Santosh Chowdhury: PYQs Mijbil the Otter

Previous Year Questions 2026

Question 1. "Mijbil the Otter" sensitises human beings especially city people to wildlife. What emotions are conveyed through the association of Mijbil and Maxwell ? (3 Marks)

Solution:

Answer:

Warmth of friendship
Thrill of wildlife exploration
Evoking a sense of joy and connection with nature

Chapter: Mijbil the Otter

Question 2. What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? (Mijbil the Otter) [3 Marks]

Solution:

Answer: When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, the otter was initially startled and surprised. Soon, however, Mijbil jumped into the bathtub and began sliding, rolling, and scrambling around in the water with great excitement. He slid and splashed underwater, tried to climb out, and scattered the soap, toothbrushes, and other toiletries. He clearly wanted to extend every drop of water and enjoyed the experience immensely.

Chapter: Mijbil the Otter

Question 3. In 'Mijbil the Otter', how does the narrator's patience contrast with the reactions of fellow passengers and local people ? What does this reveal about human understanding of the unfamiliar ? [3 marks]

Solution:

Answer: The narrator shows complete calm and patience while travelling with Mijbil, treating the otter's presence as perfectly natural. In contrast, fellow passengers and local people react with fear, curiosity, and discomfort upon seeing the otter. People called the otter by various wrong names like seal and hippo, revealing their unawareness about otters. This contrast reveals that human beings often respond to the unfamiliar with ignorance and fear rather than empathy or curiosity. It shows a lack of understanding of wildlife and that healthy curiosity is better than ignorance. Ignorance and unfamiliarity often create unnecessary fear and discomfort in people.

Chapter : Mijbil the Otter

Previous Year Questions 2025

Q1: Mijbil's transportation to England was no less than a nightmare for the author. Justify the statement using incidents from the lesson. (Answer in 40-50 words) (3 Marks)

Solution:

Ans: Mijbil's journey to England was a nightmare for Maxwell because airlines refused to carry animals, forcing him to reroute via Paris. Mijbil injured himself while trying to escape the small box, staining it with blood, and later broke free in flight, creating chaos until a kindly air hostess helped to restrain him.

Q2: What efforts did the narrator make to get his mail from Europe? (Answer in 40-50 words) (3 Marks)

Solution:

Ans: The narrator went to the Consulate-General at Basra to collect his mail but found only his friend's letters had arrived. He cabled England for information and waited for three days. He then tried to telephone, but repeated delays occurred because of technical faults and public holidays.

Q3: Mijbil spent most of his time in play. Elaborate. (Answer in 40-50 words) (3 Marks)

Solution:

Ans: Mijbil delighted in play. He shuffled a rubber ball along like a four-footed footballer and could throw it high with his neck. His favourite amusement was lying on his back and juggling marbles on his belly without dropping them, which showed both his playfulness and dexterity.

Q4: How was Mijbil to be transported to England? (Answer in 40-50 words) (3 Marks)

Solution:

Ans: Mijbil was to travel to England by air. As a British airline refused animals, Maxwell booked a flight to Paris on another carrier. He was told that Mijbil must travel in a box not more than eighteen inches square and be kept on the floor at Maxwell's feet for the flight.

Q5: The inherent instinct for freedom is a fundamental trait in all living creatures. Justify this statement with reference to Mijbil the Otter and A Tiger in the Zoo. (100-120 words) (6 marks)

Solution:

Ans: Both works show that animals have a natural instinct for freedom. In Mijbil the Otter, Mijbil revels in water-plunging, rolling and even learning to turn the tap-yet he injures himself trying to escape from a cramped shipping box, revealing his distress when confined. In A Tiger in the Zoo, the tiger paces restlessly in its cage, longing for the forest where it could roam and hunt. Both animals display behaviour that shows captivity suppresses their natural drives; their restlessness and attempts to escape make clear that true well-being for them comes from freedom and space to follow instinctive activities.

Q6: The story, Mijbil the Otter has it all - emotions, humour, certain surprising incidents and the freshness of a new and unique type of story. Explain how Maxwell has highlighted these in his story. (Answer in 40-50 words) (3 Marks)

Solution:

Ans: Maxwell highlights emotion through his deep affection and concern for Mijbil, humour through episodes such as Mijbil turning taps and causing chaos on a plane, and surprise with unexpected events like the otter's clever tricks. The narrative's freshness comes from the uncommon subject of an intimate bond with an otter.

