Mijbil the Otter

Given: Maxwell is thinking about his home, Camusfearna, in the Scottish Highlands.

Maxwell thought that Camusfearna, with its ring of bright water and the surrounding wilderness, would be a suitable place to keep an otter as a pet. He had long had what he called 'an otter fixation' — a strong desire to keep an otter — and he believed the streams, lochs, and open spaces around Camusfearna would provide the perfect natural environment for such an experiment in keeping an otter as a companion animal.

Given: Maxwell is a writer who has been travelling.

Maxwell goes to Basra (in Iraq) to meet a friend who works for the Consulate-General there. He has to wait for about a month in Basra because he is waiting for his mail to arrive. During this wait, his friend suggests that he get an otter from the local Marsh Arabs, since otters are very common in the marshes near Basra.

Given: Maxwell is staying in Basra.

Maxwell gets the otter through two Arabs who are employed by his friend. They bring him a young otter as a gift. Yes, Maxwell clearly likes the otter very much. The words that tell us this are: he describes the otter as having 'a face that was not, it seemed to me, entirely devoid of humour and intelligence.' He also says the otter was 'the colour of milk chocolate' with 'symmetrical pointed scales' — showing he observes it with great affection and admiration. His immediate interest and care for the animal also indicate his fondness.

Given: The otter belonged to a species not yet known to science.

The otter that Maxwell brought home turned out to belong to a species that was previously unknown to science. Since Maxwell was the person who first brought this species to the attention of the scientific world, the species was named after him — it was called 'Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli', or Maxwell's otter. This is a standard scientific practice of naming a newly discovered species after its discoverer.

Correct answer: aloof and indifferent

Justification: In the beginning, the otter (before it was named Mij) showed no interest in Maxwell. It was neither friendly nor hostile — it simply ignored him, remaining aloof and indifferent to his presence.

Given: Maxwell had brought Mij to his hotel room in Basra.

When Maxwell took Mij to the bathroom, the otter went wild with joy in the water. It plunged, rolled, and made the water splash everywhere. It was clearly in its element and thoroughly enjoyed itself.

Two days later, Mij escaped from Maxwell's bedroom and made his way to the bathroom on his own. Maxwell found him up on the end of the bathtub, fumbling at the chromium taps with his paws. In less than a minute, Mij had turned the tap far enough to produce a trickle of water, and soon achieved the full flow. This showed remarkable intelligence and initiative on Mij's part.

Given: Maxwell needed to take Mij from Basra to London.

Mij was to be transported to England by aeroplane. Since the airline's rules required that any animal must be carried in a box in the hold of the aircraft (not in the passenger cabin), Maxwell had a box made for Mij. The box had a wire-mesh front so that Mij could breathe and see out.

Given: Mij was placed in the box before the flight.

Mij was extremely distressed at being confined in the box. He fought and scratched at the box desperately. By the time Maxwell returned to the box (after being delayed), he found that Mij had torn the lining of the box to shreds. The zinc sheeting inside had been torn off, and Mij had bloodied his paws and nose in his frantic attempts to escape. The box was in a terrible state.

Given: Mij had escaped from the box and was running loose in the aircraft.

Maxwell put Mij back in the box because the airline rules required that the animal be kept in the box during the flight. He had no choice but to comply with the regulations.

Maxwell must have felt very distressed and guilty when he put Mij back in the box, because he had already seen how much Mij suffered inside it. He knew the otter was frightened and in pain from his earlier attempts to escape. Putting him back must have been a very difficult and painful decision for Maxwell, who clearly loved his pet deeply.

Given: Mij had escaped and was running loose in the aircraft, causing chaos.

Maxwell calls the air hostess 'the very queen of her kind' because she handled the chaotic situation with extraordinary grace, charm, and efficiency. When Mij escaped and ran down the aisle causing panic among the passengers, the air hostess calmly and politely asked Maxwell to return to his seat while she would find the animal and bring it to him. Her composure, kindness, and professional handling of a very unusual and embarrassing situation impressed Maxwell greatly, hence the high praise.

Given: Maxwell had to open the box before the flight to rearrange Mij.

