Chapter: 08. A Real Santa Claus
Practice Paper: A Real Santa Claus - Answer Key
A. Fill in the blanks to complete these sentences.
The poet hangs two stockings for Santa Claus by the chimney. The room of the other boy is described as being completely bare. The poor boy’s shoes were such that no boy would care for them much. B. Answer these questions.
What is the purpose of the second stocking that the poet hangs? The purpose of the second stocking is for another boy the poet knows, who is less fortunate and dreams of Christmas joys. Where does the poor boy sleep? The poor boy sleeps in a broken bed in a bare room. What kind of toys does the poor boy dream of? The poor boy dreams of the “pretty toys” that Santa Claus brings to other children. In your own words, describe the condition of the poor boy’s room and his belongings as described in the poem. The poor boy lives in a very simple and empty room that is described as “all bare.” He sleeps on a “broken bed.” He doesn’t have any stockings to hang for gifts, and his shoes are old and worn out, not something a boy would like. Explain why the poet wants to become “Santa Claus” to the other boy. What does this reveal about the poet’s character? The poet wants to become “Santa Claus” to the other boy because he feels empathy for the boy who only experiences a merry Christmas in his dreams due to poverty. This reveals that the poet is very kind, compassionate, and selfless, wanting to use his own blessings to bring happiness to someone else. C. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
“In a broken bed, you’d see
Someone just about like me,”
a. Who is referred to as “Someone just about like me”? “Someone just about like me” refers to the poor boy whom Santa has never visited.
b. What similarity does the poet draw between himself and this “someone”? The poet draws the similarity that this boy is also a child, likely of a similar age, who shares the same natural desire for toys and a merry Christmas.
c. What feeling does the poet express by saying “you’d see someone just about like me”? The poet expresses a feeling of strong empathy and identification with the poor boy. It highlights that despite their different circumstances, they are fundamentally similar children, making the poor boy’s hardship more relatable and poignant. Appreciation: Alliteration
Underline the alliteration in these sentences.
The clever cat caught a cold. Sally sells seashells by the seashore. Windy weather whistled wildly. Learn About Language: Adjectives
Identify the type of adjective (Quality, Quantity, or Number) for the underlined words.
I have many books. (Adjective of Number) She wore a beautiful dress. (Adjective of Quality) There are ten apples in the basket. (Adjective of Number) Please give me some water. (Adjective of Quantity) Language Lab: Syllables
How many syllables are there in these words? Separate them using (/).
sister - sis/ter (2 syllables) pencil - pen/cil (2 syllables) hungry - hun/gry (2 syllables) flower - flow/er (2 syllables) elephant - el/e/phant (3 syllables) 
Answer key