Mijbil The Otter

Good morning, students! Welcome to today's English lesson. I am so happy to see all of you here, ready to learn something new and wonderful. Today, we are going to read a beautiful chapter from your English textbook, and it is about something that I think will capture your hearts immediately. We are going to learn about Mijbil the Otter, a story written by Gavin Maxwell. This is from your textbook First Flight, Chapter 6. So sit back, relax, and let us begin this wonderful journey together.

Before we start reading the actual story, students, let me tell you a little bit about the author. Gavin Maxwell was a writer who lived in Scotland, in a place called Camusfearna, which is in the West Highlands. Now, the West Highlands of Scotland is a beautiful region with mountains, lakes, and lots of water around. Gavin Maxwell lived in a cottage there, and he had a dog named Jonnie. When Jonnie died, Maxwell was very sad. In fact, the text tells us he was too sad to think about keeping another dog. But life without a pet can be very lonely, can't it? Many of you who have pets at home must know how it feels when your pet is not around. Maxwell felt this loneliness too, and that is when something interesting happened. But we will learn about that as we go along.

Now, students, before we read the story, let us look at the "Before You Read" section. This is very important because it prepares us for what we are about to read, and it also teaches us something valuable about being responsible pet owners.

Look at the first activity. The SPCA, which stands for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, has given some important guidelines about owning a pet. Let me explain this to you in simple words.

The SPCA says that owning a pet is a lifetime commitment. Do you know what commitment means, students? It means a promise that you make and you have to keep it for a very long time. For example, if you have a dog or a cat, they can live for ten years or even more. That is a big responsibility, isn't it? You cannot just get a puppy because it looks cute and then get tired of it after a few months. That would be very unfair to the animal.

The SPCA also tells us that before we get a pet, the whole family should agree to it. Why do you think that is important? Well, if one person in the family wants a pet but others do not, then the pet might not get enough love and care. Sometimes, children want a puppy because it is adorable, but then the responsibility of taking care of it falls on the parents. That can cause problems. So it is important that everyone in the family is ready for a pet.

Now, look at the list of things you should keep in mind before adopting a puppy. The text mentions several points. Let me go through them one by one so that you understand what each point means.

First, there should be an annual dog licence in accordance with government regulations. In many countries, including India, you need to register your dog with the local authorities. This helps in keeping track of dogs and ensures they are vaccinated and healthy.

Second, the pet should be given annual vaccination against major diseases. Just like we go to the doctor for vaccinations, our pets also need to be protected from diseases. This keeps them healthy and also prevents the spread of diseases to humans.

Third, toilet training. This is very important, students. When you get a puppy, you need to teach it where to do its business. This requires patience and time, but it is part of being a responsible pet owner.

Fourth, regular grooming and bathing. Just like we take a bath every day or every other day, our pets also need to be kept clean. Grooming means brushing their fur, cleaning their ears, trimming their nails, and so on. This keeps them healthy and comfortable.

Fifth, obedience training. This means teaching your pet basic commands like sit, stay, come, and so on. This helps in controlling the pet and also builds a bond between the owner and the pet.

Sixth, a balanced diet. Just like us, our pets need to eat the right kind of food to stay healthy. You cannot just feed them anything and everything. They need proper nutrition.

Seventh, socialisation. This is a very important point. The text says that many dogs are kept confined in cages or tied up to stop them from dirtying the garden or from chewing on shoes. The text clearly says this is wrong. Dogs are social animals, and they need to interact with people and other animals. They need to go out, play, and explore the world. Keeping them tied up all the time can make them sad and even aggressive.

Eighth, a daily dose of exercise, affection, and play. Dogs need to exercise to stay fit. They also need love and affection from their owners. And they need to play to keep themselves mentally stimulated and happy.

The SPCA also says that reading up on the subject beforehand is very important. There are many books available about how to care for different kinds of pets. So before you get a pet, it is a good idea to learn about what they need.

Now, students, let us look at the second activity. This is an activity where you have to imagine that someone has gifted you a pet, and with your partner's help, you need to make a list of things you need to know about the pet to take good care of it. One has been done for you, which is "The food it eats." Now you need to think about other things. What else would you need to know? Let me help you think about this. You would need to know what kind of environment the pet needs. Is it a water animal or a land animal? Does it need a cage or a open space? You would need to know about its sleeping habits. Does it sleep during the day or at night? You would need to know about its health. Does it need any special medical care? You would need to know about its temperament. Is it friendly or does it bite? You would need to know about its exercise needs. Does it need to go for walks? You would need to know about its lifespan. How long will it live? These are all important questions to ask when you get a pet.

Now, the third activity is very interesting. It talks about otters. Otters are found in large numbers in the marshes near Basra, which is a town in Iraq. The text says that these marshes are wet areas near lakes, rivers, or seas. Now, imagine you wanted to bring an otter from Iraq to London as a pet. What special arrangements would you need to make? The text gives us some information about Iraq and London to help us think about this.

Let us compare the two places. Iraq has mostly broad plains and marshes along the Iranian border in the south, with large flooded areas. A large part of Iraq's land area is desert. Iraq has cool winters and dry, hot and cloudless summers. The mountain areas near Iran and Turkey have cold winters with heavy snowfall. When the snow melts in spring, it causes floods in central and southern Iraq.

On the other hand, London has a large population and is a very busy city. It has multi-storeyed buildings, but also many open spaces or parks. London has a temperate climate, which means it is neither very hot nor very cold. It has regular but generally light rainfall or snow throughout the year. The warmest month is July, and the coolest is January. February is the driest month. Snow is not very common in London.