When the box was opened (just before the flight, as Maxwell was trying to rearrange the contents to make more room for Mij), Mij shot out of the box like a flash. He disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. This caused great panic among the passengers — there were squawks and shrieks, and a woman stood on her seat screaming that there was a rat. Mij ran under the seats and legs of passengers, causing considerable chaos, until he finally found his way back to Maxwell and bounded onto his knee, nuzzling his face and neck with recognition and affection.

Given: Maxwell had a damaged suitcase whose lid remained at a slope.

Mij invented a game using Maxwell's damaged suitcase. The lid of the suitcase, when closed, remained at a slope from one end to the other. Mij discovered that if he placed a ping-pong ball on the high end, it would run down the length of the suitcase. He would then dash around to the other end to 'ambush' the ball's arrival — he would crouch and hide from it, then spring up and take it by surprise, grab it, and trot off with it to the high end to start the game all over again. This game could keep him engrossed for up to half an hour at a time.

Given: Maxwell observes Mij's behaviour on walks in London.

Compulsive habits are habits that are impossible to control — things one feels compelled to do repeatedly, almost like a ritual, even if there is no logical reason for doing them.

(i) School children's compulsive habits: Maxwell says that school children, 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 must pass to the outside of every second lamp post. These are rituals they feel they must follow.

(ii) Mij's compulsive habits: On his walks in the London streets, Mij developed the compulsive habit of tugging Maxwell towards the low wall (about two feet high) that ran along the frontage of the primary school opposite Maxwell's flat. On his way home (but never on his way out), Mij would jump onto this wall and gallop the full length of its thirty yards, causing great distraction to both pupils and staff inside the school.

Given: Londoners were unable to identify Mij.

Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines. This group is shared by several other animals including the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink, and others. Despite this, the average Londoner did not recognise Mij as an otter, and made a wide variety of incorrect guesses about what kind of animal he was.

Given: Maxwell walked Mij on a lead through the streets of London.

The Londoners made a remarkable variety of incorrect guesses about Mij's identity. They guessed he was:
- A baby seal
- A squirrel
- A walrus (which made Maxwell giggle)
- A hippo (heard outside a dog show)
- A beaver
- A bear cub
- A leopard (one that had 'changed its spots')
- A brontosaur

The most memorable response came from a labourer digging in the street, who stared at Mij with an expression of surprise and affront and growled, 'Here, Mister — what is that supposed to be?' Maxwell awarded this question the highest score of all.

Given: The text describes Mij's behaviour in detail.

Mij displays intelligence, friendliness, a love of fun, and a need for love through many actions:

Intelligence:
- He figured out how to turn on the bathroom tap by himself within a minute of fumbling with it — a remarkable feat of problem-solving.
- He invented his own game with the ping-pong ball and the sloping suitcase lid.
- He quickly learned to follow Maxwell without a lead and came when called by name.

Friendliness and need for love:
- After the chaos on the aeroplane, Mij bounded onto Maxwell's knee and nuzzled his face and neck with a 'distressed chitter of recognition and welcome' — showing deep affection and relief at finding his owner.
- He would follow Maxwell everywhere without a lead, showing attachment and trust.

Fun-loving nature:
- He spent hours shuffling a rubber ball around the room like a four-footed soccer player, using all four feet to dribble.
- He could throw the ball to a surprising height with a powerful flick of his neck.
- He would lie on his back and juggle marbles on his wide, flat belly without dropping them.
- He invented the suitcase-and-ping-pong-ball game and played it for up to half an hour.
- He developed the compulsive habit of galloping along the school wall on his way home.

All these actions together paint the picture of a highly intelligent, deeply affectionate, and wonderfully playful animal.

Given: The text is a factual account by Gavin Maxwell about his pet otter.

