Mijbil the Otter 6th Lesson
Oral Comprehension Check
Question 1.
What experiment did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for ?
Answer:
Camusfearna would be suitable for his experiment of owning an otter as his pet. Otters are semiaquatic animals and Camusfearna is ringed by water
Question 2.
Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why ?
Answer:
He went to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer his mail from Europe. He had to wait there for more than a week for his mail to arrive
Question 3.
How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this?
Answer:
He got an otter from a friend. He did not exactly like the otter. The words "began a phase of my life that has not yet ended" show this
Question 4.
Why was the otter named Maxwells otter ?
Answer:
Gavin Maxwell owned the pet otter and after his name the otter was called Maxwells otter
Question 5.
Tick the right answer.
In the beginning, the otter was?
- aloof and indifferent
- friendly
- hostile
Answer:
aloof and indifferent ( ? )
Question 6.
What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that?
Answer:
In the bathroom, the otter went wild with joy in the water. Two days later, the otter went to the bathroom and opened the taps on his own
Question 7.
How was Mij to be transported to England ?
Answer:
Mij, the otter, was to be transported to England from Basra by flight via Paris in a box
Question 8.
What did Mij do to the box ?
Answer:
Mij had torn the lining of the box into shreds and tried to widen the airholes
Question 9.
Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this ?
Answer:
It was time Maxwell started for the airport. So he put back Mij in the box. But he felt bad looking at the miserable Mij
Question 10.
Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was "the very queen of her kind" ?
Answer:
The airhostess was very kind. She sympathetically listened to Maxwell about his pet otter, Mij. So Maxwell said she was "the very queen of her kind"
Question 11.
What happened when the box was opened ?
Answer:
Mij was out of the box in a flash when the box was opened. He disappeared at high speed down the aircraft
Question 12.
What game had Mij invented ?
Answer:
Mij invented his own game with the ping-pong ball. He would be engrossed in that game for up to half an hour at a time. He also played with a ball placing it on the damaged and slanting lid of a suitcase
Question 13.
What are compulsive habits? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of
i) school children ii) Mij ?
Answer:
Compulsive habits are those rituals (acts) people do automatically, regularly which they cannot stop from doing. Children placing their feet squarely on the centre of each paving block is one example of compulsive habits. Mij developed such habits quickly
Question 14.
What group of animals do otters belong to ?
Answer:
Otters belong to group of animals called Mustellines
Question 15.
What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was ?
Answer:
Londoners guessed that Mij was a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus and a hippo
Thinking about the Text
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 was intelligent, friendly and fun-loving. In just one day, he adapted himself to his new place and made friends with Maxwell. He invented games with balls and damaged suitcases. After just one visit to the bathroom, he could go there on his own and turn on taps. He nuzzled Maxwells face and slept on his bed. He loved and needed love
Question 2.
What are some of the things we come to know about otters from this text ?
Answer:
Mij went wild in water. That shows otters love water as they are semiaquatic creatures. Mij invented games, telling us that otters are intelligent. Mij adopting himself to his new environment proves the fact that otters are flexible. Mij loved his master, establishing the fact that otters are responsive to gentle feelings
Question 3.
Why is Mijs species now known to the world as Maxwells otter ?
Answer:
Otters are known as Maxwells otters as Mr Maxwell introduced otters to Londoners first as his pet animal later as an inhabitant of the London zoo
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 ity the water and makes the water splosh and splash |
a |
screws the tap in the wrong way |
b |
nuzzles Maxwells face and neck in the aeroplane |
c |
Answer:
- Mij went wild with joy
- Mij chittered with irritation and disappointment (at the taps failure to open)
- Mij was distressed first and on recognition of Maxwell, he happily bounded onto his masters knee
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.
Maxwells description?
- makes Mij seem almost human, like a small boy
- shows that he is often irritated with what Mij does
- shows that he is often surprised by what Mij does
- of Mijs antics is comical
- shows that he observes the antics of Mij very carefully
- shows that he thinks Mij is a very ordinary otter
- shows that he thinks the otter is very unusual
Answer:
- True - Mij quickly developed certain compulsive habits
- False - Mij tore the lining of the box in which he was put for transportation
- True - Mij suddenly escaped from his room, went into the bathroom, jumped on to the bath-tub and turned on the taps
- True - Mij played with the damaged suitcase. He lay on his back and rolled marbles on his flat belly without ever dropping one to the floor
- True - I watched Mij amazed
- False - It is a thraldom to otters
- True - Mij would jump on to the school wall, gallop the full length of thirty yards and distract students and teachers there
Thinking about Language
QuestionI.
