NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 4 - Bepin Choudhury’S Lapse Of Memory

Comprehension Check

1. Why Did the Man Stare at Bepin Babu in Disbelief?

Ans: The man stared at Bepin Babu in disbelief because the man vouched that he had met Bepin in Ranchi and knew him but Bepin refused to accept that.

2. Where Did Bepin Babu Say He Went in October 58?

Ans: He spent the Puja holidays on October 58 in Kanpur with a friend.

3. Mention Any Three (or More) Things That Parimal Ghose Knew About Bepin Babu. 

Ans: Primal knew that Bepin slipped near Hudroo’s fall and injured his leg, preferred food by a bawarchi, and hence stayed in a Bungalow and his wife died about 10 years ago.

Comprehension Check  

1. Why Did Bepin Babu Worry About What Parimal Ghose Had Said?

Ans: By stating the facts about his bag of books, his wife’s death, his brother’s insanity, and his foot injury, Primal proved that he indeed knew Bepin very well. This made him worried about what Primal had said. He could not recollect the meeting held in Ranchi.

2. How Did He Try to Decide Who Was Right - His Memory or Parimal Ghose?

Ans: There was a mark of an old injury on his right leg as stated by Parimal but he could not decide if that was from an old childhood injury or due to the reason stated by Parimal. Since he was right about that it caused further confusion in Bepin’s mind and he decided to ask Dinesh Mukerji, who was also with him in Ranchi, as stated by Parimal. This would finally put an end to the confusion that was created.

3. Why Did Bepin Babu Hesitate to Visit Mr. Mukerji? Why Did He Finally Decide to Phone Him?

Ans: Bepin was scared about the reaction he might receive from Mr. Mukerji. If the whole incident from Ranchi turns out to be false, Mr. Mukerji would declare him insane. After the incident at the bookshop, he was constantly disturbed and he had no other means to ease his anxiety other than asking Mr. Mukerji but he decided to call him to reduce the embarrassment.

4. What Did Mr. Mukerji Say? Did it Comfort Bepin Babu, or Add to His Worries?

Ans: Mr. Mukerji confirmed his visit to Ranchi in Octorber’58 after checking his diary. This increased Bepin’s worries since he could not recollect anything about the trip and under what circumstances had he forgotten about it.

Comprehension Check  

1. Who was Chunilal? What Did He Want from Bepin Babu?

Ans: Chunilal was having a rough time lately and thought about contacting Bepin who was his old schoolmate. He planned to come and meet him for a job but Bepin knew he could not help him and told him that too.

2. Why was Dr. Chanda Puzzled? What Was Unusual About Bepin Babu's Loss of Memory? 

Ans: Dr. Chandra had never seen a case as peculiar as Bepin. He could remember everything except the trip to Ranchi. The only plausible reason the doctor could collect was that due to an unknown reason the incident must have slipped from his mind. His case left him puzzled and it was out of his experience.

Exercise

1. Had Bepin Babu Really Lost His Memory and Forgotten All About a Trip to Ranchi? 

Ans: Chunilal played a trick with Bepin’s mind and made him feel like he had forgotten sections from his life, particularly a trip he took to Ranchi. He did not actually forget anything. It was just revenge Chunilal was taking from Bepin for not helping him out. 

2. Why Do You Think Chunilal Did What He Did? Chunilal Says He has No Money; What is it That He Does Have?

Ans: Chunilal wanted to take revenge on Bepin for not helping him when he had no money and job. He was a good writer wither budding inspiration and hence took revenge by rekindling the memory of his fall near Hudroo.

Working with Text

1. The Author Describes Bepin Babu as a Serious and Hardworking Man. What Evidence Can You Find in the Story to Support This?

Ans: Bepin worked daily in his office at a big firm and was a hardworking and dedicated individual. He had worked with the company for twenty-five years and had a reputation for being a conscientious worker.

2. Why Did Bepin Babu Change His Mind About Meeting Chunilal? What Was the Result of This Meeting?

Ans: Chunilal wanted to meet Bepin to inquire about work. Bepin avoided meeting him but one day he gathered up courage and met him to discuss the Ranchi trip which he could not gather any memory about. Chunilal, contrary to his expectations, did confirm that he went on a trip to Ranchi which left Bepin baffled and decided to consult a doctor to get his memory loss treated.

3. Bepin Babu Lost Consciousness at Hudroo Falls. What Do You Think Was the Reason for This?

Ans: It seems like after falling at the Hudroo Falls Bepin lost his memory and could not recollect the incidents thereafter. The fall was impactful and he injured his hip. That was the last place where he could collect some evidence about his trip to Ranchi.

4. How Do You Think Bepin Babu Reacted When He Found Out That Chunilal Had Tricked Him?

Ans: He would have been filled with remorse refusing to help an old friend, Chunilal but he saw through his trick. He would have finally realized that he was indeed a victim of forgetfulness.

Working with Language Question:

1. Fill in the blanks below using 'had to'/ 'have to'/ 'has to'.

(i) I ___________Cut My Hair Every Month.

Ans: I have to cut my hair every month.