From this text, we learn the following things about otters:

1. Habitat: Otters are found in large numbers in the marshes near Basra in Iraq. They love water and are completely at home in it.
2. Behaviour in water: Otters are extremely playful in water — they plunge, roll, and splash with great joy.
3. Intelligence: Otters are highly intelligent animals. Mij was able to figure out how to turn on a tap by himself.
4. Playfulness: Otters are very playful. They enjoy juggling objects on their bellies, playing with balls, and inventing games.
5. Trainability: Otters can be trained to follow their owner without a lead and to come when called.
6. Species classification: Otters belong to the group called Mustellines, which also includes badgers, mongooses, weasels, stoats, and minks.
7. New species: The species that Mij belonged to was previously unknown to science and was later named 'Maxwell's otter' (Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli).
8. Compulsive habits: Like humans, otters can develop compulsive, ritualistic habits in their daily routines.

Given: Mij was an otter from the marshes near Basra, Iraq.

Mij's species is now known as Maxwell's otter because the particular species of otter to which Mij belonged was previously unknown to science — it had not been identified or classified before. When Maxwell brought Mij to the attention of scientists, they examined the otter and discovered that it was a new, previously unrecorded species. Following the standard scientific convention of naming a newly discovered species after its discoverer or the person who first brought it to scientific notice, the species was named after Gavin Maxwell. Its scientific name is Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, and it is commonly called Maxwell's otter.

Given: Maxwell interprets Mij's actions throughout the text.

| What Mij does | How Mij feels or thinks |
|---|---|
| Plunges, rolls in the water and makes the water splash and splash | Mij feels pure, wild joy. He is completely in his element — the water is his natural home and he is ecstatic to be in it. Maxwell conveys that Mij is experiencing the greatest happiness possible for an otter. |
| Screws the tap in the wrong way | Mij feels irritated and disappointed. Maxwell tells us that on such occasions Mij would chitter with irritation and disappointment at the tap's 'failure to cooperate' — as though the tap were being deliberately unhelpful. |
| Nuzzles Maxwell's face and neck in the aeroplane | Mij feels distressed relief and overwhelming affection. After the frightening ordeal of being loose in the aircraft, Mij is overjoyed to find Maxwell. He feels safe and loved, and expresses his recognition and welcome through the nuzzling. |

Given: The text contains many descriptions of Mij's behaviour.

The following statements are true, supported by sentences from the text:

(i) Makes Mij seem almost human, like a small boy:
True. Maxwell describes Mij's compulsive habits on walks — touching railings, walking along walls — comparing them directly to the rituals of school children: *'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.'* This comparison makes Mij seem like a mischievous small boy.

(ii) Shows that he is often irritated with what Mij does:
This is not true. Maxwell is never shown to be irritated with Mij. He is always affectionate, amused, or admiring.

(iii) Shows that he is often surprised by what Mij does:
True. *'I watched, amazed'* — Maxwell is astonished when Mij turns on the tap by himself. He is also surprised by the variety of games Mij invents and by his compulsive habits on walks.

(iv) Of Mij's antics is comical:
True. The description of Mij running loose on the aeroplane, the woman screaming 'A rat! A rat!', Maxwell diving for Mij and getting his face covered in curry — all of this is highly comical. Similarly, the description of Mij galloping along the school wall to the 'hopeless distraction' of pupils and staff is funny.

(v) Shows that he observes the antics of Mij very carefully:
True. Maxwell's descriptions are extremely detailed and precise — he notes that Mij could juggle marbles on his belly *'without ever dropping one to the floor'*, that he invented the suitcase game, that he turned the tap *'the right way'* by luck, and that his compulsive wall-walking happened *'on his way home, but never on his way out.'* This level of detail shows very careful observation.

(vi) Shows that he thinks Mij is a very ordinary otter:
This is not true. Maxwell clearly thinks Mij is extraordinary — he belongs to a previously unknown species, and Maxwell marvels at his intelligence and personality throughout.

(vii) Shows that he thinks the otter is very unusual:
True. Maxwell repeatedly highlights Mij's unusual qualities — his ability to turn on taps, invent games, develop compulsive habits, and his belonging to a species unknown to science. The entire text presents Mij as a remarkable and extraordinary animal.

Concept:
- Both *would* and *used to* describe repeated actions in the past.
- Only *used to* (not *would*) is used for past states or situations (with verbs like *be*, *have*, *believe*, etc.).

