Q. Why did the man stare at Bepin Babu’s disbelief?
Ans. The man, Parimal Ghose, was taken aback when Bepin failed to recognise him. He didn’t believe that Bepin had a lapse of memory.
Q. Where did Bepin Babu say he went in October’ 58?
Ans. Bepin Babu said that in October 58 he was in Kanpur.
Q. Mention any three (or more) things that Parimal Ghose knew about Bepin Babu.
Ans. 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.
Q. Why did Bepin Babu worry about what Parimal Ghose had said?
Ans. Bepin Babu was taken aback to hear the intimate details about his life from Parimal Ghose. There seemed no reason why he should tell a lie. He wondered if he really had forgotten about his visit to Ranchi.
Q. How did he try to decide who was right — his memory or Parimal Ghose?
Ans. 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.
Q. Why did Bepin Babu hesitate to visit Mr. Mukerji? Why did he finally decide to phone him?
Ans. 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.
Q. What did Mr. Mukerji say? Did it comfort Bepin Babu, or add to his worries?
Ans. Mr. 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.
Q. Who was Chunilal? What did he want from Bepin Babu?
Ans. Chunilal was an old friend of Bepin Babu. He wanted a favour from Bepin Babu in his job.
Q. Why was Dr. Chanda puzzled? What was unusual about Bepin Babu’s loss of memory?
Ans. Dr. 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.
Q. Had Bepin Babu really lost his memory and forgotten all about a trip to Ranchi?
Ans. Perhaps not. He finally recollected his memory and admitted that he had visited. Ranchi in 1958.
Q. Why do you think Chunilal did? Chunilal says he has no money; what is it that he does have?
Ans. 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.
Q. The author describes Bepin Babu as a serious and hardworking man. What evidence can you find in the story to support this?
Ans. 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.
Q. Why did Bepin Babu change his mind about meeting Chunilal? What was the result of this meeting?
Ans. 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.
Q. Bepin Babu lost consciousness at Hundroo Falls. What do you think was the reason for this?
Ans. Bepin Babu might have slipped near Hundroo Falls that made him unconscious.
Q. How do you think Bepin Babu reacted when he found out that Chunilal had tricked him?
Ans. 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.
Q. Fill in the blanks below using ‘had to’/ ‘have to’/ ‘has to’.
- I _______ cut my hair every month.
- We _______ go for swimming lessons last year.
- She _______ tell the principal the truth.
- They _______ take the baby to the doctor.
- We _______ complain to the police about the noise.
- Romit _______ finish his homework before he could come out to play.
- I _______ repair my cycle yesterday.
Answer
- I have to cut my hair every month.
- We had to go for swimming lessons last year.
- She has to tell the principal the truth.
- They had to take the baby to the doctor.
- We have to complain to the police about the noise.
- Romit had to finish his homework before he could come out to play.
- I had to repair my cycle yesterday.
Q. Here are a few idioms that you will find in the story. Now refer to your dictionary and find out what they mean.
- at/from close quarters (close: adjective)
- break into a smile (break: verb; look under ‘break into something’)
- carry on (carry: verb)
- have a clean record (you may find related meanings under both these words).
- beat about the bush (verb)
Answers
- from nearby
- smile suddenly
- continue the task
- clean conduct throughout
- to make guess without proper knowledge
Q. 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.
- Which column tells us the Bepin Babu is still working at the same the place?
- Which column suggests that Chunilal is now waiting for a reply from the publisher?
- Which column suggests that the person still remembers the movie he saw?
- Which column suggests that the experience of visiting Ranchi is still fresh in the speaker’s mind?
Answer
- Column B
- Column A
- Column B
- Column A
Q. 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.
- Stop/and tell me/beating about/what you want/the bush
Answer:
Idiom: - don’t pay/if you/attention/you might/the wrong train/to the announcement/board
Answer:
Idiom: - The village/tried/the crime/on the young woman/to pin
Answer:
Idiom: - Bepin Babu/orders to/telling people/under/loved/doctor’s/eat early/that he was
Answer:
Idiom: - the student/The teacher/his eyebrows/when/said that/all their lessons/raised/they had revised
Answer:
Idiom:
Answer
- Stop beating about the bush and tell me what you want.
Idiom: beating about the bush – talk vaguely - If you don’t pay attention to the announcement, you might board the wrong train.
Idiom: pay attention – listen carefully - The villagers tried to pin the crime on the young woman.
Idiom: pin the crime – to blame or try to frame one for a crime, - Bepin Babu loved telling people that he was under doctor’s orders to eat early.
Idiom: under doctor’s orders – strongly advised to do as ordered or as if ordered by a doctor. - The teacher raised his eyebrows when the students said that they had revised all their lessons.
Idiom: raised his eyebrows – show, by the expression on your face, that you disapprove of or are surprised by something