NCERT Class 9 English Beehive Prose: Chapter 9 – If I Were You

Get ready for your exams with our NCERT Solutions for this story chapter! They're based on the newest NCERT syllabus and CBSE rules. We give you answers that are easy to understand so you can figure out what the story is about, who the characters are, and how it's written. These solutions will help you feel ready to do great!

Chapter 9 of the Class 9 English Beehive book has Douglas James’s play, “If I Were You.” It’s about a smart conversation between Gregory, a writer, and a burglar. Gregory is witty and quick-thinking, which he uses to trick the burglar and save his house.

1.0Download NCERT Solutions Class 9 English Beehive [Prose] Chapter 9 – If I Were You: Free PDF

Download the Class 9 English Chapter 9 NCERT Solutions as a PDF for free and check out this cool story about smarts and bravery:

2.0Class 9 English Chapter 9 – If I Were You: Brief Explanation

Okay, so the play's about this guy, Gregory, who finds a burglar in his house. But instead of freaking out, he plays it cool and pretends to be someone else. He's so quick-witted that he actually scares the burglar away!

Here's what makes it good:

• It shows how being smart can get you out of trouble without fighting.
• It shows how staying calm can be more helpful than getting scared or angry.
• Gregory's a brave, smart character, which is a good contrast to the nervous burglar.
• The dialogue is really funny and drives a lot of the story.
• It's got a good message: Use your head to solve problems.

3.0NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 9: Detailed Solutions

• "At last a sympathetic audience." (i) Who says this? (ii) Why does he say it? (iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?

Ans. (i) The speaker of the given line is Gerrard. (ii) He says it as he is asked by the intruder to speak about himself. (iii) He speaks the given dialogue sarcastically. 2. Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?

Ans. Gerrard looks much like the intruder. The intruder is a murderer. The police are after him. He hopes he can easily impersonate Gerrard and escape being caught. Also, Gerrard lied alone and did not meet a lot of people. 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 when things went wrong, he had used his gun to shoot someone for his escape. (iii) No, it is not the truth. The speaker says this to save himself from getting shot by the intruder. 4. What is Gerrard's profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.

Ans. Gerrard could have been a playwright by profession. Several parts of the play that reflect this. Some of these are:

• "This is all very melodramatic, not very original, perhaps, but..."
• "At last a sympathetic audience!"
• "In most melodramas the villain is foolish enough to delay his killing long enough to be frustrated".
• "I said, you were luckier than most melodramatic villains."
• "That's a disguise outfit; false moustaches and what not".
• "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."

• "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 the line. (ii) The speaker says it to frighten Gerrard. (iii) According to the intruder, Gerrard would stop being smart once he knew what was going to happen to him. The intruder's plan was to kill Gerrard and take over his identity. He felt that when Gerrard would know this, he would stop being smart and start getting scared. 6. "They can't hang me twice." (i) Who says this? (ii) Why does the speaker say it?

Ans. (i) The intruder says the line. (ii) The intruder had been telling Gerrard that he had murdered one man, and that he would not shy away from murdering him too. This is because the police could not hang him twice for two murders. 7. "A mystery I propose to explain." What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?

Ans. The mystery that Gerrard proposed to explain was the story he made up to dodge the intruder and save his own life. The story was that Gerrard himself was a criminal like the intruder. He asked the intruder why else he would not meet any trades people and be a bit of a mystery man here today and gone tomorrow. The game was up as things had suddenly gone wrong for him. He had committed a murder and got away. Unfortunately, one of his men had been arrested and certain things were found which his men should have burnt. He said that he was expecting some trouble that night and therefore, his bag was packed and he was ready to escape. 8. "This is your big surprise." (i) Where has this been said in the play? (ii) What is the surprise?

Ans. (i) This has been said twice in the play. On the first occasion, it is spoken by the intruder while revealing his plan to kill Gerrard. Secondly, it is spoken by Gerrard before he reveals his fictitious identity to the intruder. (ii) The intruder's surprise is his plan to kill Gerrard and take on his identity to lead a secure and hassle-free life. Whereas, Gerrard's surprise is his fictitious identity, his way of refraining the intruder from killing him.

4.0Key Features and Benefits of Class 9 English Chapter 9 If I Were You NCERT Solutions

• Follows the CBSE test format and the latest NCERT syllabus.
• Uses simple language for easy understanding.
• Includes detailed explanations of themes, characters, and dramatic methods.
• Helps improve your skills in analysis, understanding, and interpretation for exams.
• Builds confidence in answering literature questions clearly and thoughtfully.