Correct sentences:

1. Emperor Akbar used to be fond of musical evenings.
*(be fond of = a state; only 'used to' is correct)*

2. Every evening we would / used to take long walks on the beach.
*(take = an action; both are correct)*

3. Fifty years ago, very few people used to own cars.
*(own = a state; only 'used to' is correct)*

4. Till the 1980s, Shanghai used to have very dirty streets.
*(have = a state; only 'used to' is correct)*

5. My uncle would / used to spend his holidays by the sea.
*(spend = an action; both are correct)*

Additional sentences of your own:
- When I was a child, I used to be afraid of the dark.
- My grandmother would tell us stories every night before we slept.
- We used to have a large garden when we lived in the old house.

Concept: Nouns, proper nouns, and adjectives (or adjective + noun combinations) can all be used as modifiers before a noun.

| Phrase | Modifier | Type of Modifier |
|---|---|---|
| (i) An otter fixation | otter | Noun |
| (ii) The iron railings | iron | Noun |
| (iii) The Tigris marshes | Tigris | Proper Noun |
| (iv) The London streets | London | Proper Noun |
| (v) soft velvet fur | soft velvet | Adjective + Noun |
| (vi) A four-footed soccer player | four-footed soccer | Adjective + Noun |

Concept: Modifiers (adjectives, nouns, or combinations) are placed before nouns to describe or give more information about them.

Here are appropriate combinations (many are possible; a representative selection is given):

- college girls / college boys (college + noun)
- rough landscape (rough + noun)
- stone temple (stone + noun)
- ordinary person (ordinary + noun)
- love triangle (love + noun)
- uncomfortable thoughts (uncomfortable + noun)
- white handkerchief (white + noun)
- slack expression (slack + noun)
- bare landscape (bare + noun)
- railroad crossing (railroad + noun)
- tremendous roar / tremendous scream (tremendous + noun)
- family celebration / family farewell (family + noun)
- marriage celebration (marriage + noun)
- plump physique (plump + noun)
- invigorating coffee (invigorating + noun)
- panoramic view (panoramic + noun)
- heartbreaking farewell (heartbreaking + noun)
- birthday gifts / birthday celebration (birthday + noun)
- incorrigible chatterbox (incorrigible + noun)
- ridiculous expression (ridiculous + noun)
- loud roar / loud scream (loud + noun)
- first flight (first + noun)
- three-hundred-year-old stone temple (combination)
- uncomfortable dresses (uncomfortable + noun)
- love triangle (love + noun)
- slang expression (slang + noun)

Concept: Certain quantity phrases are used with specific uncountable or collective nouns.

| Phrase | Matches with |
|---|---|
| (i) a portion of | fried fish |
| (ii) a pool of | blood / water |
| (iii) flakes of | snow / gold |
| (iv) a huge heap of | stones / cotton / gold |
| (v) a gust of | wind |
| (vi) little drops of | blood / water |
| (vii) a piece of | cotton / gold |
| (viii) a pot of | gold / water |

Concept: Quantity phrases like *a bit of*, *a piece of*, *a bunch of*, *a cloud of*, and *a lump of* are used with uncountable or collective nouns to indicate a specific quantity.

(i) My teacher gave me a bit of advice. *(given as example)*

(ii) Can you give me a lump of clay, please.
*(clay is a solid, shapeless mass — 'lump of' is appropriate)*

(iii) A piece of information you gave was very useful.
*(information is uncountable; 'a piece of' is the standard quantity phrase)*

(iv) Because of these factories, a cloud of smoke hangs over the city.
*(smoke spreads like a cloud — 'a cloud of' is appropriate)*

(v) Two stones rubbed together can produce a bit of fire.
*(a small quantity of fire/sparks — 'a bit of' is appropriate)*

(vi) He gave me a bunch of flowers on my birthday.
*(flowers given together form a bunch — 'a bunch of' is appropriate)*

(i) What does Sandburg think the fog is like?
Sandburg thinks the fog is like a cat. He uses the fog as a metaphor for a cat, describing its silent, stealthy, and temporary presence over the harbour and city.

(ii) How does the fog come?
The fog comes on little cat feet — that is, silently, softly, and stealthily, just as a cat moves without making any sound. It arrives gently and without warning.

