CBSE Class 8

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 7 When I Set Out for Lyonnesse are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 7 When I Set Out for Lyonnesse.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew (Poem) Chapter 7 When I Set Out for Lyonnesse

STANZAS FOR COMPREHENSION

I When I set out for Lyonnesse
A hundred miles away,
The rime was on the spray ;
And starlight lit my lonesomeness (Page 109)

Paraphrase. The poet started for Lyonnesse which was a hundred miles away. It was very cold then. The leaves were covered with frost. It was a lonely journey in the light of stars alone.

Multiple Choice Questions
1. Lyonnesse is
(a) a beautiful river
(b) a beautiful hill
(c) a country in the legends
(d) an imaginary name.

2. The poet of the poem is
(a) Thomas Hardy
(b) R.N. Tagore
(c) Edward Lear
(d) William Blake.

3. The leaves were covered by
(a) ice
(b) frost
(c) dust
(d) dirt.

4. The poet felt
(a) happy
(b) angry
(c) depressed
(d) excited.

Answers
1. (c) a country in the legends
2. (a) Thomas Hardy
3. (b) frost
4. (c) depressed

II When I set out for Lyonnesse
A hundred miles away.
What would bechance at Lyonnesse
While I should sojourn there, (Page 109)

Paraphrase. Hardy set out for Lyonnesse. It was a place a hundred miles away. When the poet started his journey, nobody could predict the happenings during his stay there.

Questions
1. What was the poet thinking of ?
2. Where was the poet going to stay ?
3. What was the poet’s thought while going there ?
4. Find a word in the passage which means the same as ‘happen’.

Answers
1. The poet was thinking of the events that might happen at Lyonnesse during his visit there.
2. The poet was going to stay at Lyonnesse.
3. The poet was thinking of the chance happenings at Lyonnesse.
4. bechance.

III No prophet durst declare ;
Nor did the wisest wizard guess
What would bechance at Lyonnesse
While I should sojourn there. (Page 109)

Paraphrase. During the poet’s stay at that church something happened there. It was however something which no one had expected. A prophet could not have predicted it nor a magician could have guessed it.

Multiple Choice Questions
1. No one could predict
(a) what might happen tomorrow
(b) how the wizard would act
(c) what might happen at Lyonnesse
(d) what had happened earlier.

2. The poet was going to
(a) meet a wise man
(b) a wizard’s house
(c) stay at Lyonnesse
(d) declare like a prophet.

3. A wizard is
(a) a clever person
(b) a magician
(c) a learned man
(d) a fearful person.

4. The word ‘sojourn’ means the same as
(a) silence
(b) shake
(c) solar
(d) stay.

Answers
1. (c) what might happen at Lyonnesse
2. (c) stay at Lyonnesse
3. (b) a magician
4. (d) stay

IV When I returned from Lyonnesse
With magic in my eyes,
All marked with mute surmise
My radiance rare and fathomless,
When I returned from Lyonnesse
With magic in my eyes. (page 109)

Paraphrase. When the poet returned from the church, there was a glamour in his eyes. All the people silently marked this rare glow and bottomless depth in his eyes. This happened as he returned after supervising the restoration of the church from Lyonnesse with charming eyes.

Questions
1. What is Lyonnesse ?
2. Why was there ‘magic’ in his eyes ?
3. What was the reaction of the people when they saw him on his return ?
4. Which word in the passage means ‘glow’ ?

Answers
1. Lyonnesse is a country mentioned in Arthurian legends. This was located in South West England and is supposed to have been submerged in the sea.
2. There was deep radiance in his eyes which made his eyes enchanting. People thought that there was magic.
3. The people were dumbfounded when they looked into his eyes. They saw in them a rare glow. This glow seemed fathomless.
4. ‘radiance’.

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS

WORKING WITH THE POEM (Page 110)

Question 1.
In the first stanza, find words that show
(i) that it was very cold.
(ii) that it was late evening.
(iii) that the traveller was alone.

Answer.
(i) The word ‘rime’ shows that it was very cold.
(ii) The word ‘starlight’ shows that it was late evening.
(iii) The word ‘lonesomeness’ shows that the traveller was alone.

