Workbook Unit 8 - Mijbil, the Otter

Let’s Begin:

1. You have read the chapter ‘Mijbil the Otter’. Discuss with your partner the commitment the author had towards Mijbil, what arrangements he made for his pet. What good care did he take like getting fish, taking it for a walk or exercise, providing things, and space to play etc. Make a list and then share with other friends in the class.

Aman : How are you, Amir?

Amir : I am fine, but you?

Aman : I am also very well. Amir, what do you think about the commitment the author had towards Mijbil?

Amir : The author, Gravin Maxwell had great commitment towards Mijbil. In fact, owning a pet is a lifetime commitment involving considerable responsibility. It should be kept with utmost care. The decision to acquire one, therefore, should be made by the whole family

Aman : Yes, you are right. The author should obtain an annual licence in accordance with government regulations. Mijbil should have annual vaccination against major dog diseases. The otter should have balanced diet, toilet training, obedience training, regular grooming and bathing. Socialisation of the otter is also very important. In addition to a daily dose of exercise, he should get affection and play also.

Amir : What arrangements did the author make for his pet?

Aman : Maxwell treated Mijbil like his own son. He took care of him very well :

The author gave him lots of toys including marbles, rubber balls, ruber fruits and a terrapin shell to play with.
He also noticed Mijbil’s habits and traits.
Maxwell encouraged Mijbil to do whatever he liked to do.
He took him out for exercise everyday.
When Maxwell saw him in blood, he was horrified. He took him out of the box. Mijbil jumped all over and then sat on Maxwell’s lap quietly.
He took him to the bath tub to play in the water knowing the fascination of Otters with water.
On the aircraft, Maxwell was very grateful to the air-hostess who suggested him to take Mijbil out to his box. Mijbil’s affection for Maxwell also shows that he was a good master.
He was happy to see him go wild with joy to see water.
He enjoyed watching him play and noticed his antics.

2. Find out which illustrations (Page 100) will go with your list.

All the first four illustrations will go with our list.

3. Mijbil is an active animal who shows many emotions. Refer to the chapter and complete the following Table.

What Mijbil does	How Mijbil feels
Plunges, rolls in water	Goes wild with joy.
Opens the water tap.	Reveals his intelligence and feels happy
Tries to come out of the box.	Gets injured and feels exhausted.
Invents a game of his own with the ping- pong ball.	Feels amused.
Sleeps on Maxwell’s bed	Feels love for Maxwell.
Disappears on the plane, there are shrieks, shrill cries and shouts all around by the passengers.	row6 col 2

Reading Comprehension:

Text I

The following is a story of a baby Civet cat that fell from a tree and was raised by humans. It is a true story from Assam written by Rommel Shunmugam who is a conservation photographer. Through his photo stories, he seeks to inculcate in children a love for nature and wildlife.

Civet cats are found in most parts of India. They are also called toddy cats. They live on palm trees and love to drink the sweet sap, which is collected by toddy tappers to make wine! Dharini and his family rescues and rehabilitates wild animals. These are mostly babies or animals that cannot look after themselves.

Baby Bhakat:

Hi! My name is Bhakat. I am a baby Civet cat. I am three month old. Shhh! I am taking a nap with my brothers. Yes, I live in a family of humans. They treat me like their own Baby!

My home is a little thatched hut by a river in a small village in Assam. The hut has an earthen floor and mud-splattered walls. Its doors are always open. I come and go as I please! Mama takes care of all three of us! Her name is Anjali. She cooks, cleans and plays with me. I secretly think she loves me the most. She lets me be real naughty!

Mama is about to make brunch! She is making roti and vegetables. I don’t like vegetables, but I like fruits. I love meat. I am omnivorous. Mama always feeds me before anyone else! I love things dipped in milk. They are yummy!

The man of the house is Dharini. If not for him, I would not be alive today! My civet mother built a nest for me in a very tall coconut tree. One night I slipped and fell to the ground! When villagers found me they took me to Dharini. Dharini loves animals. I began to live in his home. I was very small. I could not walk. I ate and slept a lot!

