Chapter 8 – Mijbil the Otter Questions and Answers: NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English (First Flight (Prose))

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

Answer: Maxwell 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 a suitable spot for this experiment.

Ques: 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.

Ques: 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…”

Ques: 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.

Ques: Tick the right answer. In the beginning, the otter was
1. aloof and indifferent
2. friendly
3. hostile

Answer: In the beginning, the otter was aloof and indifferent.

Ques: 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.

Ques: 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.

Ques: 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.

Ques: 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.

Ques: Why does Maxwell say the air hostess was “the very queen of her kind”?

Answer: The air hostess 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 to her as “the very queen of her kind”.

Ques: 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 chaos and most of the people in the plane got scared.

Ques: 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 slid to the lower end.

Ques: What are ‘compulsive habits’? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of
1. school children
2. Mij?

Answer: Compulsive habits are usually strange acts or behavior which a person does without a 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 passageway. Usually, the compulsive behavior of children is full of childhood mischief and those of adults are of an incorrigible type.
1. As per this story, children must place their feet squarely on the center 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.

Ques: 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.

Ques: 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.

Ques: 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 the water, and once he understood that on opening the tap water came out of it, he would get into the tub and play with water.
He had gradually formed a special attachment with Maxwell. It grew desperate when Maxwell left it in a box and wanted to come out as soon as possible.

Ques: 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 Maxwell.

Ques: 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.