Question 2.
(i) Something happened at Lyonnesse. It was
(а) improbable.
(b) impossible.
(c) unforeseeable.
(ii) Pick out two lines from stanza 2 to justify your answer.

Answer.
(i) (c) unforeseeable
(ii) The relevant lines are :
No prophet durst declare
Nor did the wisest wizard guess
What would bechance at Lyonnesse

Question 3.
(i) Read the line (stanza 3) that implies the following :
‘Everyone noticed something, and they made
guesses, but didn’t speak a word’.
(ii) Now read the line that refers to what they noticed.

Answer:
(i) “All marked with mute surmise”.
(ii) “My radiance rare and fathomless”.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 7 When I Set Out for Lyonnesse help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 7 When I Set Out for Lyonnesse, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 8 Jalebis are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 8 Jalebis.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 8 Jalebis

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 65)
1. Why didn’t he pay the school fees on the day he brought money to school ?
2. (i) What were the coins ‘saying’ to him ?
(ii) Do you think they were misguiding him ?
3. Why didn’t he take the coins’ advice ? Give two or three reasons.
4. (i) What did the oldest coin tell him ?
(ii) Did he follow his advice ? If not, why not ?
5. He reached home with the coins in his pocket. What happened then ?

Answers
1. The teacher who collected the fees was on leave. So he didn’t have to pay school fees on that day. The name of the teacher was Master Ghulam Mohammed.

2. (i) One rupiya asked him what he was thinking about. He should taste fresh, hot jalebis.
They are meant to be eaten. Those who have money in their pocket can eat them.
(ii) Yes, they were misguiding him. This is because the money was meant for his school fees and fund.

3. He didn’t take the coins’ advice. The money was for the school fee. Then, he was afraid of his teacher. If he got angry, he would keep him standing on the bench. Moreover, he considered even looking at something in the bazaar a sin.

4. (i) The oldest coin told him (they were trying to tell him) something for his own good. He asked him if he didn’t feel like eating those hot jalebis. If he spent the money that day, he would get the scholarship the next day.
(ii) He didn’t follow his advice. He thought that what he was saying was not right. Though his mouth watered at the thought (sight) of jalebis, he controlled himself. The reason was that he was not a common sort of boy. He was among the most promising students in the class. He had even won a scholarship of four rupees a month. Besides this, he came from a well-to-do family. So he enjoyed great prestige.

5. When he reached home, he sat on the bed. The coins began to speak. He went inside to have lunch, they began to shriek. He was thoroughly fed up and ran towards the bazaar. He quickly told the halwai to give him a whole rupee worth of jalebis.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 68)
1. (i) Why didn’t he eat all the jalebis he had bought ?
(ii) What did he do with the remaining jalebis ?
2. “The fear was killing me.” What was the fear ?
3. “Children’s stomachs are like digestion machines.” What do you understand by that ? Do you agree ?
4. How did he plan to pay the fees the next day ?
5. When it is time to pay the fees, what does he do ? How is he disobeying the elders by doing so ?

Answers
1. (i) He bought a heap of jalebis with one rupee. He ate manyjalebis. His stomach was so
full that he couldn’t eat any more jalebi.
(ii) The boys from the neighbourhood had assembled in thegali. He started distributing the jalebis among them.

2. It was a problem to digest all the jalebis that he had eaten. There was a burp at every breath. There was danger of the burp bringing out a jalebi or two. This fear was killing him.

3. It means that children’s stomachs work efficiently like machines. They can easily digest even if they overeat. But I don’t agree with this view. If a child overeats, he will suffer from indigestion. However, Munna might have a different experience.

4. He thought that he would get the previous month’s scholarship the next day. So he will
be able to pay his fees with that amount. ,

5. When it is time to pay the fees, he takes his bag and leaves the school. He disobeys the elders by crossing the railway track and eating sweets. They had warned him never to do so.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 72)
1. What was the consequence of buying jalebis with the fees money ?
2. His prayer to God is like a lawyer’s defence of a bad case. Does he argue his case well ? What are the points he makes ?
3. He offers to play a game with Allah Miyan. What is the game ?
4. Did he get four rupees by playing the game ? What did he get to see under the rock ?
5. If God had granted his wish that day, what harm would it have caused him in later life ?