Describing a Repeated Action in the Past
To talk about something that happened regularly in the past, but does not happen any longer, we use would or used to. Both would and used to can describe repeated actions in the past?
- Mij would follow me without a lead and come to me when I called his name
- He would play for hours with a selection of toys
- On his way home. Mij would tug me to this wall
- When I was five years old, I used to follow my brother all over the place
- He used to tease me when Mother was not around.
To describe repeated states or situations in the past, however, we use only used to. (We cannot use would for states or situations in the past.)
So we do not use would with verbs like be, have, believe, etc. Look at the following sentences
- When we were young, we used to believe there were ghosts in school.
(Note: believe shows a state of mind.)
- Thirty years ago, more women used to be housewives than now. ?
(Note: be here describes a situation.)
From the table below, make as many correct sentences as you can using would and/ or used to, as appropriate. (Hint: First decide whether the words in italics show an action, or a state or situation, in the past.) Then add two or three sentences of, your own to it
Answer:
- Emperor Akbar used to be fond of muscial evenings
- Every evening we would take long walks on the beach
- Fifty years ago, very few people used to own cars
- Till the 1980s, Shangai used to have very dirty streets
- My uncle would spend his holidays by the sea
- My uncle used to spend his holidays by the sea
- Harshita used to sing only devotional songs
- Srihas would attend a few classes a month as his health was not good
- Ms Suvarna would address devotees on festive occasions
- Balu used to be the centre of attraction at musical events
II. Noun Modifiers
To describe or give more information about a noun (or to modify a noun), we use adjectives or adjectival phrases. Look at these examples from the text
- An eminently suitable spot
- His wide, flat belly
- Symmetrical pointed scales
- A ricocheting bullet
Nouns can also be used as modifiers :
- The dinner party
- A designer dress
- The car keys
We can use more than one noun as modifier. Proper nouns can also be used :
- The Christmas dinner party
- A silk designer dress
- The Maruti car keys
In the examples below, there is an adjectival phrase in front of a noun modifier :
- The lovely Christmas party
- A trendy silk designer dress
- The frightfully expensive golden Maruti car keys
Question 1.
Look at these examples from the text, and say whether the modifiers (in italics) are nouns, proper nouns, or adjective plus noun?
- An otter fixation
- The iron railings
- The Tigris marshes
- The London streets
- soft velvet fur
- A four-footed soccer player
Answer:
- otter - noun
- iron - noun
- Tigris - proper noun
- London - proper noun
- soft velvet - adjective + noun
- four-footed soccer - adjective + noun
Question 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 this book.)?
Answer:
- the stone temple
- an incorrigible person ; an ordinary person ; a ridiculous person
- one hundered gifts ; three gifts ; marriage gifts ; birthday gifts
- college time ; family time ; first time
- railroad crossing
- plump physique
- college girls ; one hundred girls ; three girls
- uncomfortable thoughts
- loud scream
- invigorating subject
- rough flight
- ordinary coffee; first coffee
- love triangle; bare triangle
- college boys ; one hundred boys ; three boys
- heartbreaking farewell
- panoramic lándscape
- an incorrigible chatterbox; a loud chatterbox
- a panoramic view; a tremendous view
- white dresses ; one hundred dresses ; birthday dresses ; marriage dresses ; three dresses
- a loud roar
- a slang expression
- a white handkerchief
- a slack profession
- marriage celebration; birthday celebration
III. Read this sentence :
He shook himself, and I half expected a cloud of dust.
The author uses a cloud of dust to give a picture of a large quantity of dust. Phrases like this indicate a particular quantity of something that is not usually countable. For example : a bit of land, a drop of blood, a pinch of salt, a piece of paper
Question 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?
- a portion of - blood
- a pool of - cotton
- flakes of - stones
- a huge heap of - gold
- a gust of - fried fish
- little drops of - snow
- a piece of - water
- a pot of - wind
Answer:
- a portion of fried fish
- a pool of blood
- flakes of snow
- a huge heap of stones
- a gust of wind
- little drops of water
- a piece of cotton
- a pot of gold
Question 2.
Use a bit of/a piece of/a bunch of/a cloud of/a lump of with the italicised nouns in the following sentences. The first has been done for you as an example?
