Question 1:
Fill in the blanks below using ‘had to’/‘have to’/‘has to’. I _______________ cut my hair every month.
Answer:
have to
Question 2:
Fill in the blanks below using ‘had to’/‘have to’/‘has to’. We _______________ go for swimming lessons last year.
Answer:
had to
Question 3:
Fill in the blanks below using ‘had to’/‘have to’/‘has to’. She _______________ tell the principal the truth.
Answer:
has to
Question 4:
Fill in the blanks below using ‘had to’/‘have to’/‘has to’. They _______________ take the baby to the doctor.
Answer:
had to
Question 5:
Fill in the blanks below using ‘had to’/‘have to’/‘has to’. Romit _______________ finish his homework before he could come out to play.
Answer:
had to
Question 6:
Fill in the blanks below using ‘had to’/‘have to’/‘has to’. I _______________ repair my cycle yesterday.
Answer:
had to
Question 7:
Why did Bepin Babu worry about what Parimal Ghose had said?
Answer:
Bepin Babu was worried about the fact that Parimal Ghose knew a great deal about him. He seemed to know even intimate details. His wife’s death, his brother’s insanity, etc. Yet Bepin was sure he had never been to Ranchi.
Question 8:
How did he try to decide who was right—his memory or Parimal Ghose?
Answer:
For this Bepin Babu decided to ring up Dinesh MukherJi.
Question 9:
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 because he wanted to avoid embarrassment. Moreover, he thought that Mr Mukerji might assume that he had lost his wits. But he had no other option to confirm what Mr Ghose was saying. At last he decided to call Mr Mukerji to avoid talking to him face to face.
Question 10:
What did Mr Mukerji say? Did it comfort Bepin Babu, or add to his worries?
Answer:
Mr Mukerji, after checking his diary, said that he visited Ranchi in October ‘58. He also added that he (Bepin Babu) was also there. It added to Bepin Babu’s worries.
Question 11:
Who was Chunilal? What did he want from Bepin Babu?
Answer:
Chunilal was an old friend of Bepin Babu. He was having a rough time. He wanted Bepin Babu to help him find a job.
Question 12:
Why was Dr Chanda puzzled? What was unusual about Bepin Babu’s loss of memory?
Answer:
Dr Chanda was puzzled when he heard the symptoms of Bepin Babu’s ailment. The unusual thing was that he remembered every event of his life except one episode–his visit to Ranchi. If he had lost his memory, he would have forgotten all events of his life.
Question 13:
Had Bepin Babu really lost his memory and forgotten all about his trip to Ranchi?
Answer:
No, Bepin Babu was not a victim of memory loss. He was discharging his office duties efficiently. In fact it was a trick played by his old friend, Chunilal. Bepin was quite sure that he had never been to Ranchi. But he was caught in the trap laid by Chunilal.
Question 14:
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 so to teach Bepin Babu a lesson for not helping him in his hard time. Chunilal has no money but he has imagination which he uses as a punishment for Bepin Babu’s unfeeling behaviour.
Question 15:
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 had been working in a big firm for twenty five years. He never got negative remarks during this period. He was an efficient and tireless worker. This is clear evidence that Bepin Babu was a serious and hard working man.
Question 16:
Why did Bepin Babu change his mind about meeting Chunilal? What was the result of this meeting?
Answer:
Bepin Babu did so because he thought that Chunilal might remember about the '58 trip–the trip to Ranchi. What Chunilal told him about his trip made him more miserable. Chunilal told him that he had fixed up his railway booking for Ranchi. He also had gone to the station to see him off and helped him with the non-functional fan in his compartment. He, therefore, decided to consult a physician to cure him of his problem.
Question 17:
Bepin Babu lost consciousness at Hudroo Falls. What do you think was the reason for this?
Answer:
Bepin Babu was under great stress thinking that he had lost his memory. Thus, he was undergoing severe mental agony. The journey by train to Ranchi, taking round of the city in a taxi and then to Hudroo Falls fatigued him. Hence due to fatigue and mental agony, Bepin Babu lost his consciousness at Hudroo Falls.
Question 18:
How do you think Bepin Babu reacted when he found out that Chunilal had tricked him?
Answer:
Bepin Babu must have felt ashamed of himself for being a self-centred man. At the same time, he must have found a great relief from the stress he was undergoing.