(iii) What does 'it' in the third line refer to?
'It' in the third line refers to the fog. The fog (described as coming on little cat feet) sits looking over the harbour and city.

(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 that the fog is like a cat. He does not use the word 'like' — instead, he uses a metaphor, directly describing the fog as if it were a cat.

Three things that tell us the fog is like a cat:
1. 'on little cat feet' — the fog moves silently and softly, just as a cat walks on its small, quiet paws.
2. 'It sits looking over harbour and city' — like a cat that sits and surveys its surroundings with quiet, watchful eyes, the fog sits over the city.
3. 'on silent haunches' — a cat crouches on its haunches (bent knees) when it sits and watches; the fog is described as doing the same, emphasising its cat-like stillness and silence.

(i) Metaphors:

| Word | Metaphor (Animal) | How they are alike |
|---|---|---|
| Storm | Tiger | Both pounce suddenly, are powerful and fierce, growl (thunder/roar), and can cause destruction |
| Train | Horse / Dragon | A train gallops along the tracks like a horse, or breathes fire and smoke like a dragon; both are powerful, fast, and make a thundering noise |
| Fire | Lion | Both are fierce, golden-orange in colour, roar (crackle), and can be dangerous and consuming |
| School | Beehive | Both are full of buzzing activity, have many individuals working together, are busy and organised |
| Home | Nest | Both are places of warmth, safety, and shelter; both are built with care and love; both are where one returns to rest |

(ii) Sample poem about a storm compared to an animal:

The Storm

The storm comes
on the paws of a great tiger.
It crouches behind the hills,
growling low,
then leaps across the fields
with a roar that shakes the earth.
It claws at the trees,
lashes the river with its tail,
and then,
spent and silent,
slinks away into the night.

Answer: No, this poem does not have a rhyme scheme. None of the lines end with rhyming words — 'feet', 'city', 'haunches', and 'on' do not rhyme with each other.

The poem also does not follow a fixed, regular rhythm or metre. It flows naturally, like ordinary speech.

Therefore, 'Fog' by Carl Sandburg is an example of free verse — poetry that does not have an obvious or regular rhyme scheme or rhythm. Despite this, the poem is highly effective because of its powerful central metaphor (fog as a cat) and its economy of language — it says a great deal in just six short lines.

Given: You have been gifted a pet and need to know how to care for it.

Here is a completed list of things you need to know:

(i) The food it eats — what it should eat, how much, and how often.
(ii) The kind of shelter or living space it needs — whether it needs a cage, a tank, a kennel, or open space.
(iii) The exercise or activity it requires — how much movement, play, or outdoor time it needs to stay healthy.
(iv) The medical care it needs — vaccinations, regular check-ups, common illnesses, and how to recognise if it is unwell.
(v) Its natural habits and behaviour — whether it is nocturnal or diurnal, social or solitary, and what makes it comfortable or stressed.

Given: Information about Iraq (marshes, hot dry summers, cool winters) and London (temperate climate, busy city, parks, light rainfall).

The following special arrangements would need to be made:

1. Water supply: Otters are semi-aquatic animals and need constant access to water. A large tank, pool, or pond would need to be set up in or near the home in London.

2. Climate adjustment: Iraq has hot, dry summers and cool winters, while London has a temperate climate with regular rainfall. The otter would need time to adjust to the cooler, damper London climate. Heating may be needed in winter.

3. Diet: The otter's natural diet (fish, frogs, and other aquatic creatures from the Iraqi marshes) would need to be replicated as closely as possible. Fresh fish would need to be provided regularly.

4. Space for exercise: Otters are active animals. In London, open spaces or parks could be used for exercise, but the otter would need to be kept on a lead in public areas.

5. Legal permissions: Special permits would be needed to export the otter from Iraq and import it into the United Kingdom, as there are strict laws about trading in and transporting wild animals.

6. Transport arrangements: The journey from Iraq to London would require a safe, comfortable container with adequate ventilation, water, and food for the otter during the flight.

7. Veterinary care: A vet experienced with exotic or wild animals would need to be identified in London to provide regular health check-ups and emergency care.