NCERT Class 8 English Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face – II

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NCERT Class 8 English Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face – II

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Also, you can read the NCERT book online in these sections Solutions by Expert Teachers as per Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Book guidelines. CBSE Class 8 English Solutions are part of All Subject Solutions. Here we have given NCERT Class 8 English Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face – II and After, NCERT Class 8 English Textbook of Honeydew and It So Happen. for All Chapters, You can practice these here.

The Great Stone Face – II

Chapter: 10

HONEYDEW: PROSE

Textbook Questions With Their Answers

COMPREHENSION CHECK – I

Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements: 

1. Ernest’s words reminded people of the wise old sayings _____________.

Ans. True.

2. Total strangers from far away, who visited Ernest in the valley, found his face familiar _______________.

Ans. True.

3. The Great Stone Face confirmed Ernest’s view that the poet could be worthy of its likeness _______________.

Ans. False.

4. When Ernest and the poet met, they respected and admired each other equally _______________.

Ans. True.

5. The poet along with Ernest addressed the inhabitants of the valley _____________.

Ans. False.

6. The poet realised that Ernest’s thoughts were far nobler than his own verses _____________.

Ans. True.

WORKING WITH THE TEXT

Answer the following questions: 

Q. 1. How was Ernest different from others in the valley?

Ans. Ernest was unlike other commoners in the valley. He was a good, industrious and wise person. After his routine work, he would gaze at the great Stone Face. He was spiritually bound and a thoughtful personality.

Q. 2. Why did Ernest think that poet was like the Stone Face?

Ans. Ernest was deeply moved and impressed by the poet’s writings. He imagined that the Great Stone Face was bending tooto listen to them. However, he did not find any resemblanced with the stone face and the poet’s face.

Q. 3. What did the poet himself say about his thoughts and poems?

Ans. The poet said that he sometimes lacked faith in his own thoughts as his life had not corresponded with his thoughts.

Q. 4. What made the poet proclaim Ernest was the Stone Face?

Ans. Ernest and the poet went together to the meeting place where Ernest was to speak to a group of neighbours in open air.

The thoughts of Ernest had reality and depth because they corresponded with the life he had lived. His words had power because they came from the bottom of his heart. The Poet was convinced about the greatness of his mind. His face had such a grand expression that he proclaimed that Ernest bore the likeness of the Great Stone Face.

Q. 5. Write ‘Ernest’ or ‘Poet’, against each statement below:

(i) There was a gap between his life and his words. 

Ans. Poet.

(ii) His words had the power of truth as they agreed with his thoughts. 

Ans. Ernest.

(iii) His words were as soothing as a heavenly song but only as useful as a vague dream.

Ans. Poet.

(iv) His thoughts were worthy.

Ans. Ernest.

(v) Whatever he said was truth itself.

Ans. Ernest.

(vi) His poems were noble.

Ans. Poet.

(vii) His life was nobler than all the poems.

Ans. Ernest.

(viii) He lacked faith in his own thoughts.

Ans. Poet.

(ix) His thoughts had power as they agreed with the life he lived.

Ans. Ernest.

(x) Greatness lies in truth. Truth is best expressed in one’s actions. He was truthful therefore, he was great.

Ans. Ernest.

Q. 6. (i) Who, by common consent, turned out to be like the Great Stone Face? 

Ans. Ernest, by common consent, turned out to be like the Great Stone Face.

(ii) Did Ernest believe that the old prophecy had come true?

Ans. Though the poet proclaimed and villagers believed that Ernest had great resemblance with the Great Stone Face and as such the prophecy had been fulfilled. However, Ernest did not believe that the old prophecy had come true. He hoped that some day, a man wiser and nobler them him would come, and would look truly similar to the ‘Great Stone Face.

WORKING WITH LANGUAGE  

1. Mark the meaning that best fits the word/phrase in the story.

(i) (sun) going down

(a) becoming smaller.

(b) weakening. 