Now, students, think about what an otter needs. Otters are semi-aquatic animals, which means they spend a lot of time in water. In Iraq, they live in marshes where there is plenty of water. In London, you would need to provide them with a lot of water for swimming and playing. You would also need to think about the temperature. Otters are used to the warm climate of Iraq, so you would need to keep them warm in the cold London winters. You would also need to think about their food. In Iraq, they eat fish and other aquatic animals. You would need to arrange a steady supply of suitable food. You would also need to think about the legal aspects. There are laws about importing and exporting animals, especially wild animals. You would need to get the necessary permissions. And you would need to think about how to transport them safely over such a long distance.

So, students, as you can see, bringing an otter from Iraq to London is not a simple thing. It requires a lot of planning and arrangements. This is something we will see in the story as well.

Now, students, let us start reading the actual story. The story is divided into four parts, which the textbook shows as Sections I, II, III, and IV. Let us go through each part carefully.

Section I begins by telling us that in early 1956, Gavin Maxwell travelled to Southern Iraq. Now, students, 1956 is more than sixty years ago. Can you imagine what it would have been like to travel to Iraq in 1956? There were no mobile phones, no internet, and travel was much more difficult than it is today.

Now, Maxwell had a thought in his mind. He wanted to keep an otter instead of a dog. He thought that his home, Camusfearna, would be an eminently suitable spot for this experiment. The word "eminently" means very highly or to a great extent. So an "eminently suitable spot" means a very, very suitable place. Why did he think Camusfearna was suitable? Because it was ringed by water, meaning there was water all around it, and a stone's throw from its door. "A stone's throw" is an expression that means a very short distance. So there was water very close to his house. This would be perfect for an otter, which needs water to play and swim in.

Maxwell casually mentioned this to a friend, and his friend told him that he should get one from the Tigris marshes, because there they were as common as mosquitoes. "As common as mosquitoes" means there were a lot of them, just like there are a lot of mosquitoes in many places, especially in India during the monsoon season. The friend also said that the Arabs often tamed otters. So Maxwell decided to get an otter from the Tigris marshes.

Maxwell and his friend were going to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer their mail from Europe. At the Consulate-General, they found that the friend's mail had arrived but Maxwell's mail had not.

Now, students, think about what Maxwell did next. He cabled to England. "Cabled" means he sent a telegram. In those days, if you wanted to send a message quickly to another country, you would send a telegram, which was a message sent over wires. This was before the age of telephones and emails.

Three days later, nothing had happened, so Maxwell tried to telephone. But the call had to be booked twenty-four hours in advance. 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. So Maxwell could not make his telephone call. His friend left, and Maxwell arranged to meet him in a week's time. Five days later, Maxwell's mail arrived.

Now, students, can you imagine how frustrating this must have been? Maxwell was waiting for his mail, but it was delayed, and he could not even make a phone call to find out what was happening. This delay is going to be important in the story, as we will see.

Maxwell carried his mail to his bedroom to read, and there he found two Arabs sitting on the floor, with a sack beside them that squirmed from time to time. "Squirmed" means twisted about. So there was something alive inside the sack, moving around. The Arabs handed Maxwell a note from his friend that said, "Here is your otter..."

So, students, this is how Maxwell got his otter. His friend had arranged to send him an otter from the Tigris marshes. Wasn't that a surprise? Maxwell was probably not expecting this at all. But this is how Mijbil came into Maxwell's life.

Now, let us move on to Section II. This is where we learn more about Mijbil and what happened after Maxwell got him.

The text says that with the opening of that sack began a phase of Maxwell's thraldom that has not yet ended. "Thraldom" is an old-fashioned word that means being under the control of something or someone. Maxwell says it is a thraldom to otters, an otter fixation that he has since found to be shared by most other people who have ever owned one. This means that once you have an otter as a pet, you become very attached to them, and this happens to most people who own otters. It becomes a kind of obsession or strong attachment.

Now, let us see what the otter looked like when it came out of the sack. The creature that emerged from the sack onto the spacious tiled floor of the Consulate bedroom resembled most of all a very small, medievally-conceived dragon. "Medievally-conceived" refers to the Middle Ages, when people used to imagine dragons as being covered in scales. This otter was covered in symmetrical pointed scales of mud armour. Between these scales, you could see a soft velvet fur like that of a chocolate-brown mole. So the otter was covered in mud, and under the mud was beautiful brown fur.

Maxwell says he shook himself, and I half expected a cloud of dust. But in fact, it was not for another month that Maxwell managed to remove the last of the mud and see the otter in its true colours. So for a whole month, the otter was covered in mud, and only after a month of cleaning did Maxwell see what the otter really looked like.

Maxwell named the otter Mijbil. And Mijbil, as it turned out, was of a race previously unknown to science. This means that this was a new species of otter that had not been discovered before. Later, zoologists christened it Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell's otter. So the otter was named after Maxwell himself. This is a great honour, isn't it? When you discover something new, sometimes it is named after you.

Now, let us talk about how Mijbil behaved in the beginning. 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 Maxwell's bed as possible. "Aloof" means keeping a distance, not wanting to be close to anyone. "Indifferent" means not caring about anything. So Mijbil was not unfriendly, but he was not friendly either. He just wanted to be alone and kept his distance from Maxwell.

