Class 8 English (Honeydew) Chapter - 4 Bepin Chaudhary : The Lapse of Memory Summary, Previous Year Questions & NCERT Solutions

Class 8 English (Honeydew) 

Chapter - 4

Bepin Chaudhary : The Lapse of Memory  

Summary, Previous Year Questions & NCERT Solutions 

--- Summary ---

Summary in English:- Bepin Choudhury, popularly known as Bepin Babu, went to Kalicharan’s every Monday after work to stock up on his books to last a week. He lived alone, and did not have many close friends and was not fond of idle talk. One such Monday, when he was at Kalicharan’s looking for his books, a man named Parimal Ghose addressed him as if he knew Bepin Babu. Bepin Babu did not recognize him. The man claimed to have seen Bepin Babu in ‘58 when Bepin Babu visited Ranchi. But, Bepin Babu had never been to Ranchi. Despite wanting to visit the place, he had not been able to do it, so he told the man that he had been mistaken. But the man knew quite a lot of details about Bepin Babu and did not stop talking. Bepin Babu left the shop and went on a drive alongside Ganga. He was a hardworking man who had a responsible job at a big firm. It was hard for him to believe that he could not remember such an important event of his life and that too, from six to seven years ago. He did not want to think about what the man had said but could not stop doing so. He thought of visiting his friend Dinesh Mukerji who the man said was there on the trip with him. But he did not visit him because he did not want to feel any embarrassment face to face. According to Bepin Babu, he was attending the Pujas in Kanpur and stayed at his friend Haridas’ residence. He thought of confirming with him but remembered that he had moved to Japan and he did not have his new address. He was finally calmed after dinner when he snuggled in bed with his new book. It was only the next day in office before lunch that he thought of clearing this on call with Dinesh Mukerji. Dinesh also told him that they both went on a trip to Ranchi in the October of ‘58. Bepin Babu got more worried. On that very evening, an old friend of his named Chunilal visited him. Bepin Babu knew that he had come to ask for help for a job for which Bepin Babu had told him that there was very little hope for. He told his servant to send him away but he suddenly realised that he could ask Chunilal about his trip. Chunilal, too, remembered about the trip and he claimed to have booked his tickets to Ranchi for the same. Bepin Babu accepted that he had been working too hard and decided to go see a doctor. He visits a physician, Dr Chanda and his case was out of his area of experience and expertise. Still, he suggested that he visit Ranchi once again. Bepin Babu booked a first class ticket to Ranchi. As soon as he stepped out of the train, he realised that he had never been to this place. When he went to visit Hudroo falls, he was found unconscious by two Gujrati gentlemen who had come to picnic with a group. On waking up, Bepin Choudhury realised that there was no hope left for him and he came back to Calcutta. Upon reaching home, he receives a letter from Chunilal elaborating on how Chunilal plotted the entire punishment for Bepin Babu for unfeeling towards an old friend when he was out of luck. When the doctor visits him, Bepin Babu tells him that all is fine with his memory now and wants to get a pain killer for his hip pain that he got after having a fall in Ranchi. The doctor calls it “a unique case”. 

