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The Christmas Truce
The Christmas Truce
1. But what a terrible waiting it has been! Knowing that any moment an artillery shell
might land and explode beside us in the trench, killing or maiming several men. And in
daylight not daring to lift our heads above ground, for fear of a sniper’s bullet. And the
rain – it has fallen almost daily. Of course, it collects right in our trenches, where we
must bail it out with pots and pans. And with the rain has come mud – a good foot or
deeper. It splatters and cakes everything, and constantly sucks at our boots. One new
recruit got his feet stuck in it, and then his hands too when he tried to get out.
Questions:
2. Who is a sniper?
1. I did the same with enemy soldiers here on the battle fields of France!
2. “Come and see! See what the Germans are doing!”
3. “What is it?”
4. “Christmas trees!”
5. “English, come over!”
6. “You no shoot, we no shoot.”
7. But sentries are to remain on duty, and the rest of you, stay alert.”
8. “Because many have worked in England!”
9. “Perhaps you did!”
10. “That you must ask your emperor.”
11. “Perhaps, my friend. But we must also ask our hearts.”
IV. Choose the correct answer
1. It is a ............................letter to his sister on how all enmity was forgotten as British and
German soldiers celebrated Christmas together.
a. British soldier’s b. Indian soldier’s c. American soldier’s
2. The morning and most of our men are asleep in their...............................
a. home b. school c. dugouts
3. We have mostly stayed in our ...................................and waited.
a. church b. trenches c. hotel
4. Between us lay....................................., bordered on both sides by barbed wire.
a. No Man’s Land b. Man’s Land c. both
5. Tom went to the dugout to rest, and lying on my....................
a. war field b. cot c. office
6. Clusters of ................................were shining all along the German line.
a. stars b. lantern c. tiny lights
7. The Germans had placed ..............................in front of their trenches, lit by candle or
lantern, like beacons of goodwill.
a. Christmas trees b. Mango trees c. Cherry trees.
8. When the song finished, the men in our trenches.........................
a. overwhelmed b. danced c. applauded
9. He climbed out and went to meet the ............................halfway.
a. Germans b. American c. Indian
10. Over a hundred soldiers and officers of each side, shaking .........................with men
we’d been trying to kill just hours earlier!
a. heads b. legs c. hands
V. Mind map
1.
What happened seems Tom would
almost like ...............................believe it
a...................................
2.
They responded with
In truth, we sounded not .......................................applause of
nearly as good as their own and then began
the................................... another