Answer:
- Can you give me a lump of clay, please
- The bit/piece of information you gave was very useful
- Because of these factories, a cloud of smoke hangs over the city
- Two pieces of stones rubbed together can produce sparks of fire
- He gave me a bunch of flowers on my birthday
Speaking
Question1.
You have seen how Maxwell describes Mij the otters feelings and thoughts by watching him. Play the game of dumb charades. Take turns to express a feeling or thought silently, through gestures. Let the class speak out their guesses about the feelings or thoughts you are trying to express?
Answer:
happiness, melancholic, meditative, silent, surprised, excited, true joy, reasons for sorrow, causes of suffering, invigorating, pleasant, painful, mystery
Writing
Question1.
Write a description of a person or an animal (such as a pet) that you know very well and love very much. Questions (4) and (5) in Thinking about the Text will have given you some idea about how to do this. Mention some things the person or animal does, what you think the person or animal feels, etc?
Answer:
Our pet dog is indeed very different from other dogs. He expresses his feelings, thought and emotions in a creative way. Showing his happiness to us, he literally dances in his own style in our drawing hall. We are all thrilled to our full. On occasions of celebrations, his actions should be seen to believe. If he is constantly looking at the kitchen tells us his hunger. Innovative indeed are his ways of communication
Activity
Question 1.
Do you have a pet? If you do, you perhaps know that a pet is a serious responsibility. Read in the box below what the SPCA - the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - has to say about how to care for a pet?
Answer:
Owning a pet is a lifetime of commitment (up to ten years or more if you own a dog or a cat) involving considerable responsibility. The decision to acquire one, therefore, should be made by the whole family. Without full agreement by everyone, the pet could end up unwanted.
Puppies and kittens are so adorable, it is easy to understand why adults and children alike would be attracted to them. Unfortunately their cute looks are often a disadvantage, because people purchase them without consideration and the knowledge on how to take proper care of them. The basic points you should keep in mind before adopting a puppy are
- an annual dog licence in accordance with government regulations
- its annual vaccination against major diseases
- toilet training
- regular grooming and bathing
- obedience training
- dont forget you should feed your pet a balanced diet
- socialisation (many dogs are kept confined in cages or tied up to stop them from dirtying the garden or from chewing on shoes - this is wrong) is very important
- a daily dose of exercise, affection and play
Reading up on the subject before hand is another important requirement and will guide you towards being a responsible pet owner. Selected pet shops and major book stores provide books on the care of various breeds/pets
Answer:
Do you want to own a pet ? Remember that it is a lifetime commitment. It is a big responsibility. Read all the relevant literature, consider all angles, verify your familys readiness and when satisfied fully, go for a pet
Question 2.
Imagine someone has gifted you a pet. With your partners help, make a list of the things you need to know about the pet in order to take good care of it. One has been done for you?
Answer:
- The home it needs
- The hygiene it requires including medical care
- The training necessary for its behaviour
- The love and affection that keep it enthusiastic
Question 3.
Otters are found in large numbers in the marshes (i.e. wet areas near lakes, rivers or seas) near Basra, a town in Iraq. Imagine you wanted to bring an otter from Iraq to London, as a pet. What special arrangements would you need to make for your pet otter? You would need to find a place with lots of water, for example. What other points should you think about? The information about Iraq and Lorrdon given below may help you?
Iraq |
London |
Iraq has mostly broad plains and marshes along the Iranian border in the south, with large flooded areas. A large part of Iraqs land area is desert, so it has cool winters and dry, hot and cloudless summers. The mountain areas near Iran and Turkey have cold winters. There is heavy snowfall there, and when the snow melts in spring, it causes floods in central and southern Iraq |
London has a large population and is a very busy city. In addition to multi-storeyed buildings, however, it has many open spaces or parks. It has a temperate climate (i.e. it is neither very hot, nor very cold), with regular but generally light rainfall or snow throughout the year. The warmest month is July, and the coolest month is January. February is the driest month. Snow is not very common in London |
Answer:
- Suitable and favourable water facilities like bath tubs to play in or with water
- Comfortable climate conditions for the otter to live a healthy and active life
- Good food in right quantity and quality to help the otter grow strong and energetic
Additional Questions :
I. Read the following passage carefully
Early in the,New Year of 1956 I travelled to Southern Iraq. By then it had crossed my mind that I should like to keep an otter instead of a dog, and that Camusfearna, ringed by water a stones throw from its door, would be an eminently suitable spot for this experiment
When I casually mentioned this to a friend, he as casually replied that I had better get one in the Tigris marshes, for there they were as common as mosquitoes, and were often tamed by the Arabs. We were going to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer our mail from Europe. At the Consulate-General we found that my friends mail had arrived but that mine had not
Question 1.
