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Chapter 9 of the UP Board Class 9 English Beehive book – “If I Were You,” is an exciting play by Douglas James. It’s about a man named Gerrard who finds himself in a dangerous situation. A criminal breaks into his house, planning to steal Gerrard’s identity. But Gerrard stays calm and uses his quick thinking to outsmart the intruder. This chapter teaches us about the power of staying cool under pressure and using our wits to solve problems.
UP Board Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 9 Solutions
| Subject | English (Beehive) |
| Class | 9th |
| Chapter | 9. If I were you |
| Author | Douglas James |
| Board | UP Board |
Thinking about the Text
I. Answer these questions
1 . “At last a sympathetic audience.”
(i) Who says this?
Ans. Gerrard says this.
(ii) Why does he say it?
Ans. He says it because the intruder asks him to talk about himself, which is unusual in their tense situation.
(iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?
Ans. Gerrard is being sarcastic. He’s using humor to cope with the dangerous situation and possibly to throw the intruder off balance.
2 . Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?
Ans. The intruder chooses Gerrard because they have a similar build, making it easier to impersonate him. He believes Gerrard leads a comfortable life and isn’t well-known, which would allow the intruder to hide from the police more easily. By taking on Gerrard’s identity, the intruder hopes to escape his criminal past and live freely.
3 . “I said it with bullets.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) What does it mean?
(iii) Is it the truth? What is the speaker’s reason for saying this?
Ans.
(i) Gerrard says this.
(ii) It means that Gerrard supposedly used a gun to solve his problems or escape difficult situations.
(iii) It’s not the truth. Gerrard is lying to make the intruder believe he’s also a dangerous criminal. By doing this, Gerrard hopes to confuse the intruder and potentially save his own life.
4 . What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.
Ans. Gerrard is likely a playwright or someone involved in theater. Evidence from the play includes his use of theatrical terms and references:
- He describes the intruder’s actions as “melodramatic” and “not very original.”
- He mentions “props” and “rehearsal” when talking on the phone.
- He compares the intruder to “melodramatic villains.”
- He has a “disguise outfit” with false mustaches.
- He considers putting the incident in his “next play.”
- These references suggest Gerrard is familiar with theatrical productions and writing plays.
5 . “You’ll soon stop being smart.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
(iii) What according to the speaker will stop Gerrard from being smart?
Ans.
(i) The intruder says this.
(ii) He says it to intimidate Gerrard, who has been responding calmly and wittily to the dangerous situation.
(iii) The intruder believes that when Gerrard realizes he’s about to be killed, he’ll stop being clever and become afraid. He’s trying to break Gerrard’s composure by reminding him of the deadly threat.
6 . “They can’t hang me twice.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
Ans.
(i) The intruder says this.
(ii) He says it to show that he’s not afraid of consequences. The intruder has already committed one murder, so he believes killing Gerrard won’t change his punishment if he’s caught. This statement reveals his desperation and willingness to commit another crime.
7. “A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?
Ans. The “mystery” Gerrard proposes to explain is a clever fabrication he creates to outsmart the intruder. Gerrard invents a story about being a criminal himself, suggesting that he’s also living a secretive life. He tells the intruder that he’s rarely in one place for long, avoids meeting tradespeople, and is currently preparing to flee due to recent complications. Gerrard claims he had to murder someone to escape and that one of his associates was arrested with incriminating evidence. This fictional tale is designed to confuse the intruder and make him doubt his plan to take over Gerrard’s identity.
8 . “This is your big surprise.”
(i) Where has this been said in the play?
(ii) What is the surprise?
Ans.
(i) The phrase “This is your big surprise” is used twice in the play. First, the intruder says it when revealing his plan to kill Gerrard. Later, Gerrard uses the same phrase when he’s about to reveal his fabricated criminal identity to the intruder.
(ii) In the first instance, the “surprise” is the intruder’s plan to murder Gerrard and assume his identity. When Gerrard uses the phrase, the “surprise” is his made-up story about being a criminal. Gerrard’s clever use of the intruder’s own words adds a touch of irony to the situation and helps to throw the intruder off balance.
Thinking about the Language
I. Consult your dictionary and choose the correct word from the pairs given in brackets
- The (site, cite) of the accident was (ghastly/ghostly).
- Our college (principle/principal) is very strict.
- I studied (continuously/continually) for eight hours.
- The fog had an adverse (affect/effect) on the traffic.
- Cezanne, the famous French painter, was a brilliant (artist/artiste).
- The book that you gave me yesterday is an extraordinary (collage/college) of science fiction and mystery.
- Our school will (host/hoist) an exhibition on cruelty to animals and wildlife conservation.
- Screw the lid tightly onto the top of the bottle and (shake/shape) well before using the contents.
Ans.
- The site of the accident was ghastly.
- Our college principal is very strict.
- I studied continuously for eight hours.
- The fog had an adverse effect on the traffic.
- Cezanne, the famous French painter, was a brilliant artist.
- The book that you gave me yesterday is an extraordinary collage of science fiction and mystery.
- Our school will host an exhibition on cruelty to animals and wildlife conservation.
- Screw the lid tightly onto the top of the bottle and shake well before using the contents.
