Bonku Babu's Friend - Questions & Answers
Section 1: True or False
1. Satyajit Ray conceptualized 'Bonku Babu's Friend' as an inspiration for Indian writers of science fiction.
True
2. Bonku Babu taught history and mathematics at the Kankurgachhi Village Primary School.
False
3. The moving point of light in the sky was instantly recognized by everyone at the gathering as an alien spaceship.
False
4. Ang, the alien, claimed to know 14,000 languages across the solar system.
True
5. Bonku Babu remained meek and mild even after his encounter with the alien.
False
Section 2: Fill in the Blanks
1. Satyajit Ray is celebrated for works including The Apu Trilogy, The Music Room, The Big City and Charulata.
2. For the last twenty-two years, Bonku Babu had taught at the Kankurgachhi Village Primary School.
3. During the weekend, Bonku Babu went to the lawyer, Sripati Majumdar's house, to spend the evenings with other regulars.
4. The alien introduced himself as Ang, from the planet Craneus.
5. Ang showed Bonku Babu the Aurora Borealis and a fighting walrus through a small glass tube.
Section 3: Short Answer Questions
1. Why did Bonku Babu continue to attend the evening gatherings despite being mocked by the grown men?
Bonku Babu continued to attend because the host, Sripati Babu, was a very important man in the school committee and the village. Bonku Babu feared offending him and losing his good standing if he stopped going.
2. How did Ang render Bonku Babu immobile in the bamboo grove?
Ang used a small, pebble-like object in his hand. When Bonku Babu touched it, he felt an electric current that tied him down like an invisible rope, making him completely powerless without causing physical pain.
3. What was the major fault that Ang pointed out in Bonku Babu's character?
Ang pointed out that Bonku Babu was much too meek and mild. He advised him that to make progress in life, he must always speak up against injustice and protest when hurt or insulted without provocation.
Section 4: Longer Answer Questions
1. Describe the appearance of the alien and his spacecraft based on Bonku Babu's encounter.
The spacecraft looked like a giant glass bowl turned upside-down, covering a pond entirely and radiating a strong, gentle pink light. The alien, Ang, was a strange creature barely four feet tall with extremely thin arms and legs. He wore a shiny pink outfit and had a plain, smooth head with no hair. Instead of ears, he had tiny holes, two holes for a nose, a gaping hole for a mouth, and bright, unblinking yellow eyes that glowed in the dark.
2. How did Bonku Babu's behavior change at the evening gathering after his encounter with Ang?
Empowered by his extraordinary experience, Bonku Babu underwent a complete transformation. He burst into Sripati Babu's house like a small hurricane, laughed uproariously, and boldly told the group that they spoke absolute rubbish. He demanded his stolen belongings back from Chandi Babu, insulted Nidhu Babu and Sripati Babu directly, announced his incredible meeting with Ang, and finally left the gathering forever with a bounce in his step and his head held high.