Chapter 4 – Bepin Chowdhury’s Lapse of Memory

Content Structure

• A. Word meanings
• B. Exercise questions and answers
  • Unit I – Comprehension Check
  • Unit II – Comprehension Check
  • Unit III – Comprehension Check
  • Unit IV – Comprehension Check
  • Working with the text
  • Working with language
  • Speaking and writing
• C. Additional questions and answers
  • Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)
    • Unit – I
    • Unit – II
    • Unit – III
    • Unit – Iv
  • Fill in the blanks
  • True or false
  • Match the following
  • Short-type questions & answers
    • Unit – I
    • Unit – II
    • Unit – III
    • Unit – Iv
  • Long-type questions & answers
• D. Grammar practice with answers

A. Word meanings

Word	Meanings
Idle chat	Talking about small things that don’t matter
Meek	Quite
Utter disbelief	Totally surprised
(His) Head reeled	He felt shocked and confused
Losing his mind	Going crazy
Intimate	Very personal and secret
Bracing	Refreshing and energizing.
Going nuts	Acting crazy
Getting into people’s hair	Bothering and annoying others
Sleuthing	Searching for clues like a detective
Carry on	Continue
Conscientious	Doing something carefully and the right way
Head was in a whirl	Feeling very confused
Gather his wits together	Trying to calm down and think clearly
Having a rough time:	Going through problems
Turning up like a bad penny	Showing up again when not wanted
Didn’t beat about the bush	Spoke directly without wasting time
Off and on	Sometimes
Throw your mind back	Try to remember something
Must see about consulting	Might need to ask someone for help
In retribution for	A medicine to help relax
Procured	Got something with some effort
Came round	Woke up after fainting
His Head reeled	As a punishment

B. Exercise questions and answers

Unit I – Comprehension Check

1. Why did the man stare at Bepin Babu in disbelief?
Ans: The man stared at Bepin Babu in disbelief because he said he had met him in Ranchi, but Bepin Babu did not remember ever going there.

2. Where did Bepin Babu say he went in October ’58?
Ans: Bepin Babu said that in October 1958, he did not go to Ranchi. He clearly remembered spending the Puja holidays with a friend in Kanpur.

3. Mention any three (or more) things that Parimal Ghose knew about Bepin Babu.
Ans: Parimal Ghose knew that:

• His wife had passed away ten years ago, and he had no children.
• Bepin Babu had a fall in Ranchi and hurt his knee.
• He always carried a bag with books while traveling.

Unit II – Comprehension Check

1. Why did Bepin Babu worry about what Parimal Ghose had said?
Ans: Bepin Babu was worried because Parimal Ghose was sure that they had met in Ranchi, but Bepin Babu could not remember visiting Ranchi at any time. He started to doubt his memory and became scared that something might be wrong with him.

2. How did he try to decide who was right—his memory or Parimal Ghose?
Ans: Bepin Babu tried to find out if his memory was correct or if Parimal Ghose was right by asking people who might remember the trip. He decided to ask his old friend Dinesh Mukerji because he believed Dinesh had gone with him to Ranchi.

3. Why did Bepin Babu hesitate to visit Mr. Mukerji? Why did he finally decide to phone him?
Ans: Bepin Babu didn’t go to visit Mr. Mukerji because he felt shy and worried but he was very confused and wanted to know the truth so he decided to call him. On the phone he asked Mr. Mukerji if they had gone to Ranchi together in 1958. Mr. Mukerji said that he did go to Ranchi. This made Bepin Babu even more worried.

4. What did Mr. Mukerji say? Did it comfort Bepin Babu or add to his worries?
Ans: Mr. Mukerji said that Bepin Babu did go to Ranchi in 1958. But this did not comfort Bepin Babu. It made him more worried because he could not understand how he forgot everything about the trip.

Unit III – Comprehension Check

1. Who was Chunilal? What did he want from Bepin Babu?
Ans: Chunilal was an old friend of Bepin Babu. He was having money problems and wanted Bepin Babu to help him get a job but Bepin Babu did not want to help him.