Answers
1. The consequence was his absence in the school for the first time in his life. He thought of the fees and then of Master Ghulam Mohammed’s cane.

2. He tells God that he is a very good boy. He tries to please God by saying that he has memorized the entire namaaz. He even knows the last ten surats of the Quran by heart. He can recite the entire ayat-al-kursi. He admits that he made a mistake. He spent the money because he expected the scholarship. Had it not been so, he would have never bought the jalebis. He argues his case well, but in vain.

3. The game was that he would go to the signal. God should put four rupees under a big rock. He would touch the signal and come back. It would be great fun to find four rupees under the rock. He goes towards the signal.

4. He didn’t get four rupees by playing this game. When he lifted the rock, he saw a hairy
worm instead of rupees.

5. If God had granted his wish that day, he would not know the value of work. He would have depended on God for his life’s needs. In fact, man would not learn anything himself as, for example, making jalebis. He would have been like birds.

EXERCISE {Page 72)
Work in small groups.
1. Select and read sentences that show

• that the boy is tempted to eat jalebis.
• that he is feeling guilty.
• that he is justifying a wrong deed.

Answers

• The following sentences in the text show that the boy is tempted to eat jalebis :
  1. Jalebis are meant to be eaten and only those with money in their pocket can eat them.
  2. But then, these jalebis are no common sort ofjalebis either. They’re crisp, fresh and full of syrup.
  3. My mouth watered.
  4. I rushed out of the house barefoot and ran towards the bazaar.
• The following sentences in the text show that he is feeling guilty :
  1. My head started to spin. I felt as if I was standing on my head and could not get on to my feet again even if I tried.
  2. When the recess bell rang, I tucked my bag under my arm and left the school.
  3. Now for the crime of eating a few jalebis, for the first time in my life I was absent from school.
  4. Sitting under a tree, at first I felt like crying.
• The following sentences in the text show that he was justifying a wrong deed :
  1. I didn’t eat them all by myself, and I fed them to a whole lot of children.
  2. Allah miyan ! I’m a very good boy. I have memorized the entire namaaz. I even know the last ten surats of the Quran by heart. I can recite the entire ayat-al-kursi for you just now.

2. Discuss the following points.

• Is the boy intelligent ? If so, what is the evidence of it ?
• Does his outlook on the jalebis episode change after class VIII ? Does he see that episode in a new light ?
• Why are coins made to ‘talk’ in this story ? What purpose does it serve ?

Answer:

• The boy was intelligent. It is shown by the fact that he had won a scholarship. He was among the most promising students.
• His outlook on the jalebis episode changes after class VIII. He sees the episode in a new light. He prayed to God to give him four rupees for his fees. But now he has come to realize his foolishness. If God gives all for the asking, man will be no better than birds. He will learn nothing in his life as he will get everything without effort.
• The coins are made to ‘talk’ in this story because they reflect a mental conflict. His mind is divided between eating jalebis and paying his fees. He is tempted to eat jalebis because of the coins in his pocket. But the other side of his personality hesitates to do so.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 8 Jalebis help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 8 Jalebis, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face II are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face II.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face II

IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow choosing the correct options among the given ones :

I. Unsought for, undesired, had come the fame which so many seek. He had become famous beyond the limits of the valley. College professors, and even the active men of cities, came from far to see and converse with Ernest, (Page 133)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. What is it that many seek ?
(a) health
(b) wealth
(c) fame
(d) love.

2. Ernest had become famous for his
(a) health
(b) wisdom
(c) wealth
(d) love.

3. The phrase ‘unsought for’ means
(a) hated
(b) undesired
(c) loved
(d) unasked.

Answers
1. (c) fame
2. (b) wisdom
3. (d) unasked

II. “Because,” replied Ernest, “all through life I have awaited the fulfillment of a prophecy, and when I read these poems, I hoped that it might be fulfilled in you.” (Page 134)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. Ernest was talking to
(a) his mother
(b) a poet
(c) a neighbour
(d) General Blood-and-Thunder.

2. The prophecy concerned
(a) himself
(b) his mother
(c) the poet
(d) The Great Stone Face.

3. Ernest had expected that the poet’s face would resemble
(a) his own face
(b) Gathergold
(c) The Great Stone Face
(d) his mother’s face.

