8

Thinking about the Text

 

Question:

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

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

3.    Why is Mij's species now known to the world as Maxwell' s otter?

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

plunges,  rolls  in  the water  and  makes  the water splosh and splash

Screws the tap in the wrong way

N uzzles Maxwell' s face and neck in the aeroplane

How Mijf eels or thinks

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

(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.

Answer:

1.    Mij was an intelligent animal. It had invented its own game out of the ping-pong balls. He was fond of water. He was intelligent enough that it screwed the tap till water bega n to flow and then it would play and splash in the water. Initially Mij was aloof and indifferent but soon became very friendly. It formed a special attachment with Maxwell we can say this after the incident, when Maxwell locked Mij in the box it became desperate to come out as it felt uncomfortable. When Maxwell took him out it clung to his feet. It was a fun-loving animal. It responded when Maxwell called out h is name

It enjoyed playing all kinds of games. It would play with a selection of toys, ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit, and a terrapin shell. It required love and affection from Maxwell and it got that readily.

2.    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.

3.    Maxwell's otter was of a race previously  unknown to science and was at length named  by zoologists Lutrogale perspicillata Maxwell or Maxwell's otter.

What Mij does 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

How Mij feels or thinks went wild with joy irritated an d disappointed distressed chitterof recognition and welcome

5.

 (i)  Maxwell's description shows that he is often surprised by what Mij does.

(ii)  Maxwell' s description of Mij's antics is comical.

(iii) Maxwell's description makes Mij seem almost human, like a small boy.

(iv) Maxwell's descripti on shows that he thinks Mij as a very ordinary otter.