2. Why was Dr. Chanda puzzled? What was unusual about Bepin Babu’s loss of memory?
Ans: Dr. Chanda was puzzled because Bepin Babu’s memory loss was very strange. Usually, people forget many things after they get sick or have an accident. But Bepin Babu forgot only one thing, his trip to Ranchi. He could remember everything else in his life, which made it a very unusual case.

Unit IV – Comprehension Check

1. Had Bepin Babu really lost his memory and forgotten all about a trip to Ranchi?
Ans: No, Bepin Babu did not really forget anything. Chunilal played a trick on him to take revenge by making him believe he had forgotten the 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?
Ans: Chunilal played a trick on Bepin Babu because he felt hurt and upset. Bepin Babu was his old friend but did not help him when he was in trouble and needed a job. Chunilal had no money but he was smart. So he made up the Ranchi story to teach Bepin Babu a lesson for not helping a friend.

Working with the text

1. 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 known for living a strict and simple life as he always worked in his office and didn’t talk much to others. He avoided meeting people and spent his free time reading books, which shows that he was a serious and hardworking man.

2. Why did Bepin Babu change his mind about meeting Chunilal? What was the result of this meeting?
Ans: At first, Bepin Babu didn’t want to meet Chunilal because he thought Chunilal would again ask for help. But later, when Bepin Babu started getting worried about his memory, he changed his mind and decided to meet him. He hoped Chunilal might help him remember something about the Ranchi trip. During the meeting, Chunilal said that Bepin Babu had gone to Ranchi. This made Bepin Babu even more confused and worried.

3. Bepin Babu lost consciousness at Hudroo Falls. What do you think was the reason for this?
Ans: Bepin Babu lost consciousness at Hudroo Falls because he was very worried and scared about forgetting things. He felt weak and confused as he couldn’t remember the Ranchi trip, and the fear that something was wrong with his mind became too strong. That’s why he fell down.

4. How do you think Bepin Babu reacted when he found out that Chunilal had tricked him?
Ans: Bepin Babu found out that Chunilal had fooled him. It seemed he was very shocked, upset, and a little angry. He had been worried about his memory, but there was nothing wrong. He may have also felt bad for not helping Chunilal before.

Working with language

Fill in the blanks below using ‘had to’/ ‘have to’/ ‘has to’.

(i) I ____________ cut my hair every month. (have to)
(ii) We __________ go for swimming lessons last year. (had to)
(iii) She _______________ tell the principal the truth. (has to)
(iv) They ______________ take the baby to the doctor. (have to)
(v) We ____________ complain to the police about the noise. (have to)
(vi) Romit ____________ finish his homework before he could come out to play. (had to)
(vii) I ____________ repair my cycle yesterday. (had to)

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)
Ans:

Idioms	Meaning
At/from close	To look attentively
Break into a smile	To give cheerful smile
Carry on	Continue the same work
Beat about the Bush	To say something in a roundabout manner

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 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?
Ans:
(i) Column B
(ii) Column B
(iii) Column A
(iv) Column A

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
(ii) don’t pay/If you/ attention/you might/the wrong train/to the announcement/board
(iii) The villagers/tried/the crime/on the young woman/to pin
(iv) Bepin Babu/orders to/telling people/under/loved/doctor’s/eat early/that he was
(v) the students/The teacher/his eyebrows/when/said that/all their lessons/raised/they had revised
Ans:
(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
• Meaning: Avoiding the main topic and speaking in a roundabout way.

(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
• Meaning: To listen carefully and focus on something.

(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 someone
• Meaning: To blame someone for a crime.

(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 orders to eat early.

• Idiom: Under doctor’s orders
• Meaning: Following a doctor’s advice.

(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.

• Idiom: Raised his eyebrows
• Meaning: To show surprise or shock.