Q7: Mijbil the Otter is portrayed as an intelligent, friendly, and playful animal who thrives on affection. Discuss how these traits are depicted in the story Mijbil the Otter by Gavin Maxwell. (Answer in 40-50 words) (3 Marks)

Solution:

Ans: Mijbil's intelligence appears when he learns to operate taps and invents games. His friendliness shows in affectionate gestures like nuzzling Maxwell's face on the plane. His playful side is evident in his love of water, juggling marbles and inventing ball games, all of which thrive on attention and care.

Previous Year Questions 2024

Q1: Maxwell decides to keep an otter as a pet. Elucidate with reference to the fact that owning a pet is a life of commitment. (CBSE 2024)

Solution:

Ans: Keeping a pet demands constant commitment because the animal depends on its owner for food, safety and care. When Mijbil played in the bathroom Maxwell had to watch him closely to prevent drowning. Once Mijbil was left briefly and hurt himself. Maxwell also changed airlines and endured travel difficulties to ensure Mijbil's safe transport, showing sustained responsibility.

Previous Year Questions 2022

Q2: Mijbil and the Tiger, both were looked after by humans.
Assume they both meet each other in the zoo and have a conversation about their lifestyle and feelings.
Write this conversation as per your understanding of Mijbil the Otter and A Tiger in the Zoo.
You may begin like this Tiger: Thanks for visiting me, though I don't usually like visitors.
Mijbil: Oh? I would love visitors, I think. (2022-23)

Solution:

Ans:

Tiger: Thanks for visiting me, though I don't usually like visitors.

Mijbil: Oh? I enjoy them. I like the company and the attention.

Tiger: How can you feel content with people always around? They put me in a cage and I cannot roam the forest.

Mijbil: I understand. I love water and play, and people here look after me. I feel safer with them than facing wild dangers.

Tiger: You are small and vulnerable; perhaps people protect you. For me, though, captivity makes me restless. I long for the freedom to hunt and walk under open sky.

Mijbil: I wish you could have more space too. Maybe if people learned to respect us and behaved better, we would all be happier.

Tiger: That would be ideal. I shall hope for kinder treatment and more room to move.

Previous Year Questions 2019

Q3: Why does Maxwell say that the air hostess was 'the very queen of her kind? (2019 C)

Solution:

Ans: Maxwell calls her 'the very queen of her kind' because she showed exceptional kindness and competence. She listened sympathetically to his problem with the box, suggested practical help, and acted with calm authority to reassure both Maxwell and Mijbil, leaving a strong and positive impression.

Q4: Why did Maxwell go to Basra? How long did he have to wait there and why? (2019 C)

Solution:

Ans: Maxwell went to Basra to visit the Consulate-General to collect and answer his mail from Europe. He had to wait there for five days because his own mail had not arrived on time and there were delays due to telephone faults and other hold-ups.

Q5: How did Maxwell get the otter? (Al 2019)

Solution:

Ans: While travelling in southern Iraq, Maxwell wanted an otter as a pet. In Basra two Arab men delivered a sack to his hotel room; a note from a friend explained that the otter had been sent to him. Thus Mijbil arrived as a gift arranged through acquaintances.

Q6: Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2019)
When I casually mentioned this to a friend, he casually replied that, I had better get one in the Tigris marshes, for there they were as common as mosquitoes, and were often tamed by the Arabs. We were going to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer our mail from Europe. At the Consulate-General we found that my friend's mail had arrived but that mine had not.

(a) What was 'they' referred to?

Solution:

Ans: 'They' referred to the otters.

(b) Where could the author get 'one'?

Solution:

Ans: The author could get one in the Tigris marshes.

Solution:

Ans: The word is 'tamed'.

(d) What did the author find at the Consulate-General?

Solution:

Ans: At the Consulate-General, the author found that his friend's mail had arrived but his own had not.