(c) setting.

Ans. (c) setting.

(ii) brightening

(a) making (it) look bright and cheerful.

(b) lending (it) a special glow.

(c) causing (it) to appear hopeful

Ans. (b) lending (it) a special glow.

(iii) spacious

(a) lonely and wild.

(b) big and wide.

(c) special and important.

Ans. (b) big and wide

(iv) prophecy

(a) proverb

(b) prediction

(c) rumour

Ans. (b) prediction.

(v) marvellous

(a) wonderful.

(b) surprising.

(c) shocking.

Ans. (a) wonderful.

(vi) proclaim

(a) reveal.

(b) declare.

(c) shout.

Ans. (b) declare.

(vii) cease

(a) happen.

(b) stop.

(c) remain.

Ans. (b) stop

(viii) (a night’s) shelter

(a) stay.

(b) safety. 

(c) hospitality.

Ans. (a) stay

(ix) gazed

(a) wandered about.

(b) stared at.

(c) thought of.

Ans. (b) stared at. 

(x) took on (an expression)

(a) challenged.

(b) resembled.

(c) assumed. 

Ans. (b) resembled.

2. (i) Read the following sentences:

(a) I do hope I’ll live to see him. 

(b) He will come ! Fear not, Ernest, the man will come.

(c) Gathergold is arriving tomorrow, people said.

(d) Blood-and-Thunder starts his journey back to the valley next week, everyone proclaimed.

(e) The great man is going to spend his old age in his native town. 

Notice that in the above sentences, verbs in bold type are in four different forms, denoting four important ways of expressing future time. None of these can be said to be exclusively used to show future time, though each is used to refer to some action in future.

(ii) Which form of the verb is more natural in these sentences? Encircle your choice. 

(a) I’m not free this evening. I will work/am working on a project. 

Ans. am working.

(b) Have you decided where you will go for your higher secondary? Yes, I have. I will go/ am going to the Kendriya Vidyalaya.

Ans. am going.

(c) Don’t worry about the dog. It won’t hurt/isn’t hurting you.

Ans. won’t hurt.

(d) The weatherman has predicted that it will snow/is snowing in Ranikhet tonight. 

Ans. will snow.

(e) Swapna can’t go out this evening. Her father will come/ is coming to see her.

Ans. is coming.

3. (i) Complete these pieces of conversation using ‘will’ or ‘going to’ with the verbs given.

(a) Rani: Why are you turning on the radio?

Ravi: I ____________ (listen) to the news.

Ans. am going to listen.

(b) Rani: Oh, I can’t buy this book. I have no money.

Ravi: Don’t worry. I _________(lend) you some

Ans. will lend.

(c) Rani: Look at those dark clouds.

Ravi: I think it ________________ (rain).

Ans. will rain. 

(d) Rani: What shall we have for dinner?

Ravi: I can’t decide. 

Rani: Make up your mind.

Ravi: All right, then. We ______________ (have) fried rice and dry beans.

Ans. will have.

(e) Rani: Why are you filling the kettle with water? 

Ravi: I ____________ (make) coffee.

Ans. am going to make.

(f) Rani: We need some bread and butter for breakfast.

Ravi: All right. I _____________ (go) to the bakery and get some. 

(before he goes out, Ravi talks to their father)

Ans. will go. 

(g) Ravi: I ______________ (get) some bread and butter. Do you want any thing from the bakery?

Father: Yes, I want some salt biscuits.

Ravi: Fine, I ______________ (get) you a packet.

Ans. am going to get, will get.

(ii) Let pairs of children take turns to speak aloud the dialogues.

Ans. For class activity. 

SPEAKING AND WRITING

1. Each of the following words has the sound /f as in feel. The words on the left have it initially. Those on the right have it finally. Speak each word clearly.

Ans. Attempt yourself.

2. Underline the letter or letters representing /f/in each of the following words:

Ans.