Speaking and writing

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?
Ans: Bepin Babu knew the truth and felt shocked, embarrassed, and maybe a little angry. He had been very worried about losing his memory. But later, he found out that Chunilal had tricked him. He might have felt silly for believing the lie and getting scared. After thinking more about it, he may have felt bad for not helping Chunilal earlier. Even though Chunilal had no money, he was smart enough to make a clever plan. Bepin Babu may have understood his mistake and decided to help his old friend. He might have forgiven Chunilal and helped him. In the end, Bepin Babu may have learned a good lesson about being kind and helping friends.

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.
Ans:

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.
Ans: One day, during lunch, my friend played a funny trick on me at school. He swapped my water bottle with another one that looked the same but had salty water in it. It tasted so bad that I made a funny face when I took a big sip. I was shocked when everyone started laughing. At first, I didn’t understand what was going on, but when I saw my friend smiling, I laughed too. We all enjoyed the joke and ate the rest of our lunch together after I got my real water bottle back.

C. Additional questions and answers

Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

Unit – I

1. What kind of books did he buy?
(a) Love stories
(b) History books
(c) Crime, ghost, and thriller stories
(d) Poetry

Ans: (c) Crime, ghost, and thriller stories

2. How many books did he buy at a time?
(a) 10
(b) 8
(c) 6
(d) 5

Ans: (d) 5

3. What day did he visit the bookshop?
(a) Monday
(b) Wednesday
(c) Friday
(d) Sunday

Ans: (a) Monday

4. Who met Bepin Babu at the bookshop?
(a) Chunilal
(b) Parimal Ghose
(c) Dr. Chanda
(d) Mr. Mukerji

Ans: (b) Parimal Ghose

5. When did Parimal Ghose say Bepin Babu went to Ranchi?
(a) October 1958
(b) March 1960
(c) December 1955
(d) June 1962

Ans: (a) October 1958

6. What part of Bepin Babu’s body got injured?
(a) Left Knee
(b) Right knee
(c) Head
(d) Left foot

Ans: (b) Right knee

7. Who went to Ranchi with Bepin Babu (as per Parimal)?
(a) Chunilal
(b) Parimal Ghose
(c) Dinesh Mukerji
(d) No one

Ans: (c) Dinesh Mukerji

8. Where did Bepin Babu stay in Ranchi?
(a) Hotel
(b) Guest house
(c) Bungalow
(d) Friend’s house

Ans: (c) Bungalow

9. Where did Bepin Babu spend Puja in 1958?
(a) Ranchi
(b) Kanpur
(c) Kolkata
(d) Delhi

Ans: (b) Kanpur

10. How long ago did Bepin Babu lose his wife?
(a) Five years ago
(b) Ten years ago
(c) One year ago
(d) Twenty years ago

Ans: (b) Ten years ago

Unit – II

1. Where was Bepin Babu’s car parked?
(a) Strand Road
(b) Near his house
(c) Bertram Street
(d) Outside a bookshop

Ans: (c) Bertram Street

2. Which road did the car take after leaving Bertram Street?
(a) Strand Street
(b) Park Road
(c) College Street
(d) Rashbehari Avenue

Ans: (a) Strand Street

3. What was the name of Bepin Babu’s friend in Kanpur?
(a) Dinesh Mukerji
(b) Haridas Bagchi
(c) Parimal Ghose
(d) Chunilal

Ans: (b) Haridas Bagchi

4. Where did Haridas go some weeks ago?
(a) USA
(b) Japan
(c) England
(d) Australia

Ans: (b) Japan

5. Where did Dinesh Mukerji live?
(a) Park Street
(b) Beninandan Street
(c) Strand Road
(d) Bertram Street

Ans: (b) Beninandan Street

6. Where did Bepin Babu travel in February?
(a) Kanpur
(b) Krishnanagar
(c) Ranchi
(d) Delhi

Ans: (b) Krishnanagar

7. Why did Bepin Babu go to Krishnanagar?
(a) For a business trip
(b) To visit a friend
(c) For his nephew’s wedding
(d) For a holiday