Q7: What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days later? (CBSE 2019)

Solution:

Ans: When Maxwell first took Mijbil to the bathroom, the otter went wild with delight in the water, plunging and rolling in the bathtub. Two days later, Mijbil returned to the bathroom by himself and, showing intelligence, turned the taps with his paws to make water flow.

Previous Year Questions 2017

Q8: What game did Mijbil invent in London? (Delhi 2017 C)

Solution:

Ans: The game Mijbil invented used a ping-pong ball and a broken suitcase. He would place the ball at the high end and it would run down the suitcase; Mijbil would rush to the other end to ambush it and then repeat the game, enjoying the chase and the surprise of the ball's arrival.

Previous Year Questions 2016

Q9: What game did Mijbil invent? (Al 2016)

Solution:

Ans: The game Mijbil invented used a ping-pong ball and a broken suitcase. He placed the ball at the high end, let it run down the length of the suitcase, then dashed to the other end to ambush it and repeat the action, clearly enjoying the repetitive fun.

Previous Year Questions 2015

Q10: What special characteristic of Mijbil did Maxwell learn after he took him to the bathroom? (Delhi 2015)

Solution:

Ans: Maxwell discovered that Mijbil adored moving water. The otter plunged, rolled and splashed in the bathtub and showed great delight. From this Maxwell realised that otters need water to be active and moving; still or stagnant water upset them and prevented their natural play.

Q11: What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mijbil was? (Delhi 2015)

Solution:

Ans: Londoners could not recognise Mijbil as an otter and made many guesses: baby seal, squirrel, walrus, dog, hippo, beaver, bear cub, leopard and even a brontosaur were suggested.

Q12: What compulsive habits had Mijbil developed? (Al 2015)

Solution:

Ans: In London Mijbil developed certain compulsive habits. He would place his feet squarely on the centre of each pair of paving blocks, or touch iron railings and lamp-posts. On the way home he would tug Maxwell towards a primary school wall, climb onto it and run the full thirty yards along its top.

Q13: What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What does it tell us about Mijbil? (Foreign 2015)

Solution:

Ans: When taken to the bathroom, Mijbil enjoyed the water immensely-plunging, rolling and shooting under the surface. This demonstrates his playful nature and strong love of water, typical of otter behaviour.

Q14: Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2015)

Early in the New Year of 1956,1 travelled to Southern Iraq. By then it had crossed my mind that I should like to keep an otter instead of a dog, and that Camusfearna, ringed by water a stone's throw from its door, would be an eminently suitable spot for this experiment.

(a) What 'experiment' did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?

Solution:

Ans: Maxwell thought Camusfearna would be suitable for keeping an otter instead of a dog as a pet.

(b) Why was it a suitable spot for his experiment?

Solution:

Ans: Camusfearna was suitable because it was surrounded by water, which is ideal for an otter that loves to swim and play in moving water.

Solution:

Ans: The phrase 'crossed my mind' means that an idea occurred to someone or was briefly considered.

Q15: Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Al 2015)
When I casually mentioned this to a friend, he casually replied that I had better get one in the Tigris marshes, for there they were as common as mosquitoes, and were often tamed by Arabs.

(a) What did the author, Maxwell, casually mention to his friend?

Solution:

Ans: Maxwell casually mentioned his wish to keep an otter as a pet instead of a dog.

(b) Where could Maxwell easily get his pet and why?

Solution:

Ans: Maxwell could easily obtain an otter from the Tigris marshes because they were very common there and the Arabs often tamed them.

Solution:

Ans: 'Casually' means in a relaxed or informal manner, without much seriousness.

Q16: What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? (Al 2015)

Solution:

Ans: When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, the otter enjoyed the water intensely. He plunged, rolled and swam under the surface, demonstrating his natural affinity for water and playful energy.

Q17: Give an example from the text to show that Mijbil is an intelligent animal. (Al 2015)

Solution:

Ans: Two days after his first encounter with water in the author's bathroom, Mijbil was seen (by the author) dashing towards the bathroom. When the author followed Mijbil there, he was amazed to see that Mijbil was fumbling at the chromium taps with his paws. In slightly more than thirty seconds, Mijbil had succeeded in turning the tap far enough to produce a trickle of water, and soon enough turned it some more to achieve the full flow. This shows that Mijbil was an intelligent animal.