NCERT Textbook: Unit 9 | English Class 9 PDF Download

 Page 1


Unit
9
L e t ’ s b eg i n In the play ‘If I Were You’, you have read how Gerrard outsmarts the intruder 
with his ‘presence of mind’. The intruder wanted to steal Gerrard’s identity. 
In our day-to-day life we share personal information like telephone 
number, house address, mobile number, date of birth, e-mail address, etc., 
everyday with people whom we may not know very well. 
Don’t you think it is not safe to share information in today’s digital age? 
Someone like the intruder in the play ‘If I Were You’ might misuse your 
unique and personal identity details. This is called identity theft.
The cases of online identity thefts are increasing day by day. Collect 
information about cases of identity theft and share it in the class.
Reading Comp Rehension Read the following text and answer the questions that  
follow. 
Text I
i nte Rview with a d ete Ctive His appearance was clean, cool and deliberately ambiguous. 
Under the sanctuary of his aviators, his eyes silently scanned 
the room. He is a Manhattan-based, third-generation private 
detective who’s been in the business for more than three 
decades — specialising in surveillance and being an overall 
mystery-tinged badass. We asked him everything we’ve ever 
wanted to know about the profession.
Unit 9.indd   124 20-02-2023   09:29:55
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Page 2


Unit
9
L e t ’ s b eg i n In the play ‘If I Were You’, you have read how Gerrard outsmarts the intruder 
with his ‘presence of mind’. The intruder wanted to steal Gerrard’s identity. 
In our day-to-day life we share personal information like telephone 
number, house address, mobile number, date of birth, e-mail address, etc., 
everyday with people whom we may not know very well. 
Don’t you think it is not safe to share information in today’s digital age? 
Someone like the intruder in the play ‘If I Were You’ might misuse your 
unique and personal identity details. This is called identity theft.
The cases of online identity thefts are increasing day by day. Collect 
information about cases of identity theft and share it in the class.
Reading Comp Rehension Read the following text and answer the questions that  
follow. 
Text I
i nte Rview with a d ete Ctive His appearance was clean, cool and deliberately ambiguous. 
Under the sanctuary of his aviators, his eyes silently scanned 
the room. He is a Manhattan-based, third-generation private 
detective who’s been in the business for more than three 
decades — specialising in surveillance and being an overall 
mystery-tinged badass. We asked him everything we’ve ever 
wanted to know about the profession.
Unit 9.indd   124 20-02-2023   09:29:55
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Unit 9 125
Notes Interviewer : So, what exactly do you do?
Detective : I do a lot of surveillance. Basically, 
someone who wonders, “What is this 
other person up to?” If it’s insurance 
company (surveying someone on 
workers’ compensation), they’ll ask, “Is 
he back working?” Things like that.
  Another very common request is 
locating people, and it could be for a lot 
of reasons. I had a case recently, a man 
hadn’t been in touch with his mother for 
20 years and I helped him find her.
Interviewer : What kind of skills make for a good PI 
(Private Investigator)?
Detective : Patience — Number one. You have to 
pay attention. You have to be the kind 
of person, if you sit in front of a door 
watching it for six hours, and you haven’t 
seen your guy.
  You have to plan accordingly, and be 
willing to make sacrifices in order to stay 
out there. It’s not a job for people who 
want to slack off.
Interviewer : If you needed to locate someone, what’s 
the ideal information you need to start?
Detective : Usually, this is what I tell people, “If you 
want to find someone, I need the name 
with the exact spelling, the DOB if you 
know it, the social security number, 
and a last known, official address where 
they’ve lived within the past 15 years.” 
Because that means they’ll be in our 
database.
Interviewer : Do most private investigators have a 
relationship with local police? 
Detective : I would say that’s kind of a myth. Most 
cops wouldn’t even do it in the first 
place, because they know how serious a 
violation it is.
Interviewer : Do most private eyes carry guns?