Ans: (c) For his nephew’s wedding

8. What was in Bepin Babu’s tiffin box?
(a) Fruits
(b) Sandwiches
(c) Sweets
(d) Rice and curry

Ans: (b) Sandwiches

Unit – III

1. What time did Bepin Babu’s servant come?
(a) 6:00 PM
(b) 9:30 PM
(c) 8:00 PM
(d) 7:30 PM

Ans: (d) 7:30 PM

2. How did Bepin Babu know Chunilal?
(a) They were school friends
(b) They were office colleagues
(c) They met in Ranchi
(d) They were neighbors

Ans: (a) They were school friends

3. Where was Chunilal waiting?
(a) At the gate
(b) In the living room
(c) On the balcony
(d) In the garden

Ans: (b) In the living room

4. Where did Chunilal say goodbye to Bepin Babu?
(a) At the airport
(b) At the railway station
(c) At the bus stop
(d) At his home

Ans: (b) At the railway station

5. What problem did Bepin Babu face in his train compartment?
(a) A broken window
(b) There were no lights
(c) The seat was missing
(d) A fan was not working

Ans: (d) A fan was not working

6. What ticket did Bepin Babu get?
(a) A bus ticket
(b) A second-class train ticket
(c) A flight ticket
(d) A first-class train ticket for Ranchi

Ans: (d) A first-class train ticket for Ranchi

7. When did Bepin Babu call his office?
(a) Before breakfast
(b) After breakfast
(c) In the afternoon
(d) In the evening

Ans: (b) After breakfast

Unit – IV

1. How did Bepin Babu travel after leaving the station?
(a) By bus
(b) By taxi
(c) By bicycle
(d) On foot

Ans: (b) By taxi

2. When did Bepin Babu leave for Hudroo?
(a) In the morning at 6 o’clock
(b) In the afternoon at 5 o’clock
(c) In the evening at 7 o’clock
(d) At night, 5 o’clock

Ans: (b) In the afternoon at 5 o’clock

3. Where was Bepin Babu lying?
(a) Near a hotel
(b) Beside a big rock
(c) In a taxi
(d) At the station

Ans: (b) Beside a big rock

4. What were the Gujarati men doing?
(a) Waiting for a bus
(b) Having a picnic
(c) Looking for Bepin Babu
(d) Climbing a hill

Ans: (b) Having a picnic

5. Who sent the letter to Bepin Babu?
(a) Dinesh Mukerji
(b) Haridas Bagchi
(c) Paresh Chanda
(d) Chunilal

Ans: (d) Chunilal

6. Who wrote the story “Lapse of Memory”?
(a) Rabindranath Tagore
(b) Ruskin Bond
(c) R.K. Narayan
(d) Satyajit Ray

Ans: (d) Satyajit Ray

Fill in the blanks

1. Bepin Babu would buy books from ________________ in New Market. (Kalicharan’s)
2. Parimal Ghose claimed that Bepin Babu had visited ______________ in 1958. (Ranchi)
3. Bepin Babu traveled to Ranchi by ______________. (Train)
4. Haridas Bagchi was Bepin Babu’s friend from ______________. (Kanpur)
5. Bepin Babu arranged for a car to visit ________________. (Hudroo Falls)
6. _____________ had been Bepin Babu’s friend since school. (Chunilal)
7. Bepin Babu had worked at the firm for ________________________. (Twenty-five years)
8. He asked his driver, _____________, to take him for a drive by the Ganga. (Sitaram)
9. The two Gujarati men who found him were ________________. (Picnickers)
10. Bepin Babu’s car was parked in Bertram Street near the ________________. (Lighthouse Cinema)

