A. Was regarded as
B. Pretended to be
C. Was thought to be
D. Was looked upon

Explanation:

The phrasal verb “pass oneself off as” means to pretend to be someone or something else in order to deceive others.

In simple words: to pretend to be.

Real-Life Example

• The thief passed himself off as a police officer.
• The thief pretended to be a police officer.

Pretend = Pass oneself off as

Main Points for Exams

• Pass oneself off as means to pretend to be someone else to deceive others.
• It implies false identity or impersonation.
• Therefore, Option B is correct.
• Frequently asked in PPSC, FPSC, CSS, PMS, NTS, IELTS, TOEFL, and other competitive exams.

Quick Memory Trick

🎭 Pass Off = Fake Identity
👤 Pretend to Be Someone Else

Be Genuine ❌ ↔ Pass Yourself Off As
Pass Yourself Off As ↔ Pretend to Be ✔️