Detective : I don’t think so. We don’t kill people but 
help them.
surveillance: close 
observation, especially of a 
suspected spy or criminal
DOB: Date of Birth
Unit 9.indd   125 20-02-2023   09:29:55
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Page 3


Unit
9
L e t ’ s b eg i n In the play ‘If I Were You’, you have read how Gerrard outsmarts the intruder 
with his ‘presence of mind’. The intruder wanted to steal Gerrard’s identity. 
In our day-to-day life we share personal information like telephone 
number, house address, mobile number, date of birth, e-mail address, etc., 
everyday with people whom we may not know very well. 
Don’t you think it is not safe to share information in today’s digital age? 
Someone like the intruder in the play ‘If I Were You’ might misuse your 
unique and personal identity details. This is called identity theft.
The cases of online identity thefts are increasing day by day. Collect 
information about cases of identity theft and share it in the class.
Reading Comp Rehension Read the following text and answer the questions that  
follow. 
Text I
i nte Rview with a d ete Ctive His appearance was clean, cool and deliberately ambiguous. 
Under the sanctuary of his aviators, his eyes silently scanned 
the room. He is a Manhattan-based, third-generation private 
detective who’s been in the business for more than three 
decades — specialising in surveillance and being an overall 
mystery-tinged badass. We asked him everything we’ve ever 
wanted to know about the profession.
Unit 9.indd   124 20-02-2023   09:29:55
2024-25
Unit 9 125
Notes Interviewer : So, what exactly do you do?
Detective : I do a lot of surveillance. Basically, 
someone who wonders, “What is this 
other person up to?” If it’s insurance 
company (surveying someone on 
workers’ compensation), they’ll ask, “Is 
he back working?” Things like that.
  Another very common request is 
locating people, and it could be for a lot 
of reasons. I had a case recently, a man 
hadn’t been in touch with his mother for 
20 years and I helped him find her.
Interviewer : What kind of skills make for a good PI 
(Private Investigator)?
Detective : Patience — Number one. You have to 
pay attention. You have to be the kind 
of person, if you sit in front of a door 
watching it for six hours, and you haven’t 
seen your guy.
  You have to plan accordingly, and be 
willing to make sacrifices in order to stay 
out there. It’s not a job for people who 
want to slack off.
Interviewer : If you needed to locate someone, what’s 
the ideal information you need to start?
Detective : Usually, this is what I tell people, “If you 
want to find someone, I need the name 
with the exact spelling, the DOB if you 
know it, the social security number, 
and a last known, official address where 
they’ve lived within the past 15 years.” 
Because that means they’ll be in our 
database.
Interviewer : Do most private investigators have a 
relationship with local police? 
Detective : I would say that’s kind of a myth. Most 
cops wouldn’t even do it in the first 
place, because they know how serious a 
violation it is.
Interviewer : Do most private eyes carry guns?
Detective : I don’t think so. We don’t kill people but 
help them.
surveillance: close 
observation, especially of a 
suspected spy or criminal
DOB: Date of Birth
Unit 9.indd   125 20-02-2023   09:29:55
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 Words and Expr Essions 1 126
Interviewer : What do films and television shows get 
wrong about being a PI?
Detective : The big difference is, the things you see 
in films do happen to private detectives, 
but they’re shrinking down maybe 20 
years of adventure into an episode. After 
30 years, I probably have one good movie 
worth of experiences.
(Adapted from https://www.thrillist.com/.../private-detective-interview-
questions-you-ve-always-want) 
1. What is the profession of the person being interviewed?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. Complete the following sentence. 
As soon as the detective entered the room, he_________  
 ____________________________________________________.
(a) examined the place carefully.
(b) was vague and uncertain.
(c) knew what he was doing.
(d) got ready for the interview. 
3. Which of the following was not a part of the job of the 
detective?
(a) to wander about
(b) to find lost people
(c) to carry guns
(d) to keep a watch
4. According to the detective, there are some qualities that 
are essential in his profession. What are these and why 
are they essential? 
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Unit 9.indd   126 20-02-2023   09:29:55
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Page 4


Unit
9
L e t ’ s b eg i n In the play ‘If I Were You’, you have read how Gerrard outsmarts the intruder 
with his ‘presence of mind’. The intruder wanted to steal Gerrard’s identity. 
