Class 10 English - First Flight - Chapter Mijbil the Otter NCERT Solutions | What happened when the box was opened?

What game had Mij invented?

What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that?

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

How was Mij to be transported to England?

How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this.

What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?

What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?

 Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter’?

 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.

What are ‘compulsive habits’? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of

(i) school children
(ii) Mij?

Where in the classroom does Wanda sit and why?
 

What was Valli’s favourite pastime?

What did Lencho hope for?

When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?

Where did the ceremonies take place ? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstones?

What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has come for? Is he sincere when he later says “And I’ve always loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son”? Find reasons for your answer from the play.

Why was the young seagull afraid to fly? Do you think all young birds are afraid to make their first flight, or are some birds more timid than others? Do you think a human baby also finds it a challenge to take its first steps?

Do you keep a diary? Given below under ‘A’ are some terms we use to describe a written record of personal experience. Can you match them with their descriptions under ‘B’? (You may
look up the terms in a dictionary if you wish.)
                       A                                                                                                                            B

      (i) Journal                                                                                     – A book with a separate space or page for each day, in which you write down your and                                                                                                                      feelings or what has happened on that day 

      (ii) Diary                                                                                       – A full record of a journey, a period of time, or  an event, written every day
      (iii) Log                                                                                         – A record of a person’s own life and experiences (usually, a famous person)
      (iv) Memoir(s)                                                                               – A written record of events with times and dates, usually official         

Where does Wanda live? What kind of a place do you think it is?
 

What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?

Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?

Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation? (Remember that the irony of a situation is an unexpected aspect of it. An ironic situation is strange or amusing because it is the opposite of what is expected.)

The author describes the things that Valli sees from an eight-year-old’s point of view. Can you find evidence from the text for this statement?

How did Valli plan her bus ride? What did she find out about the bus, and how did she save up the fare?

This play has been translated into English from the Russian original. Are there any expressions or ways of speaking that strike you as more Russian than English? For example, would an adult man be addressed by an older man as my darling or my treasure in an English play?

Read through the play carefully, and find expressions that you think are not used in contemporary English, and contrast these with idiomatic modern English expressions that also occur in the play.

There are different names in different parts of the world for storms, depending on their nature. Can you match the names in the box with their descriptions below, and fill in the blanks? You may use a dictionary to help you.

     gale, whirlwind, cyclone, hurricane, tornado, typhoon

1. A violent tropical storm in which strong winds move in a circle: __ __ c __ __ __ __
2. An extremely strong wind : __ a __ __
3. A violent tropical storm with very strong winds : __ __ p __ __ __ __
4. A violent storm whose centre is a cloud in the shape of a funnel: __ __ __ n __ __ __
5. A violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the western Atlantic Ocean: __ __ r __ __ __ __ __ __
6. A very strong wind that moves very fast in a spinning movement and causes a lot of damage: __ __ __ __ l __ __ __ _

What did the postmaster do then?

What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped?

Join the sentences given below using who, whom, whose, which, as suggested.

1. I often go to Mumbai. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India. (which)
2. My mother is going to host a TV show on cooking. She cooks very well. (who)
3. These sportspersons are going to meet the President. Their performance has been excellent. (whose)
4. Lencho prayed to God. His eyes see into our minds. (whose)
5. This man cheated me. I trusted him. (whom)

Find sentences in the story with negative words, which express the following ideas emphatically.

1. The trees lost all their leaves.
2. The letter was addressed to God himself.
3. The postman saw this address for the first time in his career.