True or false

1. Mr. Dinesh Mukerji confirmed that Bepin Babu never went to Ranchi. (False)

2. Bepin Babu checked his right knee for a scar. (True)

3. Bepin Babu traveled to Ranchi to confirm the truth. (True)

4. Chunilal was wealthy and had no financial struggles. (False)

5. Bepin Babu took a taxi to visit different places in Ranchi. (True)

6. Bepin Babu felt guilt after reading Chunilal’s letter. (True)

7. Dr. Paresh Chanda was an old doctor with a white beard. (False)

8. Bepin Babu took a bicycle to visit different places in Ranchi. (False)

9. Chunilal sent Bepin Babu a letter explaining his trick. (True)

10. Chunilal had been Bepin Babu’s friend since school. (True)

Match the following

Column A	Column B
(i) Kanpur	a. A doctor consulted by Bepin Babu
(ii) Chunilal	b. A serious and hardworking man
(iii) Paresh Chanda	c. The place where Bepin Babu fainted
(iv) Parimal Ghose	d. Claimed to have been with Bepin Babu in Ranchi
(v) Hudroo Falls	e. The place where Bepin Babu spent Puja in 1958
(vi) Bepin Babu	f. A stranger who claimed to know Bepin Babu
(vii) Dinesh Mukherji	g. Bepin Babu’s old friend who played a trick on him

Ans:

Column A	Column B
(i) Kanpur	e. The place where Bepin Babu spent Puja in 1958
(ii) Chunilal	g. Bepin Babu’s old friend who played a trick on him
(iii) Paresh Chanda	a. A doctor consulted by Bepin Babu
(iv) Parimal Ghose	f. A stranger who claimed to know Bepin Babu
(v) Hudroo Falls	c. The place where Bepin Babu fainted
(vi) Bepin Babu	b. A serious and hardworking man
(vii) Dinesh Mukherji	d. Claimed to have been with Bepin Babu in Ranchi

Short-type questions & answers

Unit – I

1. When and why did Bepin go to New Market?
Ans: Bepin Babu went to New Market every Monday after work. He loved reading books so he went there to buy new ones. He mostly liked reading crime stories, ghost stories, and thrillers. Reading made him feel happy and relaxed.

2. Who was Dinesh Mukherji?
Ans: Dinesh Mukherji was an old friend of Bepin Babu. Parimal Ghose said that Dinesh had gone to Ranchi with Bepin but Bepin did not remember it. So Bepin Babu wanted to ask Dinesh to find out if the trip really happened.

3. Why did Bepin stay in a bungalow?
Ans: In Ranchi Bepin Babu stayed in a bungalow because he did not like hotel food. He wanted a comfortable place and preferred food cooked by a bawarchi a personal cook.

4. Why did Bepin argue with Dinesh?
Ans: In Ranchi Bepin Babu and Dinesh Mukherji had a small fight about the moon landing. They did not agree with each other and both thought they were right so they argued during the trip.

5. Where did Bepin spend Puja in 1958?
Ans: Bepin Babu thought he spent Puja in 1958 in Kanpur with his friend Haridas but Parimal Ghose said that he had gone to Ranchi with his friend Dinesh.

Unit – II

1. Why did Bepin go to the Ganga?
Ans: Bepin Babu went to the Ganga with his driver Sitaram to relax because a man had told him that he had gone to Ranchi in 1958 but he could not remember it.

2. How and where did Bepin Babu’s brother die?
Ans: Bepin Babu’s brother passed away in a mental hospital in Ranchi due to mental illness.

3. Why did Bepin decide to roll up his trousers?
Ans: Bepin Babu decided to roll up his trousers to check his right knee because a man had told him that he had fallen and hurt himself at Hudroo Falls. Since he couldn’t remember this, he rolled up his trousers to see if there was any scar on his knee.

4. How many trips did Dinesh say Bepin took in 1958?
Ans: Dinesh Mukherji told Bepin Babu that he took two trips in 1958. First, he went to Krishnanagar for his nephew’s wedding and the second trip was to Ranchi.

Unit – III

1. Who was Chunilal? Where was he waiting?
Ans: Chunilal was an old friend of Bepin Babu. He played a prank on him about the Ranchi trip

2. Who was Paresh Chandra?
Ans: Paresh Chandra was a young doctor. He had sharp eyes and a pointed nose. He helped Bepin Babu understand what was wrong with his memory.