But on the second night, something changed. Mijbil came onto Maxwell's bed in the small hours and remained asleep in the crook of his knees until the servant brought tea in the morning. So Mijbil started to trust Maxwell and wanted to be close to him. During the day, he began to lose his apathy and take a keen, much too keen, interest in his surroundings. "Apathy" means absence of interest. So Mijbil was becoming more interested in what was around him.

Now, Maxwell made a body-belt for Mijbil and took him on a lead to the bathroom. This is like taking a dog for a walk, but instead of a leash, Maxwell used a body-belt. And what did Mijbil do in the bathroom? For half an hour, he went wild with joy in the water. He 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. This is amazing, isn't it? Mijbil absolutely loved the water. He was playing in the bathtub just like a child loves playing in a pool.

Maxwell tells us that this is a characteristic of otters. Every drop of water must be, so to speak, extended and spread about the place. A bowl must at once be overturned, or, if it will not be overturned, be sat in and sploshed in until it overflows. Water must be kept on the move and made to do things. When static it is wasted and provoking. So otters love water so much that they cannot leave it alone. They have to play with it, splash it, and move it around. If there is a bowl of water, they will overturn it or sit in it and splash until it overflows. This is their nature. They need to interact with water constantly.

Now, two days later, something interesting happened. Mijbil escaped from Maxwell's bedroom as Maxwell entered it. Maxwell turned to see Mijbil's tail disappearing round the bend of the corridor that led to the bathroom. By the time Maxwell got there, Mijbil was up on the end of the bathtub and fumbling at the chromium taps with his paws. "Fumbling" means trying to do something in a clumsy manner. So Mijbil was trying to turn on the tap with his paws. Maxwell watched, amazed. In less than a minute, Mijbil had turned the tap far enough to produce a trickle of water, and after a moment or two achieved the full flow. So Mijbil learned how to turn on the tap by himself. He had been lucky to turn the tap the right way. On later occasions, he would sometimes screw it up still tighter, chittering with irritation and disappointment at the tap's failure to cooperate. So sometimes Mijbil would turn the tap the wrong way and get frustrated when water did not come out.

Now, very soon Mij would follow Maxwell without a lead and come to Maxwell when he called Mijbil's name. So Mijbil became very tame and obedient. He would follow Maxwell around like a dog.

Mij spent most of his time in play. He spent hours shuffling a rubber ball round the room like a four-footed soccer player using all four feet to dribble the ball. He could also throw it, with a powerful flick of the neck, to a surprising height and distance. "Flick" means a quick, light movement. So Mijbil could toss the ball up in the air with a quick movement of his neck.

But the real play of an otter is when he lies on his back and juggles with small objects between his paws. 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. So Mijbil was very skilled at juggling marbles while lying on his back. This is quite remarkable, isn't it? Otters are very playful animals, and they love to play with toys.

Now, students, let me pause here and recap what we have learned so far. We learned that Maxwell wanted to keep an otter as a pet. He got Mijbil from the Tigris marshes in Iraq. Mijbil was a new species of otter, later named after Maxwell. At first, Mijbil was aloof, but then he became friendly and loved to play. He loved water and learned how to turn on the tap. He was very playful and loved to play with a rubber ball and marbles. This tells us that Mijbil was an intelligent, friendly, and fun-loving animal.

Now, let us look at the Oral Comprehension Check questions for this section. I want you to answer these questions in your own words.

The first question is: What 'experiment' did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?

Maxwell thought that Camusfearna would be suitable for the experiment of keeping an otter as a pet instead of a dog. He thought that because the house was surrounded by water, it would be a perfect place for an otter to live.

The second question is: Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?

He goes to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer his mail from Europe. He waits there for more than a week. He waits because his mail did not arrive initially, and then he had trouble making telephone calls due to technical problems and a religious holiday. His friend left after a week, and Maxwell arranged to meet him in a week's time. Five days later, his mail arrived. So in total, he waited for about twelve days.

The third question is: How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this.

He gets the otter from two Arabs who come to his bedroom with a sack. They hand him a note from his friend that says, "Here is your otter..." Does he like it? Let us look at the words that tell us this. The text says that when Mijbil came onto his bed on the second night and slept in the crook of his knees, it shows that Maxwell was growing fond of the otter. Also, Maxwell named the otter Mijbil, which shows he liked him. And when Mijbil played in the water, Maxwell watched with amazement and joy. So yes, he definitely liked the otter.

The fourth question is: Why was the otter named 'Maxwell's otter'?

The otter was named 'Maxwell's otter' because it was of a race previously unknown to science. Zoologists christened it Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell's otter, after Maxwell who had discovered and brought this new species to the attention of the scientific world.

The fifth question is: Tick the right answer. In the beginning, the otter was (a) aloof and indifferent, (b) friendly, (c) hostile.

The correct answer is (a) aloof and indifferent. The text clearly says that for the first twenty-four hours Mijbil was neither hostile nor friendly; he was simply aloof and indifferent.

The sixth question is: What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that?

When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, Mijbil went wild with joy in the water. He plunged and rolled in it, shooting up and down the length of the bathtub underwater, and made enough slosh and splash for a hippo. Two days after that, Mijbil escaped from the bedroom and went to the bathroom, where he turned on the tap by himself and played with the water.

Now, students, let us continue with Section III. This is a very exciting part of the story because it describes how Maxwell transported Mijbil to England.

The days passed peacefully at Basra, but Maxwell dreaded the prospect of transporting Mij to England and to Camusfearna. "Dreaded the prospect" means he was very afraid of what was going to happen. He was worried about how to get Mijbil all the way to England.

