Class 10th Mijbill the Otter Question & Answer

Class 10th Mijbill the Otter Question & Answer

Oral Comprehension Check

Page 106

Q.1 What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?

Ans. The writer had gone to Southern Iraq in the year 1956. He took a fancy to the idea that instead of keeping a dog as a pet, he would go for an otter. Camusfearna was surrounded by water, so it would be an eminently suitable spot for this experiment.

Q.2 Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?

Ans. The writer went to Basra to collect and answer his mail form Europe. He had to wait there for 5 days as his mail did not arrive.

Q.3 How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this?

Ans. his friend bought the otter for him and sent it to the place where he was staying. The author liked it. This is seen in “The second night Mijbil came on to my bed in the small hours and remained asleep in the crook of my knees….” “I made a body-belt for him….”.

Q.4 Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter’?

Ans. The otter was named by zoologists as Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli. Hence, it was called Maxwell’s otter in short.

Q.5 Tick the right answer. In the beginning, the otter was

1. aloof and indifferent

2. friendly

3. hostile

Ans. What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that?

Ans. In the beginning, the otter was aloof and indifferent.

Q.6 What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the Bathroom? What did it do two days after that?

Ans. When the author first took Mijbil to the bathroom, the otter first went wild with joy in the water. He plunged and rolled in it. He jumped up and down the length of the bathtub. He made enough slosh and splash. After two days, the otter suddenly disappeared and went to the bathroom to play in the water and opened the tap on his own.

Page 108

Q.1 How was Mijbil transported to England?

Ans. Mijbil was packed in a box as the airlines had directed the author. As British airlines did not allow pets on board the author had to book a ticket on a different airline form Iraq to Paris and then Paris to London.

Q.2 What did Mijbil do to the box?

Ans. The box was lined with a metal sheet. Mijbil didn’t feel comfortable in the box and tried to escape. In his attempt to escape, Mijbil tore into the metal lining of the box and in the process hurt himself.

Q.3 Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this?

Ans. As there was no other way to carry Mijbil to London, Maxwell put in the box again. He must have felt pity on the way the otter hurt himself. Moreover, he must be worried as well.

Q.4 Why does the Maxwell say the airhostess was “the very queen of her kind”?

Ans. The airhostess was very sympathetic after listening to Maxwell’s story. She understood how he might be feeling and then gave him permission to take the otter out of the box. Due to all this, Maxwell referred to her as “the very queen of her kind”.

Q.5 What happened when the box was opened?

Ans. as soon as the box was opened, Mijbil ran out. Then it ran all over the place scaring all the passengers. It created chaos and most of the people on the plane got scared.

Page 110

Q.1 What game had Mijbil invented?

Ans. Mijbil invented a game of playing with the ball in a unique way. One of the author’s suitcase was damaged and had a slope on the top part. Mijbil would put the ball high and run to catch it as it slided to the lower end.

Q.2 What are ‘compulsive habits’? what does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of

1. school children

2. Mijbil?

Ans. Compulsive habits are strange acts or behavior which a person does without clear reason. For example, a cricket player may put on his right shoes first as he believes it would bring him good luck or a kid jumping over a fence, instead of going through the passageway. Usually, compulsive behavior of children are full of childhood mischief and those of adults are of incorrigible type.

As per this story, children must place their feet squarely on the center of each paving block; must touch every seventh upright of the iron railings or pass to the outside of every second lamp post.
Mijbil while on its way to home would jump over the boundary wall railing and run at full speed throughout its length.

Q.3 What group of animals do otters belong to?

Ans. Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustallines. The other animals of this group are badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others.

Q.4 What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mijbil was?

Ans. As otters are not found in England so Londoners made the wildest possible guesses about Mijbil. Their guesses ranked from a baby seal, a squirrel, a hippo to a brontosaurus.

Thinking about the Text

(Page 110, 111)

Q.1 What things does Mijbil do which tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal who needs love?

