Home / NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 8 – Mijbil the Otter

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 8 – Mijbil the Otter

Page No 106:

Question 1:

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

Answer:

Maxwell thought that he would keep an otter instead of a dog. Camusfearna, ringed by water a very short distance from its door, would be an eminently suitable spot for the experiment.

Question 2:

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

Answer:

He went to Basra, to the Consultate-General, to collect and answer his mail from Europe. There, he found that his friend’s mail had arrived, but his had not. He sent a message to England. When nothing happened even after three days, he tried placing a call to England. On the first day, the line was out of order; on the second day, the exchange was closed for a religious holiday. On the third day, there was another breakdown. He arranged to meet his friend, who had left, in a week’s time. His mail finally arrived five days later.

Question 3:

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

Answer:

When he received his mail, he carried it to his bedroom to read. There, he saw two Arabs and beside them was a sack that twisted from time to time. They handed him a note from his friend saying that he had sent him an otter.

Yes, he liked it. We know this because he uses the term ‘otter fixation’ to refer to his feeling towards the otter. He felt that this otter fixation or this strong attachment towards otters was something that was shared by most other people who had ever owned one.

Question 4:

Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter’?

Answer:

The otter was of a race previously unknown to science and was at length named by zoologists Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli or Maxwell’s otter.

Question 5:

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

  • aloof and indifferent
  • friendly
  • hostile

Answer:

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 Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, it went wild with joy in the water for half an hour. It was plunging and rolling in it, shooting up and down the length of the bathtub underwater, and making enough slosh and splash for a hippo.

Two days after that, it escaped from his bedroom to the bathroom. By the time he got there, Mijbil was up on the end of the bathtub and fumbling at the chromium taps with its paws. In less than a minute, it had turned the tap far enough to produce some water and after a moment, achieved the full flow.

Page No 108:

Question 1:

How was Mij to be transported to England?

Answer:

Maxwell booked a flight to Paris and from there he would go on to London. The airline insisted that Mij should be packed in a box (not more than eighteen inches square) that was to be placed on the floor, near his feet.

Question 2:

What did Mij do to the box?

Answer:

Maxwell had put Mij in the box and left for a meal. When he came back, he saw a horrific spectacle. There was complete silence from the box. However, from its airholes and chinks around the lid, blood had trickled and dried. He took off the lock and tore open the lid. Mij, exhausted and covered with blood, whimpered and caught his leg. It had torn the lining of the box to shreds. He removed the last of it so that there were no cutting edges left.

Page No 109:

Question 3:

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

Answer:

By the time Maxwell had removed the last of the lining of the box so that there were no cutting edges left, it was just ten minutes for the flight to take off. He had to rush to the airport, which was five miles away, and that is why he put the miserable otter back into the box. Like the otter, Maxwell would also have felt miserable for putting it back in the box, particularly so, after seeing that the otter disliked being in the box.

Question 4:

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

Answer:

Maxwell said that the airhostess was “the very queen of her kind” because she was extremely friendly and helpful. He took her into his confidence about the incident with the box. She suggested that he might prefer to have his pet on his knee. Hearing this, he developed a profound admiration for her, for she understood the pain of both the otter and its owner.

Question 5:

What happened when the box was opened?

Answer:

When the box was opened, Mij leapt out of it immediately. It disappeared very quickly down the aircraft. Several passengers shrieked. A woman stood up on her seat screaming that there was a rat. He saw Mij’s tail disappearing beneath the legs of an Indian passenger. He dived for it, but missed. The airhostess suggested him to be seated and that she would find the otter. After a while, Mij had returned to him. It climbed on his knee and began to rub its nose on his face and neck.

Page No 110:

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 an intelligent animal. It invented it own game out of the ping-pong balls. It screwed the tap 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 attachment with Maxwell. It responded when Maxwell called out his name. It grew desperate when Maxwell left it in a box and it got hurt while trying to come out of it. After Maxwell took it out, it clung to his feet. It was a fun-loving animal. It enjoyed playing all kinds of games. It would play with a selection of toys, ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit, and a terrapin shell. It required love and affection from Maxwell and it got that readily.

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 the 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 or Maxwell’s otter. They are found in large numbers in marshes. They are often tamed by the Arabs. It is characteristic of otters that every drop of water must be extended and spread about the place; a bowl must at once be overturned, or, 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 various games, especially with a ball.

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 or Maxwell’s otter.

Question 1:

What game had Mij invented?