Question 19:
Why did the man stare at Bepin Babu in disbelief?
Answer:
The man reminded Bepin Babu of his trip to Ranchi again and again. But Bepin Babu denied having ever gone there. This made the man stare at Bepin Babu in disbelief.
Question 20:
Where did Bepin Babu say he went in October '58?
Answer:
Bepin Babu said that he had gone to Kanpur in October ‘58. He stayed at his friend Haridas Bagchi’s place.
Question 21:
Mention any three (or more) things that Parimal Ghose knew about Bepin Babu.
Answer:
Parimal Ghose knew a great deal about Bepin Babu. He even seemed to know intimate details about him. He knew that (i) Bepin Babu had no children (ii) his wife died ten years ago (iii) his brother had died insane that was why he did not visit the mental hospital in Ranchi and (iv) he did not like hotel food.
Question 22:
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.
Answer:
(i) At/from close quarters – very near/from nearby (ii) Break into a smile – smile abruptly (iii) Carry on – to continue (iv) Have a clean record – to have a good reputation (v) Beat about the bush – not to say something exactly/to talk irrelevantly
Question 23:
Given below are jumbled sentences. Working in groups, rearrange the words in each sentence to form correct sentences.
stop/and tell me/beating about/what you want/the bush
Ans: ___________________
Idiom: ___________________
Answer:
Stop beating about the bush and tell me what you want. Idiom: beat about the bush—to talk irrelevantly
Question 24:
Given below are jumbled sentences. Working in groups, rearrange the words in each sentence to form correct sentences.
don’t pay/if you/attention/you might/the wrong train/to the announcement/board
Ans: ___________________
Idiom: ___________________
Answer:
If you don’t pay attention to the announcement, you might board the wrong train Idiom: pay attention—listen carefully
Question 25:
Given below are jumbled sentences. Working in groups, rearrange the words in each sentence to form correct sentences.
the villagers/tried/the crime/on the young woman/to pin
Ans: ___________________
Idiom: ___________________
Answer:
The villagers tried to pin the crime on the young woman. Idiom: pin the crime—to blame someone for something.
Question 26:
Given below are jumbled sentences. Working in groups, rearrange the words in each sentence to form correct sentences.
Bepin Babu/orders to/telling people/under/loved/doctor’s/eat early/that he was
Ans: ___________________
Idiom: ___________________
Answer:
Bepin Babu loved telling people that he was under doctor’s orders to eat early. Idiom: under doctor’s orders—under treatment.
Question 27:
Given below are jumbled sentences. Working in groups, rearrange the words in each sentence to form correct sentences.
The students/The teacher/his eyebrows/when/said that/all their lessons/raised/they had revised
Ans: ___________________
Idiom: ___________________
Answer:
The teacher raised his eyebrows when the students said that they had revised all their lessons. Idiom: raised his eyebrows—to show surprise.
Question 28:
What do you think happened after Bepin Babu came to know the truth? Was he angry with his friend for playing such a trick on him? Or do you think he decided to help a friend in need?
Answer:
Bepin Babu must have been angry with his friend for playing such a trick on him. In fact, Bepin Babu was not in a position to find him a job. He had already told this to Chunilal. In spite of that Chunilal played the trick on him. It was totally unjust. He should have realised his friend’s helplessness. But one thing goes against Bepin Babu also. If he was not in a position to find Chunilal a job, he should have given him financial help in his hard days.
Question 29:
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.
Answer:
Kolkata
April 29, 20...
Dear Chunilal
After receiving your letter, I was shocked that an old friend had played such a trick on me. You knew
it well that I was not in a position to find a job. In spite of that, you made me suffer intense mental
agony for quite some time. But your letter made me realise my mistake. I feel ashamed of my attitude.
I now realise that if I was not in a position to find you a job, I should have given you some financial
help during your hard days. Now I want to do something for you. Please let me know what sort of
help do you expect from me.
Yours sincerely
Bepin
Question 30:
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:
One night our father played a prank on us. He said, “One who misses the meals will be paid rupees five.” My sister and I went without meals and got five rupees each. We were very happy. In the morning after bath when we sat for the breakfast, our father said, “One who pays five rupees will get the breakfast.” So we had to return the money we had earned the previous night. How cunning our father is!