Ans. Mijbil invented his own game out of a ping-pong ball. It srewed the tab till water began to flow and then it would play and splash in the water. Though it was aloof and indifferent in the beginning, it soon became very friendly, it formed a special atttachment with Maxwell. It responded when Maxwell let it in a box and it got hurt while trying to come out, it clung to his feet. This shows Mijbil was anintelligent, friendly and fun loving animal who needs love.

Q.2 What are some of the things we come to know about otters from this text?

Ans. Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines, shared by badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink, and others. Maxwell’s otter was of a race previously unknown to science and was at length named by zoologists Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli. They are found in large numbers in marshes. They are often tamed by the Arabs. It is charocteristic of otters that every drop of water must be extended and spread about the place, a bowl must at once be overturned orr, if it would not be overturned, be sat in and splashed in until it overflowed. For them, water must be kept on the move. Otters love playing varous game, especially with a ball.

Q.3 Why is Mijbil’s species now known to the world as Maxwell’s otter?

Ans. Maxwell’s otter was of a race previously unknown to science and was at length named by zoologists Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli, hence, it is known as Maxwell’s otter in short.

Q.4 Maxwell in the story speaks for the otter, Mijbil. He tells us what the otter feels and thinks on different occasions. Given below are some things the otter does. Complete the column on the right to say what Maxwell says about what Mijbil feels and thinks.

What Mijbil Does	How Mijbil Feels or Think
Plunges, rolls in the water, and makes the water splosh and splash.
Screws the tap in the wrong way.
Nuzzles Maxwell’s face and neck in the airplane.

Ans.

What Mijbil Does	How Mijbil Feels or Thinks
Plunges, rolls in the water, and makes the water splosh and splash.	He thinks it is a hippo and is very happy.
Screws the tap in the wrong way.	He chitters with irritation and disappointment.
Nuzzles Maxwell’s face and neck in the airplane.	He feels much comfort and content after its distressed chitter.

Extra Questions:

1. What did Maxwell do to transport Mijbil to England?

Ans: After the Britih Airways refused tot ake a pet on it flight, the narrrator booked a fflight to paris by another airline. This airline insisted that the pet should be packed into a box not more than eighteen inches square, to be carried on the floor near his feet. Maxwell had a box made, and an hour before they started put Mijbil into the box so that he would become a customed to it and then left for a hurried meal. But when he returned he was terrified. There was an appalling silence. Maxwell ffound blood had trickled and dried around the air holes of the box. He tore open the box to find Mijbil exhausted and blood splattered and whimpering and he caught hold of Maxwell’s leg. However, since he had very little time left to board the fflight, Maxwell just put Mijbil back into the box, hholding ddown the lid with his hand. On the fligght, the airhostess, on hearing the autthor’s tale, permitted hhim to travel with Mijbil on his knee. After the inital chaos, Mijbill travelled to Landon on the author’s knee.

2. Describe the relationship between the otter and Maxwell in your own words.

Ans:Maxwell and the ottter Mijbil shared a lovely relationship. Maxwell treated Mijbil like his own son. He took very good care of him. He gave him many toys including marbles, rubber bans, rubber friuts and a terrapin shell to play with. He took him to the bathtub to play in the water knowing the fashionation of otter with water. He notice his habits and trails. Mijbil hesitated on the first day but then become very friendly. Maxwell encouraged Mijbil to do watever h liked to do. He took him out for exersice evey day. When Maxwell saw blood on the box in which Mijbil was packed, he was horrified. When Mijbil came out of the box he jumped all over but then came and sat on Maxwell’s knees quitly.

3. Why did Maxwell want to have an otter for a pet? How did he get one?

Ans: Gavin Maxwell, the auther, wanted to own a pet. His pet dog had died recently and he was feeling too sad tto think of keeping a dog as a pet again, so when he travelled to southern Iraq, he decied to keep an otter instead of a dog. His friend suggested to Maxwell that he could get an otter in the Tigris Marshes for they were very common there, like mosquitoes. Moreover, the friend also infored, that otters were often trained by the Arabs. Then Maxwell and his friend went to Basra to the consulted General to collect their mail. A few days later the auther received his mail and took it to his bedroom. There he found two Arabs squatting on the floor with the sock that contained the otter with a letter from his ffriend that said, “Here is your.”

