NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English (Honeydew) The Great Stone Face-II [Old Book]

NCERT
SOLUTIONS
CLASS - 8TH

aglase .co

Class : 8th
Subject : English-1
Chapter : 10
Chapter Name : The Great Stone Face–II

Q1 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 con rmed 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. True
2. True
3. False
The Face did not answer.
4. True
5. False
Only Ernest addressed the inhabitants of the valley.
6. True

Page : 132 , Block Name : Comprehension Check

Q1 How was Ernest different from others in the valley?

Answer. The wise thoughts of Ernest made him different from others in the valley. Ernest was
well-known in his valley and had become famous even beyond the valley. College professors and
even the active men of cities came from far to see and converse with him. He received them with
gentle sincerity and spoke freely with them of whatever came uppermost or lay deepest in his
heart or their own.

Page : 133 , Block Name : Working With The Text

Q2 Why did Ernest think the poet was like the Stone Face?

Answer. When Ernest read his poems, he hoped that the poet was like the Stone Face. The poet
had celebrated the Great Stone Face in his poems. Ernest believed that the poet’s thoughts were
worthy of him bearing resemblance to the Stone Face.

Page : 133 , Block Name : Working With The Text

Q3 What did the poet himself say about his thoughts and poems?

Answer. The poet said that Ernest could hear the distant voice of a heavenly song in his thoughts
and poems. However, the poet felt that his own life had not corresponded with his thoughts. He
had grand dreams, but they had been only dreams. Sometimes he even lacked faith in his own
thoughts.

Page : 133 , Block Name : Working With The Text

Q4 What made the poet proclaim Ernest was the Stone Face?

Answer. When Ernest was addressing the inhabitants of the valley, the poet realised that the life
and character of Ernest were nobler than his works of poetry. At a distance high up in the golden
light of the setting sun, the Great Stone Face appeared with white mists around it, similar to the
white hairs around the brow of Ernest. At that moment, Ernest’s face took on an expression so
grand that the poet proclaimed that Ernest was the Stone Face.

Page : 133 , Block Name : Working With The Text

Q5 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) Poet
(ii) Ernest
(iii) Poet
(iv) Ernest
(v) Ernest
(vi) Poet
(vii) Ernest
(viii) Poet
(ix) Ernest
(x) Ernest

Page : 133 , Block Name : Working With The Text

Q6 (i) Who, by common consent, turned out to be like the Great Stone Face?
(ii) Did Ernest believe that the old prophecy had come true?

Answer. (i) By common consent, Ernest turned out to be like the Great Stone Face.
(ii) 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.

Page : 133 , Block Name : Working With The Text

Q1 Mark the meaning that best ts the word or a phrase in the story.
(i) (sun) going down
(a) becoming smaller
(b) weakening
(c) setting

(ii) brightening
(a) making (it) look bright and cheerful
(b) lending (it) a special glow
(c) causing (it) to appear hopeful

(iii) spacious
(a) lonely and wild
(b) big and wide
(c) special and important

(iv) prophecy
(a) proverb
(b) prediction
(c) rumour

(v) marvellous
(a) wonderful
(b) surprising
(c) shocking

(vi) proclaim
(a) reveal
(b) declare
(c) shout

(vii) cease
(a) happen
(b) stop
(c) remain

(viii) (a night’s) shelter
(a) stay
(b) safety

(c) hospitality

(ix) gazed
(a) wandered about
(b) stared at
(c) thought of

(x) took on (an expression)
(a) challenged
(b) resembled
(c) assumed

Answer. (i) (sun) going down − (c) setting
(ii) brightening − (b) lending (it) a special glow
(iii) spacious − (b) big and wide
(iv) prophecy − (b) prediction
(v) marvellous − (a) wonderful
(vi) proclaim − (b) declare
(vii) cease − (b) stop
(viii) (a night’s) shelter − (a) stay
(ix) gazed − (b) stared at
(x) took on (an expression) − (c) assumed

Page : 133 , Block Name : Working With Language

Q2 (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.
(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. (ii) (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.

Page : 138 , Block Name : Working With Language

Q3 (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 lling 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.

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

Answer. (i) (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 lling 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.

Page : 135 , Block Name : Working With Language

Q1 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 nally. Speak each word clearly.

Answer. DIY

Page : 135 , Block Name : Speaking And Writing

Q2 Underline the letter or letters representing/f/in each of the following words.

Answer. DIY

Page : 136 , Block Name : Speaking And Writing

Q3 Imagine that you are the poet. You have come to your native valley to meet a famous preacher
called Ernest. Narrate the incident of your rst meeting with him.

Answer. I lived so far away from the valley. But I had heard about Ernest’s character and wisdom.
One summer day I called on him. I found him reading a book. We sat down together and talked. I
found Ernest wise, gentle and kind. Ernest greeted me warmly and called me a ‘gifted guest’ Then I
introduced myself as one who wrote the poems Ernest was reading.Ernest compared my face with
the Stone Face. He had hoped to see the ful lment of the prophecy but he was disappointed. I told
him I was not worthy of that likeness. I said that my thoughts and actions had no harmony.I went
with my host to a meeting place. I heard his address and found depth in his thoughts. In the
golden light of the setting sun, Ernest appeared to me exactly like the Great Stone Face. The
gathering also agreed with me.

Page : 136 , Block Name : Speaking And Writing

Q4 (i) Put each of the following in the correct order to construct sentences.

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

con dence 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
________________________________________________ ________________________________________________

(ii) Now rearrange the sentences above to construct a paragraph. George
Abraham,________________________________________ _________________________________________________

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

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

Page : 136 , Block Name : Speaking And Writing