(ii) We _____________Go for Swimming Lessons Last Year.

Ans: We had to go for swimming lessons last year.

(iii) She _____________ Tell the Principal the Truth.

Ans: She has to tell the principal the truth.

(iv) They ____________ Take the Baby to the Doctor.

Ans: They had to take the baby to the doctor.

(v) We _______________Complain to the Police About the Noise.

Ans: We have to complain to the police about the noise.

(vi) Romit ___________Finish His Homework Before He Could Come Out to Play.

Ans: Romit had to finish his homework before he could come out to play.

(vii) I ____________ repair My Cycle Yesterday.

Ans: 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.

Ans:

(i) At/from a close quarters-to stand near somebody to observe something about him

(ii) Break into a smile-to pass instant smile to the other person

(iii) Carry on-to continue in a process

(iv) have a clean record-keep something for reference

(v) Beat about the bush-not to say exactly.

3. Study the Sentences in the Columns Below.

Compare the Sentences in the Two Columns, Especially the Verb Forms. Answer the Following About Each Pair of Sentences.

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

Ans: Column B

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

Ans: Column A

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

Ans: Column B

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

Ans: 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.

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

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) don't pay/if you/attention/you might/the wrong train/to the announcement/board 

Ans: If you don't pay attention to the announcement, you might board the wrong train.

Idiom:  pay attention - listen carefully

(iii) The village/tried/the crime/on the young woman/to pin 

Ans: The villagers tried to pin the crime on the young woman.

Idiom:  pin the crime - place the responsibility of the crime

(iv) Bepin Babu/orders to/telling people/under/loved/doctor's/eat early/that he was

Ans: Bepin Babu loved telling people that he was under doctor's orders to eat early.

Idiom:  under doctor's orders - in the complete necessity

(v) the student/The teacher/his eyebrows/when/said that/all their lessons/raised/they had revised 

Ans:  The teacher raised his eyebrows when the students said that they had revised all their lessons.

Idiom:  raised his eyebrows - expressed doubt/surprise

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

NCERT Class 8 English Chapter 4, is a story about a middle-aged man who is a widower. His life takes a turn when a man asks him about his Ranchi trip,he went on a trip some years back which he has no memory of. The man tells him that he had met Bipin babu in Ranchi and that they had a conversation. But Bepin babu couldn’t recognise the man. That man tells some intimate things about him like, his wife died 10 years ago and that he had a cut in the knee he got when he fell from the Hundru falls and hurt his head.  

Bepin babu had a cut in the knee and his wife had died 10 years ago. He got nervous that how can a stranger know so much about him. He then decides to call one of his friends Mr. Mukherji, who the man claimed to be with, was with Bepin babu on that trip. Afraid that Mr. Mukherji will make fun of him, he decides to call him instead so that his embarrassment couldn’t be seen. When called, Mr. Mukherj confirms that they had gone to Ranchi together and that he fell from the fall and hurt his head, resulting in the loss of memory.

Bepin Babu's doctor was very confused because this was the first case that had come to him as he had only forgotten about the Ranchi trip, rest everything was fine. Later what we find in the chapter is that this was all a plan of Bepin babu’s old friend Chunilal, who needed help with a job and didn’t have any money and Bepin babu didn’t help him. Bepin babu met with Chunilal to confirm that he went to Ranchi and he agreed. Hearing this Bepin babu felt unconscious and fell on the floor. In this chapter it is not told whether Chunilal told Bepin babu about his trick but we can deduce that Bepin babu must have felt his mistake of not helping an old friend at the time of need and his loss of memory for his friendship.

Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 4 Bepin Chaudhary’s Lapse of Memory - Central Message

Satyajit Ray’s ‘Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory’ is a humorous tale with a psychological relief. When Bepin Babu’s friend plays a practical joke on him out of spite for not helping him in need, we find a classic example of the proverb of as you sow so shall you reap. Bepin Babu, the protagonist, is faced with a very unique problem. He has surprisingly lost only a part of his memory and cannot recall an incident from 1958 when he took a trip to Ranchi with his friend. As the story unfolds, the readers discover an unexpected yet funny twist at the end when they realise his old friend Chunilal had set up the entire thing. 

Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 5 Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory is a wonderful story that will require students of Class 8 to understand the inner meaning and theme of the story. Only when you have a thorough understanding of the chapter, will you be able to answer complex and analytical questions based on them in your examination. Moreover, students need to learn how to answer properly and accurately since there is a scope for better marks when your answer covers all the important points and is well structured. Vedantu’s expert faculty have curated the solutions keeping in mind these things. So all you need to do is download the PDFs and study.

NCERT Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter-wise Solutions

• Chapter 1 - The Best Christmas Present in the World

• Chapter 2 - The Tsunami

• Chapter 3 - Glimpses of the Past

• Chapter 4 - Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory

• Chapter 5 - The Summit Within

• Chapter 6 - This is Jody’s Fawn

• Chapter 7 - A Visit to Cambridge

• Chapter 8 - A Short Monsoon Diary

• Chapter 9 - The Great Stone Face – I

• Chapter 10 - The Great Stone Face – II

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