The British airline to London would not fly animals, so Maxwell booked a flight to Paris on another airline, and from there to London. The airline insisted that Mij should be packed into a box not more than eighteen inches square, to be carried on the floor at his feet. So the box was very small, only eighteen inches square. That is quite small for an otter, isn't it?

Maxwell had a box made, and an hour before they started, he put Mij into the box so that he would become accustomed to it, and then Maxwell left for a hurried meal.

When Maxwell returned, there was an appalling spectacle. "An appalling spectacle" means a shocking scene. There was complete silence from the box, but from its airholes and chinks around the lid, blood had trickled and dried. Maxwell whipped off the lock and tore open the lid, and Mij, exhausted and blood-spattered, whimpered and caught at Maxwell's leg. He had torn the lining of the box to shreds. So Mijbil had tried to escape from the box and had hurt himself in the process. He had torn the inside of the box with his claws or teeth, and there was blood everywhere.

When Maxwell removed the last of the lining so that there were no cutting edges left, it was just ten minutes until the time of the flight, and the airport was five miles distant. So Maxwell had to act quickly. He put the miserable Mij back into the box, holding down the lid with his hand.

Now, Maxwell sat in the back of the car with the box beside him as the driver tore through the streets of Basra like a ricocheting bullet. "Ricocheting bullet" means a bullet which changes direction after hitting a surface. So the driver was driving very fast, like a bullet bouncing around. The aircraft was waiting to take off. Maxwell was rushed through to it by infuriated officials. "Infuriated" means very angry. The officials were angry because Maxwell was late.

Luckily, the seat booked for Maxwell was at the extreme front. He covered the floor around his feet with newspapers, rang for the air hostess, and gave her a parcel of fish to keep in a cool place. Maxwell took her into his confidence about the events of the last half hour. "Took her into his confidence" means he shared his experiences or secrets with her. Maxwell told the air hostess everything that had happened.

Maxwell says he has retained the most profound admiration for that air hostess. She was the very queen of her kind. She suggested that Maxwell might prefer to have his pet on his knee, and he could have kissed her hand in the depth of his gratitude. But, not knowing otters, he was quite unprepared for what followed.

Now, what happened next? Mij was out of the box in a flash. He disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. There were squawks and shrieks, and a woman stood up on her seat screaming out, "A rat! A rat!" So the passengers thought Mijbil was a rat. Maxwell caught sight of Mij's tail disappearing beneath the legs of a portly white-turbaned Indian. Diving for it, Maxwell missed, but found his face covered in curry. "Perhaps," said the air hostess with the most charming smile, "it would be better if you resumed your seat, and I will find the animal and bring it to you."

Maxwell returned to his seat. He was craning his neck trying to follow the hunt when suddenly he heard from his feet a distressed chitter of recognition and welcome, and Mij bounded onto his knee and began to nuzzle his face and his neck. "Nuzzle" means to rub gently with the nose. So Mijbil was very happy to see Maxwell again and was showing his love and affection.

Now, students, let me recap this section. Maxwell was worried about how to transport Mijbil to England. He booked a flight to Paris and then to London. The airline made him put Mijbil in a small box. Mijbil tried to escape and hurt himself. Maxwell had to put him back in the box. They rushed to the airport and got on the plane. On the plane, Mijbil escaped from the box and ran around the aircraft, causing chaos. The passengers thought he was a rat. But eventually, Mijbil came back to Maxwell and nuzzled his face. This shows that Mijbil was very attached to Maxwell and was happy to be with him again.

Now, let us look at the Oral Comprehension Check questions for this section.

The first question is: How was Mij to be transported to England?

Mij was to be transported by air. Maxwell booked a flight to Paris on one airline, and then from Paris to London on another airline. Mij was to be packed into a box not more than eighteen inches square and carried on the floor at Maxwell's feet.

The second question is: What did Mij do to the box?

Mij tore the lining of the box to shreds. He tried to escape from the box and hurt himself in the process. There was blood on the box and all around.

The third question is: Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this?

Maxwell put the otter back in the box because he had to catch his flight to Paris. It was just ten minutes until the time of the flight, and the airport was five miles away. He had no choice but to put Mij back in the box and rush to the airport. How do you think he felt? He must have felt very anxious and worried. He was probably feeling guilty for putting Mij back in the box after seeing him bleed and whimper. He must have been very stressed about missing his flight and about Mij's condition.

The fourth question is: Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was "the very queen of her kind"?

Maxwell says the air hostess was "the very queen of her kind" because she was extremely kind and helpful. She suggested that Maxwell might prefer to have his pet on his knee, which was a very thoughtful suggestion. She also offered to find the animal and bring it back to Maxwell. She was calm and charming even in a difficult situation, and she helped Maxwell a lot. So Maxwell was very grateful to her and admired her greatly.

The fifth question is: What happened when the box was opened?

When the box was opened, Mij was out of it in a flash. He disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. There were squawks and shrieks from the passengers. A woman screamed that it was a rat. Maxwell tried to catch Mij but missed. He ended up with his face covered in curry. The air hostess then offered to find the animal and bring it back. Eventually, Mij came back to Maxwell on his own and began to nuzzle his face and neck.

Now, students, let us move on to Section IV. This section tells us about Maxwell and Mij's life in London after they arrived from Iraq.

After an eventful journey, Maxwell and his otter reached London, where Maxwell had a flat. Mij and Maxwell remained in London for nearly a month.

Mij would play for hours with a selection of toys, ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit, and a terrapin shell that Maxwell had brought back from his native marshes. "Terrapin" is a small turtle found in North America. So Maxwell had brought back a terrapin shell from Iraq as a souvenir for Mij.

