Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow : “No, but I don’t want to see you hang.” (a) Who said this ? (b) Who is ‘you’ in the extract ? Who is the wisest character in the story ? Tell a reason.
1 thought on “Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow :<br />“No, but I don’t want to see you hang.”<br />(a) Who said t”
Answer:
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
ANSWER:
• No, the intruder does not succeed in fulfilling his plans because he is outsmarted by Gerrard’s wit.
cultured
sophisticated; well mannered
count on
depend on; rely on
engaged
occupied; busy
melodramatic
exaggerated
to be smart
(American English) an informal way of saying that one is being too clever
inflection
here, a tone of voice
wise guy
(American English) a person who pretends to know a lot
a dandy bus
an informal expression for a fashionable vehicle
tradespeople
merchants
gratuitous
unnecessary and usually harmful
dodge
avoid
lucky break
an unexpected opportunity for success
Sunday-school teacher
a Christian religious teacher who teaches on Sundays in Church
frame
trap
Page No 144:
Question 1:
“At last a sympathetic audience.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does he say it?
(iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?
ANSWER:
(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.
Page No 144:
Question 2:
Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?
ANSWER:
The intruder chooses Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on as they were of similar built.
Page No 144:
Question 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 says the given line.
(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.
Page No 144:
Question 4:
What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.
ANSWER:
Gerrard is 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.”
Page No 144:
Question 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 says the line under reference.
(ii) Peeved at the smartness displayed by Gerrard, the intruder says this to warn him against acting smart as he is unaware of the consequences that he might suffer.
(iii) The speaker thinks that Gerrard would stop acting smart once he comes to know about his plan to kill Gerrard and take over his identity.
Page No 145:
Question 6:
“They can’t hang me twice.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
ANSWER:
(i) The speaker of the given line is the intruder.
(ii) Since he is already being hunted for having killed someone else, murdering Gerrard won’t make any difference. Hence, he says that he cannot be hanged twice.
Page No 145:
Question 7:
“A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?
ANSWER:
The speaker proposes to explain the mystery about himself. He tells the intruder that he would not be able to lead a peaceful life even as Vincient Gerrard. This is because he himself is a criminal living an unstable life, being hunted by the police.
Answer:
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
ANSWER:
• No, the intruder does not succeed in fulfilling his plans because he is outsmarted by Gerrard’s wit.
cultured
sophisticated; well mannered
count on
depend on; rely on
engaged
occupied; busy
melodramatic
exaggerated
to be smart
(American English) an informal way of saying that one is being too clever
inflection
here, a tone of voice
wise guy
(American English) a person who pretends to know a lot
a dandy bus
an informal expression for a fashionable vehicle
tradespeople
merchants
gratuitous
unnecessary and usually harmful
dodge
avoid
lucky break
an unexpected opportunity for success
Sunday-school teacher
a Christian religious teacher who teaches on Sundays in Church
frame
trap
Page No 144:
Question 1:
“At last a sympathetic audience.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does he say it?
(iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?
ANSWER:
(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.
Page No 144:
Question 2:
Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?
ANSWER:
The intruder chooses Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on as they were of similar built.
Page No 144:
Question 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 says the given line.
(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.
Page No 144:
Question 4:
What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.
ANSWER:
Gerrard is 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.”
Page No 144:
Question 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 says the line under reference.
(ii) Peeved at the smartness displayed by Gerrard, the intruder says this to warn him against acting smart as he is unaware of the consequences that he might suffer.
(iii) The speaker thinks that Gerrard would stop acting smart once he comes to know about his plan to kill Gerrard and take over his identity.
Page No 145:
Question 6:
“They can’t hang me twice.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
ANSWER:
(i) The speaker of the given line is the intruder.
(ii) Since he is already being hunted for having killed someone else, murdering Gerrard won’t make any difference. Hence, he says that he cannot be hanged twice.
Page No 145:
Question 7:
“A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?
ANSWER:
The speaker proposes to explain the mystery about himself. He tells the intruder that he would not be able to lead a peaceful life even as Vincient Gerrard. This is because he himself is a criminal living an unstable life, being hunted by the police.