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Class 8 English Honeydew Lesson 10 – The Great Stone Face II

Lesson 10 • The Great Stone Face – II — Nathaniel Hawthorne

Summary • Author • Hard Spellings • NCERT Original Questions + Answers (English & Hindi) • Grammar • Writing

Before You Read (Original)

Many years passed. Ernest was now a man of middle age… To his neighbours, he was humble and hardworking, though thoughtful. What about the old prophecy? Was it ever fulfilled? Let us read and find out.

Summary (English)

Ernest grows old with wisdom and quiet fame. A celebrated poet of the valley, whose verses praise the Great Stone Face, visits Ernest. Ernest hopes the poet may be the prophesied likeness, but the poet admits his life does not match his lofty thoughts. At sunset, Ernest addresses his neighbours; his truthful words spring from a life in harmony with his thoughts. The poet realises that Ernest’s life is a nobler poetry than his own and proclaims that Ernest himself is the likeness of the Great Stone Face. The prophecy is fulfilled—though Ernest humbly keeps hoping for someone even wiser.

Summary (Hindi)

अर्नेस्ट उम्र के साथ ज्ञान और विनम्र प्रसिद्धि पाता है। घाटी का एक प्रसिद्ध कवि, जिसने ग्रेट स्टोन फेस पर कविता लिखी थी, उससे मिलने आता है। अर्नेस्ट को आशा होती है कि शायद वही भविष्यवाणी वाला व्यक्ति हो, पर कवि स्वीकार करता है कि उसका जीवन उसकी ऊँची सोच के अनुरूप नहीं रहा। सूर्यास्त पर अर्नेस्ट लोगों को संबोधित करता है—उसके सत्य शब्द उसकी जीवन-शैली से मेल खाते हैं। कवि समझ जाता है कि अर्नेस्ट का जीवन उसकी कविताओं से भी अधिक श्रेष्ठ कविता है और घोषणा करता है कि अर्नेस्ट ही ग्रेट स्टोन फेस का प्रतिरूप है। भविष्यवाणी पूरी होती है—फिर भी अर्नेस्ट और भी महान व्यक्ति की आशा बनाए रखता है।

About the Author — Nathaniel Hawthorne

English: Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) was a major American writer. He used symbols and moral allegories to explore inner character. The two parts of “The Great Stone Face” contrast outward fame with inner truth.

Hindi: नथानिएल हॉथॉर्न (1804–1864) प्रमुख अमेरिकी लेखक थे। वे प्रतीकात्मक कथाओं के माध्यम से आंतरिक चरित्र और नैतिकता की पड़ताल करते हैं। “द ग्रेट स्टोन फेस” में बाहरी ख्याति बनाम भीतरी सत्य का अंतर दिखता है।

Hard Spellings & Meanings

WordHindi UchcharanMeaning
furrowsफ़रोज़लकीरें/झुर्रियाँ
obscureऑब्स्क्योरअल्प-ज्ञात/गुमनाम
unawaresअनअवेयर्ज़अनजाने में
hospitablyहॉस्पिटब्लिआतिथ्यपूर्वक, स्नेह से
correspondedकॉरिस्पॉन्डिडमेल खाना/संगति होना
harmonisedहार्मोनाइज़्डसामंजस्य बिठाया
diffusedडिफ्यूज़्डफैल जाना/व्याप्त होना
sageसेजमनीषी/ज्ञानी पुरुष
proclaimप्रोक्लेमघोषणा करना

Comprehension Check — True/False

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

(Hindi hint: कवि ने भाषण नहीं दिया; कवि ने माना कि अर्नेस्ट का जीवन उसकी कविताओं से श्रेष्ठ है।)

Answer the following questions.

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

Answer (English): He was humble, truthful and thoughtful; his words agreed with his life. He welcomed visitors with gentle sincerity and grew wise without seeking fame.

उत्तर (Hindi): वह विनम्र, सच्चा और विचारशील था; उसके शब्द उसके जीवन से मेल खाते थे। वह अतिथियों का सादगी से सत्कार करता और बिना चाह के ही ज्ञानी व प्रसिद्ध हुआ।

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

Answer (English): The poet’s noble verses on truth and goodness made Ernest hope that he might be the living likeness of the Great Stone Face.

उत्तर (Hindi): कवि की सत्‍य और भलाई पर आधारित उच्च कोटि की कविताएँ देखकर अर्नेस्ट को आशा हुई कि शायद वही पत्थर-चेहरे का सजीव प्रतिरूप हो।

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

Answer (English): He said his thoughts sounded like a distant heavenly song, but his life had not corresponded with them; he often lacked faith in his own thoughts.

उत्तर (Hindi): उसने कहा कि उसकी सोच स्वर्गीय संगीत-सी लगती है, पर उसका जीवन उनसे मेल नहीं खाता; कई बार उसे अपनी ही सोच पर भरोसा नहीं रहा।

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

Answer (English): At sunset, Ernest’s truthful speech and the harmony between his words and life, with the Great Stone Face shining behind, revealed the likeness; the poet cried, “Behold! Ernest is himself the likeness.”