Do you know why my eyes are so large ? That’s because I am a nocturnal animal. I sleep in the day and am active in the night. My large eyes help me see better in the dark! I also have a very long tail! It helps me balance on tree-tops and branches. I mostly live on trees, though I do come down to the ground. Animals like me are called arboreal!

Inside Dharini’s house, I always snooze in the rafters. I like being high up; it reminds me of trees! One day I woke up to find a strange sight, Dharini’s house was filling with water! In the night, the river behind the house started overflowing its banks! Inside everything was helter-skelter. Things were piled on top of one another! The monsoon had arrived!

Dharini and Anjali carried us babies outside the house! There was water everywhere and it was very muddy! But the sun was out and it was not raining! I stayed high on the fence and made sure even my long tail did not get wet! Dharini went to pick snails.

Snails had climbed branches and walls to escape drowning in the flood! Every gardener knows that snails eat plants. By eating snails, I ensure that they do not overrun your garden. I maintain the balance of life in nature!

When it floods, you find fish everywhere! Dharini cast his net in the garden and began catching fishes. They are kept in a pan of water to keep them alive and fresh to eat!

Montu, my brother, tried to be naughty! He caught me and threatened to dip me in water! He got a scolding from Dharini. I hate to be in water! Back inside the house, it is time for me to play with Mama! I shall rest awhile and then be up again at night. Mama always leaves a midnight snack by the lantern!

Now read the following questions and tick the right answer.

1. Dharini ______.

(a) is the land owner

(b) loves animals ✔

(d) is father of Bhakat

2. Civet cats are also called ________ .

(a) Baby cats

(b) Night cats

(d) Snail cats

3. Baby Bhakat loves to eat ________.

(a) roti

(b) vegetables

(d) meat ✔

4. Baby Bhakat hates to ________.

(a) eat snails

(b) be in water ✔

(d) sleep in the rafter

5. The home for the Bhakat is ________.

(a) a garden near a river

(b) the roof of the little hut

(d) the nest in a coconut tree

6. Tick the statement which is not true.

(а) Dharani and Anjali treat Bhakat as their own baby.

(b) They keep the door closed to keep Bhakat safe. ✔

(d) Anjali feeds Bhakat before anyone else.

Answer:

Text II:

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

It’s not easy having Elephants in your backyard. Around the world, as communities expand, and natural wild places are reduced, people and wildlife are increasingly coming into conflict over living space and food.

It might be baboons in Namibia attacking young goats or elephants in Nepal eating crops or European bears and wolves killing livestock. The problem is universal, affects rich and poor, and is bad news for all concerned.

The impacts are often huge. People lose their crops and livestock (and therefore a source of income and food security), property, and sometimes their lives – even a severe injury caused by wildlife can result in a loss of livelihood. The animals, some of which are already threatened or even endangered, are sometimes killed in retaliation or to prevent future conflicts.

Human-wildlife conflict is happening more and more, affecting a lot of different species. The effects of climate change will probably make the problem worse.

How we are tackling human-wildlife conflict:

The solutions are often specific to the wildlife or area concerned, and are often creative and simple – for instance planting a barrier of crops that repel the animals (elephants and some other wildlife don’t like chilli, for example).

An important aspect of the work is that it benefits both the animals and local people and actively involves the communities concerned (in the case of chilli, it can be sold to increase income). It’s about finding solutions that lead to mutually beneficial coexistence.

The work has also often led to people being more enthusiastic and supportive of conservation, and has demonstrated that people can live alongside wildlife while developing sustainable livelihoods.

(Source: https://www.wwf.org.uk/what-we-do/ area-of-work/preventing-human-wildlife-conflict)

1. What happens when communities expand?

As communities grow, natural habitats shrink, causing conflicts between people and wildlife over space and food, with animals like baboons, elephants, and wolves harming livestock and crops globally.

2. What is the meaning of “impact” in the passage? How it is affecting people and their life?

(i) The meaning of “impact” in the passage is a marked effect.

(ii) Wildlife conflicts harm people greatly, causing loss of crops, livestock, property, and even lives. Injuries can affect livelihoods, and animals, often endangered, are sometimes killed in response or to prevent attacks.