Answer:

Mij invented a game with a ping-pong ball, which kept him engrossed for up to half an hour at a time. Maxwell had a suitcase that had become damaged, such that the lid, when closed, remained at a slope from one end to the other. Mij discovered that if the ball was placed on the high end, it would run down the length of the suitcase. It would dash around to the other end to surprise the ball. Then, it would grab it and trot off with it to the high end once more.

Question 2:

What are ‘compulsive habits’? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of

(i) school children

(ii) Mij?

Answer:

Compulsive habits are habits that are impossible to control. According to Maxwell, children on their way to and from school must place their feet squarely on the centre of each paving block; they must touch every seventh upright of the iron railings, or pass to the outside of every second lamp post. Such were the compulsive habits of children.

Opposite to Maxwell’s flat, there was a single-storied primary school. Along its frontage ran a low wall some two feet high. On its way home, Mij would tug Maxwell to this wall, jump onto it, and gallop the full length of its thirty yards, distracting both the pupils and the staff. Such was the compulsive habit of Mij.

Question 3:

What group of animals do otters belong to?

Answer:

Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines, shared by the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others.

Question 4:

What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?

Answer:

According to Maxwell, the average Londoner does not recognize an otter. The Londoners who saw Mij made different guesses about who Mij was. They guessed, among other things, that it was a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard and a brontosaur.

Page No 111:

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 splashwent wild with joy
Screws the tap in the wrong wayirritated and disappointed
Nuzzles Maxwell’s face and neck in the aeroplanedistressed chitter of recognition and welcome

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

(i) makes Mij seem almost human, like a small boy.

(ii) shows that he is often irritated with what Mij does.

(iii) shows that he is often surprised by what Mij does.

(iv) of Mij’s antics is comical.

(v) shows that he observes the antics of Mij very carefully.

(vi) shows that he thinks Mij is a very ordinary otter.

(vii) shows that he thinks the otter is very unusual.

Answer:

(i)He spent most of his time in play.

(iii)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.

(v)A suitcase that I had taken to Iraq had become damaged on the journey home, so that the lid, when closed, remained at a slope from one end to the other. Mij discovered that if he placed the ball on the high end it would run down the length of the suitcase. He would dash around to the other end to ambush its arrival, hide from it, crouching, to spring up and take it by surprise, grab it and trot off with it to the high end once more.

(vii)It is not, I suppose, in any way strange that the average Londoner should not recognize an otter, but the variety of guesses as to what kind of animal this might be came as a surprise to me. Mij was anything but an otter.

Question 1:

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.

Emperor Akbar

would

used to

be found of musical evenings.
Every evening wetake long walks on the beach
Fifty years ago, very few peopleown cars.
Till the 1980s, Shanghaihave very dirty streets.
My unclespend his holidays by the sea.

Answer:

1.Emperor Akbar used to be fond of musical evenings.

2. Every evening we used to take long walks on the beach.

3. Fifty years ago, very few people used to own cars.

4. Till the 1980s, Shanghai used to have very dirty streets.

5. My uncle would spend his holidays by the sea.

6. My uncle used to take long walks on the beach.

7. My uncle used to be fond of musical evenings.

Page No 112:

Question 1:

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.

Emperor Akbar

would

used to

be found of musical evenings.
Every evening wetake long walks on the beach
Fifty years ago, very few peopleown cars.
Till the 1980s, Shanghaihave very dirty streets.
My unclespend his holidays by the sea.

Answer:

1.Emperor Akbar used to be fond of musical evenings.

2. Every evening we used to take long walks on the beach.

3. Fifty years ago, very few people used to own cars.

4. Till the 1980s, Shanghai used to have very dirty streets.

5. My uncle would spend his holidays by the sea.

6. My uncle used to take long walks on the beach.

7. My uncle used to be fond of musical evenings.

Question 2:

II. Noun Modifiers

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

(i)An otter fixation(iv)The London streets
(ii)The iron railings(v)soft velvet fur
(iii)The Tigris marshes(vi)four-footed soccer player

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.)

templethree girlstriangledresses
personthoughtsboysroar
giftsscreamfarewellexpression
timesubjectlandscapehandkerchief
crossingflightchatterboxprofession
physiquecoffeeviewcelebration
collegeroughhundredstoneordinary
loveuncomfortablewhiteslangslack
barerailroadtremendousfamilymarriage
plumpinvigoratingpanoramicheartbreakingbirthday
incorrigibleridiculousloudfirst 

Answer:

1.

