEEB - CLASS 10 - COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - THE GIFT OF MAGI

 

Unit -3

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI

O. Henry

 

I. Answer briefly the following questions.

 1) How did Della save her one dollar and eighty-seven cents?

Ans: Della saved her one dollar and eighty seven cents by bargaining hard with the grocer, vegetable vendor and the butcher.

 

2) The writer gives details of Jim’s flat. Pick out the details.

 Ans: Jim’s flat was furnished and per week it was charged $8. It was in pathetic condition. There was a post box, and no letter was plunged in it and a nonfunctioning door bell on the wall.

 

3) The card bearing the full name of Jim now had only one letter ‘D’ on it. State whether the statement is true or false.

Ans: False

 

4) What were the most precious possessions of Jim and Della?

Ans: Jim possessed the gold watch he had inherited from his father who had inherited it from his father. And Della possessed her long thick hair that reached below her knee.

 

5) How has the writer compared Della’s hair to Queen of Sheba’s jewels?

Ans: Della possessed her long thick hair that reached below her knee. She was of proud of her hair and her hair rippled and shone as the writer had compared Della’s hair to Queen of Sheba’s jewels.

 

6) How has the writer compared Jim’s watch to King Solomon’s treasures?

Ans: King Solomon had been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement; Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy. Thus, the writer had compared Jim’s watch to King Solomon’s treasures.

  

7) Why did Della decide to sell her hair?

Ans: Della wanted to buy a Christmas present for Jim. So, she decided to sell her hair to buy a gift from him.

 

8) How much money did she get for her hair?

Ans: Della sold her hair for $20.

 

 9) What did Della buy for Jim?

Ans: Della bought a platinum fob chain for Jim’s gold watch.

 

10) How was the gift worthy of the watch?

Ans: It was simple in design with no apparent ornamentation on it.  

 

11) The writer says that the platinum chain was like Jim. How?

Ans: Jim was very simple, calm and a venerable person. So, the writer says that the platinum chain was like Jim.

 

12) What did Della try to fix before Jim get home?

Ans: Della tired to fix her short hair by curling combs and pins before Jim got home.

 

13) What was Jim’s reaction when he saw Della without her lovely hair?

Ans: Jim had a weird expression which was incomprehensible. He didn’t speak a single word and he totally surprised when he saw Della without her lovely hair.

 

14) What was Jim’s gift for Della? Give a brief description of the gift.

Ans: Jim’s gift for Della was a set of attractive combs made of tortoise shell with jeweled rims; they were luxurious and would have appropriate on her beautiful elongated hair.

 

15) Were the gifts useful to each other?

Ans: No, the gifts were not useful to them.

 

16) How did Della react when she saw Jim’s gift to her?

Ans: Della unwrapped the sachet quickly and gave an ecstatic scream of joy when she saw the beautiful luxurious set of attractive combs.

 

 17) Jim and Della both gave up something dear to them. What does it tell us about them?

 Ans: They were a lovely couple, who sacrificed their most valuable things for each other. Jim and Della had valued relationship rather than materialistic things. Della had sacrificed her beautiful attractive hair for Jim. Similarly Jim had sacrificed his pocket watch for his beloved one. Both represented unconditional love for each other.

 

18) O. Henry’s stories often blend humor and pathos. The description of the card bearing Jim’s name is an example of this. Can you identify one more example from the story?

Ans: Della went back home, she departed about fixed the damage ended by her liberality added to love. But that was for all time a marvelous and an enormous mission certainly.

 

19) Who were the Magi?

Ans: The Magi were three wonderful wise men who carried gifts to baby Jesus. They started the art of giving Christmas gifts.

 

20) What is the writer’s last word to the wise of these days?

Ans: “Of all who give gifts, Jim and Della were the wisest. Of all who receive and give gifts such as Della and Jim are the wisest.”

 

II. Close Study

Read the following extracts carefully. Discuss in pairs and then write the answers to the questions given below them.

 1) She got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love.

a) What does ‘generosity’ refer to?

b) What repairing work was carried out?

c) Why was the girl repairing the ravages?

 Ans: a) Della’s gifts for Jim by selling her hair refer to ‘generosity’.

b) Della curled her damaged hair to look beautiful.

c) Della wanted to look beautiful, as Jim would not get surprised by seeing her.

 

2) A mathematician or a wit would give you the wrong answer.

a) What is the question alluded to here?

b) What is the ‘right’ answer?

c) What is the implied meaning of the statement?

Ans: a) Love does not change on the basis of husband’s earning. It might be $8 or $1000.

b) The right answer is that it does not craft any disparity.

c) If a wife truly love her husband then it doesn’t matter husband may be rich or poor, what matters here is true love for each other, as Della’s unconditioned love for Jim.

 

III. Paragraph Writing:

Discuss in groups of 4 each the answers to the following questions. Individually note down the important points for each question and then develop the points into one paragraph answers.

 1) Why are the gifts of Della and Jim compared to those of the Magi?

Ans: The Magi were three wonderful wise men who carried gifts to baby Jesus. They started the art of giving Christmas gifts. They were a lovely couple, who had sacrificed their most valuable things for each other. Jim and Della had valued relationship rather than materialistic things. Della had sacrificed her beautiful attractive hair for Jim. Similarly Jim had sacrificed his pocket watch for his beloved one. They were happiest and wisest couple. Both represented unconditional love for each other. Just like the Magi, Della and Jim found happiness in giving presents to each other.

 

2) Write on the appropriateness of the title.

 Ans: The art of giving gifts by the Magi to born Jesus had initiated everyone to do same. The title is so appropriate for those who love, sacrifice and exchange gifts. Della had sacrificed her beautiful attractive hair for Jim. Similarly Jim had sacrificed his pocket watch for his beloved one. The Magi were the three wise kings who had traveled a long distances to give gifts to baby Jesus. Here it represents that if a person is rich or poor that not matters lot but giving a gift with love is more valuable than anything. Della and Jim were financial poor but they were very rich from love for each other, they exchanged gifts after sacrificing their most valuable things.

 

 

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