NCERT Class 10 English – First Flight – Chapter 6: The Adventures of Mijbil the Otter
Exercise Questions: Short Answers & Simple Explanations
Oral Comprehension Check (Page 5)
Q1. What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?
Answer: He thought it would be suitable for keeping an otter as a pet.
Explanation: Maxwell believed the environment at Camusfearna was safe and ideal for the otter to live in.
Q2. Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?
Answer: He goes to Basra to get the otter. He waits for some time at the place to catch it safely.
Explanation: Maxwell waited patiently because he wanted to bring the otter home alive and unharmed.
Q3. How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this.
Answer: He catches it in a cage. Yes, he likes it very much. Words like “delighted” and “thrilled” show this.
Explanation: Maxwell’s happiness and care for the otter are evident from his description.
Q4. Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter’?
Answer: Because Maxwell was the first person to bring this otter to England and make it known to the world.
Explanation: The species became recognized internationally under Maxwell’s care.
Q5. Tick the right answer. In the beginning, the otter was
- aloof and indifferent ✅
- friendly
- hostile
Explanation: Initially, Mij did not respond warmly and kept to itself.
Q6. What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that?
Answer: The otter played in the water. Two days later, it began swimming freely in the bath.
Explanation: Mij quickly adapted to water and enjoyed bathing like a natural otter.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page 7)
Q1. How was Mij to be transported to England?
Answer: In a small box on the airplane.
Explanation: Maxwell used a secure box to safely carry Mij to England.
Q2. What did Mij do to the box?
Answer: It scratched and bit the box.
Explanation: Mij was curious and restless during travel.
Q3. Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this?
Answer: Because Mij was disturbing the passengers. Maxwell felt a little sad but knew it was necessary.
Explanation: He cared for Mij but also had to follow airline rules.
Q4. Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was “the very queen of her kind”?
Answer: Because she was very kind and gentle with the otter.
Explanation: The airhostess helped make the journey comfortable for Mij.
Q5. What happened when the box was opened?
Answer: Mij looked around and explored curiously.
Explanation: The otter was alert and active once free from the box.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page 9)
Q1. What game had Mij invented?
Answer: The game of chasing and playing with sticks and stones in water.
Explanation: Mij was intelligent and playful, creating fun games on its own.
Q2. What are ‘compulsive habits’? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of (i) school children (ii) Mij?
Answer: Compulsive habits are repeated actions. (i) School children like to clean their nails. (ii) Mij likes to bite everything and play with it.
Explanation: These are actions done regularly and instinctively.
Q3. What group of animals do otters belong to?
Answer: Otters belong to the weasel family (Mustelidae).
Explanation: They are mammals related to weasels.
Q4. What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?
Answer: They guessed it might be a dog, a cat, or a strange animal.
Explanation: Mij was unusual, so people were curious and confused.
Thinking About the Text
Q1. What things does Mij do which tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal who needs love?
Answer: He plays, nuzzles, learns tricks, and enjoys swimming.
Explanation: These actions show curiosity, affection, and intelligence.
Q2. What are some of the things we come to know about otters from this text?
Answer: Otters are playful, intelligent, friendly, and can bond with humans.
Explanation: Maxwell’s experience reveals their habits and personalities.
Q3. Why is Mij’s species now known to the world as Maxwell’s otter?
Answer: Because Maxwell brought it to England and introduced it to scientists and the public.
Explanation: Maxwell’s work made the species famous internationally.
Q4. Maxwell in the story speaks for the otter, Mij. Complete the table:
| What Mij does | How Mij feels or thinks |
|---|---|
| plunges, rolls in the water and makes the water splosh and splash | He feels happy and playful in water. |
| Screws the tap in the wrong way | He is curious and experimenting. |
| Nuzzles Maxwell’s face and neck in the aeroplane | He feels affectionate and seeks comfort. |
Q5. Maxwell’s description sentences:
Answer:
(i) Almost human – “He seemed like a little boy with a mind of his own.”
(ii) Often irritated – “I was rather annoyed at his antics.”
(iii) Often surprised – “I could not imagine that an otter could behave this way.”
(iv) Comical – “His jumping and splashing were very funny.”
(v) Observes carefully – “I watched him closely to learn his habits.”
(vi) Very ordinary – “Sometimes he behaved like any other animal.”
(vii) Very unusual – “He had a cleverness and playfulness uncommon among otters.”
Thinking About Language
I. Describing a Repeated Action in the Past
| Example | Sentence using would / used to |
|---|---|
| Emperor Akbar | Emperor Akbar would be fond of musical evenings. |
| Every evening we | Every evening we would take long walks on the beach. |
| Fifty years ago, very few people | Fifty years ago, very few people used to own cars. |
| Till the 1980s, Shanghai | Till the 1980s, Shanghai used to have very dirty streets. |
| My uncle | My uncle would spend his holidays by the sea. |
II. Noun Modifiers
1. Identify the type:
- An otter fixation – noun
- The iron railings – adjective + noun
- The Tigris marshes – proper noun
- The London streets – proper noun
- soft velvet fur – adjective + noun
- A four-footed soccer player – adjective + noun
III. Quantity Expressions
1. Match the words:
- 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
2. Use in sentences: Example – a bit of water, a lump of snow, a bunch of flowers, a cloud of smoke, a piece of cake.
Thinking About the Poem (Page 14 – Fog)
Q1. (i) What does Sandburg think the fog is like?
Answer: The fog is like a cat.
Explanation: It moves quietly, softly, and settles on things without noise.
Q1. (ii) How does the fog come?
Answer: It comes silently from the sea and creeps into the city.
Q1. (iii) What does ‘it’ in the third line refer to?
Answer: ‘It’ refers to the fog.
Q1. (iv) Does the poet actually say that the fog is like a cat? Find three things that tell us that the fog is like a cat.
Answer: Yes. (i) It sits quietly, (ii) moves slowly, (iii) covers everything gently.
Q2. Find metaphors for the following words:
| Storm | tiger – pounces over the fields, growls |
|---|---|
| Train | snake – winds along the tracks |
| Fire | dragon – spreads and roars |
| School | nest – houses children like young birds |
| Home | shell – protects the family inside |
Q3. Write a poem about a storm comparing it with an animal.
Answer: The storm is a lion, roaring across the sky. It lashes with wind like sharp claws, shakes the trees with its mighty paws, and then lies down quietly like a tired beast.
Q4. Does this poem have a rhyme scheme?
Answer: No, it is free verse with no regular rhyme.