CLASS 10 NCERT ENGLISH CHAPTER 6 Mijbil the Otter

MIJBIL-THE-OTTER
Mijbil the Otter

Oral Comprehension page no 84

  1. What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?
    Maxwell wanted to try keeping an otter as a pet instead of a dog. Since Camusfearna was surrounded by water, it was a perfect setting for this experiment.
  2. Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?
    He goes to Basra to collect his mail from Europe, but waits five days since it doesn’t arrive immediately.
  3. How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Cite words that show this.
    A friend purchased the otter for Maxwell and sent it to his residence. Maxwell liked it very much, as shown in his affectionate descriptions—he let Mijbil sleep on his bed and made a special body-belt for him.
  4. Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter’?
    Scientists named it Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli (after Maxwell), so it came to be called Maxwell’s otter.
  5. How was the otter at first?
    In the beginning, the otter was aloof and indifferent.
  6. What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What after two days?
    At first, Mijbil played joyfully in the water, splashing and rolling. After two days, he learned to open the tap himself and made the bathroom his play area.

Page no-86 87

  1. How was Mijbil transported to England?
    Mijbil was packed in a box, as per airline rules. Maxwell had to book a different airline because pets were not allowed on British planes.

2.What did Mij do to the box?
He tried to escape by tearing into the metal lining and hurt himself in the process.

3.Why did Maxwell put Mij back in the box? How did he feel?
Maxwell had no other way to take Mij to London. He felt sorry seeing Mij hurt and was worried for him.

4.Why does Maxwell call the airhostess “the very queen of her kind”?
The airhostess was kind and understanding. She listened to Maxwell’s troubles and let him take Mijbil out of the box, which he greatly appreciated.

5.What happened when the box was opened?
Mijbil bolted out, creating panic as he ran around the plane, startling the passengers.

Page no-88

1.What game had Mij invented?
Mij made a game by rolling a ball down the sloped lid of Maxwell’s damaged suitcase, chasing it as it slid down.

2.What are compulsive habits? Examples from the lesson?
Compulsive habits are repeated behaviors done without clear reason.

  • Children: balancing on every paving stone, touching every seventh railing, or always going around every second lamp post.
  • Mijbil: always jumping over the boundary wall railing and running along its length.

3.What group of animals do otters belong to?
Otters are Mustellines, like badgers, weasels, stoats, and minks.

4.What did Londoners guess Mij was?
Not knowing otters, Londoners guessed he might be a baby seal, squirrel, hippo, or brontosaurus.

Thinking About the test

Question 1.
What things does Mij do that show he is an intelligent, friendly, and fun-loving animal who needs affection?
Answer:
Mij created his own game using a ping-pong ball and an old suitcase, showing his playful intelligence. He loved playing in water and, once discovering how the tap worked, would fill the bathtub and splash around for fun. Over time, he formed a close bond with Maxwell and showed signs of missing him deeply when left in the box, indicating his need for companionship and love.

Question 2.
What do we learn about otters from this text?
Answer:
Otters are part of a small group called Mustellines, which also includes badgers, mongooses, weasels, stoats, and minks. Many are found in marshes, and in some countries like Iraq, people keep them as pets. Otters enjoy water activities, like splashing and playing. Maxwell’s otter belonged to a newly discovered species, ultimately named Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli.

Question 3.
Why is Mij’s species now known as Maxwell’s otter?
Answer:
Mij was from a species previously unknown to science, later formally named Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli after Maxwell, making “Maxwell’s otter” its common name.

Question 4.
Complete what Mij does and what he feels or thinks:

  • Plunges and rolls in water, splashing everywhere: He imagines he’s a hippo and feels sheer joy.
  • Turns the tap the wrong way: He chatters irritably, disappointed that no water came out.
  • Snuggles Maxwell’s face/neck on the airplane: He feels comforted and reassured after feeling anxious.

Question 5.
Which statements about Maxwell’s description of Mij are true?

  1. Makes Mij seem almost human, like a small boy. — True
  2. Shows that he is often irritated by Mij. — False
  3. Shows that he is often surprised by what Mij does. — True
  4. His antics are comical. — True
  5. Maxwell observes Mij very carefully. — True
  6. Maxwell thinks Mij is just an ordinary otter. — False
  7. Maxwell thinks Mij is a very unusual otter. — True

Thinking About Language (Page 88)

Noun Modifiers:
Say whether the modifiers are nouns, proper nouns, or adjective+noun:

  1. An otter fixation — Noun
  2. The iron railings — Noun
  3. The Tigris marshes — Proper noun
  4. The London streets — Proper noun
  5. Soft velvet fur — Adjective + noun
  6. A four-footed soccer player — Adjective + noun

Combine nouns and modifiers into fitting phrases:

  1. stone temple
  2. ordinary gift, birthday gift
  3. first time, family time, college time
  4. railroad crossing
  5. plump physique, ordinary physique
  6. incorrigible girls, plump girls, college girls
  7. uncomfortable thoughts, ridiculous thoughts, ordinary thoughts, good thoughts, invigorating thoughts
  8. loud scream, heartbreaking scream
  9. uncomfortable subject
  10. first flight, ordinary flight, uncomfortable flight
  11. black coffee, ordinary coffee
  12. tremendous farewell, college farewell
  13. rough landscape
  14. incorrigible chatterbox, ridiculous chatterbox
  15. panoramic view, ordinary view
  16. ordinary dresses, birthday dresses, marriage dresses
  17. white handkerchief, clean handkerchief
  18. family profession
  19. birthday celebration, tremendous celebration
  20. loud roar

Match the following phrases:

  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 drops of water
  7. A piece of — cotton, a piece of fried fish
  8. A pot of — gold

Use a bit of / a piece of / a bunch of / a lump of / a cloud of:

  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.
  6. He gave me a bunch of flowers on my birthday.