NCERT Class 8 English Chapter 9 The Great Stone Face 1
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 9 The Great Stone Face 1
Comprehension check
Write ‘True’or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.
1. The Great Stone Face stood near where Ernest and his mother lived. False
2. One would clearly distinguish the features of the Stone Face only from a distance. True
3. Ernest loved his mother and helped her in her work. True
4. Though not very rich, Gathergold was a skillful merchant. False
5. Gathergold died in poverty and neglect. True
6. The Great Stone Face seemed to suggest that Ernest should not fear the general. False
Working with the text
Question 1.
Answer the following questions.
i. What was the Great Stone Face?
Answer:
The Great Stone Face was a work of nature, formed on the perpendicular side of a mountain by some immense rocks, which had been thrown together so that, when viewed at a proper distance, they resembled the features of a human face.
ii. What did young Ernest wish when he gazed at it?
Answer:
Young Ernest wished that the Great Stone Face could speak. He found the face to be very pleasant and wanted to hear him talk.
Question 2.
What was the story attributed to the Stone Face?
Answer:
The story attributed to the Stone Face was that at some future day, a child should be bom near there, who was destined to become the greatest and noblest person of his time and whose face, in manhood, should bear an exact resemblance to the Great Stone Face.
Question 3.
What gave the people of the valley the idea that the prophecy was about to come true for the first time?
Answer:
One of the natives of the village, Gathergold, returned with a lot of wealth from the city and decided to retire in the village. His wealth and power made the villagers believe that it was the return of the Great Stone Face to the village.
Question 4.
i. Did Ernest see in Gathergold the likeness of the Stone Face?
Answer:
No, Ernest didn’t see the likeness of the Stone Face in Gathergold.
ii. Who did he confide in and how was he proved right?
Answer:
He confided in the Great Stone Face. He was proved right when the old man grew poor and the villagers seemed to agree that there was no likeness between him and the Great Stone Face.
Question 5.
i. What made people believe General Blood-and-Thunder was their man?
Answer:
The fact that General Blood-and-Thunder had earned a lot of fame by becoming a commander led the villagers to believe this. The villagers believed that he was the greatest man that had ever lived.
ii. Ernest compared the man’s face with the Stone Face. What did he conclude?
Answer:
Ernest concluded that there was no likeness between the face of the soldier and the Great Stone Face.
Speaking and writing
Question 1.
Imagine you are Ernest. Narrate the story that his mother told him.
(Encourage the students to use their creativity and formulate their answers.)
Question 2.
Imagine you are Gathergold. Write briefly the incident of your return to the valley.
Answer:
Sample answer: My name is Gather gold. I left the valley of the Great Stone Face fifty years ago. I am now going back home. Will the people of the valley welcome me? Do they know that I am very rich? I have heard rumours that the villagers believe that I am the prophecy man of the Great Stone Face.
But I know in my heart that I am not the one. I haven’t done so many noble things that would merit such an honour. You cannot become a businessman without being shrewd. I have earned enough wealth.
So, now I want to go back to my roots and spend my time in the lap of the Great Stone Face. How eagerly I am looking forward to my old home and village. I can’t wait to be there.
MCQs Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
What was the Great Stone Face ?
(a) a reflection
(b) a work of nature
(c) an artificial creation
(d) None of the above.
Answer:
(b) a work of nature
Question 2.
What spread one day in the entire valley ?
(a) a disease
(b) a wild sea grass
(c) a rumour
(d) a meteor
Answer:
(c) a rumour
Question 3.
Where had the young man settled after leaving the valley ?
(a) at a company’s godown
(b) at a distant seaport
(c) in a museum
(d) on the hillslopes
Answer:
(b) at a distant seaport
Question 4.
What was the name of the commander visited the valley?
(a) Brick-and-Klin
(b) Blood-and-Rain
(c) Blood-and-Thunder
(d) None of the above.
Answer:
(c) Blood-and-Thunder
Question 5.
‘Don’t fear Ernest, he will come”. Who spoke these words ?
(a) Poet
(b) Commander
(c) Preacher
(d) Stone face
Answer:
(d) Stone face
Question 6.
Who told the story attributed to the Stone Face to Ernest ?
(a) His teacher
(b) His mother
(c) His grandpa
(d) His father.
Answer:
(b) His mother