With the ping-pong ball, Mij invented a game of his own which could keep him engrossed for up to half an hour at a time. "Engrossed" means completely interested in something. What was this game? A suitcase that Maxwell 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. So Mijbil invented a game where he would put a ping-pong ball on the high end of a sloping suitcase lid, and the ball would roll down. Then Mij would run to the other end, hide, wait for the ball to come, and then pounce on it. This shows that Mijbil was very intelligent and creative. He could invent his own games.

Now, outside the house, Maxwell exercised Mij on a lead, precisely as if he had been a dog. So Maxwell would take Mij for walks on a leash, just like you would walk a dog.

Mij quickly developed certain compulsive habits on these walks in the London streets. "Compulsive habits" are habits that are impossible to control. Maxwell says these were like the rituals of children who on their way to and from school must place their feet squarely on the centre of each paving block; must touch every seventh upright of the iron railings, or pass to the outside of every second lamp post. So Mijbil had certain rituals or habits that he had to do every time they went for a walk. This is very similar to how some children have certain habits, like stepping on cracks in the pavement.

Opposite to Maxwell's flat was a single-storied primary school, along whose frontage ran a low wall some two feet high. On his way home, but never on his way out, Mij would tug Maxwell to this wall, jump on to it, and gallop the full length of its thirty yards, to the hopeless distraction both of pupils and of staff within. So Mijbil had a habit of jumping on the wall outside the school and running along it. This would distract the students and teachers inside the school. They probably found it very amusing or distracting to see an otter running along the wall.

Now, the text says that it is not, in any way strange that the average Londoner should not recognise an otter. Otters are not commonly seen in London, so people did not know what Mijbil was. But the variety of guesses as to what kind of animal this might be came as a surprise to Maxwell.

Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines, shared by the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others. So otters are part of the Mustelid family, which includes animals like badgers, mongooses, weasels, stoats, and minks.

Maxwell faced a continuous barrage of conjectural questions that sprayed all the Mustellines but the otter. "A barrage of conjectural questions" means a stream of questions filled with guesses. More random guesses hit on 'a baby seal' and 'a squirrel.' 'Is that a walrus, mister?' reduced Maxwell to giggles, and outside a dog show he heard 'a hippo'. A beaver, a bear cub, a leopard — one, apparently, that had changed its spots — and a 'brontosaur'; Mij was anything but an otter. So people guessed all sorts of animals, but no one guessed that it was an otter. This is quite funny, isn't it? People in London had never seen an otter, so they had no idea what it was.

But the question for which Maxwell awarded the highest score came from a labourer digging a hole in the street. Maxwell was still far from him when he laid down his tool, put his hands on his hips, and began to stare. As Maxwell drew nearer, he saw his expression of surprise and affront, as though he would have Maxwell know that he was not one upon whom to play jokes. Maxwell came abreast of him; he spat, glared, and then growled out, "Here, Mister — what is that supposed to be?" So this labourer was very confused and a bit angry. He could not understand what animal Mijbil was, and he thought maybe Maxwell was playing a joke on him.

Now, students, let me recap this section. Maxwell and Mij lived in London for a month. Mij played with various toys and invented his own games. He went for walks on a lead, just like a dog. He developed compulsive habits, like running along the wall outside a school. People in London did not recognise Mijbil as an otter and made various guesses about what he was.

Now, let us look at the Oral Comprehension Check questions for this section.

The first question is: What game had Mij invented?

Mij invented a game with a ping-pong ball and a damaged suitcase. He would place the ball on the high end of the sloping suitcase lid, and it would roll down. He would then run to the other end, hide, wait for the ball, pounce on it, and then carry it back to the high end to start again. This game could keep him engrossed for up to half an hour at a time.

The second question is: What are 'compulsive habits'? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of (i) school children (ii) Mij?

Compulsive habits are habits that are impossible to control. Maxwell says that school children have rituals like placing their feet squarely on the centre of each paving block, touching every seventh upright of the iron railings, or passing to the outside of every second lamp post. Mij's compulsive habits included tugging Maxwell to a low wall outside a school, jumping on it, and galloping the full length of its thirty yards on his way home.

The third question is: What group of animals do otters belong to?

Otters belong to a group of animals called Mustellines, which also includes badgers, mongooses, weasels, stoats, and minks.

The fourth question is: What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?

The Londoners guessed that Mij was a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard, and even a brontosaur. Basically, they guessed every animal except an otter.

Now, students, we have finished reading the story. But there are some more questions in the textbook under "Thinking about the Text" and "Thinking about the Language" sections. Let me go through those as well.

First, let us look at "Thinking about the Text" question 1: What things does Mij do which tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal who needs love?

Let me think about this carefully. Mij is intelligent because he learned how to turn on the tap in the bathroom by himself. He invented his own games, like the game with the ping-pong ball and the suitcase. He also learned to follow Maxwell without a lead and come when called by name.

Mij is friendly because he eventually became very close to Maxwell. He would sleep on Maxwell's bed in the crook of his knees. He would nuzzle Maxwell's face and neck to show affection. He was happy to see Maxwell after being separated on the aeroplane.

Mij is fun-loving because he loved to play. He would play with a rubber ball, marbles, and other toys for hours. He loved to splash in water and play games. He had compulsive habits that were like fun rituals.

Mij needs love because he became very attached to Maxwell. He wanted to be close to Maxwell and showed distress when they were separated. He sought affection from Maxwell and was happy when they were together.

