Class 10 English Chapter 1 Question Answers - First Flight

Q.1. Why was the author’s home at Camusfearna a fit place for an otter?
Ans. It was a fit place for an otter because it was surrounded by water.

Q.2. From where could Maxwell get an otter?
Ans. He could get an otter from Tigris marshes.

Q.3. Why did the author go to Basra?
Ans. He went to Basra to collect and answer his mail from Europe.

Q.4. Who visited his room in Basra?
Ans. Two Arabs visited his room in Basra.

Q.5. What was there in the sack?
Ans. There was an otter in the sack.

Q.6. Where did the otter sleep on the second night?
Ans. On the second night, the otter slept on the author’s bed between his knees.

Q.7. Why did the author book a flight to Paris instead of going directly to London?
Ans. He did not book a flight to London as the British airline would not fly an animal.

Q.8. What did the author give the air hostess?
Ans. He gave the air hostess a parcel which contained fish for the otter.

Q.9. What name did the scientists give to Mij’ species?
Ans. They gave his species the name of ‘Maxwell Otter’.

Q.10. How did the woman in the aeroplane react to seeing the otter?
Ans. She stood up on her seat and screamed out ‘A rat! A rat!’.

Q.11. Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s, Otter?
Ans. The otter was named Maxwell’s otter because it was Maxwell who made this species known to the scientists.

Q.12. Where could Maxwell get an otter from?
Ans. Maxwell could get an otter from the Tigris marshes in Iraq.

Q.13. Describe the havoc created by Mijbil on the aeroplane when it came out of the box.
Ans. When Maxwell opened the box, Mijbil in out and disappeared at high speed Own the aircraft. He caused a great hue and cry in the aircraft. There were sounds of shrieks across the flight.

Q.14. What were the guesses made by the Londoners about Mijbil?
Ans. According to Maxwell, the average Londoner does not reclog another. Whosever saw Mijbil made different guesses about who he was. They go squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard and a brontosaur.

Q.15. How was `Mijbil’ a source of amazement on London streets?
Ans. The otter was a constant source of amazement to the Lon do y few p nears a strange as very had ever seen an otter. They were filled with surprise on seeing such animals. They guessed it with different names of animals.

Q.16.‘ She was the queen of her kind’. Explain the reason behind admiration for the air hostess.
Ans. The air hostess whom the narrator called for assistance suggested to him that he could keep Mijbil on his knee during the flight, so as to comfort him.

Q.17. Why was the author not allowed to take a flight of British Airways?
Ans. British Airways did not allow pets on its flight, while the author had to carry his pet otter along with him.

Q.18. Why were Maxwell and his friends going to Basra?
Ans. Maxwell and his friends went to Basra to the Consulate-General (of Iraq) to collect and answer their mail from Europe.

Q.19. Give an example from the text to show that Mijbil is an intelligent animal.
Ans. Mij loved to play. He had invented many games of his own. One was rolling marbles on his flat belly, another was keeping the ball on the high end of the suitcase and waiting at the other end for its arrival.

Q.20. What happened when Mij disappeared at speed down the aircraft?
Or
What happened when Maxwell opened the box on the plane?
Ans. When Maxwell opened the box, Mijbil flashed out and disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. He caused a great hue and cry in the aircraft. There were sounds of shrieks across the flight.

Q.21. Prove that Mijbil loved the water, giving two instances in support of your answer.
Or
How did Maxwell learn of Mijbil’s love for water?
Ans. Mij loved to play in the water. Only once did the author lead him to the bathroom. Mex$ time he went to the bathroom on his own. He went wild in the water, plunged and rolled in e’, He shot up and down the bathtub and made enough slosh and splash in it.

Q.22. Why the otter was named ‘Maxwell’s otter’?
Ans. The otter was of a race previously unknown to science and was at length christened by zoologists as ‘Maxwell’s otter’.