Answers:
1. (b) a poet
2. (d) The Great Stone Face
3. (c) The Great Stone Face

III. The prophecy was fulfilled. But Ernest, having finished what he had to say, took the poet’s arm, and walked slowly homeward, still hoping that some wiser and better man than himself would by and by appear, bearing a resemblance to the Great Stone Face. (Page 136)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. The prophecy was fulfilled in
(a) the poet
(b) Ernest
(c) Gathergold
(d) General Blood-and-Thunder.

2. Ernest believed the prophecy
(a) was yet to be fulfilled
(b) was now fulfilled
(c) will never be fulfilled
(d) was fulfilled long ago.

3. The story is written by
(a) Nathaniel Hawthorne
(b) John Keats
(c) Ruskin Bond
(d) Zulfikar Ghose.

Answers
1. (b) Ernest
2. (a) was yet to be fulfilled
3. (a) Nathaniel Hawthorne

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 136)

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 confirmed Ernest’s view that the poet could be worthy of its like-ness. ___
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.___

Answers
1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. True

WORKING WITH THE TEXT (Page 137)

Answer the following questions.
Question. 1.
How was Ernest different from others in the valley ?

Answer:
There were thousands of inhabitants in the valley. Ernest was good and simple hearted. He did noble deeds every day. He was a humble and thoughtful person. He had wise thoughts in his mind. He became famous throughout the world. In this way, he was different from others in the valley.

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

Answer:
The poet wrote songs with lofty thoughts. While he was talking to Ernest, he looked wise, gentle and kind. Even the Great Stone Face appeared bending forward to listen to his talk. The Stone Face even looked kindly at the poet, though he was a complete stranger. Therefore, Ernest thought the poet was like the Stone Face.

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

Answer:
The poet said that his thoughts contained the distant voice of a heavenly song. However, his life had been different from his poems. He himself lacked faith in his dreamy thoughts.

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

Answer:
Through Ernest’s speech, the poet judged his greatness. He felt that Ernest’s life and character were a nobler kind of poetry.

Moreover, Ernest’s white hair looked like the Great Stone Face surrounded by white clouds. Ernest’s face also assumed a grand expression. It moved the poet’s heart. It also made him proclaim Ernest as the Stone Face.

Question. 5.
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.
(viii) 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) Poet
(v) Ernest
(vi) Poet
(vii) Ernest
(viii) Poet
(ix) Ernest
(x) Ernest.

Question. 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:
(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. He still hoped, that some day, some man, wiser and better than himself would appear. He would bear a likeness to the Great Stone Face.

WORKING WITH LANGUAGE (Page 137)
1. Mark the meaning that best fits 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
(а) 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

Answers
(i) —> (c)
(ii) —> (b)
(iii) —> (b)
(iv) —> (b)
(v) —> (a)
(vi) —> (b)
(vii) —> (b)
(viii) —> (a)
(ix) —> (b)
(x) —> (c).

2. (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/’I’ is snowing in Ranikhet tonight.
(e) Swapna can’t go out this evening. Her father will come/is coming to see her.

Answers
(i) Do yourself.

Question 3.
(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 filling 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 any thing 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.

Answers
(i) (a) am going to listen
(b) will lend
(c) is going to
(d) will have
(e) am going to make
(f) will go, am going to get, will get

(ii) Do yourself.

SPEAKING AND WRITING
Question 1.
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 finally. Speak each word clearly.

Answer
Do yourself.

Question 2.
Underline the letter or letters representing / f / in each of the following words.

Question 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.

Answer
Meeting Ernest
It was a summer evening. I arrived at Ernest’s door. I found him reading a book. Between his readings, I found him looking lovingly at the Great Stone Face. I greeted him. Then I asked for a night’s shelter. He gladly agreed to grant me that. Then he said that the Great Stone Face was looking very hospitably at me.

I sat beside him. We talked for a long time. Never before, I had met so wise and gentle and kind a person. Then suddenly, he gazed into my eyes, called me gifted and asked who I was. I pointed to the book in his hand. I said that I was the one who wrote that book. I felt that he was now comparing my features to those of the Great Stone Face. It made him sad because he did not find the desired resemblance. I told him that I was not worthy of that likeness. Ernest asked, “Why not ?” I told him that my life did not correspond with my thoughts. Ernest’s eyes were full of tears.

