NCERT English Class 8 | Chapter 4 | Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory

COMPREHENSION CHECK PAGE 61-69

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

Answer: According to the man, whose name was Parimal Ghosh, he met Bipin Choudhury at Ranchi in 1958 and had helped Bipin Babu several times during his stay. He was taken aback when Bipin Babu failed to recognize him and said he had never been to Ranchi. He stared at Bipin babu in disbelief thinking that Bipin babu had a memory lapse of his stay in Ranchi.

2. Where did Bipin Babu say he went in October’58?

Answer: According to Bipin Babu, he was in Kanpur in October 1958 and spent the Puja with a friend.

3. Mention any three (or more) things that Parimal Ghosh knew about Bepin Babu.

Answer: Here are a few things that Parimal Ghosh knew about Bipin Babu:

(i) He knew that Bipin Babu’s wife was dead

(ii) He knew that Bipin Babu had no children and his only brother had died of insanity.

(iii) He also knew that Bipin babu did not prefer hotel food and stayed at a bungalow in Ranchi where he preferred to have his meals cooked by a bawarchi.

(iv) He knew that Bipin babu had injured his right knee by having a fall in Hudroo in Ranchi.

4. Why did Bipin babu worry about what Parimal Ghose had said?

Answer: Bipin babu was shocked at how Parimal Ghose knew so much about him. He was aware of Bipin’s leg injury, his wife’s death, his brother’s insane behavior, and much more. Moreover, Bipin babu thought that there was no reason why the man would lie. So, Bipin Babu was worried and began to wonder if he did have a memory lapse.

5. How did he try to decide who was right- his memory or Parimal Ghose?

Answer: To solve the confusion and to decide who was right, his memory or Parimal Ghose, Bipin babu took a look at his right knee where Parimal Ghose claimed there would be a cut as Bipin babu had a fall at Hudroo in Ranchi. There indeed was a cut mark in Bipin babu’s right feet but he was unable to remember when he got the cut. Finally, he decided to contact Dinesh Mukherji, who Ghose claimed was also at Ranchi at the same time Bipin babu was to solve his confusion.

6. Why did Bipin babu hesitate to visit Mr. Mukherji? Why did he finally decide to phone him?

Answer: Bipin babu hesitated to visit Mr. Mukherji because he knew that Dinesh would surely make fun of him and consider him mad for forgetting about his visit to Ranchi. He wanted to avoid Dinesh’s ruthless sarcasm so finally, he decided to contact him over call to avoid embarrassment right on his face.

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

Answer: After checking from his diary, Mr. Mukerji confirmed that both he and Bipin babu had been to Ranchi in October 1958. Mr. Mukerji’s confirmation of Bipin babu’s trip to Ranchi added to his worries and he lost his appetite. He was tormented by the thought that had a memory lapse as he was unable to remember his trip to Ranchi.

8. Who was Chunilal? What did he want from Bipin babu?

Answer: Chunilal was Bepin babu’s school friend. Chunilal was going through a rough time lately and he used to visit Bepin babu frequently to see if he could help him get a job. However, Bipin babu had told him several times that he won’t be able to help him in any way.

9. Why was Dr. Chanda puzzled? What was unusual about Bipin babu’s loss of memory?

Answer: Dr. Chanda was puzzled after listening about Bipin babu’s loss of memory and told Bipin babu that this medical condition was typically outside his field of experience. Bipin babu’s case seemed to be a little complex because he remembered everything related to his past except his trip to Ranchi. He suggested that Bipin babu should visit Ranchi as the sight of the place might remind him about his last trip there.

10. Had Bipin babu really lost his memory and forgotten all about a trip to Ranchi?

Answer: No, Bipin babu did not have a lapse of memory or forgotten all about his trip to Ranchi. Chunilal had sent a letter to Bipin babu where he had made it clear that he played a trick on him as Bipin babu had not helped him during his time of adversity.

11. 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 it was his way of taking revenge from Bipin babu. Though Bipin babu was an old school friend of Chunilal, he never helped Chunilal during his time of adversity when he was in desperate need of a job as he had no money. According to Chunilal, he has no money but he does have a strong imagination which he used to plan revenge against Bipin babu. He further said that he has used his imagination to write a novel that is being considered by a publisher. He is hopeful that it would give him a source of income.