3. Imagine that you are the poet. Yo have come to your native valley to meet a famous preacher called Ernest. Narrate the incident of your first meeting with him. 

Ans. 

My Meeting with Ernest

I was born in the valley more than fifty years ago. I left the place at the age of fifteen. I reached the seaport named Khandala. It is a fine tourist spot. My business there is catering. I have a hotel for high class tourists. Even I have a passion for writing poems. I heard about a famous preacher called Ernest in my native valley. I went to see him. When I reached at his home, he had been holding a book, reading and looking at the Great Stone Face. He was a quiet, mild, hospitable and decent fellow. He welcomed me with all his love and care. We exchanged our thoughts of the lives. I recited some of my poems to him. Both of us were very glad to meet each other.

4. (i) Put each of the following in the correct order to construct sentences. 

→ a resident of Noida near Delhi,/ is visually impaired/ George Abraham, 

→ confidence and competitive spirit / and infuses discipline among the participants/It provides

→ he/has helped /The brain behind the World Cup Cricket/ the disabled to dream

→ to the blind school in Delhi/It was a chance visit/that changed his life 

→ sport is a powerful tool/the disabled/He believes that/for rehabilitation of

Ans.

• George Abraham, a resident of Noida near Delhi, is visually impaired.

• It provides confidence and competitive spirit and infuses discipline among the participants. 

• He, the brain behind the World Cup Cricket, has helped the disabled to dream.

• It was a chance visit to the blind school in Delhi that changed his life. 

• He believes that sports is a powerful tool for rehabilitation of the disabled. 

(ii) Now rearrange the sentences above to construct a paragraph.

Ans. George Abraham, a resident of Noida near Delhi, is visually impaired. He, the brain behind the World Cup Cricket, has helped the disabled to dream. It was a chance visit to the blind school in Delhi that changed his life. He believes that sports is a powerful tool for rehabilitation of the disabled. It provides confidence and competitive spirit and infuses discipline among the participants.

COMPREHENSION PASSAGES

PASSAGE – 1

Now it happened that the poet, though he lived so far away, had not only heard of Ernest but had thought much about his character and wished to meet this man whose wisdom walked hand in hand with the noble simplicity of his life. One summer day, therefore, he arrived at Ernest’s door, where he found the good old man holding a book in his hand, which he read and, then, with a finger between the leaves, looked lovingly at the Great Stone Face.

“Good evening,” said the poet. “Can you give a traveller a night’s shelter ?”

“Gladly,” answered Ernest; and then he added, smiling, “I think I never saw the Great Stone Face look so hospitably at a stranger.” 

Questions

(a) Why did the poet like to see Ernest? 

Ans. The poet liked to see Ernest because he had heard that Ernest was not only wise and noble but simple at the same time too.

(b) What was the Ernest doing when the poet reached his door?

Ans. Ernest was reading a book and at times was looking lovingly at the Great Stone Face. 

(c) “Can you give a traveller a night’s shelter?” Who said this to whom? 

Ans. The poet said this to Ernest.

(d) What was the reply?

Ans. Ernest expressed his ready eagerness to do the same.

PASSAGE – 2

At a distance, but clearly to be seen, high up in the golden light of the setting sun, appeared the Great Stone Face, with white mists around it, like the white hairs around the brow of Ernest. At that moment, Ernest’s face took on an expression so grand that the poet was moved to throw his arms up and shout. “Behold! Behold! Ernest is himself the likeness of the Great Stone Face!”

Then all the people looked, and saw that what the poet said was true. The prophecy was fulfilled. But Ernest, having finished what he had to say, took the poet’s arm, and walked slowly homeward, still hoping that some wiser and better man than himself would by and by appear, bearing a resemblance to the Great Stone Face.

Questions

(a) How is the Great Stone Face described? 

Ans. (i) The Great Stone Face had appeared high up in the golden light of the setting sun.

(ii) It had white mists around it like the white hairs around the brow of Ernest.