(i) Noun

(ii) Noun

(iii) Proper noun

(iv) Proper noun

(v) Adjective plus noun

(vi) Adjective plus noun

2.

Temple − white temple, stone temple, first temple

Person − incorrigible person, ridiculous person

Gifts − hundred gifts, ordinary gifts, birthday gifts

Time − college time, rough time, first time

Crossing − railroad crossing, first crossing

Physique − plump physique, ordinary physique

Three girls − first three girls, incorrigible three girls

Thoughts − incorrigible thoughts, uncomfortable thoughts, ridiculous thoughts, heartbreaking thoughts, first thoughts, ordinary thoughts

Scream − tremendous scream, loud scream

Subject − college subject, ordinary subject

Flight − rough flight, first flight

Coffee − invigorating coffee, ordinary coffee

Triangle − love triangle

Boys − college boys, incorrigible boys, rough boys, hundred boys

Farewell − college farewell, heartbreaking farewell

Landscape − bare landscape, rough landscape, white landscape

Chatterbox − incorrigible chatterbox

View − tremendous view, panoramic view, ordinary view

Dresses − hundred dresses, ordinary dresses, birthday dresses, marriage dresses

Roar − tremendous roar, loud roar

Expression − bare expression, slang expression, slack expression

Handkerchief − white handkerchief, ordinary handkerchief

Profession − family profession, first profession, ordinary profession

Celebration − tremendous celebration, family celebration, birthday celebration

Page No 113:

Question 3:

  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.
(i)a portion ofblood
(ii)a pool ofcotton
(iii)flakes ofstones
(iv)a huge heap ofgold
(v)a gust offried fish
(vi)little drops ofsnow
(vii)a piece ofwater
(viii)a pot ofwind

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.

(i)My teacher gave me some advice.My teacher gave me a bit of advice.
(ii)Can you give me some clay, please.____________________________
(iii)The information you gave was very useful.________________________________________________________
(iv)Because of these factories, smoke hangs over the city.________________________________________________________
(v)Two stones rubbed together can produce sparks of fire.________________________________________________________
(vi)He gave me some flowers on my birthday.________________________________________________________

Answer:

1.

(i)a portion offried fish
(ii)a pool ofblood
(iii)flakes ofsnow
(iv)a huge heap ofstones
(v)a gust ofwind
(vi)little drops ofwater
(vii)a piece ofcotton
(viii)a pot ofgold

2.

(i)My teacher gave me some advice.My teacher gave me a bit of advice.
(ii)Can you give me some clay, please.Can you give me a lump of clay, please.
(iii)The information you gave was very useful.The piece of information you gave was very useful.
(iv)Because of these factories, smoke hangs over the city.Because of these factories, a cloud of smoke hangs over the city.
(v)Two stones rubbed together can produce sparks of fire.Two pieces of stones rubbed together can produce sparks of fire.
(vi)He gave me some flowers on my birthday.He gave me a bunch of flowers on my birthday.

Mijbil the Otter Extra Questions and Answers Class 10 English First Flight

Extract Based Questions [3 Marks each]

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow

Question 1.
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 friend’s mail had arrived but that mine had not.
(a) What was ‘they’?
(b) Where were they going to get the otter?
(c) Find the exact word from the extract which means ‘domesticated’.
(d) What did the author find at the Consulate-General?
Answer:
(a) ‘They’ refers to the otter.
(b) They were going to get the otter from Tigris marshes.
(c) ‘Tamed’ from the extract means ‘domesticated’.
(d) At the Consulate-General, the author found that his mail had not arrived while his friend’s mail had arrived.

Question 2.
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 Maxwell’s 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.     [CBSE 2014]
(a) Who was Mijbil?
(b) How did the otter behave for the first twenty-four hours?
(c) Find the exact word from the extract’ which means ‘having no particular interest’.
(d) Why is the otter called ‘Maxwell’s otter’?
Answer:
(a) Mijbil was the name of the otter brought by the | narrator.
(b) The otter was indifferent and stayed as fat as possible from the narrator for the first 24 hours.
(c) ‘indifferent’ from the extract means ‘having no particular interest’.
(d) The otter was christened by zoologist Maxwell. So, in his honour, it was called Maxwell’s otter.

Question 3.
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.
(a) What is a particular characteristic of otter?
(b) What did the otter do inside the bathroom?
(c) Find the exact word from the extract which means ‘moving irregularly with splash sound’.
(d) Why did the author make a body-belt for the himself?
Answer:
(a) Playing with water is a particular characteristic of otters.
(b) The otter played with water inside the bathroom.
(c) ‘Slashed’ from the extract means ‘moving irregularly with splash sound’.
(d) The author made a body-belt for himself to take otter on a lead to the bathroom.

