NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English - Chapter 4 : Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory

NCERT Solutions - Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory

Comprehension Check

Question 1:
Why did the man stare at Bepin Babu in disbelief?
Answer:
The man stared at Bepin Babu in disbelief because Bepin Babu did not recognize him even though he was sure that he knew him and had met him in Ranchi.

Question 2:
Where did Bepin Babu say he went in October’ 58?
Answer:
Bepin Babu said that he spent the Puja holidays in ’58 with a friend in Kanpur.

Question 3:
Mention any three (or more) things that Parimal Ghose knew about Bepin Babu.
Answer:
Parimal Ghose knew the following about Bepin Babu:

1. He had no children.
2. He had lost his wife ten years ago.
3. His only brother died insane, which was why he did not want to visit the mental hospital in Ranchi.

Comprehension Check

Question 1:
Why did Bepin Babu worry about what Parimal Ghose had said?
Answer:
Bepin Babu was continuously worried about what Parimal Ghose had said because he had shown that he knew many intimate facts about him. He knew about the bag of books, his wife’s death, and his brother’s insanity. Considering that Parimal Ghose knew so much about him, Bepin Babu couldn’t say with conviction that he was making a mistake about the Ranchi trip.

Question 2:
How did he try to decide who was right—his memory or Parimal Ghose?
Answer:
He tried to decide whether his memory was right or Parimal Ghose by looking at his right knee where Parimal had claimed that there would be a cut. There was certainly a mark of an old cut. However, he could not decide if the cut was the result of his fall in Ranchi or due to some incident in his childhood. Then, he decided to ask Dinesh Mukherjee, who according to Parimal Ghose was with him in Ranchi. He felt that asking him would put an end to his confusion.

Question 3:
Why did Bepin Babu hesitate to visit Mr. Mukerji? Why did he finally decide to phone him?
Answer:
Bepin Babu hesitated to visit Mr. Dinesh Mukerji because he was afraid of the ruthless sarcasm he would have to face. He felt that if the whole story about Ranchi was false, then Mr. Mukerji would think that he had gone insane.
Being constantly troubled by the incident at the bookshop and having no other means for verifying the claims of Primal Ghose, Bepin Babu finally decided to ask Mr. Mukerji. However, he decided to phone him because that way his embarrassment wouldn’t be visible to the latter.

Question 4:
What did Mr. Mukerji say? Did it comfort Bepin Babu, or add to his worries?
 Answer:
Mr Mukerji said that they had indeed gone to Ranchi in ’58. This added to Bepin Babu’s worries as he could not figure out how he could possibly have forgotten about the trip.

Comprehension Check

Question 1:
Who was Chunilal? What did he want from Bepin Babu?
Answer:
Chunilal was an old schoolmate of Bepin Babu. He had been having a rough time lately and had been coming to see Bepin Babu for a job.

Question 2:
Why was Dr. Chanda puzzled? What was unusual about Bepin Babu’s loss of memory?
Answer:
Dr. Chanda was puzzled because he had never dealt with a case such as Bepin Babu’s. It was outside his field of experience. The unusual thing about Bepin Babu’s case was that he remembered everything in his past except for one particular incident. Dr. Chanda said that Bepin Babu must have been to Ranchi. However, due to some unknown reason, the entire episode had slipped out of his mind.
Comprehension Check
Question 1:
Had Bepin Babu really lost his memory and forgotten all about a trip to Ranchi?
 Answer:
No, Bepin Babu had not really lost his memory and forgotten all about a trip to Ranchi. It was a trick played by Chunilal.

Question 2:
Why do you think Chunilal did what he did? Chunilal says he has no money; what is it that he does have?
 Answer:
Chunilal did what he did because Bepin Babu did not help him at a time when he had no money and required a job. However, Bepin Babu did not do anything for him. Chunilal said that he did not have money. However, he had imagination.
Working with the Text
Question 1:
The author describes Bepin Babu as a serious and hardworking man. What evidence can you find in the story to support this?
Answer:
The author has described Bepin Babu as a serious and hardworking man. He worked daily in his office. It was a big firm and he was doing a responsible job. He had been with the firm for twenty-five years. He had a reputation for being a tireless, conscientious worker.

Question 2:
Why did Bepin Babu change his mind about meeting Chunilal? What was the result of this meeting?
Answer:
Bepin Babu changed his mind about meeting Chunilal because he thought that it might be possible that the latter remembered something about the Ranchi trip. When Chunilal confirmed that Bepin Babu had been to Ranchi, Bepin Babu decided to see a specialist doctor.

Question 3:
Bepin Babu lost consciousness at Hudroo Falls. What do you think was the reason for this?
Answer:
Bepin Babu lost consciousness at Hudroo Falls because he had a fall. He had broken his hip.

Question 4:
How do you think Bepin Babu reacted when he found out that Chunilal had tricked him?
 Answer:
After finding out that Chunilal had tricked him, Bepin Babu must have been filled with remorse for his ‘unfeeling behavior’ towards an ‘old friend down on his luck’. He would have realised that he had indeed been a victim of forgetfulness as he had forgotten the meaning of friendship in a time of ‘affluence’.

Working with Language - 

Question 1:
 Fill in the blanks below using ‘had to’/ ‘have to’/ ‘has to’.
 (i) I ____________cut my hair every month.
 (ii) We _____________ go for swimming lessons last year.
 (iii) She ____________tell the principal the truth.
 (iv) They ______________take the baby to the doctor.
 (v) We _____________ complain to the police about the noise.
 (vi) Romit ___________finish his homework before he could come out to play.
 (vii) I _______________repair my cycle yesterday.
 Answer:
(i) I have to cut my hair every month.
(ii) We had to go for swimming lessons last year.
(iii) She has to tell the principal the truth.
(iv) They had to take the baby to the doctor.
(v) We have to complain to the police about the noise.
(vi) Romit had to finish his homework before he could come out to play.
(vii) I had to repair my cycle yesterday.

Question 3:
 Study the sentences in the columns below.

Answer:
(i) Column B
(ii) Column A
(iii) Column B
(iv) Column B

Question 4:
 Given below are jumbled sentences. Working in groups, rearrange the words in each sentence to form correct sentences.
 You will find that each sentence contains an idiomatic expression that you have come across in the lesson. Underline the idiom and write down its meaning. Then use you dictionary to check the meaning.

(i) Stop/and tell me/beating about/what you want/the bush
 Ans: _________________
 Idiom:___________________
 (ii) don’t pay/if you/attention/you might/the wrong train/to the announcement/board
 Ans: _____________________
 Idiom: __________________
 (iii) The village/tried/the crime/on the young woman/to pin
 Ans: _____________
 Idiom: ______________
 (iv) Bepin Babu/orders to/telling people/under/loved/doctor’s/eat early/that he was
 Ans:_______________
 Idiom: ________________
 (v) the student/The teacher/his eyebrows/when/said that/all their lessons/raised/they had revised
 Ans:_________________
 Idiom: ______________________

(i) Ans. Stop beating about the bush and tell me what you want.
Idiom: beating about the bush − avoiding the main topic, not coming straight to the point

(ii) Ans. If you don’t pay attention to the announcement, you might board the wrong train.
Idiom: pay attention − to listen carefully

(iii) Ans. The villagers tried to pin the crime on the young woman.
Idiom: pin the crime − place the responsibility of the crime

(iv) Ans. Bepin Babu loved telling people that he was under doctor’s orders to eat early.
Idiom: under doctor’s orders − in complete necessity

(v) Ans. The teacher raised his eyebrows when the students said that they had revised all their lessons.
Idiom: raised his eyebrows − expressed doubt/surprise