NCERT Book Class 9 English (Beehive) Chapter 9 If I Were You

9. If I Were YYou
Were ou

BEFORE YOU READ
• Gerrard lives alone in a lonely cottage. An intruder, who is a
criminal, enters his cottage. He intends to murder Gerrard
and take on his identity. Does he succeed?
• The following words and phrases occur in the play. Do you
know their meanings? Match them with the meanings given,
to find out.

cultured an informal expression for a
fashionable vehicle
count on unnecessary and usually harmful
engaged exaggerated
melodramatic sophisticated; well mannered
to be smart here, a tone of voice
inflection avoid
wise guy an unexpected opportunity for
success
a dandy bus trap
tradespeople a Christian religious teacher who
teaches on Sundays in Church
gratuitous (American English) a person who
pretends to know a lot
dodge depend on; rely on
lucky break (American English) an informal way
of saying that one is being too clever
Sunday-school teacher occupied; busy
frame merchants

SCENE: A small cottage interior. There is an entrance back right (which
may be curtained). Another door to the left must be a practical door. The
furniture is simple, consisting of a small table towards the left, a chair or
two, and a divan rather upstage on the right. On the table is a telephone.
If I Were You / 109