At the hour of sunset, he took me to a place. Here he spoke to a group of neighbours in the open air. While listening to Ernest, I felt that I had before me the worthiest sage.

As I looked at the Great Stone Face. I couldn’t help shouting, “Behold ! Behold ! Ernest is himself the likeness of the Great Stone Face !”

All the people there looked and saw that what I said was true. The prophecy was fulfilled. Ernest however, was too humble to believe it.

Question 4.
(i) Put each of the following in the correct order to construct sentences.
• a resident of Noida near Delhi,/is visually impaired/George Abraham,
__________________________________________________
• confidence 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,_____________________________________

Answers
(i) • George Abraham, a resident of Noida near Delhi, is visually impaired.
• It provides confidence 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 confidence and competitive spirit and infuses discipline among the participants.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face II help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face II, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 7 The Open Window are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 7 The Open Window.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 7 The Open Window

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 57)
1. Why had Framton Nuttel come to the “rural retreat” ?
2. Why had his sister given him letters of introduction to people living there ?
3. What had happened in the Sappleton family as narrated by the niece 1

Answers
1. Framton Nuttel had been suffering from nervousness and worry. So he had come to the ‘rural retreat’ for cure.
2. His sister knew that he would meet very few people in the countryside. So he would feel very unhappy. His condition would become worse than before. So she had given him letters of introduction to the people she knew there.
3. A great tragedy had happened in the Sappleton family about three years ago. Her aunt’s husband and brothers had gone for hunting as usual. Unfortunately they were swal¬lowed up by the marsh.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 60)
1. What did Mrs Sappleton say about the open window ?
2. The horror on the girl’s face made Framton swing around in his seat. What did he see ?

Answers
1. Mrs. Sappleton told Framton Nuttel that her husband and brothers were expected soon. They would enter the house through the window. Their dog would follow them as usual. That was why the window was kept open every evening till it is dark.
2. The girl looked through the open window. There was horror in her eyes. Framton swung around his seat and saw three figures coming towards the window.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 61)
1. Why did Framton rush out wildly ?
2. What was the girl’s explanation for his lightning exit ?

Answers
1. The girl had told Framton a false story. She said that her aunt’s husband and brothers died in the marsh. But he saw them coming towards the house. He thought that they were ghosts. So he was terribly afraid and rushed out wildly.
2. The girl’s explanation was that Framton Nuttel was afraid of the dog. He had told her about his bitter experience of the dogs. So he made a sudden and quick exit.

EXERCISE (Page 61)
Discuss in small groups.

Question 1.
Is this a mystery story ? Give a reason for your answer.

Answer:
“Open Window” is a mystery story. A young girl, Vera, tells Framton about a great tragedy. Mrs. Sappleton’s husband and two brothers had gone for hunting birds in the marsh. They were swallowed up in the marsh. She adds that her aunt, Mrs. Sappleton, always thought that they would come back. That is why they kept the window open through which they went out. Mystery deepens further when these men are really seen walking towards the window.

Question 2.
You are familiar with the ‘irony’ of the situation in a story. (Remember The Cop and the Anthem in Class VII Supplementary Reader!) Which situations in ‘The Open Window’ are good examples of the use of irony ?

Answer:
There is irony of situation in the “Open Window”. Situational irony refers what is intended or expected and what actually occurs. The most ironical situation relates to Framton Nuttel. He was suffering from nervousness and worry. He had come to the calm and quiet
countryside for treatment. On the contrary, the story about Mrs. Sappleton’s husband and brothers disturbed his peace of mind. Again, he wanted to avoid any further reference to the incident. But Mrs. Sappleton too referred to the open window just as the girl had. Besides this, Framton had come with high expectations to this place. But he had to run away from the place. This was because the three men were seen walking towards the window.

Question 3.
Which phrases/sentences in the text do you find difficult to understand ? Select a few and guess the meaning of each. Rewrite a simple paraphrase of each.

