Extract Based Questions: Bepin Choudhury's Lapse of Memory | English Class 8 PDF Download

Q1: Read the extract given below and answer the following questions. 
Getting off the train at Ranchi next morning, he realised at once that he had never been there before. He came out of the station, took a taxi and drove around the town for a while. He realised that the streets, the buildings, the hotels, the bazaars, the Morabadi Hill – with none of these had he the slightest acquaintance. Would a trip to the Hudroo Falls help? He didn’t believe so, but, at the same time, he didn’t wish to leave with the feeling that he hadn’t tried enough. So he arranged for a car and left for Hudroo in the afternoon. At five o’clock the same afternoon in Hudroo, two Gujarati gentlemen from a group of picnickers discovered Bepin Babu lying unconscious beside a boulder. When he came round, the first thing Bepin Babu said was, “I’m finished. There’s no hope left.”

(i) How was he sure that he had not visited Ranchi before?
Ans: Bepin Babu visited Ranchi by hiring a taxi. He realized that the streets, the buildings, the hotels, the bazaars etc were not familiar at all.

(ii) Why did the trip to the Hudroo Falls plan?
Ans: Bepin Babu was sure that he had not visited the place before. But he did not want to take a chance so he went to Hudroo Falls.

(iii) What had happened to Bepin Babu in Hudroo?
Ans: Bepin Babu was lying unconscious beside a boulder. Two Gujarati gentleman found him.

(iv) Why do you think Bepin said ‘I’m finished’?
Ans: Bepin visited Ranchi with the hope to remember any incident or place to relate his previous trip to Ranchi. But he couldn’t relate anything. He was thus in a state of shock that he had lost his memory.

(v) Why was ‘no hope left’ for Bepin Babu?
Ans: Bepin Babu lost faith in his memory. He was totally devastated. He worked hard and managed solution by engaging himself in reading books. The false story had so much of impact on his mind that he lost all his hope of leading a normal life.

Q2: Read the extract given below and answer the following questions. 
Was he losing his mind? But how could that be? He was working daily in his office. It was a big firm, and he was doing a responsible job. He wasn’t aware of anything ever going seriously wrong. Only today he spoke for half an hour at an important meeting. And yet… And yet the man knew a great deal about him. How? He even seemed to know some intimate details. The bag of books, wife’s death, brother’s insanity… The only mistake was about his having gone to Ranchi. Not a mistake; a deliberate lie. In ’58, during the Pujas, he was in Kanpur at his friend Haridas Bagchi’s place. All Bepin Babu had to do was write to — no, there was no way of writing to Haridas. Bepin Babu suddenly remembered that Haridas had left with his wife for Japan some weeks ago, and he didn’t have his address.

(i) What was the conflict in Bepin Babu’s mind?
Ans: Bepin Babu was working in office and he was performing his duties with responsibility. He spoke for half an hour at an important meeting. Yet he was not sure of his mental state.

(ii) Where was Bepin Babu in October 1958?
Ans: Bepin Babu was in Kanpur October 1958 at his friend Haridas Bagchi’s place.

(iii) Why did Bepin say ‘No, there was To Haridas’?
Ans: Bepin wanted to contact Haridas, then he remembered that Haridas had left with his wife for Japan some weeks ago.

(iv) What were the ‘intimate details’ that Parimal Ghose was aware of?
Ans: Parimal Ghose knew about the intimate details about the bag of books, wife’s death, brother’s insanity etc.

(v) Explain ‘losing his mind’.
Ans: Bepin was initially confident that Parimal mistook him for someone else. But his lie shook him. He started doubting himself.

Q3: Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
Doubtless it was Bepin’s condition which made Chunilal leave without mentioning anything about a job. Paresh Chanda was a young physician with a pair of bright eyes and a sharp nose. He became thoughtful when he heard about Bepin Babu’s symptoms. “Look, Dr Chanda,” said Bepin Babu desperately, “You must cure me of this horrible illness. I can’t tell you how it’s affecting my work.” Dr Chanda shook his head. ‘You know what, Mr Choudhury,” he said. “I’ve never had to deal with a case such as yours. Frankly, this is quite outside my field of experience. But I have one suggestion. I don’t know if it’ll work, but it’s worth a try. It can do no harm.” Bepin Babu leaned forward anxiously.

(i) What did Chunni Lai come for?
Ans: Chunni Lai visited Bepin’s place to take his help in finding a suitable job for him.

(ii) Describe the appearance of Paresh Chanda.
Ans: Paresh Chandra was a young physician with a pair of bright eyes and a sharp nose.

(iii) Why was Bepin Babu desperate?
Ans: Bepin Babu was desperate to get cure of his horrible illness of forgetfulness.

(iv) What was the analysis of Dr. about mental condition of Bepin Babu?
Ans: Bepin Babu visited the doctor to analyse the medical condition and he could not find anything suspicious in him.

(v) What was the suggestion of his doctor?
Ans: The doctor suggested him to visit Ranchi. Once again to get real experience he could make out if he had really visited those places.

Q4: Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
Every Monday, on his way back from work, Bepin Choudhury would drop in at Kalicharan’s in New Market to buy books. Crime stories, ghost stories and thrillers. He had to buy at least five at a time to last him through the week. He lived alone, was not a good mixer, had few friends, and didn’t like spending time in idle chat. Today, at Kalicharan’s, Bepin Babu had the feeling that someone was observing him from close quarters. He turned round and found himself looking at a round faced, meek looking man who now broke into a smile. “I don’t suppose you recognise me.” “Have we met before?” asked Bepin Babu. The man looked greatly surprised. “We met every day for a whole week. I arranged for a car to take you to the Hudroo falls. In 1958. In Ranchi. My name is Parimal Ghose.” “Ranchi?”

(i) What did Bepin do every Monday?
Ans: Bepin Choudhary bought books of crime stories, ghost stories and thrillers from Kalicharan’s New market every Monday.

(ii) Why was Bepin engrossed in reading?
Ans: Bepin lived alone in his house. He was not a good mixer. He had only a few friends and didn’t like spending time in idle chat.

(iii) What was Bepin Babu suspicious of?
Ans: Bepin Babu felt that somebody was keeping at an eye on him who was observing him.

(iv) What did Parimal tell about himself?
Ans: Parimal Ghose revealed that he met him everyday during his stay in Ranchi in 1958. He had arranged a car for him to take him to the Hudroo falls.

(v) Choose a word/ phrase from the passage which means ‘direst and close contact’.
Ans: Close quarters.