Mijbil the Otter - Q&A

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 84)

1. What 'experiment' did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?

Maxwell thought Camusfearna would be suitable for the experiment of keeping an otter instead of a dog as a pet. This was because Camusfearna was ringed by water, a stone's throw from its door, which is an ideal environment for an otter.

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

He goes to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer his mail from Europe. He waits there for five days. He has to wait because his mail hadn't arrived, and when he tried to cable and telephone England, there were various delays due to the line being out of order, religious holidays, and breakdowns.

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

He gets the otter from his friend, who had bought it for him. Two Arabs brought it in a sack to his room with a note from his friend. Yes, he likes it. The words "thraldom to otters" and "otter fixation" indicate that he formed a very strong attachment to the otter and felt a deep bond with it.

4. Why was the otter named 'Maxwell's otter'?

The otter was of a race previously unknown to science. Therefore, it was named 'Maxwell's otter' (Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli) by zoologists in honour of Gavin Maxwell, who discovered and introduced this species to the scientific world.

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

• aloof and indifferent

• friendly

• hostile

The correct answer is: aloof and indifferent.

6. What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that?

When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, the otter went wild with joy in the water for half an hour. It plunged, rolled, shot up and down the bathtub, and made a lot of splashing.
Two days later, Mijbil escaped from the bedroom and went to the bathroom on his own. He managed to stand on the end of the bathtub and fumble with the chromium taps until he turned one enough to produce a flow of water.

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 86 - 87)

1. How was Mij to be transported to England?

Mij was to be transported to England by air. However, the British airline would not fly animals, so Maxwell booked a flight to Paris on another airline and from there to London. The airline insisted that Mij be packed into a box not more than eighteen inches square, to be carried on the floor at Maxwell's feet.

2. What did Mij do to the box?

Mij tore the lining of the box to shreds in an attempt to escape. In the process, he hurt himself, and blood trickled from the airholes and chinks around the lid.

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

Maxwell put the otter back in the box because he had to catch his flight, which was in ten minutes, and the airport was five miles away. He had no other way to transport the otter according to the airline rules.
He likely felt terrible, guilty, and anxious because the otter was hurt ("blood-spattered") and whimpering, but he had no choice if he wanted to take Mij with him.

4. Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was "the very queen of her kind"?

Maxwell calls the airhostess "the very queen of her kind" because she was extremely kind, understanding, and helpful. When he explained the situation to her, she suggested he could keep his pet on his knee instead of in the box, showing great empathy for both him and the animal.

5. What happened when the box was opened?

As soon as the box was opened, Mijbil shot out in a flash and disappeared down the aircraft. This caused chaos, with passengers squawking, shrieking, and one woman screaming "A rat! A rat!". Mij eventually ended up beneath the legs of a portly Indian passenger before returning to Maxwell.

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 89)

1. What game had Mij invented?

Mij invented a game with a broken suitcase. The lid of the suitcase, when closed, remained at a slope. Mij would place a ping-pong ball on the high end so it would run down the length of the suitcase. He would then dash to the other end to ambush it, grab it, and trot off to start the process again.

2. What are 'compulsive habits'? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of (i) school children (ii) Mij?

'Compulsive habits' are actions or rituals that someone feels they must perform, often without a clear reason, like a superstition.
(i) School children: On their way to and from school, they must place their feet squarely on the centre of each paving block, touch every seventh upright of the iron railings, or pass to the outside of every second lamp post.
(ii) Mij: On his way home, Mij would tug Maxwell to the low wall of a primary school opposite their flat, jump onto it, and gallop the full length of its thirty yards.

3. What group of animals do otters belong to?

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

4. What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?

Londoners made many random guesses. They guessed Mij was a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard (changed spots), and even a 'brontosaur'.

Thinking about the Text (Page 89 - 90)

1. What things does Mij do which tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal who needs love?

Mij shows intelligence by learning to turn on the tap to get water and inventing games with the ping-pong ball. He shows friendliness by nuzzling Maxwell's face and neck in the plane. He is fun-loving as he spends hours playing with toys like marbles and rubber fruit. His need for love is seen when he sleeps in the crook of Maxwell's knees on the second night.

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

We learn that otters love water and cannot stand it being static; they must splash and roll in it. They are intelligent and can learn how to open taps. They are playful and inventive with toys. They belong to the Mustelline group. They can be transported but require specific care (like being kept cool and damp). They form strong bonds with their owners.

3. Why is Mij's species now known to the world as Maxwell's otter?

Mij's species was previously unknown to science. Maxwell brought this race of otters to the attention of zoologists. Therefore, when it was scientifically classified as Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, it was named 'Maxwell's otter' in his honour.

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.

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.

True statements and illustrative sentences:

(i) makes Mij seem almost human, like a small boy.
Sentence: "He spent hours shuffling a rubber ball round the room like a four-footed soccer player..."

(iii) shows that he is often surprised by what Mij does.
Sentence: "I watched, amazed; in less than a minute he had turned the tap far enough to produce a trickle of water..."

(iv) of Mij's antics is comical.
Sentence: "Mij would tug me to this wall, jump on to it, and gallop the full length of its thirty yards, to the hopeless distraction both of pupils and of staff within."

(v) shows that he observes the antics of Mij very carefully.
Sentence: "Mij discovered that if he placed the ball on the high end it would run down the length of the suitcase."

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

Thinking about Language (Page 91)

I. Describing a Repeated Action in the Past

From the table below, make as many correct sentences as you can using would and/or used to, as appropriate.

(Note: 'Used to' is required for states/situations like 'be fond of', 'own', 'have'. 'Would' can be used for repeated actions like 'take walks' or 'spend holidays'.)

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

Noun

(ii) The iron railings

Noun

(iii) The Tigris marshes

Proper Noun

(iv) The London streets

Proper Noun

(v) soft velvet fur

Adjective plus noun

(vi) A four-footed soccer player

Adjective plus noun

2. Combine the nouns and modifiers to make as many appropriate phrases as you can.

1. Temple sculpture
2. College girls
3. Love triangle
4. Ordinary person
5. Hundred dresses
6. Rough thoughts
7. Loud roar
8. School boys
9. Heartbreaking farewell
10. Birthday gifts
11. Loud scream
12. Plump physique
13. Invigorating coffee
14. Panoramic view
15. Marriage celebration
16. First flight
17. Tremendous landscape
18. White handkerchief
19. Railroad crossing
20. Family profession
21. Incorrigible chatterbox
22. Uncomfortable crossing
23. Ridiculous subject
24. Three boys
25. Bare feet
26. Stone triangle

III. Quantity Phrases (Page 91 - 92)

1. Match the words on the left with a word on the right.

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.

(i) My teacher gave me some advice.

My teacher gave me a piece 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 bit 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 stone 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.