Page 106
Question 1.
What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell
think Camusfearna would be suitable for?
Answer:
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.
Question 2.
Why does he go to Basra? How
long does he wait there, and why?
Answer:
The writer went to Basra to
collect and answer his mail from Europe.
He had to wait there for 5 days as his mail did not arrive.
Question 3.
How does he get the otter?
Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this.
Answer:
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…”.
Question 4.
Why was the otter named
‘Maxwell’s otter’?
Answer:
The otter was named by zoologists as Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli.
Hence, it was called Maxwell’s otter in short.
Question 5.
Tick the right answer. In the
beginning, the otter was
1. aloof and
indifferent
2. friendly
3. hostile
Answer:
What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two
days after that?
In the beginning, the
otter was aloof and indifferent.
Question 6.
What happened when Maxwell
took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that?
Answer:
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
Question 1.
How was Mijbil transported to
England?
Answer:
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 from Iraq to Paris and then Paris to London.
Question 2.
What did Mij do to the
box?
Answer:
The box was lined with a metal sheet. Mij didn’t feel comfortable in the box
and tried to escape. In his attempt to escape, Mij tore into the metal lining
of the box and in the process hurt himself.
Question 3.
Why did Maxwell put the otter
back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this?
Answer:
As there was no other way to
carry Mij 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.
Question 4.
Why does Maxwell say the
airhostess was “the very queen of her kind”?
Answer:
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 her as “the very queen of her kind”.
Question 5.
What happened when the box
was opened?
Answer:
As soon as the box was opened, Mij ran out. Then it ran all over the place
scaring all the passengers. It created a claos and most of the people in the
plane got scared.
Page 110
Question 1.
What game had Mij
invented?
Answer:
Mij 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. Mij would put
the ball on the high end and run to catch it as it slided to the lower end.
Question 2.
What are ‘compulsive habits’?
What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of
1. school children
2. Mij?
Answer:
Compulsive habits are usually
strange act or behaviour 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 passage way. Usually compulsive beahviour of children are full of
childhood mischief and those of adults are of incorrigible type.
1. As per this story, children must place their feet squarely on the centre
of each paving block; must touch every seventh upright of the iron railings,
or pass to the outside of every second lamp post.
2. Mijbil while on its way to home would jump over the boundary wall railing
and run at full speed throughout its length.
Question 3.
What group of animals do
otters belong to?
Answer:
Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines.
The other animals of this group are badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and
others.
Question 4.
What guesses did the
Londoners make about what Mij was?
Answer:
As otters are not found in
England so Londoners made the wildest possible guesses about Mij. Their
guesses ranged from a baby seal, a squirrel, a hippo to a brontosaurus.
Thinking about the Text
(Page 110,
111)
Question 1.
What things does Mij do which
tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal who needs
love?
Answer:
Mij invented his own game out of ping-pong ball and a worn down suitcase. He
loved water, and once he understood that on opening the tap water came out of
it, he would get into the tub and played with water.
He had gradually formed a special attachment with Maxwell. It giyw desperate
when Maxwell left it in a box and wanted to come out as soon as possible.
Question 2.
What are some of the things
we come to know about otters from this text?
Answer:
Otters belong to a
comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines, shared by badger,
mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others. They are found in large numbers in
marshes. Arabs keep them as pets and tame them. Otters love to spread water
and splash in it. Maxwell’s otter was of a race previously . unknown to
science and was at length named by zoologists Lutrogale Perspicillata
Maxwelli.
Question 3.
Why is Mij’s species now
known to the world as Maxwell’s otter?
Answer:
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.
Question 4.
Maxwell in the story speaks
for the otter, Mij. 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 Mij feels and thinks.
| What Mij Does | How Mij Feels or Thinks |
| 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 aeroplane |
Answer:
| What Mij Does | How Mij 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 aeroplane | He feels much comfort and content after its distressed chitter. |
Question 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 Mij seem almost human, like a small boy.
2. shows that he is often irritated with what Mij does.
3. shows that he is often surprised by what Mij does.
4. of Mij’s antics is comical.
5. shows
that he observes the antics of Mij very carefully.
6. shows that he thinks Mij is a very ordinary otter.
7. shows that he thinks the otter is very unusual.
Answer:
1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. True
6. False
7. True