Goa Board Class 10 Solutions for English First Flight – Mijbil – The Otter
Page No. 106:
Question 1:
What ‘experiment” did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?
Solution :
Maxwell thought that he would keep an otter instead of a dog as a pet. 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?
Solution :
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.
Solution :
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 about 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 terms a thraldom to otters and ‘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’?
Solution :
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
Solution :
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?
Solution :
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?
Solution :
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?
Solution :
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. Maxwell 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?
Solution :
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 must also have felt miserable for putting it back in the box, particularly so, after seeing that the otter had hurt himself and totally disliked being in the box.
Question 4:
Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was “the very queen of her kind”?
Solution :
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 events of the last half hour. 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?
Solution :
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, missed and found his face covered with curry. The airhostess with a charming smile suggested that he be seated and that she would find the otter and bring it to him. After a while, he heard a distressed chitter of recognition and Mij returned to him. It climbed on his knee and began to rub its nose on his face and neck.
Page No. 110:
Question I-1:
What game had Mij invented?
Solution :
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. He would dash around to the other end waiting anxiously for its arrival, hide from it, crouching to surprise the ball. Then, he would grab it and trot off with it to the high end once more.
Question I-2:
What are ‘compulsive habits’? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of
- school children
- Mij?
Solution :
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. These are some of the compulsive habits of school 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 I-3:
What group of animals do otters belong to?
Solution :
Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines, shared by the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others.
Question I-4:
What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?
Solution :
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 he was a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard and a brontosaur.
Question 1:
What things does Mij do which tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun- loving animal who needs love?
Solution :
Mij was an intelligent animal. Within two days of being in the Consulate bedroom, he escaped to the bathroom, climbed on to the bath tub and fumbled with the chromium taps. Within minutes he had turned on the tap to allow water to flow out.
Though he was aloof and indifferent in the beginning he soon became very friendly. Mij formed a special attachment to Maxwell followed him without a lead and responded when Maxwell called out his name. He could dribble a ball and throw it with a powerful flick of the neck to a surprising height and distance. He would lie on his back and juggle with small objects in his paws. He grew desperate when Maxwell left him in a box and got hurt while trying to come out of it. After Maxwell took him out, he clung to his feet.
After his escape on the flight he returned to Maxwell jumped onto his knee and began to nuzzle his face and neck.
Mij was a fun-loving animal. He enjoyed playing all kinds of games. He would play with a selection of toys, ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit, and a terrapin shell. He even invented a game of his own with the ping pong balls. Mij required love and affection from Maxwell and he got that readily.
Question 2:
What are some of the things we come to know about otters from this text?
Solution :
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 could not be overturned, then 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. Their real play is to lie on their backs and juggle small objects between their paws.
Question 3:
Why is Mij’s species now known to the world as Maxwell’s otter?
Solution :
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’.
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 | – |
Solution :
What Mij does | How Mij feels or thinks |
Plunges, rolls in the water and makes the water splosh and splash | went wild with joy. Thinks that every drop of water must be extended and spread about the place. |
Screws the tap in the wrong way | Irritated and disappointed with the taps failure to cooperate. |
Nuzzles Maxwell’s face and neck in the aeroplane | distressed 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
- 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 Mij’s 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.
Solution :
- He spent most of his time in play. Spent hours shuffling a ball like a four footed soccer player, could also throw it with a powerful flick of the neck.
- 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.
- Marbles were Mijs favourite toys for his pastime: he would lie on his back rolling two or more of them up and down his wide flat belly without ever dropping one on the floor.
- 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.
- 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.
Page No. 112:
Question II-1:
Noun Modifiers
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
Solution :
- Noun
- Noun
- Proper noun
- Proper noun
- Adjective plus noun
- Adjective plus noun
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 tences of your own to it.
Emperor Akbar |
Would used to |
be found of musical evenings. |
Every evening we | take long walks on the beach | |
Fifty years ago, very few people | own cars. | |
Till the 1980s, Shanghai | have very dirty streets. | |
My uncle | Spend his holidays by the sea. |
Solution :
- Emperor Akbar used to be fond of musical evenings.
- Every evening we used to take long walks on the beach.
- Fifty years ago, very few people used to own cars.
- Till the 1980s, Shanghai used to have very dirty streets.
- My uncle would spend his holidays by the sea.
- My uncle used to take long walks on the beach.
- My uncle used to be fond of musical evenings
- Emperor Akbar would talk to his advisor every morning.
Page No. 113:
Question II-2:
Given below are some nouns, and a set of modifiers (in the box).Combine the nouns and modifiers to make as any appropriate phrases as you can. (Hint: The nouns and modifiers are all the texts in this book.)
temple girls triangle dresses
person thoughts boys roar
gifts scream farewell expression
time subject landscape handkerchief
crossing flight chatterbox profession
physique coffee view celebration
college | rough | hundred | stone | Ordinary |
love | uncomfortable | white | slang | slack |
bare | railroad | tremendous | family | marriage |
plump | invigorating | panoramic | heartbreaking | birthday |
incorrigible | ridiculous | loud | first |
Solution :
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
Question 3-I:
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
Solution :
- 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 3-II:
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.
- My teacher gave me some advice. My teacher gave me a bit of advice.
- Can you give me some clay, please _____________________________.
- The information you gave was very useful.______________________.
- Because of these factories, smoke hangs over the city._________________.
- Two stones rubbed together can produce sparks of fire._____________________.
- He gave me some flowers on my birthday_______________________________.
Solution :
- My teacher gave me some advice. My teacher gave me a bit of advice.
- Can you give me some clay, please. Can you give me a lump of clay, please.
- The information you gave was very The piece of information you gave was very useful
useful. - Because of these factories, smoke Because of these factories, a cloud of smoke hangs over the city.
smoke hangs over the city. - Two stones rubbed together can
produce sparks of fire. Two pieces of stones rubbed together can produce sparks of fire. - He gave me some flowers on my birthday. He gave me a bunch of flowers on my birthday.