Question 4.
Very soon Mij would follow me without a lead and come to me when I called his name. He spent most of his time in play. He spent hours shuffling a rubber ball round the room like a four-footed soccer player using all four feet to dribble the ball, and he could also throw it, with a powerful flick of the neck, to a surprising height and distance.
(a) What was the favourite timepass of Mijbil?
(b) What did the otter do when the narrator called his name?
(c) Find the exact word from the extract which means ‘strike’.
(d) What has been referred as a four-footed soccer player?
Answer:
(a) The favourite timepass of Mijbil was to shuffle the rubber ball using all his four legs.
(b) The otter used to follow the narrator when he called his name.
(c) ‘dribble’ from the extract means ‘strike’.
(d) The otter has been referred as a four-footed player of soccer.

Question 5.
The British airline to London would not fly animals, so I booked a flight to Paris on another airline, and from there to London. The airline insisted that Mij should be packed into a box not more than eighteen inches square, to be carried on the floor at my feet.
(a) Where was Mij being taken?
(b) How was Mij being taken?
(c) Which word in the extract means the same as ‘to demand something forcefully’?
(d) What did the airline insist upon?
Answer:
(a) Mij was being taken to London.
(b) Mij was being taken by packing him in a box.
(c) The word ‘insisted’ from the extract means ‘to demand something forcefully’.
(d) The airline insisted upon the fact that Mij should be packed in a box so that it can be carried.

Question 6.
When I returned, there was an appalling spectacle. There was complete silence from the box, but from its airholes and chinks around the lid, blood had trickled and dried. I whipped off the lock and tore open the lid, and Mij, exhausted and blood spattered, whimpered and caught at my leg.
(a) What was inside the box?
(b) What was the condition of the box when the narrator returned?
(c) Find the exact word from the extract which means ‘quickly took off’.
(d) Why did the author open the box?
Answer:
(a) Mij was lying exhausted and blood spattered inside the box.
(b) When the narrator returned, there was complete silence inside the box. Blood was coming out from the airholes and around the lid.
(c) ‘Whipped off” from the extract means ‘quickly took off’.
(d) The author opened the box because Mij was caged inside it.

Question 7.
It was just ten minutes until the time of the flight, and the airport was five miles distant.
I put the miserable Mij back into the box, holding down the lid with my hand.
(a) How far was the airport?
(b) How was Mij carried to the airport?
(c) Find the exact word from the extract which  means ‘at a distance’.
(d) Why did the author could not help Mij despite its weary condition?
Answer:
(a) The airport was at a distance of 5 miles.
(b) The narrator put Mij in the box again and held down the lid of the box with his hand.
(c) ‘distant’ from the extract means ‘at a distance’.
(d) The author couldn’t help Mij despite its weary condition because he had to leave for the airport soon.

Question 8.
I was rushed through to it by infuriated officials. Luckily, the seat booked for me was at the extreme front. I covered the floor around my feet with newspapers, rang for the air hostess, and gave her a parcel of fish (for Mij) to keep in a cool place. I took her into my confidence about the events of the last half hour.
(a) Why were the airport officials infuriated?
(b) How did the narrator take the airhostess in his confidence?
(c) Find the exact word from the extract which means ‘extremely angry and impatient’.
(d) Why did the author give fish to the air – hostess?
Answer:
(a) The airport officials were infuriated as the narrator arrived late at the airport.
(b) The narrator told the airhostess about the events that had happened in the last half an hour in his confidence.
(c) ‘infuriated’ from the extract means ‘extremely angry and impatient’.
(d) The author gave fish to the air hostess to be kept as food for Mij.

Question 9.
Mij was out of the box in a flash. He disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. There were squawks and shrieks, and a woman stood up on her seat screaming out, ‘A rat! A rat!”
(a) Why did the woman scream?
(b) What did Mij do?
(c) Find the exact word from the extract which means ‘make a loud noise’.
(d) What had Mij been compared with in the extract?
Answer:
(a) The woman screamed as she thought that there was a rat inside the plane.
(b) Mij came out of the box and disappeared.
(c) ‘Squawk’ from the extract means ‘make a loud noise’.
(d) In the extract, Mij had been compared with a rat.

