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NCERT · Class 10 · English

Chapter 6: Mijbil the Otter Fog

Practice each question, then open the answer or worked solution.

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Thinking about the Text (

Textbook page 110-111 · 5 questions
Q1Written answer

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

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Worked solution

Mij proved his intelligence when he invented his own game of ping-pong ball on a worn-out suitcase of Maxwell. Another instance of his intelligence was when he opened the tap in the bathroom and got into the tub, and played with water. Although initially, he was aloof and indifferent towards Maxwell, he gradually exhibited his friendly nature towards his owner. This is evident from the fact that he clung to Maxwell’s feet in the flight. He developed a close bond with the author in due course of time and proved to be a fun-loving animal when he developed games on his own and exhibited certain compulsive habits on his walks with Maxwell in the streets of London.

Q2Written answer

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

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Worked solution

Otters belong to a relatively small group of animals called Mustellines that is shared by badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others. They are mostly found in large numbers in marshy areas. Arabs tame them as pets. Otters love to play with water and splash in it. Maxwell’s otter was of an unknown race to science and was at length named by zoologists as Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli, hence, it is also known as Maxwell’s otter in short. We also came to know that otters are intelligent and fun-loving animals who invent and love to play their own games and are friendly to human beings.

Q3Written answer

Why is Mij’s species now known to the world as Maxwell’s otter?

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Worked solution

Maxwell’s otter was of an unknown race to science and was at length named by zoologists as Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli, hence, it is also known as Maxwell’s otter in short.

Q4Written answer

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
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Worked 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
Screws the tap in the wrong way Irritated and disappointed at the tap’s failure to cooperate
Nuzzles Maxwell’s face and neck in the aeroplane A distressed chitter of recognition and welcome
Q5Multiple choice

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

(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.

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Worked solution
  1. True. The statement – “He spent most of his time in play.”
  2. False
  3. True. The statement – “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.”
  4. True. The statement – “Marbles were Mij’s favourite toys for this pastime: he would lie on his back rolling two or more of them up and down his wide, flat belly without ever dropping one to the floor.
  5. True. The statement – “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.”
  6. False
  7. True. The statement – “It is not, I suppose, in any way strange that the average Londoner should not recognise an otter, but the variety of guesses as to what kind of animal this might be came as a surprise to me.”