In our day-to-day life we share personal information like telephone 
number, house address, mobile number, date of birth, e-mail address, etc., 
everyday with people whom we may not know very well. 
Don’t you think it is not safe to share information in today’s digital age? 
Someone like the intruder in the play ‘If I Were You’ might misuse your 
unique and personal identity details. This is called identity theft.
The cases of online identity thefts are increasing day by day. Collect 
information about cases of identity theft and share it in the class.
Reading Comp Rehension Read the following text and answer the questions that  
follow. 
Text I
i nte Rview with a d ete Ctive His appearance was clean, cool and deliberately ambiguous. 
Under the sanctuary of his aviators, his eyes silently scanned 
the room. He is a Manhattan-based, third-generation private 
detective who’s been in the business for more than three 
decades — specialising in surveillance and being an overall 
mystery-tinged badass. We asked him everything we’ve ever 
wanted to know about the profession.
Unit 9.indd   124 20-02-2023   09:29:55
2024-25
Unit 9 125
Notes Interviewer : So, what exactly do you do?
Detective : I do a lot of surveillance. Basically, 
someone who wonders, “What is this 
other person up to?” If it’s insurance 
company (surveying someone on 
workers’ compensation), they’ll ask, “Is 
he back working?” Things like that.
  Another very common request is 
locating people, and it could be for a lot 
of reasons. I had a case recently, a man 
hadn’t been in touch with his mother for 
20 years and I helped him find her.
Interviewer : What kind of skills make for a good PI 
(Private Investigator)?
Detective : Patience — Number one. You have to 
pay attention. You have to be the kind 
of person, if you sit in front of a door 
watching it for six hours, and you haven’t 
seen your guy.
  You have to plan accordingly, and be 
willing to make sacrifices in order to stay 
out there. It’s not a job for people who 
want to slack off.
Interviewer : If you needed to locate someone, what’s 
the ideal information you need to start?
Detective : Usually, this is what I tell people, “If you 
want to find someone, I need the name 
with the exact spelling, the DOB if you 
know it, the social security number, 
and a last known, official address where 
they’ve lived within the past 15 years.” 
Because that means they’ll be in our 
database.
Interviewer : Do most private investigators have a 
relationship with local police? 
Detective : I would say that’s kind of a myth. Most 
cops wouldn’t even do it in the first 
place, because they know how serious a 
violation it is.
Interviewer : Do most private eyes carry guns?
Detective : I don’t think so. We don’t kill people but 
help them.
surveillance: close 
observation, especially of a 
suspected spy or criminal
DOB: Date of Birth
Unit 9.indd   125 20-02-2023   09:29:55
2024-25
 Words and Expr Essions 1 126
Interviewer : What do films and television shows get 
wrong about being a PI?
Detective : The big difference is, the things you see 
in films do happen to private detectives, 
but they’re shrinking down maybe 20 
years of adventure into an episode. After 
30 years, I probably have one good movie 
worth of experiences.
(Adapted from https://www.thrillist.com/.../private-detective-interview-
questions-you-ve-always-want) 
1. What is the profession of the person being interviewed?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. Complete the following sentence. 
As soon as the detective entered the room, he_________  
 ____________________________________________________.
(a) examined the place carefully.
(b) was vague and uncertain.
(c) knew what he was doing.
(d) got ready for the interview. 
3. Which of the following was not a part of the job of the 
detective?
(a) to wander about
(b) to find lost people
(c) to carry guns
(d) to keep a watch
4. According to the detective, there are some qualities that 
are essential in his profession. What are these and why 
are they essential? 
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Unit 9.indd   126 20-02-2023   09:29:55
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Unit 9 126 127
5. What information should the PI have in order to locate 
someone?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6. In the sentence given below the word ‘aviators’ means 
sunglasses. Now choose the appropriate meaning for 
the underlined word from the options given.
Under the sanctuary of his aviators, his eyes scanned 
the room. 