Now, question 2: What are some of the things we come to know about otters from this text?

From this text, we learn that otters are semi-aquatic animals that love water. They love to play in water and splash around. They are very playful and enjoy playing with toys. They are intelligent and can learn to do things like turn on taps. They can be tamed and kept as pets. They belong to a group of animals called Mustellines. They are found in the Tigris marshes in Iraq. They have a velvet-like fur that is chocolate-brown in colour. They are very agile and can move quickly. They have compulsive habits and like to have routines. They are social animals and need companionship.

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

Mij's species is now known as Maxwell's otter because it was a race previously unknown to science. When Maxwell brought Mij to the attention of zoologists, they studied him and discovered that he belonged to a new species. They named this species Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, with "maxwelli" honouring Maxwell. So the species is named after Maxwell because he was the one who discovered it.

Now, 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.

The table is:

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 | ?

Let me fill in the answers.

When Mij plunges, rolls in the water and makes the water splosh and splash, he feels immense joy and excitement. He loves water and finds it thrilling to play in it. Maxwell describes this as Mij going "wild with joy."

When Mij screws the tap in the wrong way, he feels irritation and disappointment. The text says he would sometimes screw it up still tighter, chittering with irritation and disappointment at the tap's failure to cooperate. So he feels frustrated when the water does not come out.

When Mij nuzzles Maxwell's face and neck in the aeroplane, he feels recognition and welcome. He is happy to be back with Maxwell after their separation. The text says there was a "distressed chitter of recognition and welcome," and then Mij bounded onto Maxwell's knee and began to nuzzle him. So he feels love and affection for Maxwell and is relieved to be with him again.

Now, 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.

The statements are:

(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.

Let me think about each statement.

(i) makes Mij seem almost human, like a small boy: Yes, Maxwell describes Mij in ways that make him seem like a child. For example, he says Mij would play for hours with toys, like a child. He describes Mij's games and his rituals in a way that shows he sees human qualities in the otter.

(ii) shows that he is often irritated with what Mij does: There are moments when Maxwell shows irritation, like when Mij turns the tap the wrong way and gets frustrated, or when Mij makes a mess with water. But overall, he seems more amused than irritated.

(iii) shows that he is often surprised by what Mij does: Yes, Maxwell is often surprised. He is surprised when Mij turns on the tap by himself. He is surprised when Mij invents his own games. He is surprised by the guesses people make about Mij.

(iv) of Mij's antics is comical: Yes, Maxwell finds Mij's antics funny. The way Mij plays with the ball, the way he runs along the wall, the way he tries to turn on the tap - all of these are described in a comical way.

(v) shows that he observes the antics of Mij very carefully: Yes, Maxwell observes Mij very closely. He notices every little thing Mij does, like how he turns the tap, how he plays with marbles, how he runs along the wall. He describes these things in great detail.

(vi) shows that he thinks Mij is a very ordinary otter: No, Maxwell does not think Mij is ordinary. In fact, he says Mij was of a race previously unknown to science. He thinks Mij is very special and unusual.

(vii) shows that he thinks the otter is very unusual: Yes, Maxwell definitely thinks Mij is unusual. He is amazed by Mij's intelligence and creativity. He is surprised by the things Mij does. He even got a new species named after him.

So the correct statements are (i), (iii), (iv), (v), and (vii).

Now, students, let us move on to "Thinking about the Language" section. This section has some important grammar lessons.

First, let us look at "Describing a Repeated Action in the Past." To talk about something that happened regularly in the past, but does not happen any longer, we use "would" or "used to." Both "would" and "used to" can describe repeated actions in the past.

Let me give you some examples from the text:

(a) Mij would follow me without a lead and come to me when I called his name. (b) He would play for hours with a selection of toys. (c) On his way home... Mij would tug me to this wall.

These sentences describe actions that happened repeatedly in the past. Now, we can also use "used to" for repeated actions:

(d) When I was five years old, I used to follow my brother all over the place. (e) He used to tease me when Mother was not around.

Now, here is an important point: To describe repeated states or situations in the past, however, we use only "used to." We cannot use "would" for states or situations in the past. So we do not use "would" with verbs like "be," "have," "believe," etc.

Look at the following sentences:

(a) When we were young, we used to believe there were ghosts in school. (Note: "believe" shows a state of mind.) (b) Thirty years ago, more women used to be housewives than now. (Note: "be" here describes a situation.)

So remember: for actions, you can use either "would" or "used to." For states or situations, you must use "used to."

Now, there is an exercise where you have to make sentences using "would" and/or "used to" as appropriate. Let me help you with this.

The table is:

| | | | |:---|:---|:---| | Emperor Akbar | | be fond of musical evenings. | | Every evening we | would | take long walks on the beach. | | Fifty years ago, very few people | | own cars. | | Till the 1980s, Shanghai | used to | have very dirty streets. | | My uncle | | spend his holidays by the sea. |

Let me fill in the blanks:

Emperor Akbar was fond of musical evenings. This is a state, so we should use "used to": Emperor Akbar used to be fond of musical evenings.

Every evening we would take long walks on the beach. This is an action, so we can use "would": Every evening we would take long walks on the beach.

Fifty years ago, very few people owned cars. This is a state, so we should use "used to": Fifty years ago, very few people used to own cars.

Till the 1980s, Shanghai had very dirty streets. This is a state, so we should use "used to": Till the 1980s, Shanghai used to have very dirty streets.