Q.23. Mijbil, the otter invented a game. What do you think would be the game that he invented?
Or
What game did Mijbil invent?
Or
Describe some of the games Mij liked to play.
Ans. Mij invented his own game with a ping-pong ball. He used to keep the basilica lid of the damaged suitcase which when closed, remained at a slope from one end. He to play in the water and also liked to jump and gallop the full length of the 30-yard school well

Q.24. What is the most common characteristic of an otter?
Or
Which groups of animals do otters belong to?
Ans. Otters belong to a small group of animals called Mussel lines. They are water-loving animals and are generally found in marshy areas. They are intelligent, fun-loving and playful and are harmless beautiful creatures.

Q.25. What routine did Mijbil follow everyday while on the walk-in London?
Or
What were the ‘compulsive habits’ of Mijbil?
Or
How did Mijbil pass his time in London?
Ans. Mij on his way home every day used to tug Maxwell to the low wall of a primary school opposite to his flat. Mij would jump on to it, gallop the full length of its thirty yards and cause a hopeless distraction to both pupils and staff within the primary school.

Q.26. When did it come to the author’s mind to have an otter?
Or
Why did Maxwell keep an otter as a pet?
Ans. The author’s pet dog had died and hence he was not willing to keep another dog as a pet. So, he thought of buying an otter and thought Camusfearna, ringed by water would be suitable for keeping an otter.

Q.27. Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this?
Ans. Maxwell was getting late for the flight. There were only ten minutes left for the flight to take off and the airport was five miles away. Hence he had to put the otter back into the box. He felt bad about doing so but he had no other option.

Q.28. When and why did Maxwell think of keeping an otter as a pet?
Ans. Maxwell had travelled to Southern Iraq early in the year of 1956. There he thought of keeping an otter as a pet. He thought so because of Camusfearna. surrounded by water, could be a suitable place for this purpose.

Q.29. How did the otter look?
Ans. the otter was a small creature and it resembled with a medically conceived dragon. It was coated with symmetrical seals at mud from head to the rip at the tail.

Q.30. How did the otter behave in the beginning?
Ans. In the beginning, the otter was neither hostile or friendly. He was simply aloof and indifferent. He referred to sleep on the floor as far from the writer’s bed as possible.

Q.31. What are ‘compulsive habits’? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of school children?
Ans. Things that one feels competed to do are ‘compulsive habits’. For example, school children try to-nr place their feet on the centre of each paving block on the way. They touch every seventh upright of the iron railings. Or, they pass to the outside of every second lamp post.

Q.32. What would Mij do on the low wall adjoining the school opposite to Maxwell’s flat in London?
Ans. Along the frontage of the school ran a low wall about two feet high. Mij would tug Maxwell to this wall. Then Mij would jump on to it, and run with leaps the full length of its thirty yards.

Q.33. What happened when Maxwell would call the otter by his name?
Ans. Mij would follow Maxwell without a lead and come to him when his name was called.

Q.34. What had crossed the author’s mind and why? Or why did Maxwell think of keeping an otter as a pet?
Ans. Maxwell’s favourite dog Jonnie died. It left him alone without a pet. He travelled to Southern Iraq in 1956. By then it has crossed his mind that he should like to keep an otter instead of a dog. The place he lived in was ringed by water. It was quite a suitable place for his new experiment.

Q.35. What did his friend advise Maxwell?
Ans. Maxwell had already decided to keep an otter as a pet instead of a dog. He casually mentioned it to a friend. He advised Maxwell that he should try to get an otter in the Tigris marshes. Otters were as common there as were mosquitoes. They were often tamed by the Arabs.

Q.36. Why were they going to the Consulate-General in Basra? Why did he wait for five days there?
Ans. Maxwell and his companions were going to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer their mail from Europe. He found that his friend’s mail had arrived but that he had not. He cabled to England but nothing happened. He tried to telephone but didn’t get any success. His mail came only after five days.

Q.37. How did Maxwell get Mijbil, the otter?
Ans. Maxwell had changed his idea of keeping a dog as his pet. He decided to have an otter. He had asked one of his friends to arrange for an otter. He went to his bedroom to read his mail. Two Arabs were squatting on the floor. Beside them lay a sack. They handed him a note which said, “Here is your otter …”. The sack was opened. In this way, Maxwell got his new pet — an otter.

