Question

1. Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.

Twelve small coins— that was all the money Della had; money saved by

negotiating with the shopkeepers. Negotiating until one’s face burned with the silent

knowledge of being poor. She counted several times, dejected. And the next day was

Christmas. There was nothing to do but cry. How would she buy her husband, Jim, a

present with such an amount? She sobbed at the thought, and then at her own situation

in life.

As she sobbed and moved about unhappily, she saw her reflection in the tall

mirror in her room and stopped. She stared at her beautiful long hair, one of the two

priceless possessions of the husband and wife (the other one being Jim’s gold watch). “I

could sell my hair to a wig maker and get good money,” she thought to herself. In no

time, she visited Madam Sandy’s shop, got her hair chopped and sold, and bought a

beautiful silver chain for Jim’s watch: the best gift she could manage with the money

she had.

When Jim came home that evening, he was shocked to find his wife’s long,

beautiful hair gone. He was not happy or sad, he just looked at her with a strange

expression on his face.

“Did you cut your hair?” he asked. “Jim, my dear, I could not have lived through

Christmas without getting you a gift, so yes, I cut it and sold it. But don’t worry, my hair

grows out fast! Merry Christmas!”

“What a pity!” Jim shook his head. He took out a package from his coat pocket; a

gift for Della. She took the package from him and tore through the package. There was

a scream and a joy, for she found combs; a set of elegant combs made of shells and

jewels, just the colour to wear in her beautiful hair that was no longer there!

a) What was special about the gift Jim had bought for his wife?
b) Why do you think Della was ready to part with her only valuable possession?
c) Find a word in the passage which has the same meaning as ‘graceful and stylish’.
d) Describe the irony in the story in 30–40 words.
if you give the answer i will give brainlist to you​

Answer 1

Answer:

a) jim gifted to his wife "a set of elegant combs made of shells and jewels.