The Great Stone Face Part – 1 Class 8 NCERT English Question answers: This story is written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, where he describes the confusion and search of person in identifying the face made on hills as real man.
Summary: The Great Stone Face
The Prophecy: A mother and her son, Ernest, sit outside their cottage discussing the Great Stone Face, a natural rock formation that resembles a human face. According to a prophecy, a child born in the valley would one day resemble the Great Stone Face and become the greatest person of their time. Ernest longs to see this person.
Appearance of Gathergold: Years later, a rich man named Gathergold returns to the valley and is rumored to resemble the Great Stone Face. However, Ernest sees no resemblance, and Gathergold eventually dies without fulfilling the prophecy.
Ernest’s longing: As a young man, Ernest spends his days gazing at the Great Stone Face and wondering why the true likeness has not yet appeared. He remains hopeful and patient.
Appearance of Blood-and-Thunder: Another man, a general named Blood-and-Thunder, returns to the valley and is thought to be the greatest person of all time and the true likeness of the Great Stone Face. However, Ernest still does not see the resemblance and remains convinced that the real person has yet to come.
Ernest still believes in prophecy: Despite the disappointment of Gathergold and Blood-and-Thunder, Ernest continues to believe in the prophecy and holds onto the hope of seeing the true likeness of the Great Stone Face in his lifetime.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meanings |
|---|---|
| plain | clearly |
| brightening | making bright or shiny |
| features | characteristics and particulars |
| immense | big, huge |
| thrown | stuck |
| resembled | looked like, looked almost similar |
| spectator | on-looker |
| approached | came near |
| enormous | very large |
| heap | pile |
| gigantic | huge |
| clustering | gathering |
| positively | really |
| alive | living |
| fertility | productivity |
| bening | kind |
| beaming | smiling |
| gazing | looking fixedly |
| prophecy | forecast |
| exactly | accurately |
| eagerly | curiously |
| destined | designed |
| noblest | most gentle |
| had faith | trusted |
| idle talk | mere gossip |
| clapping his hands | cheering |
| discourage | dishearten |
| affectionate | loving |
| fanciful | unreal |
| assisting | helping |
| pensive | thoughtful |
| mild | soft , kind |
| rumour | hearsay |
| native | of birth |
| stirred | agitated |
| dashed | ran |
| thrust party out | emerging |
| puzzled | perplexed |
| wrinkled | lined |
| shrewdness | cleverness |
| remarkable | special |
| pardonable | worthy of being excused |
| neighbourly | social |
| sentiment | feeling |
| enlarge | make big |
| marvellous | wonderful |
| existence | state of being |
| disappeared | vanished |
| lately | presently |
| renowned | famous |
| excitement | enthusiasm |
| glancing | viewing |
| arrival | approaching |
| banquet | feast |
| roared | cheered loudly |
| several | quite a few, many |
| recognise | identify |
| proclaimed | declared, announced to public |
Textbook Intext Questions
Comprehension Check (Page – 129)
Write ‘True or False’ for each of the following statements:
(i) The Great Stone Face stood near where Ernest and his mother lived.
(ii) One would clearly distinguish the features of the Stone Face only from a distance.
(iii) Ernest loved his mother and helped her in her work.
(iv) Though not very rich, Gathergold was a skillful merchant.
(v) Gathergold died in poverty and neglect.
(vi) The Great Stone Face seemed to suggest that Ernest should not fear the General.
Ans. (i) False, (ii) True, (iii) True, (iv) False, (v) True, (vi) True
Textbook Exercise Questions
Working with the text (Page – 126)
Answer the following questions.
- (i) What was the Great Stone Face?
(ii) What did young Ernest wish when he gazed at it? - What was the story attributed to the Stone Face?
- What gave the people of the valley the idea that the prophecy was about to
come true for the first time? - (i) Did Ernest see in Gathergold the likeness of the Stone Face?
(ii) Who did he confide in and how was he proved right? - (i) What made people believe General Blood-and-Thunder was their man?
(ii) Ernest compared the man’s face with the Stone Face. What did he conclude?
Answers:
- (i) The Great Stone Face was a natural formation, created on the side of a mountain by enormous rocks that, when viewed from a suitable distance, resembled a human face.
(ii) Young Ernest wished for the Stone Face to speak and dreamed that its voice would be pleasant. - According to the legend, a child would be born in the valley who would become the greatest and noblest person of his time, with a face that resembled the Stone Face. The rumour spread throughout the valley that the great man, who looked like the Great Stone Face, had finally arrived.
