NCERT Solutions Class 8 English (Honeydew)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 8 English (Honeydew) Chapter – 10 The Great Stone Face – II has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English (Honeydew)
- Chapter – 1 : The Best Christmas Present in the World
- Chapter – 2 : The Tsunami
- Chapter – 3 : Glimpses of the Past
- Chapter – 4 : Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory
- Chapter – 5 : The Summit Within
- Chapter – 6 : This is Jody’s Fawn
- Chapter – 7 : A Visit to Cambridge
- Chapter – 8 : A Short Monsoon Diary
- Chapter – 9 : The Great Stone Face 1
Chapter – 10 (The Great Stone Face – II)
Comprehension Check
Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.
1. Ernest’s words reminded people of the wise old sayings. ______
2. Total strangers from far away, who visited Ernest in the valley, found his face familiar. ______
3. The Great Stone Face confirmed Ernest’s view that the poet could be worthy of its likeness. ______
4. When Ernest and the poet met, they respected and admired each other equally. ______
5. The poet along with Ernest addressed the inhabitants of the valley. ______
6. The poet realised that Ernest’s thoughts were far nobler than his own verses. ______
Answer –
1. Ernest’s words reminded people of the wise old sayings. – True
2. Total strangers from far away, who visited Ernest in the valley, found his face familiar. – True
3. The Great Stone Face confirmed Ernest’s view that the poet could be worthy of its likeness. – False
4. When Ernest and the poet met, they respected and admired each other equally. – True
5. The poet along with Ernest addressed the inhabitants of the valley. – False
6. The poet realised that Ernest’s thoughts were far nobler than his own verses. – True
Working with the text
Answer the following questions.
1. How was Ernest different from others in the valley?
Answer – Unlike other inhabitants in the valley, Ernest was a very humble, noble, thoughtful and kind-hearted person. As he grew old, he became a renowned personality and his qualities reached beyond the limits of the valley. College professors and active men of cities would come from far-off places to visit and converse with Ernest. He welcomed and received them with gentle sincerity and would talk to them freely with an open heart. He led a selfless life doing good deeds to others. He was a thoughtful person and while talking to the audience, his face would brighten up and shine upon them like a mild evening light. These are some of the ways he was different from others in the valley.
2. Why did Ernest think the poet was like the Stone Face?
Answer – The poet wrote beautiful songs and he celebrated the Great Stone Face in one of his poems. The songs of this poet found their way to Ernest. Ernest would read his poems and songs with great interest after his customary day at work and found them worthy of appreciation. When the poet came to visit Ernest, he gently looked at the wise and kind-hearted soul. As the poet talked to him, Ernest imagined that even the Great Stone Face would have looked so hospitably at a stranger and leaned forward to listen to their conversation. In due course, the poet pointed out that Ernest was indeed reading the poems written by him. After reading his poems, Ernest was convinced that the poet had a likeness to the Great Stone Face.
3. What did the poet himself say about his thoughts and poems?
Answer – When the poet talked with a man like Ernest who was so wise, gentle and kind, he felt as though he could hear a distant voice of a heavenly song from his views and simple thoughts. The poet strongly felt that his own life did not correspond to his thoughts although he had grand dreams, but he could never convert those to reality. The poet lacked faith in his own thoughts as he talked sadly to Ernest with teary eyes. He confessed that he was not worthy to be compared to the likeness of the Great Stone Face as his actions did not match his thoughts.
4. What made the poet proclaim Ernest was the Stone Face?
Answer – The poet and Ernest had a long conversation when they met. They went to a meeting place together where Ernest addressed the audience. The poet heard him speak and realised that Ernest’s words and thoughts had great depth and wisdom. He led a life of good deeds and selfless love towards whomever he was in touch with. As Ernest talked, at a distance along with the golden light of the setting sun, the Great Stone Face appeared with white mists around it just 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 and proclaimed that Ernest held a striking resemblance to the Great Stone Face. The audience also looked and consented that the poet was indeed correct in his observation. Thus, the old prophecy was fulfilled.
5. Write ‘Ernest’ or ‘Poet’, against each statement below.
(i) There was a gap between his life and his words.
(ii) His words had the power of truth as they agreed with his thoughts.
(iii) His words were as soothing as a heavenly song but only as useful as a vague dream.
(iv) His thoughts were worthy.
(v) Whatever he said was truth itself.
(vi) His poems were noble.
(vii) His life was nobler than all the poems.
(viii) He lacked faith in his own thoughts.
(ix) His thoughts had power as they agreed with the life he lived.
(x) Greatness lies in truth. Truth is best expressed in one’s actions. He was truthful, therefore he was great.