My uncle spent his holidays by the sea. This is an action, so we can use either "would" or "used to": My uncle would spend his holidays by the sea. OR My uncle used to spend his holidays by the sea.

Now, the exercise also says to add two or three sentences of your own. Let me give you some examples:

- When I was a child, I used to play cricket every evening. - My grandmother would tell us stories before we slept. - There used to be a big mango tree in our backyard.

Now, let us move on to the next part, which is about Noun Modifiers. To describe or give more information about a noun, we use adjectives or adjectival phrases. But nouns can also be used as modifiers.

Look at these examples from the text:

(a) An eminently suitable spot (Here "eminently suitable" is an adjectival phrase.) (b) His wide, flat belly (Here "wide, flat" are adjectives.) (c) Symmetrical pointed scales (Here "symmetrical pointed" is an adjectival phrase.) (d) A ricocheting bullet (Here "ricocheting" is a present participle acting as an adjective.)

Now, nouns can also be used as modifiers:

(a) The dinner party (Here "dinner" is a noun modifying "party.") (b) A designer dress (Here "designer" is a noun modifying "dress.") (c) The car keys (Here "car" is a noun modifying "keys.")

We can use more than one noun as modifier. Proper nouns can also be used:

(a) The Christmas dinner party (Here "Christmas" is a proper noun, and "dinner" is a noun, both modifying "party.") (b) A silk designer dress (Here "silk" and "designer" are both nouns modifying "dress.") (c) The Maruti car keys (Here "Maruti" is a proper noun, and "car" is a noun, both modifying "keys.")

In the examples below, there is an adjectival phrase in front of a noun modifier:

(a) The lovely Christmas party (Here "lovely" is an adjective, "Christmas" is a proper noun, and "party" is the noun.) (b) A trendy silk designer dress (Here "trendy" is an adjective, "silk" and "designer" are nouns, and "dress" is the noun.) (c) The frightfully expensive golden Maruti car keys (Here "frightfully expensive golden" are adjectives, "Maruti" is a proper noun, "car" is a noun, and "keys" is the noun.)

Now, there is an exercise where you have to look at examples from the text and say whether the modifiers are nouns, proper nouns, or adjective plus noun.

The examples are:

(i) An otter fixation: Here "otter" is a noun modifying "fixation." So it is a noun.

(ii) The iron railings: Here "iron" is a noun modifying "railings." So it is a noun.

(iii) The Tigris marshes: Here "Tigris" is a proper noun (the name of a river) modifying "marshes." So it is a proper noun.

(iv) The London streets: Here "London" is a proper noun (the name of a city) modifying "streets." So it is a proper noun.

(v) soft velvet fur: Here "soft velvet" is an adjective plus a noun. "Soft" is an adjective, and "velvet" is a noun being used as an adjective to describe the fur. So it is an adjective plus noun.

(vi) A four-footed soccer player: Here "four-footed" is an adjective (or more precisely, a compound adjective), and "soccer" is a noun. Both modify "player." So it is an adjective plus noun.

Now, there is another exercise where you have to combine nouns and modifiers to make appropriate phrases. Let me help you with this.

The nouns are: temple, girls, triangle, dresses, person, thoughts, boys, roar, gifts, scream, farewell, expression, time, subject, landscape, handkerchief, crossing, flight, chatterbox, profession, physique, coffee, view, celebration.

The modifiers are: college, rough, hundred, stone, ordinary, love, uncomfortable, white, slang, slack, bare, railroad, tremendous, family, marriage, plump, invigorating, panoramic, heartbreaking, birthday, incorrigible, ridiculous, loud, first, three.

Let me make some phrases:

- college temple (a temple near a college) - rough boys (boys who are rough) - hundred gifts (a hundred gifts) - stone expression (an expression as hard as stone) - white wedding (a wedding with a white theme) - first flight (the first flight) - loud scream (a loud scream) - panoramic view (a panoramic view) - birthday celebration (a birthday celebration) - incorrigible chatterbox (someone who talks too much and cannot be corrected) - family marriage (a marriage within the family) - invigorating coffee (coffee that makes you feel fresh)

There are many more combinations you can make. Try to make as many as you can.

Now, the next part is about phrases like "a cloud of dust." The author uses "a cloud of dust" to give a picture of a large quantity of dust. Phrases like this indicate a particular quantity of something that is not usually countable. For example: a bit of land, a drop of blood, a pinch of salt, a piece of paper.

There is an exercise where you have to match words on the left with words on the right:

(i) a portion of – blood, cotton, fried fish (ii) a pool of – blood, cotton, stones (iii) flakes of – snow, gold, stones (iv) a huge heap of – gold, stones, fried fish (v) a gust of – wind, snow (vi) little drops of – water, blood (vii) a piece of – paper, cotton (viii) a pot of – coffee, gold

Let me match them:

(i) a portion of – fried fish (a portion of fried fish) (ii) a pool of – blood (a pool of blood) (iii) flakes of – snow (snowflakes) (iv) a huge heap of – gold (a huge heap of gold) (v) a gust of – wind (a gust of wind) (vi) little drops of – water (little drops of water) (vii) a piece of – paper (a piece of paper) (viii) a pot of – coffee (a pot of coffee)

Now, there is another exercise where you have to use "a bit of/a piece of/a bunch of/a cloud of/a lump of" with the italicised nouns in the following sentences.

(i) My teacher gave me some advice. → My teacher gave me a bit of advice.

(ii) Can you give me some clay, please. → Can you give me a piece of clay, please?

(iii) The information you gave was very useful. → The piece of information you gave was very useful. OR The bit of information you gave was very useful.