(a) shelter
(b) shade
(c) hideout
(d) refuge
Text II
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
s ha Radindu Bandyopadhyay Do you know who is Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay? He was 
a Bengali writer. He is remembered for his most famous 
creation of a fictional detective, Byomkesh Bakshi.  
He was actively involved with Bengali cinema as well as 
Bollywood. He wrote different forms of prose: novels, short 
stories, plays and screenplays. Besides, he wrote many songs 
and poems. However, his forte was short stories and novels. 
He also wrote historical fiction and supernatural stories. 
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay started writing Byomkesh 
stories in 1932 at the age of 33. He has written 32 Byomkesh 
stories. He continued to write till his death in 1970. He 
portrayed himself as a narrator of his stories named Ajit 
Bandhopadhyay who is also a companion of Byomkesh 
Bakshi. In some stories Ajit also investigates in the absence 
of Byomkesh. These stories are written in traditional 
Bengali language and have now been translated into other 
languages.
His stories are very engrossing and consist of a series 
of events. Byomkesh solves cases from international drug 
racket to household mysteries and crimes. Byomkesh 
Common Error
Incorrect
Which kind of car?
Correct
Which type of car?
Fun fact
forte: a thing at which 
someone excels
Unit 9.indd   127 20-02-2023   09:29:55
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Page 5


Unit
9
L e t ’ s b eg i n In the play ‘If I Were You’, you have read how Gerrard outsmarts the intruder 
with his ‘presence of mind’. The intruder wanted to steal Gerrard’s identity. 
In our day-to-day life we share personal information like telephone 
number, house address, mobile number, date of birth, e-mail address, etc., 
everyday with people whom we may not know very well. 
Don’t you think it is not safe to share information in today’s digital age? 
Someone like the intruder in the play ‘If I Were You’ might misuse your 
unique and personal identity details. This is called identity theft.
The cases of online identity thefts are increasing day by day. Collect 
information about cases of identity theft and share it in the class.
Reading Comp Rehension Read the following text and answer the questions that  
follow. 
Text I
i nte Rview with a d ete Ctive His appearance was clean, cool and deliberately ambiguous. 
Under the sanctuary of his aviators, his eyes silently scanned 
the room. He is a Manhattan-based, third-generation private 
detective who’s been in the business for more than three 
decades — specialising in surveillance and being an overall 
mystery-tinged badass. We asked him everything we’ve ever 
wanted to know about the profession.
Unit 9.indd   124 20-02-2023   09:29:55
2024-25
Unit 9 125
Notes Interviewer : So, what exactly do you do?
Detective : I do a lot of surveillance. Basically, 
someone who wonders, “What is this 
other person up to?” If it’s insurance 
company (surveying someone on 
workers’ compensation), they’ll ask, “Is 
he back working?” Things like that.
  Another very common request is 
locating people, and it could be for a lot 
of reasons. I had a case recently, a man 
hadn’t been in touch with his mother for 
20 years and I helped him find her.
Interviewer : What kind of skills make for a good PI 
(Private Investigator)?
Detective : Patience — Number one. You have to 
pay attention. You have to be the kind 
of person, if you sit in front of a door 
watching it for six hours, and you haven’t 
seen your guy.
  You have to plan accordingly, and be 
willing to make sacrifices in order to stay 
out there. It’s not a job for people who 
want to slack off.
Interviewer : If you needed to locate someone, what’s 
the ideal information you need to start?
Detective : Usually, this is what I tell people, “If you 
want to find someone, I need the name 
with the exact spelling, the DOB if you 
know it, the social security number, 
and a last known, official address where 
they’ve lived within the past 15 years.” 
Because that means they’ll be in our 
database.
Interviewer : Do most private investigators have a 
relationship with local police? 
Detective : I would say that’s kind of a myth. Most 
cops wouldn’t even do it in the first 
place, because they know how serious a 
violation it is.
Interviewer : Do most private eyes carry guns?
