Chapter 4: Bepin Choudhury's Lapse of Memory

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Chapter 4: Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory

Class: VIII

Exercise number – 1

Question 1
Why did the man stare at Bepin Babu in disbelief?

Answer 1
The man stared at Bepin Babu in disbelief because Bepin Babu did not recognise him even though he was sure that he had met him in Ranchi and knew him.

Question 2
Where did Bepin Babu say he went in October’ 58?

Answer 2
Bepin Babu stated 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 3

Parimal Ghose knew certain things about Bepin Babu. He knew that the latter had no children. He also knew that Bipin Babu had lost his wife ten years ago. He also even knew that Bipin Babu’s only brother had died insane, which was why he did not want to visit the mental hospital in Ranchi.

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Question 1
Why did Bepin Babu worry about what Parimal Ghose had said?

Answer 1

Bepin Babu was worried about what Parimal Ghose had said because he knew many intimate facts about him. Parimal Ghose knew about the bag of books, the death of his wife and his brother’s insanity. Taking into consideration that Parimal Ghose knew so much about him, Bepin Babu couldn’t say with certainty 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 2
Bepin Babu tried to decide which one among his memory and Parimal Ghose was right 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. Yet, he could not decide if the cut was the result of his fall in Ranchi or of 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 3
Bepin Babu hesitated to visit Mr. D. Mukerji because he was afraid of the ruthless sarcasm he would have to face. He believed that if the story about Ranchi was false, then Mr. D. Mukerji would think that he had gone insane.

Being repeatedly troubled by the incident at the bookshop and having no other mean to verify the claims of Parimal Ghose, Bepin Babu finally decided to ask him. He decided to phone him because that way his embarrassment wouldn’t be visible to the Mr. Mukerji.

Question 4
What did Mr Mukerji say? Did it comfort Bepin Babu, or add to his worries?

Answer 4
Mr Mukerji said that they had actually gone to Ranchi in ’58. This added even more to Bepin Babu’s worries as he could not figure out how he could possibly have forgotten about the trip.

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Question 1
Who was Chunilal? What did he want from Bepin Babu?

Answer 1
Chunilal was Bepin Babu’s old schoolmate. He had been having a hard 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 2
Dr Chanda was puzzled because he had never dealt with a case like that of Bepin Babu’s. It was beyond his field of experience. The uncommon 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, though due to some unknown reason, the entire episode had completely slipped out of his mind.

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Question 1
Had Bepin Babu really lost his memory and forgotten all about a trip to Ranchi?

Answer 1
No, Bepin Babu had not lost his memory and forgotten all about a trip to Ranchi. In reaity, 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 2

Chunilal did what he did owing to the fact that Bepin Babu did not help him at a time when he had no money and wanted a job. However, Bepin Babu did not do anything for him. Chunilal said that he didn’t have money but he had imagination.

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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 1
The author describes Bepin Babu as a serious and hardworking man. He worked daily in his office which was a big firm and he was doing a responsible job. He had been with the firm for 25 years. He had a reputation for being a tireless, diligent worker.

Question 2
Why did Bepin Babu change his mind about meeting Chunilal? What was the result of this meeting?

Answer 2
Bepin Babu thought that it might be possible that the Chunilal remembered something about the Ranchi trip and thus he changed his mind about meeting him. When the latter confirmed that Bepin Babu had been to Ranchi, Bepin Babu decided that he should see a specialist doctor.

Question 3
Bepin Babu lost consciousness at Hudroo Falls. What do you think was the reason for this?

Answer 3
Bepin Babu lost consciousness at Hudroo Falls because he had a fall. He even broke his hip in the incident.

Question 4
How do you think Bepin Babu reacted when he found out that Chunilal had tricked him?

Answer 4
After realising that Chunilal had tricked him, Bepin Babu must have been filled with deep regret for his ‘unfeeling behaviour’ 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’.

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Question 1
Fill in the blanks below using ‘had to’/ ‘have to’/ ‘has to’.

1. I ____________cut my hair every month.
2. We _____________ go for swimming lessons last year.
3. She ____________tell the principal the truth.
4. They ______________take the baby to the doctor.
5. We _____________ complain to the police about the noise.
6. Romit ___________finish his homework before he could come out to play.
7. I _______________repair my cycle yesterday.

Answer 1

1. I have to cut my hair every month.
2. We had to go for swimming lessons last year.
3. She has to tell the principal the truth.
4. They had to take the baby to the doctor.
5. We have to complain to the police about the noise.
6. Romit had to finish his homework before he could come out to play.
7. I had to repair my cycle yesterday.

Question 2
Study the sentences in the columns below.

Compare the sentences in the two columns, especially the verb forms. Answer the following questions about each pair of sentences.

1. Which column tells us the Bepin Babu is still working at the same the place?
2. Which column suggests that Chunilal is now waiting for a reply from the publisher?
3. Which column suggests that the person still remembers the movie he saw?
4. Which column suggests that the experience of visiting Ranchi is still fresh in the speaker’s mind?

Answer 2

1. Column B
2. Column A
3. Column B
4. Column B

Question 3
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.

1. Stop/and tell me/beating about/what you want/the bush
2. don’t pay/if you/attention/you might/the wrong train/to the announcement/board
3. The village/tried/the crime/on the young woman/to pin
4. Bepin Babu/orders to/telling people/under/loved/doctor’s/eat early/that he was
5. the student/The teacher/his eyebrows/when/said that/all their lessons/raised/they had revised
   
   

Answer 3

1. 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
2. If you don’t pay attention to the announcement, you might board the wrong train.
   Idiom: pay attention − listen carefully
3. The villagers tried to pin the crime on the young woman.
   Idiom: pin the crime − place the responsibility of the crime
4. Bepin Babu loved telling people that he was under doctor’s orders to eat early.
   Idiom: under doctor’s orders − in complete necessity
5. The teacher raised his eyebrows when the students said that they had revised all their lessons.
   Idiom: raised his eyebrows − expressed doubt/surprise.

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