Answer:
There are some phrases/sentences in the text which I found difficult to understand. Some of them are enlisted below :

• Bury yourself down there : You will feel very lonely.
• Came into the nice division : Can be placed in the category of the nice people.
• An undefinable something about the room seemed to suggest masculine habitation : There was something about the room which could not be described. It seemed to suggest that the room belonged to a man.
• Treacherous piece of bog : The bog was treacherous. Its surface was green but underneath it was a wet spongy ground.
• 5. Falteringly human : The girl’s voice broke off. She was overcome by her human feeling of pity for her aunt.
• ‘Bertie, why do you bound V : It is a popular song of twentieth century. ‘Bound’ means ‘jump’, but here there is play on words. ‘Bounder’ means a person whose behaviour is unpleasant to other people.
• Whirl of apologies : ‘Whirl’ means a rapid succession of activities. Here it means many apologies, one following the other quickly.
• Sympathetic comprehension: Understanding the whole matter and showing sympathy to the girl and her aunt.
• Romance at short notice : Finding occasions of fun and enjoyment without time for preparation.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 7 The Open Window help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 7 The Open Window, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 9 The Great Stone Face I are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 9 The Great Stone Face I.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 9 The Great Stone Face I

IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow choosing the correct options among the given ones :

I. “Mother,” said he, while the Great Face smiled on him, “I wish that it could speak, for it looks so very kindly that its voice must indeed be pleasant. If I ever see a man with such a face, I should love him very much.” (Page 125)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who is ‘he’ in these lines ?
(a) Ernest
(b) Gathergold
(c) General Blood-and-Thunder
(d) a poet.

2. That which is looking very kindly is
(a) Great stone Face
(b) the mother
(c) the poet
(d) Gathergold.

3. Ultimately there appears a man with such a face who is
(a) a poet
(b) Gathergold
(c) Ernest
(d) General Blood-and-Thunder.

Answers
1. (a) Ernest
2. (a) Great stone Face
3. (c) Ernest

II. Ernest had had no teacher, but the Great Stone Face became one to him. When the work of the day was over, he would gaze at it for hours, until he began to imagine that those vast features recognised him, and gave him a smile of kindness and encouragement. (Page 126)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. Ernest was now
(a) a child
(b) a youth
(c) an oldman
(d) a middle-aged man.

2. All Ernest’s education came from
(a) his mother
(b) a teacher
(c) Great Stone Face
(d) the society.

3. The Great Stone Face was able to
(a) feed Ernest
(b) look after Ernest
(c) talk to Ernest
(d) inspire and encourage Ernest.

Answers
1. (b)a youth
2. (c) Great Stone Face
3. (d) inspire and encourage Ernest

III. He attracted little notice from the inhabitants of the valley. They saw nothing remarkable in his way of life, except that, when the labour of the day was over, he still loved to gaze upon the Great Stone Face. Their idea was that this was a folly, but pardonable, because Ernest was industrious, kind and neighbourly. (Page 127)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. The inhabitants of the village
(a) took some notice of him
(b) took no notice of him
(c) sent him a notice
(d) got a notice from him.

2. The villagers pardoned his folly which was
(a) to take little notice
(b) to have nothing remarkable
(c) to labour all day
(d) to look upon the Great Stone Face.

3. The word ‘industrious’ means the same as
(a) the owner of an industry
(b) industrial
(c) hardworking
(d) ran an industry.

Answers :
1. (b) took no notice of him
2. (d) to look upon the Great Stone Face
3. (c) hardworking

IV. His wealth, which was the body and spirit of his existence, had disappeared before his death. Since the melting away of his gold, it had been generally agreed that there was no great likeness, after all, between the ruined merchant and the majestic face upon the mountain. (Page 128)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. This passage is about
(a) Gathergold
(b) Ernest
(c) General Blood-and-Thunder
(d) a poet.

2. The passage says there was no likeness between
(a) Gathergold and Ernest
(b) Gathergold and the Great Stone Face
(c) Ernest and Gathergold
(d) Blood-and-thunder and Ernest.

3. The melting away of gold means
(a) making a gold pot
(b) making goldcoins
(c) melting gold coins
(d) vanishing of wealth.