Question 10.
Mij and I remained in London for nearly a month. He would play for hours with a selection of toys, ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit, and a terrapin shell that I had brought back from his native marshes. With the ping-pong ball he invented a game of his own which cokid keep him engrossed for up to half an hour at a time. A suitcase that I had taken to Iraq had become damaged on the journey home, so that the lid, when closed, remained at a slope from one end to the other. CBSE2012
(a) How did Mij spend his time in London?
(b) What game was invented by Mij?
(c) Find the exact word from the extract which means ‘absorb all the attention’.
(d) What sort of a creature was Mij?
Answer:
(a) Mij spent his time by playing with his own selection of toys— ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit and a terrapin shell.
(b) Mij put the ball on one end of the suitcase and ran to catch it when it slid to the other end. This game was invented by him.
(c) ‘engrossed’ from the extract means ‘absorb all the attention’.
(d) Mij was a playful sort of creature who loved sport.

Short Answer Type Questions [2 Marks each]

Question 1.
How was Mij to be transported to England?
Answer:
The British Airline to England would not fly animals. So, Maxwell booked a flight to Paris on another airline and from there to London. The airline insisted that Mij should be packed into a box not more than eighteen inches square. Thus, Mij was transported to England in that box, which was kept on the floor at his feet.

Question 2.
What happened when the box was opened?
Answer:
When the box was opened, Mij went out of the box. He disappeared at a high speed down the aircraft. There were cries all around. A woman stood up on her seat crying, “A rat! A rat!”.

Question 3.
Why did Maxwell get his mail after five days and what did he do to get it?    [CBSE 2011]
Answer:
Maxwell got his mail after 5 days due to some delay. He cabled and tried to telephone in order to get his mail.

Question 4.
What did the otter look like?
Answer:
The otter looked like a small dragon belonging to the ’ middle ages. It was covered with symmetrical pointed scales of mud. One could see between the scales a soft velvet fur like that of a chocolate-brown mole.

Question 5.
What did Mijbil do during the second night?
Answer:
Mijbil came on to Maxwell’s bed soon after midnight. It remained asleep in the crook of his knees until the morning.

Question 6.
What, according to the writer, is the ‘ real play’ of the otter?    [CBSE 2015]
Answer:
The real play of an otter is lying on his back and juggling with small objects between his paws. Mijbil would roll two or more marbles up and down on his wide, fat belly. He never dropped one to the floor.

Question 7.
Why was the narrator not able to communicate when there was a delay in the arrival of the mail?
Answer:
The narrator was not able to contact because the telephone lines had to be booked twenty-four hours in advance. On the first day, the line was out of order; on the second day, the exchange was closed for a religious reason; and on the third day, there was a breakdown.

Question 8.
What was the first characteristic of the otter discovered by the narrator?    [CBSE 2014]
Answer:
The first thing that the narrator observed about the otter was that he liked to play with water. When he was taken to the bathroom, for half an hour he went wild in the water with joy. He was plunging, jumping and rolling in the water.

Question 9.
How did Mij spend his time?
Answer:
Mij spent most of his time in play. He spent hours shuffling the rubber ball round the room like a four-footed soccer player. His real play was when he used to juggle small objects between his paws. Marbles were his favourite toy for his pastime.

Question 10.
Why was Mij packed inside the box?
Answer:
Mij was to be transported to England and the airlines insisted the narrator to pack him in a box.

Question 11.
How did the narrator reach the airport? Did he reach there on time?
Answer:
The narrator reached the airport in a car. No, he reached the airport late.

Question 12.
While staying in London, what was the pastime of Mij?
Answer:
While staying in London, Mijbil would play for hours with his own selection of toys. His favburite toys were ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit and a terrapin shell that the narrator had bought from his native marshes.

Question 13.
How did Mij behave outside the house in London?
Answer:
Mij used to follow the narrator while walking on the streets. He developed certain habits during those walks. He went with him like children playing, running and touching things in the street. He would take the author near the wall of a primary school and then gallop on it.

Long Answer (Value Based) Type Questions [8 Marks each]

Question 1.
In the name of rules and regulations, basic values are ignored but people like the airhostess in ‘Mijbil the Otter’ are a ray of hope. What virtues do we find in the airhostess?
Answer:
The airhostess was somewhat friendly, and she allowed the narrator to place the otter on his lap. She could relate and empathise with the situation faced by the narrator. This shows that apart from being professional, she was a caring lady. She not only wanted to do her job but was also responsible as she helped the narrator in finding the otter back.
She did all that she could do for Maxwell and the otter. She was hard working and was ready to help as she did not say ‘no’ to help the narrator.

