Mijbil the Otter Question Answer | Chapter 6 Class 10 English

1. What is a pet? Why is keeping a pet a serious responsibility?
Answer: A pet is an animal kept at home for companionship. Keeping a pet is a serious responsibility because the owner must provide it with proper food, care, exercise, affection, training and a safe environment. The textbook also stresses that keeping a pet is a long-term commitment.

2. What things should you know about a pet before keeping it?

Answer:

1. The food it eats.
2. Its living environment.
3. Its exercise requirements.
4. Its health and vaccination needs.
5. Its habits and behaviour.
6. How to groom and care for it.

The textbook specifically begins the activity with knowing the food a pet eats.

1. What 'experiment' did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?
Answer: Maxwell thought Camusfearna would be suitable for keeping an otter as a pet. He wanted to see how an otter would adapt to living with him there.

2. Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?
Answer: Maxwell went to Basra because he wanted to get an otter from the marshes there. He had to wait for his friend to bring the otter to him.

3. How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this.
Answer: Maxwell gets the otter from the marshes near Basra. He clearly likes the animal and becomes very attached to it. His affectionate description of Mij and his close observation of its behaviour show his fondness for the otter.

4. Why was the otter named 'Maxwell's otter'?
Answer: Mijbil belonged to a species that was previously unknown to science. Zoologists later named it Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell's otter, after Maxwell.

5. Tick the right answer. In the beginning, the otter was:
Answer: aloof and indifferent. For the first twenty-four hours, Mijbil was neither hostile nor friendly. He kept himself at a distance and slept on the floor away from Maxwell's bed.

6. What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that?
Answer: When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, the otter became extremely happy in the water. It plunged, rolled and played in the bathtub. Two days later, Mijbil escaped from Maxwell's bedroom and went to the bathroom. It climbed onto the bathtub and learned to turn the tap on with its paws.

1. How was Mij to be transported to England?
Answer: Mij was to be transported to England by air, in a specially prepared box. Maxwell had to make arrangements because the airline did not normally allow such an animal to travel freely in the passenger cabin.

2. What did Mij do to the box?
Answer: Mij struggled to get out of the box. When the box was opened in the aeroplane, he escaped quickly and ran through the aircraft, causing confusion among the passengers.

3. Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this?
Answer: Maxwell put Mij back in the box because the otter could not be allowed to run freely inside the aeroplane. He probably felt worried and helpless because he knew that Mij was uncomfortable and frightened.

4. Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was "the very queen of her kind"?
Answer: Maxwell calls the airhostess "the very queen of her kind" because she remained calm, polite and helpful during the difficult situation. She helped Maxwell deal with the escaped otter patiently.

5. What happened when the box was opened?
Answer: When the box was opened, Mij came out immediately and ran rapidly through the aeroplane. The passengers became frightened and started guessing what kind of animal he was. Eventually Mij returned to Maxwell and showed affection by nuzzling his face and neck.

1. What game had Mij invented?
Answer: Mij invented a game with a ping-pong ball and a damaged suitcase. He placed the ball at the higher end of the sloping suitcase and ran to the other end to catch or ambush it when it rolled down.

2. What are 'compulsive habits'? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of:

(i) School children? School children may develop habits such as walking on the centre of each paving block, touching every seventh railing post or passing outside every second lamp post.

(ii) Mij? Mij developed similar compulsive habits while walking in London. He would follow particular patterns and, on the way home, would pull Maxwell towards a low wall and run along its entire length.

3. What group of animals do otters belong to?
Answer: Otters belong to the comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines. This group also includes the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat and mink.

4. What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?
Answer: The Londoners guessed that Mij was a baby seal, squirrel, walrus, hippo, beaver, bear cub, leopard and even a brontosaur.

1. What things does Mij do which tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal who needs love?
Answer: Mij shows his intelligence by learning to turn on the bathroom tap and by inventing a game with the ping-pong ball. He is fun-loving because he spends hours playing with toys and marbles. He is friendly because he follows Maxwell without a lead and comes when Maxwell calls him. He also shows affection by nuzzling Maxwell's face and neck.

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

Answer: We learn that otters:

• love playing in water;
• enjoy moving and splashing water;
• are intelligent and playful;
• can learn different activities;
• enjoy playing with small objects;
• can develop strong bonds with humans;
• are members of the Mustelline group.

The chapter particularly describes Mij's fascination with water and his playful nature.

3. Why is Mij's species now known to the world as Maxwell's otter?
Answer: Mij belonged to a species that had previously been unknown to science. Zoologists identified and named the species Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, commonly called Maxwell's otter, in honour of Gavin Maxwell.

(i) Makes Mij seem almost human, like a small boy. — Correct

(ii) Shows that he is often irritated with what Mij does. — Correct

(iii) Shows that he is often surprised by what Mij does. — Correct

(iv) Description of Mij's antics is comical. — Correct

(v) Shows that he observes the antics of Mij very carefully. — Correct

(vi) Shows that he thinks Mij is a very ordinary otter. — Incorrect

(vii) Shows that he thinks the otter is very unusual. — Correct

1. Changes in keeping animals as pets
Answer: Aajkal wild animals ko pets ke roop mein rakhna kayi maamlon mein kanoon dwara pratibandhit ya niyantrit hai। Animals ke import, export aur trade ke liye bhi niyam adhik sakht ho gaye hain। Aircraft mein pets ko le jaane ke liye bhi special transportation rules aur safety arrangements hote hain। Textbook students ko in badlaavon par research aur discussion karne ke liye kehti hai।

2. Should wild animals be kept as pets?
Answer: Wild animals ko pets ke roop mein rakhna uchit nahi maana jaana chahiye kyunki unhe apne prakritik habitat, bhojan aur swatantra vaatavaran ki avashyakta hoti hai। Unhe ghar mein rakhne se unki prakritik jeevanshaili prabhavit ho sakti hai। Textbook bhi wild animals ko pets ke roop mein rakhne ki ethics par charcha karne ko kehti hai।