If I Were You

Summary

Gerrard was a playwright. He was ready to go out of his house to deliver props for a rehearsal. Just as was leaving, an intruder entered his home. He was carrying a gun. He wanted to kill Gerrard and steal his identity. He wanted live on Gerard’s identity. The intruder had committed a murder and was wanted by the police. He wanted to know details about Gerrard before killing him so that he could imitate him well.

Gerrard said that he was a crook too. He warned the intruder the police would be chasing him even after stealing the identity. Gerrard told the intruder that he had killed someone and the police had evidence against him. Gerrard was successful in fooling the intruder to believe him. Gerrard managed to push the intruder inside a cupboard and locked it.

Question and Answers

1. “At last a sympathetic audience.”

(i) Who says this?

(ii) Why does he say it?

(iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?

Answer:

i) Gerrard

ii) Gerrard says this because he is glad that finally, someone has asked him to speak about himself.

iii) he is sarcastic

2. Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?

Answer: The intruder chooses Gerrard because he feels that they are similar to each other. As he has committed a murder, he plans to steal Gerrard’s identity and live peacefully.

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?

Answer:

i) Gerrard

ii) It means that when things went wrong, Gerrard had to kill a person.

iii) No, it is not the truth. Gerrard said this in order to escape being killed by the intruder.

4. What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.

Answer: Gerrard is a playwright. This is indicated from the following -

i) This is all very melodramatic, not very original

ii) At last a sympathetic audience

iii) In most melodramas the villain is foolish enough to delay his killing long enough to be frustrated. You are much luckier.

iv) I said, you were luckier than most melodramatic villains.

v) That’s a disguise outfit; false moustaches and what not.

vi) Sorry I can’t let you have the props in time for rehearsal, I’ve had a spot of bother — quite amusing. I think I’ll put it in my next play.

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?

Answer:

i) the intruder

ii) The intruder says this to scare Gerrard

iii) According to the intruder when Gerrard would come to know that his aim was to kill him, he would get scared and stop being smart.

6. “They can’t hang me twice.”

(i) Who says this?

(ii) Why does the speaker say it?

Answer:

i) the intruder

ii) The intruder says that he has committed a murder and Gerrard’s murder would be his second murder. He was not scared of being punished as already, he was to be hanged for the first murder and if he did one more, they would not hang him twice for committing two murders.

7. “A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?

Answer: Gerrard proposes that his lifestyle was mysterious as he did not meet many people and did not have any visitors. He proposed to explain the reason for his mysteriousness.

8. “This is your big surprise.”

(i) Where has this been said in the play?

(ii) What is the surprise?

Answer:

i) This has been said twice in the play. Firstly, when the intruder reveals his plan to kill Gerrard. Secondly, by Gerrard when he reveals his false identity to the intruder.

ii) The intruder’s surprise is his intention of killing Gerrard. Gerrard’s surprise is his false identity.

Consult your dictionary and choose the correct word from the pairs given in brackets.

1. The (site, cite) of the accident was (ghastly/ghostly).

2. Our college (principle/principal) is very strict.

3. I studied (continuously/continually) for eight hours.

4. The fog had an adverse (affect/effect) on the traffic.

5. Cezanne, the famous French painter, was a brilliant (artist/artiste).

6. The book that you gave me yesterday is an extraordinary (collage/college) of science fiction and mystery.

7. Our school will (host/hoist) an exhibition on cruelty to animals and wildlife conservation.

8. Screw the lid tightly onto the top of the bottle and (shake/shape) well before using the contents.

Answers:

1. Site, ghastly

2. Principal

3. Continuously

4. Effect

5. Artist

6. Collage

7. Host

8. shake