Q.38. Describe the physical appearance of Mijbil, the otter.
Ans. The creature that emerged from the sack was a unique one. He resembled like a very small imaginary dragon of the Middle Ages. Its body was coated with pointed scales. Between them a soft velvet fur was visible. It was like a chocolate brown mole.

Q.39. Why has Mijbil christened Maxwell’s otter?
Ans. The narrator called his pet Mijbil. The otter, in fact, belonged to a race unknown to science so far. It was christened at length by zoologists Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli or Maxwell’s otter. It was christened after the name of his master.

Q.40. How did Mijbil behave in the beginning? Did some change come in the otter afterwards?
Ans. During the first 24 hours, Mijbil was neither hostile or friendly. He was aloof and indifferent. He slept on the floor far away from Maxwell’s bed. However, a change came in Mijbil afterwards. Ile started taking a keen interest in his surroundings. He went to Maxwell’s bed on the second day and remained asleep in it.

Q.41. How did MINI behave when he was taken to the bathroom?
Ans. The narrator took Mijbil on a lead to the bathroom. He went wild with joy in the water for half an hour. He continued plunging and rolling in it. He splashed up and down the length of the bathtub underwater. He made enough slosh and splash a fora hippo.

Q.42. What is a characteristic of otter and how did Mijbil behave in the water?Ans. The main characteristic of an otter is to extend and spread every drop of water about the place. A bowl full of water must be overturned. He would sit in and splash in until it flows.

Q.43. How did Mijbil fumble at the tap in the bathroom? Did he succeed?
Ans. Maxwell saw Mijbil standing up on the end of his bathtub. He was fumbling at the taps with his paws. Very soon he turned the tap to produce a trickle of water. And soon after he achieved the full flow.

Q.44. How would Mijbil play with a rubber ball, and jiggle with small objects and marbles?
Ans. Mijbil spent hours shuffling a rubber ball around the room like a four-footed soccer player. But the real game which Mijbil enjoyed most was juggling with small objects with his paws lying on his back. Mijbil’s favourite toys for his play were marbles.

Q.45.How was Mijbil transported from Basra to London?
Ans. It was a difficult job for Maxwell to be transported from Basra to London. The British airline wouldn’t fly animals. He booked a flight to Paris on another airline. Mijbil was put into a small box an hour before so that he would become accustomed to it.

Q.46. Why did Maxwell call the air hostess “the queen of her kind?”
Ans. The air hostess was very friendly and cooperative. Maxwell took her into his confidence and gave her a parcel of fish for Mijbil. He admired her and called her “the queen of her kind”. The air hostess suggested that he could keep his pet on his knee.

Q.47. Where did Mijbil disappear and how was he found?
Ans. The moment the box was open Mij was out of it in a flash. He soon disappeared down the aircraft. There were squawks and shrieks. A woman stood up crying for “A rat! A rat!” Mijbil was found beneath the legs of a turbaned Indian. Maxwell dived for him but found his face covered in curry. In the end, Mijbil himself came and sat on Maxwell’s knee.

Q.48. What compulsive habits like children did Mijbil develop during walks in the London streets?
Ans. Mij developed some compulsive habits like children during the walks in the streets of London. Children touched each pairing block or pass to the outside of every second lamp-post. Mijbil would jump on to the low wall of a primary school. Doing so, he would distract both the students and the staff.

Q.49. What were the wild guesses that the average Londoners make in recognising Mijbil? Whose remark was adjudged best by Maxwell?
Ans. The average Londoners were surprised to see such a unique animal. They made wild guesses about the otter. Some called him ‘a baby seal’, ‘a squirrel’, ‘a walrus’. Others called him ‘beaver’, ‘a bear cub’ and ‘a leopard’. The best remark came from a labourer. On seeing Mijbil, he asked, “What is that supposed to be?”