Answers:
1. (a) Gathergold
2. (b) Gathergold and the Great Stone Face
3. (d) vanishing of wealth

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 129)

Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.
1. The Great Stone Face stood near where Ernest and his mother lived. ___
2. One would clearly distinguish the features of the Stone Face only from a distance.___
3. Ernest loved his mother and helped her in her work. ___
4. Though not very rich, Gathergold was a skilful merchant. ___
5. Gathergold died in poverty and neglect. ____
6. The Great Stone Face seemed to suggest that Ernest should not fear the general. ___

Answers:
1. False
2. True
3. True
4. False
5. True
6. False

WORKING WITH THE TEXT (Page 130)

Answer the following questions.
Question. 1.
(i) What was the Great Stone Face ?
(ii) What did young Ernest wish when he gazed at it ?

Answer:
(i) The Great Stone Face was a work of nature. It was formed on the side of a mountain by huge rocks. They had been thrown together in such a position that they resembled a human face.

(ii) Young Ernest gazed at the Great Stone Face. It smiled on him. Ernest wished that it could speak because it looked very kindly. Its voice must be pleasant. He would love the man whoever bore such a face dearly.

Question. 2.
What was the story attributed to the Stone Face ?

Answer:
The story attributed to the Stone Face was that a special child should be born there. He would become the greatest and noblest person of his time. In manhood, his face would bear an exact likeness 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:
There was a rumour in the valley that the great man resembling the Great Stone Face had appeared. A young man, named Gathergold had left the valley. He had grown a rich merchant by the time he became old. He had decided to return to his native valley. The rumour went that he had the living likeness of the Great Stone Face. It made the people of the valley think that the prophecy was about to come true.

Question. 4.
(i) Did Ernest see in Gathergold the likeness of the Stone Face ?
(ii) Who did he confide in and how was he proved right ?

Answer:
(i) No, Ernest did not see the likeness of the Stone Face in Gathergold.

(ii) Ernest confided in the valley, where the Stone Face was formed. He was proved right because Gathergold died after sometime. He was then a poor man. All the people, then, said that he had no likeness with the stone face.

Question. 5.
(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 ?

Answer:
(i) General Blood-and-Thunder rose in position from a soldier. He desired to return to his native valley. The residents of the valley said that he bore the likeness of the Great Stone Face. His childhood friends also said that the General had always looked like the Stone Face. It made people believe ‘General Blood-and- Thunder’ was their man.

(ii) Ernest compared the face of Blood-and-Thunder with the Stone Face. He could not recognise any likeness between them. He concluded that the man, bearing likeness to the Stone Face had yet to come.

WORKING WITH LANGUAGE (Page 130)

Question 1.
Look at the following words.
like – likeness
punctual – punctuality
The words on the left are adjectives and those on the right are their noun forms.
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 ___
(ii) able ___
(iii) happy___
(iv) near ____
(v) noble ___
(vi) enormous ___
(vii) pleasant ___
(viii) dense ___
(ix) great ___
(x) stable ___

Answers:
(i) loftiness
(ii) ability
(iii) happiness
(iv) nearness
(v) nobility/nobleness
(vi) enormity
(vii) pleasure
(viii) density
(ix) greatness
(x) stability

Question 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) Why didn’t you turn up at the meeting ? We all were eagerly waiting for you.
(ii) Kindly write your name and address in capital letters.
(iii) I was pleasantly surprised to see him at the railway station. I thought he was not coming.
(iv) It is perfectly believable that I am not responsible for this mess.
(v) He fell over the step and nearly broke his arm.

Question 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/had got home from school.
(ii) Hurry up! Madam will be annoyed if we are late.
(iii) If it rains today, we shall 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 shall write to you after we are back.

SPEAKING AND WRITING (Page 131)
Question 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 any one who looked like the Stone Face. Then she told me this story.

Answer:
… My mother said that there is an old prophecy. According to it we may one day come across a man with exactly such a face. A child would be born near here. He will become the greatest and noblest person of his time. In manhood, this man will wear exact resemblance to the Great Stone face. Some people believe in the prophecy, some don’t.

Question 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 ?

Answer:
… Some selfish, greedy persons should certainly come forward to welcome me. I should be careful about it. They can cause me loss of money as well as respect.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 9 The Great Stone Face I help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 9 The Great Stone Face I, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.