Summary in Hindi:- बिपिन बाबू के नाम से मशहूर बिपिन चौधरी एक सप्ताह तक अपनी किताबें रखने के लिए काम के बाद हर सोमवार कालीचरण के पास जाते थे। वह अकेला रहता था, और उसके बहुत करीबी दोस्त नहीं थे और उसे बेकार की बातें करने का शौक नहीं था। ऐसा ही एक सोमवार, जब वे कालीचरण की पुस्तकों की तलाश में थे, परिमल घोष नाम के एक व्यक्ति ने उन्हें ऐसे संबोधित किया जैसे वे बिपिन बाबू को जानते हों। बिपिन बाबू ने उन्हें पहचाना नहीं। उस व्यक्ति ने दावा किया कि उसने सन 1958 में बिपिन बाबू को देखा था जब बिपिन बाबू रांची आए थे। लेकिन, बिपिन बाबू कभी रांची नहीं गए थे। उस जगह का दौरा करने की इच्छा के बावजूद, वह ऐसा करने में सक्षम नहीं थे , इसलिए उसने उस व्यक्ति से कहा कि उससे गलती हुई है। लेकिन वह आदमी बिपिन बाबू के बारे में काफी कुछ जानता था और उसने बात करना बंद नहीं किया। बिपिन बाबू दुकान छोड़कर गंगा के किनारे ड्राइव पर निकल पड़े। वह एक मेहनती व्यक्ति था, जिसकी एक बड़ी फर्म में एक जिम्मेदार नौकरी थी। उनके लिए यह विश्वास करना कठिन था कि उन्हें अपने जीवन की इतनी महत्वपूर्ण घटना याद नहीं है और वह भी छह से सात साल पहले की। उस आदमी ने जो कहा था, उसके बारे में वह सोचना नहीं चाहता था लेकिन ऐसा करना बंद नहीं कर सका। उसने अपने दोस्त दिनेश मुखर्जी से मिलने के बारे में सोचा, जिसके बारे में उस व्यक्ति ने कहा था कि वह उसके साथ यात्रा पर था। लेकिन वह उससे मिलने नहीं गया क्योंकि वह आमने-सामने कोई शर्मिंदगी महसूस नहीं करना चाहता था। बिपिन बाबू के अनुसार, वह कानपुर में पूजा में शामिल हो रहे थे और अपने दोस्त हरिदास के आवास पर रुके थे। उसने उसके साथ इस बात की पुष्टि करने के बारे में सोचा लेकिन याद आया कि वह जापान चला गया था और उसके पास अपना नया पता नहीं था। रात के खाने के बाद आखिरकार वह शांत हो गया जब वह अपनी नई किताब के साथ बिस्तर पर सो गया। दोपहर के भोजन से पहले कार्यालय में अगले दिन ही उन्होंने दिनेश मुखर्जी के साथ कॉल करने पर इसे समाप्त करने के बारे में सोचा। दिनेश ने उसे यह भी बताया कि वे दोनों अक्टूबर 1958 में रांची की यात्रा पर गए थे। बिपिन बाबू और अधिक चिंतित हो गए। उसी शाम को उनके चुन्नीलाल नाम का एक पुराना दोस्त उनसे मिलने आया। बिपिन बाबू जानते थे कि वह एक नौकरी के लिए मदद माँगने आए थे जिसके लिए बिपिन बाबू ने उनसे कहा था कि इसकी बहुत कम उम्मीद है। उसने अपने नौकर से उसे विदा करने के लिए कहा लेकिन उसे अचानक एहसास हुआ कि वह चुन्नीलाल से अपनी यात्रा के बारे में पूछ सकता है। चुनीलाल को भी यात्रा के बारे में याद आया और उन्होंने दावा किया कि उन्होंने इसके लिए रांची के लिए अपने टिकट बुक कर लिए हैं। बिपिन बाबू ने स्वीकार किया कि वह बहुत मेहनत कर रहे थे और उन्होंने डॉक्टर के पास जाने का फैसला किया। वह एक चिकित्सक, डॉ चंदा से मिलने जाता है और उसका मामला उसके अनुभव और विशेषज्ञता के क्षेत्र से बाहर था। फिर भी, उन्होंने सुझाव दिया कि वह एक बार फिर रांची जाएँ। बिपिन बाबू ने रांची के लिए प्रथम श्रेणी का टिकट बुक किया। जैसे ही वह ट्रेन से बाहर निकला, उसने महसूस किया कि वह इस जगह पर कभी नहीं गया था। जब वे हुदरू फॉल्स के दर्शन करने गए, तो उन्हें दो गुजराती सज्जनों ने बेहोश पाया, जो एक समूह के साथ पिकनिक मनाने आए थे। जागने पर, बिपिन चौधरी ने महसूस किया कि उनके लिए कोई उम्मीद नहीं बची है और वे वापस कलकत्ता आ गए। घर पहुंचने पर, उसे चुनीलाल का एक पत्र प्राप्त होता है जिसमें बताया गया है कि कैसे चुनीलाल ने एक पुराने दोस्त के प्रति असंवेदनशील होने के लिए बिपिन बाबू के लिए पूरी सजा की साजिश रची, जब वह भाग्य से बाहर था। जब डॉक्टर उससे मिलने जाता है, तो बिपिन बाबू उसे बताता है कि उसकी याददाश्त अब ठीक है और वह अपने कूल्हे के दर्द के लिए एक दर्द निवारक लेना चाहता है जो उसे रांची में गिरने के बाद मिला था। डॉक्टर इसे “एक अनूठा मामला” कहते हैं।

--- Difficult Words ---

1.-Thrillers – a novel, play or film with an exciting plot, typically involving crime or - रोमांच

2.- Idle chat- unnecessary; routine conversation - अनावश्यक बातचीत

3.- Utter disbelief– complete surprise - घोर अविश्वास

4.- Intruder– a person who intrudes - बिना अधिकार के प्रवेश करनेवाला

5.- Intimate– very personal and private - निजी जानकारी

6.- Bracing– stimulating - उत्तेजक

7.- Lingered– spend a long time over something - किसी चीज़ पर लंबा समय बिताना

8.- Hastings– rapidity of action or motion - क्रिया या गति की तीव्रता

9.- Going nuts– going mad or crazy - पागल हो जाना

10.- Ruthless– having or showing no pity or compassion for others - निर्मम

11.- Nuisance– a person or thing causing inconvenience or annoyance - उपद्रव

12.- Snuggling– settle or move into a warm, comfortable position - गले लगाना

13.- Sleuthing– carry out a search or investigation in the manner of a detective - खोजी कुत्ता

14.- Conscientious– careful and correct - कर्तव्यनिष्ठ

15.- Wits– intelligence - बुद्धि

16.- Utterly– absolutely - बिल्कुल

17.- Incredulous– unbelieving or doubtful - अविश्वसनीय

18.- Anxiously– in a matter resulting from or revealing anxiety - चिन्तापूर्वक

19.- Tranquilliser– a medicine to reduce stress and anxiety - तनाव और चिंता को कम करने की एक दवा

20.- Procured– got - प्राप्त हो गया

21.- Boulder– a very big rock - एक बहुत बड़ी चट्टान 

--- NCERT Solution ---

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.