WORKING WITH THE TEXT PAGE 69

1. The author describes Bepin Babu as a serious and hard-working man. What evidence can you find in the story to support this?

Answer: Bipin babu was a serious and hardworking man. It is evident from his description in the story which says he was not a good mixer and didn’t like to waste his time in idle chat. He was working in a big firm and doing a responsible job. He had been working in the firm for the last twenty-five years and had the reputation of being a tireless and conscientious worker.

2. Why did Bepin babu change his mind about meeting Chunilal?

Answer: Chunilal, who was a school friend of Bipin babu, often visited him to request him to help him get a job. Bipin babu had told him several times that he couldn’t help him and would often send Chunillal away. However, on that day he changed his mind and decided to meet Chunilal to ask him if he remembered his visit to Ranchi in 1958. Chunilal said he clearly remembered Bipin babu’s visit to Ranchi in 1958 as it was Chunilal who went to see Bipin babu off in the station.

3. Bepin babu lost his consciousness at Hudroo falls. What do you think was the reason for this?

Answer: Bipin babu realized at Hudroo falls that this was the final place that would help him to recollect his memory of his previous visit to Ranchi in 1958. However, he was unable to remember a single and soon fell in unconsciousness near a boulder near Hudroo and broke his hip by accident.

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

Answer: When Bipin babu found out that he was tricked by Chunilal and also the reason behind Chunilal’s action, he felt deep regret for not helping a friend in his time of need. Chunilal and Bipin babu were school friends. Chunilal used to frequently visited Bipin babu to ask for his help as he was going through a bad time but Bipin babu never bothered to help him out. This proves that Bipin babu had indeed become a victim of forgetfulness as he had forgotten the true meaning of friendship. “A friend in need is a friend indeed”.

WORKING WITH LANGUAGE PAGE 70

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.

2. Here are a few idioms that you will find in the story. Look for them in the dictionary in the following way.

First, arrange them in the order in which you would find them in a dictionary.

(Clue: An idiom is usually listed under the first noun, verb, adjective, or adverb in it. Ignore articles or prepositions in the idiom).

To help you, we have put in bold the word under which you must look for the idiom in the dictionary.)

(i) at/from close quarters (close: adjective)

(ii) break into a smile (break: verb; look under ‘break into something’)

(iii) carry on (carry: verb)

(iv) have a clean record (you may find related meanings under both these words)

(v) beat about the bush (verb)

Now refer to your dictionary and find out what they mean.

Answer:

(i) at/from close quarters – This means stay nearby or close by.

(ii) break into a smile – This means to smile suddenly.

(iii) carry on – This means to continue with some task or work.

(iv) have a clean record – This means to have a clean conduct or track record.

(v) beat about the bush – This means to make rough guesses without proper knowledge.

3. Study the sentences in the columns below.

A	B
I saw this movie yesterday.	I have seen this movie already.
Bepin Babu worked here for a week last year.	Bepin Babu has worked here since 2003.
Chunilal wrote to a publisher last week.	Chunilal has written to a publisher.
I visited Ranchi once, long ago.	I have visited Ranchi once before.

Compare the sentences in the two columns, especially the verb forms.

Answer the following questions about each pair of sentences.

(i) Which column tells us that Bepin Babu is still working at the same place?

(ii) Which column suggests that Chunilal is now waiting for a reply from the publisher?

(iii) Which column suggests that the person still remembers the movie he saw?

(iv) Which column suggests that the experience of visiting Ranchi is still fresh in the speaker’s mind?

Answer:

(i) Column B

(ii) Column A

(iii) Column B

(iv) Column B

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 your dictionary to check the meaning.

One sentence has been worked out for you as an example.

Jumbled sentence: vanished/ The car/ seemed to/ into thin/ have/ air.

Ans: The car seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Idiom: vanished into thin air: disappeared or vanished in a mysterious way

(i) Stop/and tell me/beating about/what you want/the bush

Ans: _______________________________________________________