Thinking about the Text

Q1. “At last a sympathetic audience.”

(i) Who says this?

(ii) Why does he say it?

(iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?
Answer:

(i) Gerrard says this.

(ii) He says this because the Intruder has just told him, “Now then, we’ll have a nice little talk about yourself!” The Intruder wants to get information from Gerrard to take on his identity. Gerrard pretends to believe the Intruder is a genuine audience for his life story.

(iii) Gerrard is being sarcastic.

Q2. Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?
Answer: The Intruder chooses Gerrard because they have a similar build and physical appearance. He also overhears people talking about Gerrard and learns that he is a “mystery man” who comes and goes suddenly, never sees tradespeople, and lives alone in a lonely cottage. This makes Gerrard’s identity perfect for a criminal on the run who wants to live a quiet life without being suspected.

Q3. “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) The Intruder says this.

(ii) It means that he killed a policeman with bullets when things went wrong during a jewel robbery.

(iii) Yes, it is the truth. The Intruder says this to threaten Gerrard and to show that he is a dangerous and ruthless killer who has nothing to lose by committing another murder.

Q4. What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.
Answer: Gerrard’s profession is that of a playwright. The parts of the play that support this are:

• He tells the Intruder, “I think I’ll put it in my next play.”
• He tells the person on the phone, “Sorry I can’t let you have the props in time for rehearsal.”

Q5. “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 says this.

(ii) He says it because Gerrard is being witty, calm, and nonchalant, which irritates the Intruder.

(iii) According to the Intruder, the threat of being shot with his gun will stop Gerrard from being smart.

Q6. “They can’t hang me twice.”

(i) Who says this?

(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
Answer:

(i) The Intruder says this.

(ii) He says this to justify his plan to murder Gerrard. He is already wanted for one murder, so adding another murder to his crimes will not increase his punishment, as he cannot be hanged more than once.

Q7. “A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?
Answer: The mystery Gerrard proposes to explain is why he is a “queer” or “mystery man” who lives a secluded life, never meets tradespeople, and has an unpredictable schedule. This is the fabricated story he uses to convince the Intruder that he is also a criminal wanted by the police.

Q8. “This is your big surprise.”

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

(ii) What is the surprise?
Answer:

(i) The Intruder first says this when he tells Gerrard he is going to kill him. Gerrard says it later when he reveals his fabricated plan to the Intruder.

(ii) The first surprise is the Intruder’s intention to murder Gerrard. The second, and more significant, surprise is Gerrard’s lie that he is also a criminal and the police are after him, which is the key to outwitting the Intruder.

Thinking about Language

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

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.

Answer:

1. The site of the accident was ghastly.
2. Our college principal is very strict.
3. I studied continuously for eight hours.
4. The fog had an adverse effect on the traffic.
5. Cezanne, the famous French painter, was a brilliant artist.
6. The book that you gave me yesterday is an extraordinary collage of science fiction and mystery.
7. Our school will host an exhibition on cruelty to animals and wildlife conservation.
8. Screw the lid tightly onto the top of the bottle and shake well before

Q2. Irony is when we say one thing but mean another, usually the opposite of what we say. When someone makes a mistake and you say, “Oh ! that was clever !” that is irony. You’re saying ‘clever’ to mean ‘not clever’.
Expressions we often use in an ironic fashion are:

• Oh, wasn’t that clever!/Oh that was clever!
• You have been a great help, I must say!
• You’ve got yourself into a lovely mess, haven’t you?
• Oh, very funny !/How funny!

We use a slightly different tone of voice when we use these words ironically. Read the play carefully and find the words and expressions Gerrard uses in an ironic way. Then say what these expressions really mean. Two examples have been given below.

Write down three more such expressions along with what they really mean.

Answer:

Dictionary use

A word can mean different things in different contexts. Look at these three sentences:

• The students are taught to respect different cultures.
• The school is organising a cultural show.
• His voice is cultured.

In the first sentence, ‘culture’ (noun) means way of life ; in the second, ‘cultural’ (adjective) means connected with art, literature and music ; and in the third, ‘cultured’ (verb) means sophisticated, well-mannered. Usually a dictionary helps you identify the right meaning by giving you signposts.
…………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………….
Look up the dictionary entries for the words sympathy, familiarity, comfort, care, and surprise. Use the information given in the dictionary and complete the table.

Answer:

Speaking

Q1. Imagine you are Gerrard. Tell your friend what happened when the Intruder broke into your house.
[Clues: Describe (i) the Intruder—his appearance, the way he spoke, his plan, his movements, etc., (ii) how you outwitted him.
Answer:
Yesterday I was standing near the telephone and an intruder entered my cottage. He had a gun in his hand and he tried to threaten me. He intended to kill me and shouted at me. The intruder forced me to tell everything about me. But I did not tell him the reality and misguided him. I told him that he would not gain anything after murdering me. I told him that I was to safeguard myself from the police. So I posted a man on the road. When we tried to come out of the cottage I locked him inside a cupboard and called the police. Eventually, the police arrested him.

Q2. Enact the play in the class. Pay special attention to words given in italics before a dialogue. These words will tell you whether the dialogue has to be said in a happy, sarcastic or ironic tone and how the characters move and what they do as they speak. Read these carefully before you enact the play.
Ans.
For self attempt.

Writing

Q1. Which of the words below describe Gerrard and which describe the Intruder?
  [smart humorous clever beautiful cool confident flashy witty nonchalant]
Answer:
Gerrard was smart, humorous, confident, witty and clever. He was cool. When the intruder broke into his cottage, he did not lose his patience and confidence. He cooked up a story, convinced the intruder and got rid of him. He showed his intelligence and presence of mind. He was nonchalant also. The intruder was smart, beautiful, flashy, clever and confident. He collected much information about Gerrard and planned his visit meticulously. He wore flashy clothes. He had the ability to make someone afraid of him. Moreover he was witty and answered Gerrard’s questions intelligently and sarcastically.

Q2. Convert the play into a story (150-200 words). Your story should be as exciting and as witty as the play. Provide a suitable title to it. ‘Intelligence is powerful than strength’.
Answer:
Gerrard is a dramatist who lives in a cottage. A very few people come to visit him. He rarely goes out. If he goes out, he comes back suddenly. Once an intruder enters his cottage who has a gun in his hands. Gerrard receives him with a warm welcome. The intruder asks many questions to him about his personal life. He answers his queries intelligently and thoughtfully. The intruder tells him that he wants to take on his identity because he is being chased by police as he has murdered a cop. But Gerrard tells him that he will not be benefited by killing him as he is also wanted. And he expects the police there tonight to arrest him. So he asks him to run with him in the car. But when they are about to cross the door, Gerrard pushes him into the cupboard and slams it. Then he calls the police and gets him arrested.