3. Why did the doctor tell Bepin to go to Ranchi again?
Ans: The doctor suggested that Bepin Babu go to Ranchi again because he believed the memory loss was caused by stress. The doctor thought that visiting Ranchi might help Bepin remember everything and feel better.

Unit – IV

1.What did Bepin Babu realize after reaching Ranchi?
Ans: Bepin Babu went to Ranchi hoping to remember something. He visited the places he was told he went to, but nothing looked familiar. This made him even more confused and worried about his memory.

2. Bepin Babu was lying unconscious beside a boulder.” – Why?
Ans: Bepin Babu fainted and fell near a big rock because he realized that he had not lost his memory. He was very relieved and lay beside the rock.

3. Why did Bepin call Dr. Chandra again after coming back from Ranchi?
Ans: Bepin Babu called Dr. Chandra again to let him know that his memory was perfectly fine. He realized that he had been tricked by Chunilal into thinking he had forgotten the trip to Ranchi. Bepin wanted to explain everything to Dr. Chandra and clear up the confusion.

Long-type questions & answers

1. What are the main characteristics of Bepin Babu?
Ans: Bepin Babu was a serious and hardworking man. He had a set daily routine and loved reading crime stories, ghost stories, and thrillers. He was very responsible at work and never took a day off for 25 years. However, Bepin was not very friendly or helpful. When his old friend Chunilal needed help he ignored him. Bepin also only believed things if he had proof. For example when people said he had been to Ranchi he did not believe it because he could not remember the trip. He thought his memory was perfect but by the end of the story Bepin learned a valuable lesson about friendship and kindness.

2. Why is the title “Lapse of Memory” important to the story?
Ans: The title “Lapse of Memory” is important because it focuses on Bepin Babu’s confusion about his memory. The word “lapse” means a short break, which matches Bepin Babu’s doubt about whether he went to Ranchi. Even though others tell him he did he refuses to believe them making him feel anxious and unsure. The title also shows how important memory is Bepin Babu was proud of his memory but he was tricked into thinking he had lost it. This teaches us not to be too sure of ourselves because anyone can make mistakes. The story also reminds us that helping our friends is more important than only focusing on ourselves.

3. How does the story show the theme of revenge?
Ans: The story shows the theme of revenge through Chunilal’s clever trick on Bepin Babu. Chunilal an old friend of Bepin Babu was facing hardships and needed help. However Bepin Babu refused to help him which hurt Chunilal deeply. Feeling rejected Chunilal decided to take revenge in a smart but harmless way. He made up a story and convinced others to tell Bepin Babu that he had visited Ranchi. Since Bepin Babu could not remember the trip he started to believe he was losing his memory. This fear and confusion troubled him so much that he even consulted a doctor. When he finally learned the truth he felt ashamed for neglecting his friend when he needed help. The story shows that revenge does not always have to be cruel. Chunilal’s trick was harmless but it taught Bepin Babu an important lesson.

D. Grammar practice with answers

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. Underline the idiom and write down its meaning.

1. ears / on / fell / words / her / deaf.
2. the / nail / the / head / on / hit.
3. gave / him / feet / cold / at the last minute.
4. cloud / nine / was / she / on.
5. the / beans / she / the / let / out of / bag.
Ans:
1. ears / on / fell / words / her / deaf.
Ans: Her words fell on deaf ears.

• Idiom: fall on deaf ears
• Meaning: No one listened to her.

2. the / nail / the / head / on / hit.
Ans: He hit the nail on the head.

• Idiom: hit the nail on the head
• Meaning: Did something exactly right

3. gave / him / feet / cold / at the last minute.
Ans: He got cold feet at the last minute.

• Idiom: get cold feet
• Meaning: Became too scared to do something.

4. cloud / nine / was / she / on.
Ans: She was on cloud nine.

• Idiom: on cloud nine
• Meaning: Very happy.

5. the / beans / she / the / let / out of / bag.
Ans: She let the cat out of the bag.

• Idiom: let the cat out of the bag
• Meaning: Accidentally revealed a secret.

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