उत्तर (Hindi): सूर्यास्त के समय अर्नेस्ट के सत्य और जीवन-संगत शब्दों ने—पीछे चमकते ग्रेट स्टोन फेस के साथ—वह समानता प्रकट कर दी; कवि ने घोषणा की कि अर्नेस्ट ही उसका प्रतिरूप है।

5. Write ‘Ernest’ or ‘Poet’, against each statement below.
  1. (i) There was a gap between his life and his words. — Poet
  2. (ii) His words had the power of truth as they agreed with his thoughts. — Ernest
  3. (iii) His words were as soothing as a heavenly song but only as useful as a vague dream. — Poet
  4. (iv) His thoughts were worthy. — Poet
  5. (v) Whatever he said was truth itself. — Ernest
  6. (vi) His poems were noble. — Poet
  7. (vii) His life was nobler than all the poems. — Ernest
  8. (viii) He lacked faith in his own thoughts. — Poet
  9. (ix) His thoughts had power as they agreed with the life he lived. — Ernest
  10. (x) Greatness lies in truth… He was truthful, therefore he was great. — Ernest
6. (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? What did he say about it?

Answer (English): (i) Ernest. (ii) He remained humble; though others believed it fulfilled, he still hoped that some wiser and better man might appear.

उत्तर (Hindi): (i) अर्नेस्ट। (ii) वह विनम्र रहा; लोगों के मानने पर भी वह आशा करता रहा कि उससे भी अधिक बुद्धिमान व श्रेष्ठ व्यक्ति आएगा।

Working with Language

1. Mark the meaning that best fits the word or a phrase in the story.
  1. (i) (sun) going down — (c) setting
  2. (ii) brightening — (a) making (it) look bright and cheerful
  3. (iii) spacious — (b) big and wide
  4. (iv) prophecy — (b) prediction
  5. (v) marvellous — (a) wonderful
  6. (vi) proclaim — (b) declare
  7. (vii) cease — (b) stop
  8. (viii) (a night’s) shelter — (a) stay
  9. (ix) gazed — (b) stared at
  10. (x) took on (an expression) — (c) assumed
2. (ii) Which form of the verb is more natural? Encircle your choice.
  1. (a) I’m not free this evening. I am working on a project.
  2. (b) Yes, I have. I am going to the Kendriya Vidyalaya.
  3. (c) Don’t worry about the dog. It won’t hurt you.
  4. (d) The weatherman has predicted that it will snow in Ranikhet tonight.
  5. (e) Swapna can’t go out this evening. Her father is coming to see her.
3. (i) Complete the conversations using will or going to.
  1. (a) I am going to listen to the news.
  2. (b) Don’t worry. I will lend you some.
  3. (c) I think it is going to rain.
  4. (d) All right, then. We will have fried rice and dry beans.
  5. (e) I am going to make coffee.
  6. (f) All right. I will go to the bakery and get some.
    Ravi: I am going to get some bread and butter…
    Father: …
    Ravi: Fine, I will get you a packet.
1. (/f/ sound) Speak each word clearly.

flailflowedPhilipfactfastlifepufftoughdeafstifflaugh

2. Underline the letter(s) representing /f/.

Answers (highlighted):

file — file   •   slough — slough   •   faint — faint   •   lift — lift

cough — cough   •   defence — defence   •   afford — afford   •   enough — enough

photograph — photograph   •   staff — staff   •   tough — tough   •   aloof — aloof

affront — affront   •   philosophy — philophy   •   sophistry — sophistry

Writing Tasks

3. 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 first meeting with him.

Sample (English): I reached at dusk, and found Ernest reading with a finger in his book, eyes lifted to the Great Stone Face. His welcome was gentle and sincere. As we spoke, I felt my verses were pale beside the nobility of his life. At sunset, he addressed his neighbours; truth shone on his face and I knew—he was the likeness.

नमूना (Hindi): मैं संध्या समय पहुँचा। अर्नेस्ट को पुस्तक के साथ बैठा पाया—उँगली पन्नों में, आँखें ग्रेट स्टोन फेस की ओर। उसने बड़े स्नेह से स्वागत किया। बातचीत में लगा कि मेरी कविताएँ उसके जीवन-सत्य के आगे फीकी हैं। सूर्यास्त पर जब उसने लोगों को संबोधित किया, उसके चेहरे पर सत्य की आभा थी—तभी समझ गया कि वही प्रतिरूप है।

4. (i) Put each of the following in the correct order to construct sentences.
  1. George Abraham, a resident of Noida near Delhi, is visually impaired.
  2. It provides confidence and competitive spirit and infuses discipline among the participants.
  3. The brain behind the World Cup Cricket, he has helped the disabled to dream.
  4. It was a chance visit to the blind school in Delhi that changed his life.
  5. He believes that sport is a powerful tool for rehabilitation of the disabled.
4. (ii) Now rearrange the sentences above to construct a paragraph.

Model paragraph: 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. He believes that sport is a powerful tool for rehabilitation of the disabled. It provides confidence and competitive spirit and infuses discipline among the participants. It was a chance visit to the blind school in Delhi that changed his life.

End • Lesson 10 • The Great Stone Face – II — Complete (NCERT Original Questions Preserved)

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