Detective : I don’t think so. We don’t kill people but 
help them.
surveillance: close 
observation, especially of a 
suspected spy or criminal
DOB: Date of Birth
Unit 9.indd   125 20-02-2023   09:29:55
2024-25
 Words and Expr Essions 1 126
Interviewer : What do films and television shows get 
wrong about being a PI?
Detective : The big difference is, the things you see 
in films do happen to private detectives, 
but they’re shrinking down maybe 20 
years of adventure into an episode. After 
30 years, I probably have one good movie 
worth of experiences.
(Adapted from https://www.thrillist.com/.../private-detective-interview-
questions-you-ve-always-want) 
1. What is the profession of the person being interviewed?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. Complete the following sentence. 
As soon as the detective entered the room, he_________  
 ____________________________________________________.
(a) examined the place carefully.
(b) was vague and uncertain.
(c) knew what he was doing.
(d) got ready for the interview. 
3. Which of the following was not a part of the job of the 
detective?
(a) to wander about
(b) to find lost people
(c) to carry guns
(d) to keep a watch
4. According to the detective, there are some qualities that 
are essential in his profession. What are these and why 
are they essential? 
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Unit 9.indd   126 20-02-2023   09:29:55
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Unit 9 126 127
5. What information should the PI have in order to locate 
someone?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6. In the sentence given below the word ‘aviators’ means 
sunglasses. Now choose the appropriate meaning for 
the underlined word from the options given.
Under the sanctuary of his aviators, his eyes scanned 
the room. 
(a) shelter
(b) shade
(c) hideout
(d) refuge
Text II
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
s ha Radindu Bandyopadhyay Do you know who is Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay? He was 
a Bengali writer. He is remembered for his most famous 
creation of a fictional detective, Byomkesh Bakshi.  
He was actively involved with Bengali cinema as well as 
Bollywood. He wrote different forms of prose: novels, short 
stories, plays and screenplays. Besides, he wrote many songs 
and poems. However, his forte was short stories and novels. 
He also wrote historical fiction and supernatural stories. 
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay started writing Byomkesh 
stories in 1932 at the age of 33. He has written 32 Byomkesh 
stories. He continued to write till his death in 1970. He 
portrayed himself as a narrator of his stories named Ajit 
Bandhopadhyay who is also a companion of Byomkesh 
Bakshi. In some stories Ajit also investigates in the absence 
of Byomkesh. These stories are written in traditional 
Bengali language and have now been translated into other 
languages.
His stories are very engrossing and consist of a series 
of events. Byomkesh solves cases from international drug 
racket to household mysteries and crimes. Byomkesh 
Common Error
Incorrect
Which kind of car?
Correct
Which type of car?
Fun fact
forte: a thing at which 
someone excels
Unit 9.indd   127 20-02-2023   09:29:55
2024-25
 Words and Expr Essions 1 128
identifies himself as Satyanweshi meaning ‘truth seeker’ 
rather than a detective. Where he stands out from other 
legendary detectives like Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes 
is that he is more concerned with truth than with the law.
(Source:  An excerpt from ‘A well-known literary figure of Bengal’/ The Asian 
Age online: http://dailyasianage.com/news/109713/a-we-known-literary-
figure-of-bengal)
1. Who among the following is not a detective?
(a) Byomkesh Bakshi
(b) Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
(c) Hercule Poirot 
(d) Sherlock Holmes 
2. Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay is known for his 
(a) Short stories and novels
(b) Poems and songs
(c) Historical fiction
(d) All of the above
3. State whether true or false.
(a) Byomkesh is a ‘truth seeker’.
(b) Byomkesh is a detective like Hercule Poirot and 
Sherlock Holmes.
(c) Byomkesh is concerned with truth rather than with  
the law.
(d) Byomkesh follows law to solve his cases.  
5. What is the role of Ajit in Byomkesh stories? 
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6. Find the antonyms of the words given below. All of them 
are given in the text. 
(a) natural___________________________________________
(b) fact______________________________________________
(c) passively_________________________________________
a bolt of lightning
a deck of cards
a swarm of bees
a school of fish
a fleet of cars
a flock of birds
an army of caterpillars
a herd of cows
Fun fact
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