Answer –
(i) There was a gap between his life and his words. (Poet)
(ii) His words had the power of truth as they agreed with his thoughts. (Ernest)
(iii) His words were as soothing as a heavenly song but only as useful as a vague dream. (Poet)
(iv) His thoughts were worthy. (Ernest)
(v) Whatever he said was truth itself. (Ernest)
(vi) His poems were noble. (Poet)
(vii) His life was nobler than all the poems. (Ernest)
(viii) He lacked faith in his own thoughts. (Poet)
(ix) His thoughts had power as they agreed with the life he lived. (Ernest)
(x) Greatness lies in truth. Truth is best expressed in one’s actions. He was truthful, therefore he was great. (Ernest)
6. (i) Who, by common consent, turned out to be like the Great Stone Face?
Answer – By common consent, Ernest turned out to be like the Great Stone Face.
(ii) Did Ernest believe that the old prophecy had come true? What did he say about it?
Answer – No, Ernest did not believe that the old prophecy had come true. Even though everybody had agreed that he was the likeness of the Great Stone Face, he himself hoped that some wiser and better man than himself would appear, bearing a resemblance to the Great Stone Face.
Working with language
1. Mark the meaning that best fits the word or a phrase in the story.
(i) (sun) going down
(a) becoming smaller
(b) weakening
(c) setting
Answer – (c) setting
(ii) brightening
(a) making (it) look bright and cheerful
(b) lending (it) a special glow
(c) causing (it) to appear hopeful
Answer – (b) lending (it) a special glow
(iii) spacious
(a) lonely and wild
(b) big and wide
(c) special and important
Answer – (b) big and wide
(iv) prophecy
(a) proverb
(b) prediction
(c) rumour
Answer – (b) prediction
(v) marvellous
(a) wonderful
(b) surprising
(c) shocking
Answer – (a) wonderful
(vi) proclaim
(a) reveal
(b) declare
(c) shout
Answer – (b) declare
(vii) cease
(a) happen
(b) stop
(c) remain
Answer – (b) stop
(viii) (a night’s) shelter
(a) stay
(b) safety
(c) hospitality
Answer – (a) stay
(ix) gazed
(a) wandered about
(b) stared at
(c) thought of
Answer – (b) stared at
(x) took on (an expression)
(a) challenged
(b) resembled
(c) assumed
Answer – (c) assumed
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.
Answer – Attempt it yourself by reading the sentences carefully.
(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.
(b) Have you decided where you will go for your higher secondary? Yes, I have. I will go/am going to the Kendriya Vidyalaya.
(c) Don’t worry about the dog. It won’t hurt/isn’t hurting you.
(d) The weatherman has predicted that it will snow/is snowing in Ranikhet tonight.
(e) Swapna can’t go out this evening. Her father will come/is coming to see her.
Answer –
(a) I’m not free this evening. I am working on a project.
(b) Have you decided where you will go for your higher secondary? Yes, I have. I will go to the Kendriya Vidyalaya.
(c) Don’t worry about the dog. It won’t hurt you.
(d) The weatherman has predicted that it will snow in Ranikhet tonight.
(e) Swapna can’t go out this evening. Her father is coming to see her.
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.
(b) Rani : Oh, I can’t buy this book. I have no money.
Ravi : Don’t worry. I ___________ (lend) you some.
(c) Rani : Look at those dark clouds.
Ravi : I think it ___________ (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.
(e) Rani : Why are you filling the kettle with water?
Ravi : I ___________ (make) coffee.
(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.)
Ravi : I ___________ (get) some bread and butter. Do you want anything from the bakery?
Father : Yes, I want some salt biscuits.
Ravi : Fine, I ___________ (get) you a packet.
Answer –
(a) Rani : Why are you turning on the radio?
Ravi : I am going to listen to the news.
(b) Rani : Oh, I can’t buy this book. I have no money.
Ravi : Don’t worry. I will lend you some.
(c) Rani : Look at those dark clouds.
Ravi : I think it is going to rain.
(d) Rani : What shall we have for dinner?
Ravi : I can’t decide.
Rani : Make up your mind.
Ravi : All right, then. We will have fried rice and dry beans.
(e) Rani : Why are you filling the kettle with water?
Ravi : I am going to make coffee.
(f) Rani : We need some bread and butter for breakfast.
Ravi : All right. I will go to the bakery and get some.
(Before he goes out, Ravi talks to their father.)
Ravi : I am going to get some bread and butter. Do you want anything from the bakery?
Father : Yes, I want some salt biscuits.
Ravi : Fine, I will get you a packet.
(ii) Let pairs of children take turns to speak aloud the dialogues.
Answer – Attempt yourself.