Q.5 Read the story and find the sentences where Maxwell describes his pet otter.

Then choose and arrange your sentences to illustrate those statements below that you think are true. Maxwell’s description

1. makes Mijbil seem almost human, like a small boy.

2. shows that he is often irritated with what Mijbil does.

3. shows that he is often surprised by what Mijbil does.

4.of Mijbil’s antics is comical.

5.shows that he observes the antics of Mijbil very carefully.

6. shows that he thinks Mijbil is a very ordinary otter.

7. shows that he thinks the otter is very unusual.

Ans.

1. True

2. False

3. True

4. True

5. True

6. False

7. True

Thinking about Language

(Page 111)

Q.1 Noun Modifiers

Q.1 Look at these examples from the text, and say whether the modifiers (in italics) are nouns, proper nouns, or adjective plus noun

1. An offer fixation

2. The iron railings

3. The Tigis marshes

4. The London streets

5. Soft velvet fur

6. A four-footed

Ans.

1. Noun

2. Noun

3. Proper noun

4. Proper noun

5. Adjective plus noun

6. Adjective plus noun

Q.2 Given below are some nouns and a set of modifiers (in the box). Combine the nouns and modifiers to make as many appropriate phrases as you can. (Hint: The nouns and modifiers are all from the texts in the book.)

1.	Temple	Stone temple.
2.	Gifts	Ordinary gift, birthday gift.
3.	Time	First time, family time, college time.
4.	Crossing	Railroad crossing.
5.	Physique	Plump physique, ordinary physique.
6.	Girls	Incorrigible girls, plump girls, college girls.
7.	Thoughts	Uncomfortable thoughts, ridiculous thoughts, ordinary thoughts, good thoughts, invigorating thoughts.
8.	Scream	Loud scream, heartbreaking scream
9.	Subject	Uncomfortable subject
10.	Flight	First flight, ordinary flight, uncomfortable flight.
11.	Coffee	Black coffee, ordinary coffee
12.	Farewell	Tremendous farewell, college farewell.
13.	Landscape	Rough landscape.
14.	Chatterbox	Incorrigible chatterbox, ridiculous chatterbox.
15.	View	Panoramic view, ordinary view
16.	Dresses	Ordinary dresses, birthday dresses, marriage dresses
17.	Handkerchief	White handkerchief, clean handkerchief.
18.	Profession	Family profession
19.	Celebration	Birthday celebration, tremendous celebration.
20.	Roar	Loud roar.

Q.II

Q.1 Match the words on the left with a word on the right. Some words on the left can go with more than one word on the right.

1. A portion of – blood

2. A pool of – cotton

3. Flakes of – stones

4. A huge heap of – gold

5. A gust of – fried fish

6. Little drops of – snow

7. A piece of – water

8. A pot of – wind

Ans.

1. A portion of fried fish

2. A pool of water

3. flakes of snow

4. A huge heap of stones

5. A gust of wind

6. Little drops of blood, little drop of water

7. A piece of cotton, A piece of fried fish

8. A pot of gold.

Q.2 Use a bit of/a bunch of/a lump of/a cloud of with the italicized nouns in the following sentences. The first has been done for you as an example.

1. My teacher gave me some advice.

2. Can you give me some clay please?

3. the information you gave was very useful.

4. Because of these factories, smoke hangs over the city.

5. Two stones rubbed together can produce sparks of fire.

6. He gave me some flowers on my birthday.

Ans.

1. My teacher gave me a bit of advice.

2. Can you give me a lump of clay please?

3. The bit of information you gave was very useful.

4. Because of these factories, a cloud of smoke hangs over the city.

5. Two pieces of stone rubbed together can produce sparks of fire.