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Question
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.
Solution
(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.
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Attempt the following question in 100 – 150 words.
What things does Mij do which tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal who needs love?
What are some of the things we come to know about otters from this text?
Why is Mij’s species now known to the world as Maxwell’s otter?
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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 | - |
Mijbil and the Tiger, both were looked after by humans. Assume they both meet each other in the zoo and have a conversation about their lifestyle and feelings. Write this conversation as per your understanding of Mijbil the Otter and A Tiger in the Zoo.
[You may begin like this
Tiger: Thanks for visiting me, though I don’t usually like visitors.
Mijbil: Oh? I would love visitors, I think.]
Read the following extract and answer the questions:
| 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. The second night Mijbil came on to my bed in the small hours and remained asleep in the crook of my knees until the servant brought tea in the morning, and during the day he began to lose his apathy and take a keen, much too keen, interest in his surroundings. 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. |
- Which of the following is not a reason why Mijbil came onto Maxwell’s bed in the small hours? (1)
- He had started taking interest in his surroundings.
- He was becoming friendly with Maxwell.
- He wanted to play with Maxwell on his bed.
- He wanted to feel safe and not remain indifferent.
- Maxwell says that Mijbil was neither hostile nor friendly, he was simply aloof and indifferent for the first twenty-four hours. Give reasons in not more than 40 words. (2)
- Read the following descriptions (A) - (D) and identify which one correctly corresponds to the extract. (1)
- Owning a pet is tedious and needs commitment.
- A pet needs his own space and time to get adjusted to his owner’s environment.
- Maxwell decided to bring Mijbil because he was very sad to lose his dog.
- Maxwell and Mijbil loved travelling.
- Which characteristic trait of otters is revealed when Mijbil is taken to the bathroom? (1)