What was the authors reason for travelling to Southern Iraq in 1956 ?
Answer:
The author wanted to travel to Southern Iraq to experiment with keeping an otter instead of a dog
Question 2.
Who suggested to the author that he should obtain an otter from the Tigris marshes?
Answer:
The authors friend suggested that he should obtain an otter from the Tigris marshes
Question 3.
Where did the author and his friend go to collect and answer their mail from Europe?
- Baghdad
- Basra
- Mosul
Answer:
Basra
Question 4.
Why did the author decide to get an otter instead of a dog?
- They are easier to train
- They are common in the Tigris marshes
- They are better suited to life near water
Answer:
They are common in the Tigris marshes
Question 5.
What was the status of the authors mail when they visited the Consulate-General ?
- Both their mails had arrived
- Only the authors mail had arrived
- Only the friends mail had arrived
Answer:
Only the friends mail had arrived
II. Read the following passage carefully
When I casually mentioned this to a friend, he as casually replied that I had better get one in the Tigris marshes, for there they were as common as mosquitoes, and were often tamed by the Arabs. We were going to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer our mail from Europe. At the Consulate-General we found that my friends mail had arrived but that mine had not
I cabled to England, and when, three days later, nothing had happened, I tried to telephone. The call had to be booked twenty-four hours in advance. On the first day the line was out of order; on the second the exchange was closed for a religious holiday. On the third day there was another breakdown. My friend left, and I arranged to meet him in a weeks time. Five days later, my mail arrived.
I carried it to my bedroom to read, and there, squatting on the floor, were two Arabs; beside them lay a sack that squirmed from time to time. They handed me a note from my friend: "Here is your otter."
Question 1.
What was the friends response when the author casually mentioned wanting to keep an otter?
Answer:
The friend;casually suggested getting an otter in the Tigris marshes
Question 2.
Why did the author go to the Consulate-General in Basra?
Answer:
The author went to the Consulate-General in Basra to collect and answer mail from Europe
Question 3.
Why did the author have trouble contacting England by telephone?
- The line was out of order and there was another breakdown
- The exchange was closed for a religious holiday
- All of the above
Answer:
All of the above
Question 4.
What happened five days after the author cabled to England?
- The author received his mail
- The authors friend left
- The author arranged to meet his friend
Answer:
The author received his mail
Question 5.
Who was squatting on the floor in the authors bedroom when the author received his mail ?
- The authors friend
- Two Arabs
- The otter
Answer:
Two Arabs
III. Read the following passage carefully
I cabled to England, and when, three days later, nothing had happened, I tried to telephone. The call had to be booked twenty-four hours in advance. On the first day the line was out of order; on the second the exchange was closed for a religious holiday. On the third day there was another breakdown. My friend left, and I arranged to meet him in a weeks time. Five days later, my mail arrived
I carried it to my bedroom to read, and there, squatting on the floor, were two Arabs; beside them lay a sack that squirmed from time to time. They handed me a note from my friend: "Here is your otter."
Question 1.
Why did the author attempt to telephone England after cabling without response?
Answer:
The author attempted to telephone England after cabling without response because nothing had happened after three days
Question 2.
How long did the authors friend arrange to meet him after leaving?
Answer:
The authors friend arranged to meet him in a weeks time after leaving
Question 3.
Why did the authors friend leave a note with the Arabs?
- The authors friend couldnt wait any longer
- The Arabs were supposed to deliver the note to the author
- The authors friend wanted to surprise the author
Answer:
The Arabs were supposed to deliver the note to the author
Question 4.
Why couldnt the author reach England by telephone initially?
- The telephone lines were busy
- The call had to be booked in advance
- The telephone exchange was closed for a religious holiday
Answer:
The telephone exchange was closed for a religious holiday
Question 5.
What did the Arabs bring with them when they handed the author the note from his friend?
- A sack of mail
- A sack of food
- A sack containing something alive
Answer:
A sack containing something alive
IV. Read the following passage carefully
With the opening of that sack began a phase of my life that has not yet ended, and may, for all I know, not end before I do. It is, in effect, a thraldom to otters, an otter fixation, that I have since found to be shared by most other people, who have ever owned one.
