Balbharati solutions for इंग्लिश कुमारभारती [अंग्रेजी] कक्षा १० महाराष्ट्र राज्य बोर्ड chapter 4.6 - The Gift of the Magi [Latest edition]

The moment you hear the word ‘Gift’, what feelings do you experience? Complete the web with those feelings.

‘Gifts’ need not be material gifts. They can be abstract and yet priceless. For example, favours, kindness, help in times of need, etc.

Think of and enlist such unforgettable gifts given to you by : 

Parents/ Grand parents : ______________.

‘Gifts’ need not be material gifts. They can be abstract and yet priceless. For example, favours, kindness, help in times of need, etc.

Think of and enlist such unforgettable gifts given to you by :

Siblings/ relatives : ________________.

‘Gifts’ need not be material gifts. They can be abstract and yet priceless. For example, favours, kindness, help in times of need, etc.

Think of and enlist such unforgettable gifts given to you by :

Friends: ______________.

‘Gifts’ need not be material gifts. They can be abstract and yet priceless. For example, favours, kindness, help in times of need, etc.

Think of and enlist such unforgettable gifts given to you by :

Strangers: __________________

Say whether the words underlined are infinitives/ participles or gerunds.

The athletes wanted to take part in the running race.

Say whether the words underlined are infinitives/ participles or gerunds.

Would you like to eat at the dining table?

Say whether the words underlined are infinitives/ participles or gerunds.

Reading is good for the mind and soul. So take up reading books.

Say whether the words underlined are infinitives/ participles or gerunds.

I like to eat fruits rather than eating sweets.

Say whether the words underlined are infinitives/ participles or gerunds.

Listening and speaking sharpen your language skills.

Complete the following.

Della had saved ______________.

Complete the following.

Della wanted to buy ___________________.

Complete the following.

Della’s beautiful hair tell about _____________.

Answer the following question:

How much did Della save for Christmas? What does it show?

Answer the following question:

Why did Della take pride in the beauty of her hair?

Why and how did Della sell her hair? Do you think she did well?

Answer the following question:

Why did Jim sell his gold watch? Do you think he did well?

Answer the following question:

Why did Jim and Della want to present the gifts?

Answer the following question:

Why did Della feel sad about losing her hair?

Answer the following question:

What did Jim bring out from his coat? Describe the scene.

Answer the following question:

How beautiful was the gold watch chain? Would you have liked to own it?

Answer the following question:

How did the Magi want to celebrate their Christmas (OR) Who were the first people to give Christmas gifts?

Answer the following question:

What is the moral of the story?

Complete the following activity :

Map the problems and solutions in “The Gift of the Magi” on the diagram below. Two problems have already been filled in.

Read the following and answer.

Say WHAT

______ troubled Della on Christmas Eve?

Read the following and answer.

Say WHAT

____________ was the current family income?

Complete: Use the chart below to explain the situational irony in ‘The Gift of the Magi’. For each character, identify what is expected to happen and what actually happens.

Complete the following basic plot diagram :

Pick out from the story words that mean the following.

Against each consumer write (N) if it is a Noun (V) for Verb and (Adj) for Adjective.

1. reluctance to spend money ___________ ( )
2. relating to ___________ ( )
3. urge ___________ ( )
4. reduce in value ___________ ( )
5. wisdom ___________ ( )
6. very huge ___________ ( )
7. foolishness ___________ ( )

Think and answer on your own in a few sentences, in your notebook.

What would you do if you ran short of money, to buy a birthday gift for one of your parents/ siblings?

Think and answer on your own in a few sentences, in your notebook.

Think of two alternatives that could have prevented Della as well as Jim from selling their most precious possessions.

Think and answer on your own in a few sentences, in your notebook.

Justify the title of the story, ‘The Gift of the Magi’.

Think and answer on your own in a few sentences, in your notebook.

Gifts that you buy have fixed prices/ rates. How can the buyer increase the value of a gift bought for someone very dear in the family?

Think and answer on your own in a few sentences, in your notebook.

What situation is the climax of the story? How does it end up as an Anti-climax?

Think and answer on your own in a few sentences, in your notebook.

If you share this story with some friends in a junior class, how would they react in the end?

Think and answer on your own in a few sentences, in your notebook.

Who were the very first people to give Christmas gifts? What had inspired them to do so?

Think and answer on your own in a few sentences, in your notebook.

At the end of the story, O Henry remarks that of all who give gifts, Della and Jim were the wisest. Think and explain this paradoxical remark.

Pick out and rewrite the exact sentence which indirectly implies the following :

Della was not too happy about bargaining for grocery etc.

Pick out and rewrite the exact sentence which indirectly implies the following :

The flat was in a dilapidated condition.

Pick out and rewrite the exact sentence which indirectly implies the following :

King Soloman would express his jealousy of Jim.

Pick out and rewrite the exact sentence which indirectly implies the following :

Della spent a joyful time, for two hours.

Pick out and rewrite the exact sentence which indirectly implies the following :

Della’s elated mood underwent a change as she opened her gift.

Pick out and rewrite the exact sentence which indirectly implies the following :

The weekly income amount does not matter.

Pick out and rewrite the exact sentence which indirectly implies the following :

Let us set aside our gifts and get ready for dinner.

Frame wh-question to get the underlined answers.

Life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles.

Frame wh-question to get the underlined answers.

Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him.

Frame wh-question to get the underlined answers.

Her hair reached below her knee.

Frame wh-question to get the underlined answers.

She was ransacking the stores for Jim’s present.

Frame wh-question to get the underlined answers.

At 7 o’clock the coffee was made.

Frame wh-question to get the underlined answers.

The magi were wise men.

Add appropriate question tags.

Della leaped up, _____________?

Add appropriate question tags.
You’ll have to look at the time, ________________.

Add appropriate question tags.
They were expensive combs, __________________?

Add appropriate question tags.
I just had to do it, __________________?

Add appropriate question tags.
I am still pretty, ______________?

Add appropriate question tags.
Give it to me quick, ________________?

Add appropriate question tags.
There was clearly nothing to do,________________?

Add appropriate question tags.
My hair grows so fast, ______________?

Add appropriate question tags.
Let’s put our Christmas presents away, _________________?

Add appropriate question tags.
She had a habit of saying a silent prayer, ________________?

Supply short answer (Pronoun + Auxiliary Verb).

Don’t you like me?

Supply short answer (Pronoun + Auxiliary Verb).

Have you cut off your hair?

Supply short answer (Pronoun + Auxiliary Verb).

Shall I put the chops on?

Supply short answer (Pronoun + Auxiliary Verb).

Isn’t it a dandy?

Supply short answer (Pronoun + Auxiliary Verb).

Does it make difference?

Supply short answer (Pronoun + Auxiliary Verb).

Will you buy my hair?

Supply short answer (Pronoun + Auxiliary Verb).

Can you afford it?

Supply short answer (Pronoun + Auxiliary Verb).

Are you fooling me?

Pick out the infinitives/ gerunds/ participles from the following sentence and state what one is.

I want to see how it looks.

Pick out the infinitives/ gerunds/ participles from the following sentence and state what one is.

I don’t like frightening stories.

Pick out the infinitives/ gerunds/ participles from the following sentence and state what one is.

We decided to settle in Pune

Pick out the infinitives/ gerunds/ participles from the following sentence and state what one is.

Playing a sitar is Arjun’s hobby.

Pick out the infinitives/ gerunds/ participles from the following sentence and state what one is.

It was a horrifying experience for all of us.