- A rumour went throughout the valley that the great man, who looked like the Great Stone Face had appeared at last.
- (i) No, Ernest was disappointed. He did not notice any likeness of the Stone Face in the old man, Mr. Gathergold
(ii) He confided in his own heart and believed that the noblest man of his time would appear sooner or later. His patience was rewarded, as people eventually realized that the man they had believed to be the Stone Face was not the one they had been waiting for. - (i) The childhood friends of the general proclaimed that he had always looked like the Stone Face. So the people took it as true
(ii) Ernest compared the general’s face to the Stone Face and found no similarity. He remained hopeful that the true great man would appear one day and did not let himself become impatient or discouraged.
Working with language (Page – 126, 127)
1. Write the noun forms of the following words by adding-ness or -ity to them appropriately. Check the spelling of the new words.
(i) lofty __________ (vi) enormous __________
(ii) able __________ (vii) pleasant __________
(iii) happy __________ (viii) dense __________
(iv) near __________ (ix) great __________
(v) noble __________ (x) stable __________
Answers:
(i) loftiness (vi) enormity
(ii) ability (vii) pleasantness
(iii) happiness (viii) density
(iv) nearness (ix) greatness
(v) nobility (x) stability
2. Add -ly to each of the following adjectives, then use them to fill in the blanks.
(i) Why didn’t you turn up at the meeting? We all were ____ waiting for you.
(ii) ____ write your name and address in capital letters.
(iii) I was ____ surprised to see him at the railway station. I thought he was not coming.
(iv) It is ____ believable that I am not responsible for this mess.
(v) He fell over the step and ____ broke his arm.
Answers:
(i) eagerly
(ii) Kindly
(iii) pleasantly
(iv) perfectly
(v) nearly
3. Complete each sentence below using the appropriate forms of the verbs in brackets.
(i) I _____ (phone) you when I _____ (get) home from school.
(ii) Hurry up! Madam _____ (be) annoyed if we _____ (be) late.
(iii) If it _____ (rain) today, we _____ (not) go to the play.
(iv) When you _____ (see) Mandal again. You _____ (not/recognise) him. He is growing a beard.
(v) We are off today. We _____ (write) to you after we _____ (be) back.
Answers:
(i) I phoned you when I got home from school.
(ii) Hurry up! Madam will be annoyed if we are late.
(iii) If it rains today, we will not go to the play.
(iv) When you see Mandal again, you will not recognise him. He is growing a beard.
(v) We are off today. We will write to you after we are back.
Speaking and Writing
1. Imagine you are Ernest. Narrate the story that his mother told him.
Begin like this: My mother and I were sitting at the door of our cottage. We were looking at the Great Stone Face. I asked her if she had ever seen anyone who looked like the Stone Face. Then she told me this story.
Ans. My mother and I were sitting at the door of our cottage. We were looking at the Great Stone Face. I asked her if she had ever seen anyone who looked like the Stone Face. Then she told me this story.
he shared with me a fascinating tale of a prophecy that had been made in her village. According to the prophecy, there would come a time when a child would be born in their community who would bear a striking resemblance to the Great Stone Face. This child, the prophecy foretold, would grow up to be the most noble and illustrious person of their time.
The prophecy was shrouded in mystery and wonder, but the villagers clung to it with fervor, hoping that it would come true. They believed that this child would bring greatness and prosperity to their village, and they eagerly awaited his arrival.
As she recounted the story, I couldn’t help but feel captivated by the idea of this child who would bear such a striking resemblance to the Great Stone Face. It was as if the prophecy held the promise of a better future, a future in which greatness and nobility would prevail.
Overall, her tale left me with a sense of awe and wonder, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the prophecy would indeed come true.
2. Imagine you are Gathergold. Write briefly the incident of your return to the valley.
Begin like this: My name is Gathergold. 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?
Ans. My name is Gathergold. 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 am unsure of how the people will receive me after my extended absence. Will they welcome me back with open arms, or will they hold a grudge against me for leaving in the first place? These are questions that linger in my mind.
I am determined to do my best to gain their acceptance. Perhaps my newfound wealth will impress them and earn me their respect. I will share with them the extent of my success and hope that it will be enough for them to see me as a valuable member of the community once again.