The creature that emerged from this sack on to the spacious tiled floor of the Consulate bedrom resembled most of all a very small, medievally-conceived, dragon
From the head to the tip of the tail he was coated with symmetrical pointed scales of mud armour, between whose tips was visible a soft velvet fur like that of a chocolate-brown mole.
He shook himself, and I half expected a cloud of dust, but in fact it was not for another month that I managed to remove the last of the mud and see the otter, as it were, in his true colours
Question 1.
How does the author describe the phase of his life that began with the opening of the sack ?
Answer:
The author describes the phase of his life that began with the opening of the sack as a threat to otters, an otter fixation
Question 2.
What does the author compare the otter to when it emerged from the sack?
Answer:
The author compares the otter to a very smahl, medievally-conceived dragon
Question 3.
How did the otter appear when it emerged from the sack?
- Covered in mud armor with visible fur
- Completely clean and dry
- Drenched in water
Answer:
Covered in mud armor with visible fur
Question 4.
What did the author half expect when the otter shook himself?
- A cloud of dust
- A loud roar
- A splash of water
Answer:
A cloud of dust
Question 5.
When did the author manage to remove the last of the mud from the otter ?
- Immediately after it emerged from the sack
- A month after it emerged from the sack
- The mud was never completely removed
Answer:
A month after it emerged from the sack
V. Read the following passage carefully
Mijbil, as I called the otter, was, in fact, of a race previously unknown to science, and was at length christened by zoologists Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwells otter
For the first twenty-four hours Mijbil was neither hostile nor friendly; he was simply aloof and indifferent, choosing to sleep on the floor as far from my bed as possible. The second night Mijbil came on to my bed in the small hours and remained asleep in the crook of my knees until the servant brought tea in the morning, and during the day he began to lose his apathy and take a keen, much too keen, interest in his surroundings
I made a body-belt for him and took him on a lead to the bathroom, where for half an hour he went wild with joy in the water, plunging and rolling in it, shooting up and down the length of the bathtub underwater, and making enough slosh and splash for a hippo.
This, I was to learn, is a characteristic of otters; every drop of water must be, so to speak, extended and spread about the place; a bowl must at once be overturned, or, if it will not be overturned, be sat in and sploshed in until it overflows. Water must be kept on the move and made to do things; when static it is wasted and provoking
Question 1.
What was the scientific name given to the otter by zoologists?
Answer:
Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwells otter
Question 2.
How did Mijbil behave during the first twenty-four hours after arriving?
Answer:
Mijbil was aloof and indifferent, choosing to sleep on the floor as far from the authors bed as possible
Question 3.
What change in behavior did Mijbil exhibit on the second night?
- He remained aloof
- He slept on the floor
- He slept on the authors bed
Answer:
He slept on the authors bed
Question 4.
Where did the author take Mijbil for a wild water experience?
- The kitchen sink
- The bathtub
- The swimming pool
Answer:
The bathtub
Question 5.
What is described as a characteristic behavior of otters regarding water ?
- They avoid water whenever possible
- They prefer to drink water only from running streams
- They must keep water on the move and make it do things
Answer:
They must keep water on the move and make it do things
VI. Read the following passage carefully
Two days later, Mijbil escaped from my bedroom as I entered it, and I turned to see his tail disappearing round the bend of the corridor that led to the bathroom. By the time I got there he was up on the end of the bathtub and fumbling at the chromium taps with his paws
I watched, amazed; in less than a minute he had turned the tap far enough to produce a trickle of water, and after a moment or two achieved the full flow. (He had been lucky to turn the tap the right way; on later occasions he would sometimes screw it up still tighter, chittering with irritation and disappointment at the taps failure to cooperate.)
Question 1.
How did Mijbil escape from the authors bedroom?
Answer:
Mijbil escaped from the authors bedroom as the author entered it
Question 2.
What did Mijbil do upon entering the bathroom?
Answer:
Mijbil fumbled at the chromium taps with his paws
Question 3.
How did Mijbil react when he turned the tap the wrong way on later occasions?
- He became fearful
- He ignored the tap
- He chittered with irritation and disappointment
Answer:
He chittered with irritation and disappointment
Question 4.
What did Mijbil achieve in less than a minute after turning the tap?
- He produced a trickle of water
- He escaped from the bathroom
- He turned off the tap
Answer:
He produced a trickle of water
Question 5.
Why was Mijbil lucky on his first attempt at turning the tap?
- He had previous experience
- He turned the tap the right way
- He had assistance from another otter
Answer:
He turned the tap the right way