(b) “Behold! Behold! Ernest is himself the likeness of the Great stone Face!”

(i) Who said this? 

Ans. The poet said this. 

(ii) When did he say this? 

Ans. He said this when Ernest’s face took on a grand expression.

(c) How did Ernest react when all the people expressed their consent to what the poet had said.

Ans. Ernest, just took the poet’s arm and walked slowly homeward.

(d) What does this tell about Ernest?

Ans. This tells that Ernest was very humble and not proud of himself.

SOME OTHER QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION

Q. 1. What changes had come in Ernest as he grew old?

Ans. The white hair grew upon the head of Ernest, his forehead showed wrinkles and there appeared furrows in his cheeks. Over the years,he had also become wiser and more thoughtful.

Q. 2. Did Ernest become well known? How do you know? 

Ans. Yes, Ernest became known because college professors and even the active men of cities came from far to see and converse with Ernest.

Q. 3. “O Great Stone Face, is not this man worthy to be your likeness?”

(a) Who said this and when? 

Ans. The white hair grew upon the head of Ernest, his forehead showed wrinkles and there appeared furrows in his cheeks. Over the years, he had also become wiser and more thoughtful.

Q. 2. Did Ernest become well known? How do you know? 

Ans. Yes, Ernest became known because college professors and even the active men of cities came from far to see and converse with Ernest.

Q. 3. “O Great Stone Face, is not this man worthy to be your likeness?”

(a) Who said this and when? 

Ans. The poet said this when he sat before his cottage door and he saw towards the mountain.

(b) What was the reaction?

Ans. The Great Stone Face did not answer;he just seemed to smile.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

Tick (✓) the correct option

1. The poet was a native of ___________.

(a) a distant town.

(b) the valley.

(c) India.

(d) None of these.

Ans. (a) a distant town

2. The poet arrived at Ernest’s door, one  _____________ day.

(a) winter.

(b) spring.

(c) rainy.

(d) summer.

Ans. (d) summer.

3. How did Ernest regard the poet?

(a) as an enemy. 

(b) as a simple man.

(c) as a gifted guest.

(d) none of these. 

Ans. (c) as a gifted guest.

4. Why was Ernest said? 

(a) Ernest had not earned much wealth during his life.

(b) Ernest still did not find the old prophecy to be fulfilled. 

(c) The poet spoke rudely to Ernest.

(d) The Great Stone Face seemed angry with Ernest.

Ans. (b) Ernest still did not find the old prophecy to be fulfilled. 

5. “I am not worthy to be its likeness” who said this to whom? 

(a) Ernest said this to the poet.

(b) The poet said this to Ernest.

(c) Ernest said this to the audience.

(d) The poet said this to villages.

Ans. (b) The poet said this to Ernest.

6. Ernest was to speak to a group of neighbours in the ___________.

(a) village panchayat.

(b) open air.

(c) community hall.

(d) auditorium.

Ans. (b) open air. 

7. What does ‘diffused’ mean?

(a) agreed with.

(b) spread all around. 

(c) harmonised with.

(d) not well known. 

Ans. (b) spread all around.

8. Which word means ‘gently’? 

(a) unawares.

(b) obscure.

(c) customary.

(d) hospitably.

Ans. (d) hospitably.

MAKE SENTENCES

Use the following words in sentences of your own: 

(i) custom. 

(ii) sage. 

(iii) selfless. 

(iv) thoughtful. 

(v) likeness. 

(vi) homeward. 

Ans. (i) custom: It is the custom of Hindus to celebrate Lohri with a bonfire.

(ii) sage: The sage spoke the words of wisdom to the village. 

(iii) selfless: Nothing is greater than of comparable to the mother’s selfless love.

(iv) thoughtful: A thoughtful person understands the feelings of others and does not act harshly.

(v) likeness: The twins had exact likeness to each other.

(vi) homeward: I walked homeward after attending the sermon.