Answers:

1. The man, Parimal Ghose, was taken aback when Bepin failed to recognise him. He didn’t believe that Bepin had a lapse of memory.
2. Bepin Babu said that in October 58 he was in Kanpur.
3. Parimal Ghose knew that Bepin Babu’s wife was dead, and his only brother had died in the same year in a Ranchi lunatic asylum. He also knew that Bepin Babu had no children and he was a lover of books.

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?

Answers:

1. 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.
2. In order to resolve the puzzle about his visit to Ranchi, Bepin Babu decided to contact Dinesh Mukerji. Parimal had said that Mukerji was also in Ranchi at that time
3. 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.
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?

Answers:

1. Chunilal was an old friend of Bepin Babu. He wanted a favour from Bepin Babu in his job.
2. Paresh Chanda was a young physician. He had never dealt a case of memory loss. So he was puzzled. He gave a suggestion to Bepin Babu to visit Ranchi again.

Comprehension Check (Page 70)

Questions:

1. Had Bepin Babu really lost his memory and forgotten all about a trip to Ranchi?
2. Why do you think Chunilal did what he did? Chunilal says he has no money; what is it that he does have?

Answers:

1. Perhaps not. He finally recollected his memory and admitted that he had visited. Ranchi in 1958.
2. Chunilal wanted some money from Bepin Babu, his old friend. So he went to him for help. He assured Bepin that the term of his fortune would be back again. Chunilal had no money but he had mind and wit.

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 serious, honest and hardworking fellow. He went to office regularly. He was doing a responsible job. He was not a good mixer. Being serious minded, he didn’t waste time in idle chat.

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 (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 came to know the truth what Chunilal had done. In fact Chunilal had only played a trick with him to test his friendship. Bepin Babu had a mixed feeling of relief as well as anger. He was happy to know that he had not suffered the lapse of memory. He was a little angry with his friend who was not really helpful. But he had made Bepin feel awkward. He must have decided not to disappoint a friend 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:
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

On March 26, I received a letter from one of my friends. It contained a happy news that I had been granted scholarship from back date. He asked me to call on him in April, so that both would go together to the office of the Superintendent of the school. I was very glad. I even distributed sweets to my neighbours. But when I reached my friend’s house, I found him laughing at me. It was April the first. All Fools Day.’ I got over it soon and admired the practical joke or the prank.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

I. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1:
What was Bepin Babu’s hobby? What would he do every Monday?
Answer:
Bepin Babu’s hobby was reading books. Every Monday, he would purchase books of crime stories, ghost stories and thrillers from Kalicharan’s shop.

Question 2:
What type of man was Bepin Babu?
Answer:
Bepin Babu was a loner. He was not a good mixer. He had a few friends and he didn’t like spending time in idle chat.

Question 3:
What was Bepin Babu sure about?
Answer:
Bepin Babu was sure that he hadn’t visited Ranchi in ’58, during the Pujas.

Question 4:
How can you say that Bepin Babu’s encounter with Parimal Ghose made him restless?
Answer:
Bepin Babu’s encounter with Parimal Ghose made him really very restless. Even in the office, he noticed that with every passing hour, his encounter with Parimal Ghose was occupying more and more of his mind.

Question 5:
Why couldn’t Bepin Babu ignore what Parimal Ghose had said to him?
Answer:
It was because Parimal Ghose knew a great deal about him. He knew about his (Bepin Babu’s) wife’s death, his brother’s insanity… If the man knew so much about him, how could he make such a mistake about the Ranchi trip.

Question 6:
What was wrong with Bepin Babu? What did Dr. Chanda suggest him?
Answer:
He had completely forgotten about his visit to Ranchi. Dr. Chanda suggested him to go to Ranchi once again in order to get back his lost memory.

II. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1:
What was Bepin Choudhury’s ailment or problem? Was it real or deliberate?
Answer:
Bepin Babu was a lonely map. His wife had died some 10 years ago. His ailment was the lapse of memory. He clearly forgot that he had been to Ranchi in ’58. Nothing could revive his memory. Finally, he hit against some rock in Ranchi and became unconscious. On returning home he received Chunilal’s letter. The letter had an electrifying effect. And Bepin Babu felt relaxed.

Question 2:
Who was Chunilal? What is his role in the story?
Answer:
Chunilal had once been Bepin Babu’s schoolmate. He was facing hard times and looking for a job. He called on Bepin with hope to get help. But Bepin even refused to see him. Later Chunilal confirmed Bepin Babu’s visit to Ranchi. He recalled several instances in his support but Bepin was not convinced. A letter from Chunilal gave such a news that Bepin became all right. The news was that Chunilal’s novel had been accepted for publication and he would get a handsome amount.