Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory Summary & Solution- CBSE Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 4

Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory Summary

The humorous tale Bepin Choudhury's Lapse of Memory tells the tale of an elderly man named Bepin Choudhury. Satyajit Ray wrote the narrative, which was split into four sections. The protagonist of the tale, Bepin, has a habit of going to bookshops and purchasing books that pique his interest. During one such visit, he was accosted by a guy who introduced himself as Parimal Ghose, an old friend from his trip to Ranchi. Bepin thought at first that the man was mistaking him for someone else. But Bepin was perplexed when Parimal revealed some of his private information. The visitor mentioned some occurrence from the past, but he had never been to Ranchi before, therefore he had no recall of it.

The man added that, along on the same journey, Mr. Dinesh Mukerji was also there. Additionally, he informed Bepin that he might have direct confirmation of this trip from Mr. Mukerji. But Bepin disregarded this and carried on with his life as normal. Later, as the experience continued to trouble him, he finally checked with Dinesh, who confirmed the veracity of the account. This perplexed him even more because he had no recollection of having been to Ranchi previously. Chunilal, a buddy from school, would frequently visit him in the interim while searching for work, but Bepin would mostly disregard him.

Over time, Bepin began to worry a great deal because he thought he could have lost his memory. He thus sought medical counsel for his condition. Doctor Paresh Chanda was perplexed after examining Bepin since he had never encountered a case like this before. The doctor saw Bepin's mental state and suggested that he go see Ranchi and get his questions answered. He reasoned that Bepin's recollections, which he believed to have faded, would resurface if he returned to the same location. Bepin went to Ranchi on the recommendation of Dr. Chanda in an attempt to revive his recollection of the previous occurrence, but it didn't work. He was in complete disarray after his trip to Ranchi, so he went back to Calcutta. He dialled the physician.

But the servant delivered Bepin a note that someone had placed in the letter box, labelled "Urgent and Confidential," just before Dr. Paresh Chanda came for a standard check-up. He attentively studied the letter after opening the envelope. He found out that Chunilal, his friend, had played a practical joke on him as a nice way to get even for not supporting him when he needed a job badly. He said that while Bepin might have assisted him, he choose to stay away from him. Bepin was devastated and felt bad for shunning Chunilal when he begged for assistance after reading the letter. At last, Bepin told Dr. Chanda a falsehood, saying that he had regained memories of his journey to Ranchi, but in reality, he urged the doctor to grant. 

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

Comprehension Check (Page 62)

Questions:

1. Why did the man stare at Bepin Babu’s is disbelief?
2. Where did Bepin Babu say he went in October’ 58?
3. Mention any three (or more) things that Parimal Ghose knew about Bepin Babu.

Answer:

1. Parimal Ghose was surprised that Bepin did not identify him. He didn't think Bepin was experiencing memory loss.
2. According to Bepin Babu, he was in Kanpur in October of 58.
3. Parimal Ghose was aware that Bepin Babu's wife had passed away and that his sole sibling had also passed away at a Ranchi mental institution the same year. Additionally, he was aware of Bepin Babu's childlessness and his passion for reading.

Comprehension Check (Page 65)

Questions:

1. Why did Bepin Babu worry about what Parimal Ghose had said?
2. How did he try to decide who was right— his memory or Parimal Ghose?
3. Why did Bepin Babu hesitate to visit Mr. Mukerji? Why did he finally decide to phone him?
4. What did Mr. Mukerji say? Did it comfort Bepin Babu, or add to his worries?

Answer:

1. When Parimal Ghose revealed personal information about Bepin Babu's life, he shocked him. There was no justification for him to lie. He questioned whether he had actually forgotten about his trip to Ranchi.
2. Bepin Babu made the decision to get in touch with Dinesh Mukerji in order to investigate the mystery surrounding his trip to Ranchi. At that time, Parimal had mentioned that Mukerji was also in Ranchi.
3. Bepin Babu was hesitant to see Mr. Mukerji because he believed it would be absurd if he had actually gone to Ranchi. Mukerji could believe Bepin Babu had lost his mind. Thus, Bepin Babu made the decision to call him in the end.
4. Mukerji didn’t reply clearly. But he said that he had been to Ranchi twice. He was not sure about the trip. Bepin Babu exactly wanted to know. It made Bepin Babu more puzzled. He lost his appetite.

Comprehension Check (Page 68)

Questions:

1. Who was Chunilal? What did he want from Bepin Babu?
2. Why was Dr. Chanda puzzled? What was unusual about Bepin Babu’s loss of memory?

Answer:

1. Bepin Babu has an old buddy named Chunilal. He requested a work-related favour from Bepin Babu.
2. Paresh Chanda was a budding doctor. He had never handled a memory loss case before. He was therefore perplexed. He suggested that Bepin Babu make another trip to Ranchi.

Working With the Text (Page 70)

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:

Bepin Babu was a devout, truthful, and diligent man. He was a frequent at the workplace. He was carrying out his duty. He did not mingle well. He didn't waste time on small talk because he was a serious person.

Question 2:

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

Answer:

At first, Bepin Babu declined to meet Chunilal. He had no desire to save Chunilal from his predicament. But he quickly had second thoughts. He reasoned that Chunilal could recall a few details of his 1958 Ranchi trip.

Question 3:

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

Answer;

It's possible that Bepin Babu stumbled close to Hundroo Falls and lost consciousness.

Question 4:

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

Answer:

Bepin Babu first expressed sorrow for turning down Chunilal's request for assistance. He discovered Chunilal's test-the-man ploy and took a lesson from it.

Working With Language (Page 71)

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. ——————– Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory

Answer:

(i) have to

(ii) had to

(iii) had

(iv) had to

(v) have to

(vi) had to

(vii) had to

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 (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) (verb)

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

Answer:

Question 3:

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.

(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.

Answer:

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.

Answer:

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.

Answer:

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.

Answer:

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.

Answer:

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.

Answer:

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 (Page 73)

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:

Bepin Babu discovered the truth about Chunilal's actions. Actually, Chunilal had only tricked him to see how close they might get. Bepin Babu was angry at the same time as he was relieved. Knowing that he had not had a memory loss made him pleased. He felt a little resentful of his friend for not being more supportive. However, he had made Bepin uncomfortable. It must have been his decision to not let down a buddy in need.

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:

November 15, 20XX

Greetings, Chunilal

I would like to thank you for your correspondence from November 10th. I really apologise for letting you down. I recognise your bitterness. Permit me to share some good news with you now. After our conversation, my buddy in Delhi decided to hire you as an assistant manager for his company.

Kindly visit me on Sunday. After that, I'll introduce my friend to you.

Regards, best wishes, Bepin Choudhury

                                                                        OR

One of my pals wrote me a letter on March 26. The good news was that I had been awarded a scholarship from backward dates. He requested that I give him a call in April so that the two of us may visit the school superintendent's office together. I was overjoyed. I even gave my neighbours some candy. However, my friend was laughing at me when I got to his place. April was the first month. April Fools' Day I quickly moved over that and appreciated the prank or practical joke.