NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 4 Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 4 Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory are provided below. These solutions contain answers to all the textbook questions. All the questions are solved by experts with a detailed explanation that help students to complete their assignments and homework. NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 4 Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory are prepared as per the latest CBSE syllabus and curriculum. Students of Class 8th can study the answers provided here to score well in their school exams.
Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory Class 8 NCERT Questions and Answers
Textbook Questions
Comprehension Check (Page 61)
Question 1: Why did the man stare at Bepin Babu’s is disbelief?
Answer: The man, Parimal Ghose, was taken aback when Bepin failed to recognise him. He didn’t believe that Bepin had a lapse of memory.
Question 2: Where did Bepin Babu say he went in October’ 58?
Answer: Bepin Babu said that in October 58 he was 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:
(i) He had no children.
(ii) He had lost his wife ten years ago.
(iii) His only brother had died insane, which was why he did not want to visit the mental hospital in Ranchi.
Comprehension Check (Page 64)
Question 1: Why did Bepin Babu worry about what Parimal Ghose had said?
Answer: Bepin Babu was taken aback to hear the intimate details about his life from Parimal Ghose. There seeded no reason why he should tell a lie. He wondered if he really had forgotten about his visit to Ranchi.
Question 2: How did he try to decide who was right his memory or Parimal Ghose?
Answer: Bepin Babu was really worried after his encounter with Parimal Ghose, who adamantly claimed of having known him since 1958 during his visit to Ranchi. Besides, when Bepin Babu checked the injury on his right knee, he realised he had no memory of this injury. Hence, to solve the confusing puzzle about his Ranchi visit, Bepin Babu decided to contact Dinesh Mukerji to check if the latter remembers of the incidents that happened in 1958. This is the only way he felt all his doubts and confusion could be clarified.
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 Mukerji thinking that it would be ridiculous if he had really visited Ranchi. Mukerji would think Bepin Babu had gone mad. Hence, Bepin babu finally decided to phone him.
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 (Page 67)
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 like Bepin Babu’s before. 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 must have been to Ranchi. However, due to some unknown reason, the entire episode had slipped out of his mind.
Comprehension Check (Page 69)
Question 1: Had Bepin Babu really lost his memory and forgotten all about a trip to Ranchi?
Answer: Perhaps, no. Bepin Babu didn’t have any lapse of memory or forgotten all about a trip to Ranchi. From the letter sent by Chunilal, it was evident that he played a trick on Bepin Babu who didn’t help him to get a job somewhere.
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 (Page 69)
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 first refused to meet Chunilal. He was in no mood to help Chunilal out of his trouble. But he changed his mind soon. He thought Chunilal might remember something about his trip to Ranchi in 1958.
Question 3: Bepin Babu lost consciousness at Hundroo Falls. What do you think was the reason for this?
Answer: Bepin Babu might have slipped near Hundroo Falls that made him unconscious.
Question 4: How do you think Bepin Babu reacted when he found out that Chunilal had tricked him?
Answer: Bepin Babu’s first reaction was that he regretted having refused to help Chunilal. He saw through Chunilal’s trick to test him, and learnt a lesson.
Working with Language
Question 1: Look at these two sentences.
- He had to buy at least five books to last him through the week.
- Bepin had to ask Chuni to leave.
Had to is used to show that it was very important or necessary for Bepin Babu to do something. He had no choice. We can also use “have to’/ ‘has to’ in the same way.
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 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 something”) (break: verb; look under “break into
(iii) carry on (carry: verb)
(iv) have a clean record under both (you may find related meanings 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.
Question 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 A
(ii) Column A
(iii) Column B
(iv) Column A
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 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: Stop beating about the bush and tell me what you want.
Idiom: beating about the bush—talk vaguely
(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: be careful
(iii) The villagers/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 on (implicate the wrong person)
(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 order to eat early.
Idiom: Under one’s order (doctor’s): under instruction of someone
(v) the students/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, (showed his assessment).
Idiom: Raised the eyebrows—to feel annoyed: showing annoyance.
Speaking And Writing
Question 1: What do you think happened after Bepin Babu came to know the truth?
Was he angry with this friend for playing such a trick on him? Or do you think he decided to help a friend in need?
Answer: When Bepin Babu came to know the truth of how Chunilal tricked him, he was ashamed and filled with remorse combined with a mixed anger feeling for not helping Chuni when he would come to him asking for help. Bepin Babu was angry on Chunilal for his ill health, however he was also happy to know that he didn’t suffer any memory loss whatsoever. Soon after he realised that he had indeed become a victim of forgetfulness by forgetting the real purpose of friendship due to his affluence. Bepin Babu learnt a lesson from this incident and he decided to always help a friend in need going forward.
Question 2: Imagine you are Bepin Choudhury. You have received Chunilal’s letter and feel ashamed that you did not bother to help an old friend down on his luck. Now you want to do something for him. Write a letter to Chunilal promising to help him soon.
Or
A prank is a childish trick. Do you remember any incident when someone played a prank on you or your friends? Describe the prank in a paragraph.
Answer:
15th November, 20XX
My Dear Chunilal,
Let me first thank you for your letter dated 10th November. I am really feeling sorry for disappointing you. I can understand your resentment. Now allow me to give you a happy news. I spoke to my friend in Delhi, and he has agreed to engage you as assistant manager in his firm.
Please come to me on Sunday. I shall then introduce you to my friend.
With regards
Yours sincerely
Bepin Choudhury
Or
It was Holi-eve last year. There was a telephonic message that my classmate Ramlala was dead. I couldn’t believe it. The caller had given her name as David. He said that he was Ramlala’s neighbour. I forgot to note his telephone number. I telephoned some others who were in the same class. All of them admitted having received a similar message. Next morning was Holi. I went to Ramlala’s place. I found a few other friends also there. Surprisingly, there was Ramlala too. I was as embarrassed as others. Some-one had played a prank on us on Holi.