Question 2.
The narrator called the airhostess the queen of her kind. This shows how caring and supportive she was. Do you find such people these days? Are people having a change in their values?
Answer:
In today’s world, it is getting difficult to find people who show their care and support. Rather than helping others, they start giving excuses and quote rules and regulations. Earlier, people used to think about the situation faced by others and helped them in all possible ways.
This is changing because of the change in the values of the people. People give first priority to their own safety and security. They care for themselves first and then think about others.

Question 3.
Why do you think the otter was not friendly at first with the narrator? Can you relate this to the human nature as well?    [CBSE 2016]
Answer:
At first, the otter was not very friendly with the narrator as he had seen him for the first time. He was brought to a new place and new surroundings. He neither knew the narrator nor the place which made him stay away from the narrator. But, as soon as he started becoming comfortable with the surroundings, he became friendly and came close to the narrator.
This is very similar to the human nature. Even, the human beings first take time to understand others and then only become friendly with them. Unless they are comfortable in being with somebody, they try to stay away from that person.

MCQ Questions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 Mijbil the Otter with Answers

Question 1.
What group of animals does otters belongs to?
(a) Elk
(b) Hedgehogs
(c) Mustellines
(d) by his friend

Answer

Answer: (c) Mustellines


Question 2.
Why does Maxwell go to Basra?
(a) broke the toy car
(b) threw the marbles
(c) torn the lining of box
(d) None of the Above

Answer

Answer: (c) torn the lining of box


Question 3.
What were Mij’s favourite toys?
(a) Toy Car
(b) Marbles
(c) Soil
(d) None of the Above

Answer

Answer: (b) Marbles


Question 4.
How did the otter spend most of his time?
(a) New Year of 1955
(b) New Year of 1956
(c) New Year of 1957
(d) New Year of 1958

Answer

Answer: (b) New Year of 1956


Question 5.
What did the otter look like?
(a) Small dog
(b) Small dragon
(c) Small cat
(d) Small rabbit

Answer

Answer: (b) Small dragon


Question 6.
What had trickled out of the box?
(a) juice
(b) blood
(c) water
(d) paint

Answer

Answer: (b) blood


Question 7.
What did the woman in the aeroplane think that the otter was?
(a) a dog
(b) an otter
(c) a rat
(d) a seal

Answer

Answer: (c) a rat


Question 8.
What was the name given to the otter?
(a) Major
(b) Mijbil
(c) Mad
(d) Majhis

Answer

Answer: (b) Mijbil


Question 9.
Where did the Arabs keep the otter?
(a) in a box
(b) in a bag
(c) in a sack
(d) in the pocket

Answer

Answer: (c) in a sack


Question 10.
What kept Mij engaged when they shifted to London?
(a) Ping-pong game
(b) the children
(c) the author
(d) All of the above

Answer

Answer: (a) Ping-pong game


Question 11.
What do you mean by “compulsive habits”?
(a) destructive habits
(b) good habits
(c) addictive habits
(d) habits impossible to control

Answer

Answer: (d) habits impossible to control


Question 12.
What did Mij do to the box?
(a) made it wet
(b) tore the lining of the box
(c) overturned it
(d) All of the above

Answer

Answer: (b) tore the lining of the box


Question 13.
What is the meaning of “an appalling spectacle”?
(a) a safe space
(b) a funny scene
(c) a mysterious situation
(d) a shocking scene

Answer

Answer: (d) a shocking scene


Question 14.
In the beginning, the Otter was _____.
(a) friendly
(b) hostile
(c) aloof and indifferent
(d) sad

Answer

Answer: (c) aloof and indifferent


Question 15.
What is the meaning of apathy?
(a) absence of interest
(b) the ability to understand and share the feelings of another
(c) unfriendly
(d) rude

Answer

Answer: (a) absence of interest


Question 16.
How many days later did the author’s mail arrive?
(a) 2
(b) 4
(c) 5
(d) 7

Answer

Answer: (c) 5


Question 17.
Where does the author live?
(a) London
(b) Southern Iraq
(c) India
(d) None of the Above

Answer

Answer: (a) London


Question 18.
Who is the author of “Mijbil the Otter”?
(a) Gavin Maxwell
(b) Roald Dahl
(c) Paulo Coehlo
(d) Arup Kumar Dutta

Answer

Answer: (a) Gavin Maxwell


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