Class 8 English Important Question Answers - The Great Stone Face-I (Old Syllabus)

I. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q1. What is the significance of the Great Stone Face?
 Ans. The Stone Face was a work of nature. It was formed on the side of a mountain by rocks. Viewed from a distance, those rocks looked like the features of a human face. People linked stories to that face. The people living in that valley believed that some day a great and noble person with the likeness of that face would come.

Q2. What did the spectator see when he went near the Great Stone Face?
 Ans. When the spectator went near the Great Stone Face, he lost the outline of the enormous face and could see only a heap of gigantic rocks, piled one upon another.

Q3. How did Ernest grow up to be a mild and quiet youth?
 Ans. Ernest never forgot of the story that his mother told him. He was dutiful to his mother and helpful to her many things, assisting her much with his little hands, and more with his loving heart. In this manner he grew up to be a mild and quiet youth.

Q4. How did Gathergold become rich?
 Ans. Gathergold was a young man when he left his native valley and settled at a distant seaport. He set up there as a shopkeeper. He was very sharp in business matters and therefore became very rich in a very short span of time.

Q5. How did people’s opinion change about Gathergold after his death?
 Ans. Gathergold died one day. His wealth had disappeared before his death. Since the melting away of his gold, it had been generally believed that there was no likeness between the ruined merchant and the majestic face upon the mountain.

II. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q1. What was the prophecy connected with the Stone Face? Did it come true?
 Ans. The prophecy is a statement about some event in future. The people of the valley believed that the Stone Face was auspicious for them. It made the land fertile with its gaze.
The old prophecy about the Stone Face was that at some future day a child would be born there who will grow up to become great and noble. The child would look like the Stone Face. Some people thought it was just idle talk. It appears finally Ernest himself would be declared to be the great man resembling the Stone Face.

Q2. Who was Ernest? What personal qualities made him great?
 Ans. Ernest was a little boy who lived with his Mother in a valley. His interest grew in the Great Stone Face which smiled on him. His Mother told him the prophecy about that Face. The boy never forgot that story. He spent hours looking at that face. He regarded it as his teacher. He was inspired to be noble, kind and helpful. These qualities could make him the man with the likeness of the Face.