(iv) Because of these factories, smoke hangs over the city. → Because of these factories, a cloud of smoke hangs over the city.

(v) Two stones rubbed together can produce sparks of fire. → Two lumps of stone rubbed together can produce sparks of fire.

(vi) He gave me some flowers on my birthday. → He gave me a bunch of flowers on my birthday.

Now, students, we have covered all the language exercises. Let me now move on to the "Speaking" and "Writing" activities.

The "Speaking" activity says: You have seen how Maxwell describes Mij the otter's feelings and thoughts by watching him. Play the game of dumb charades. Take turns to express a feeling or thought silently, through gestures. Let the class speak out their guesses about the feelings or thoughts you are trying to express.

This is a fun activity. In dumb charades, you have to act out a word or phrase without speaking, and others have to guess what it is. In this case, you have to express feelings or thoughts through gestures. For example, you could act out happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, love, etc. Your classmates have to guess what feeling or thought you are trying to express. This helps you understand how Maxwell was able to understand Mij's feelings just by watching him.

The "Writing" activity says: Write a description of a person or an animal (such as a pet) that you know very well and love very much. Questions (4) and (5) in 'Thinking about the Text' will have given you some idea about how to do this. Mention some things the person or animal does, what you think the person or animal feels, etc.

So, students, for this activity, you need to write about a person or an animal that you know well and love. You should describe what they do, what you think they feel, and why you love them. You can use some of the techniques that Maxwell used in his story, like describing the person's or animal's actions in detail and guessing their thoughts and feelings.

Now, students, we have one more thing to cover in this chapter. After the story of Mijbil the Otter, there is a poem called "Fog" by Carl Sandburg. Let me read this poem to you:

The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbour and city on silent haunches and then moves on.

Now, let me explain this poem to you. The poet, Carl Sandburg, describes fog as if it were a cat. He says the fog comes on little cat feet, meaning it comes silently and softly, like a cat walking. It sits looking over the harbour and city on silent haunches. "Haunches" means the back legs and hindquarters of an animal. When a cat sits, it sits on its haunches. So the fog is sitting over the harbour and city like a cat sitting and looking around. And then it moves on, just like a cat would move on after sitting for a while.

Now, let me answer the questions about the poem.

Question 1: (i) What does Sandburg think the fog is like? Sandburg thinks the fog is like a cat.

(ii) How does the fog come? The fog comes on little cat feet, meaning it comes silently and softly.

(iii) What does 'it' in the third line refer to? "It" refers to the fog.

(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. No, the poet does not actually say the fog is "like" a cat. But there are three things that tell us the fog is like a cat: (1) It comes on little cat feet. (2) It sits looking over harbour and city on silent haunches. (3) It then moves on. All of these actions are like what a cat does.

Question 2: (i) Find metaphors for the following words and complete the table below. Also try to say how they are alike. The first is done for you.

| Storm | tiger | pounces over the fields, growls | |-------|-------|--------------------------------| | Train | | | | Fire | | | | School | | | | Home | | |

Let me fill in the metaphors:

- Train: A train is like a snake. It moves along the tracks like a snake slithering. It is long and can be fast. - Fire: Fire is like a hungry monster. It eats up everything in its path. It is destructive and cannot be stopped easily. - School: School is like a factory. It produces educated individuals, just like a factory produces goods. - Home: Home is like a nest. It is a warm and safe place where you belong, just like a bird's nest.

(ii) Think about a storm. Try to visualise the force of the storm, hear the sound of the storm, feel the power of the storm and the sudden calm that happens afterwards. Write a poem about the storm comparing it with an animal.

This is a creative writing exercise. You have to write a poem about a storm and compare it to an animal. For example, you could compare a storm to a lion that roars and pounces on the land. Or you could compare it to a horse that gallops across the sky. Use your imagination and describe the storm using the actions and characteristics of an animal.

Question 3: Does this poem have a rhyme scheme? Poetry that does not have an obvious rhythm or rhyme is called 'free verse'.

This poem does not have a rhyme scheme. It does not follow a specific pattern of rhyming words. So this poem is an example of "free verse."

Now, students, we have covered the entire chapter. Let me give you a summary of everything we have learned today.

In this chapter, we read the story of Mijbil the Otter by Gavin Maxwell. The story is about how Maxwell got an otter from the Tigris marshes in Iraq and brought him to England. We learned about the responsibilities of owning a pet, the journey of transporting Mijbil to England, and the life they shared in London. We also learned about the characteristics of otters and how intelligent and playful they are.

We answered all the Oral Comprehension Check questions, which helped us understand the story better. We also answered the Thinking about the Text questions, where we discussed Mijbil's intelligence, friendliness, and need for love. We learned about the grammar topics of "would" and "used to" for describing repeated actions in the past, and noun modifiers. We also learned about phrases like "a cloud of dust" that indicate quantities of things.

We covered the Speaking and Writing activities, which will help you practice describing animals and expressing feelings through gestures. And finally, we read the poem "Fog" by Carl Sandburg and learned about metaphors and free verse.

This chapter teaches us about the bond between humans and animals. It shows us how Mijbil became an important part of Maxwell's life, and how Maxwell learned to understand and care for his unusual pet. It also teaches us about the importance of being responsible pet owners and respecting wildlife.

Students, I hope you enjoyed this lesson as much as I enjoyed teaching it. Remember to be kind to animals and to always take responsibility for any pet you have. Thank you for listening, and I will see you in the next lesson. Goodbye!