3. What will make the human-wildlife conflict more intense?

Climate change worsens human-wildlife conflicts, affecting many species. People lose crops, livestock, property, and lives, while endangered animals are sometimes killed in response to these conflicts. Impacts are severe.

4. The passage talks about one solution to tackle human-wildlife conflict. What is it?

The passage suggests planting crops like chilli that repel animals, such as elephants, to tackle human-wildlife conflicts. Solutions vary by region and species but are often simple, creative, and promote co-existence.

5. These types of creative and simple solutions lead to –(Tick the statement(s) which is/are not true.)

(a) active community involvement.

(b) generate income naturally. ✔

(d) people living with wildlife happily.

(e) people being more enthusiastic and supportive of conservation

(f) developing sustainable livelihood.

Text III:

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

Animal rights:

People who support animal rights recognise that all animals have an inherent worth, a value completely separate from their usefulness to humans. Every being with a will to live has the right to live free from exploitation and suffering.

All animals have the ability to suffer in the same way and to the same degree that humans do. They feel pain, pleasure, fear, frustration, loneliness, and familial love. Whenever we consider doing something that would interfere with their needs, we are morally obligated to take them into account.

People often ask if animal rights mean that animals should have the right to vote or drive a car. Of course, that would be silly because those aren’t rights that would benefit animals. But animals have the right not to suffer at the hands of humans and to live their lives free from suffering and exploitation because they have an interest in doing so. That is the difference between equal consideration and equal treatment.

Almost everyone cares about animals in some context, whether it’s a beloved family companion, an irresistibly cute kitten or a majestic wild animal seen in a documentary. After all, we each have some built- in capacity for empathy and compassion, as can be seen from the lengths that children often go to in order to help animals.

Logically and morally, there is no reason to differentiate in the way we treat the animals we share our homes with and those who are farmed for food. They are all individuals, with the same capacity to feel pain and fear. Animal rights help us to look past the arbitrary distinctions between different species, to rediscover our innate compassion, and to respect all animals equally.

Anyone who cares about animals can start putting these principles into practice every single day with the food they eat, the clothes they wear, and the products they buy. These choices are a form of non¬violent protest that makes a real difference both by reducing the profits of corporations that harm or kill animals and by creating a growing market for cruelty- free food, fashion, services, and entertainment.

(Source: https://www.peta.org.uk/action)

1. What do the people who support animal rights recognise?

Animal rights supporters believe all animals have inherent value beyond their usefulness to humans. They argue that any being with a desire to live deserves to be free from suffering and exploitation.

2. As human beings, what are our moral obligations towards animals?

As humans, we are morally obligated to respect animals' right to live free from suffering and exploitation. Like us, animals feel pain, pleasure, fear, and love, so we must consider their needs before acting.

3. What is the right of animals as mentioned in paragraph three?

The rights of animals, as stated in paragraph three, include living free from human-caused suffering and exploitation. They deserve equal consideration and treatment, as they have an interest in living without harm.

4. Why should we rediscover our empathy, compassion, and respect for animals?

We should regain empathy and respect for all animals equally. Logically and morally, there’s no reason to treat pets differently from farm animals, as both feel pain and fear. Children often show natural compassion for animals, reminding us to consider animal rights and rediscover our innate kindness.

5. Anyone who cares about animals can start putting “these principles” into practice. What are “these principles”?

These principles include:

Respect animals' right to live free from suffering and exploitation.
Avoid making arbitrary distinctions between species.
Refrain from eating meat, fish, and products from killing animals.
Do not wear clothing made from animal skin or parts.
Avoid buying products linked to animal cruelty.

By adopting these choices, two positive outcomes would result:

Reduced profits for companies harming animals.
Growth in demand for cruelty-free food, fashion, services, and entertainment.

Vocabulary:

1. The following words are from the text you have read. The synonyms for each word are given. Find the odd one out.

(a) serious, grave, ridiculous, stern, solemn

(b) suitable, unfitting, appropriate, right, proper

(d) peaceful, harmonious, quiet, serene, violent

(e) appalling, atrocious, wonderful, awful, dreadful

2. Look at the two sentences given below. These are from the text. Look at the words in italics. These are used as verbs. They can be used as nouns as well.

(a) By then it had crossed my mind…

(b) Camusfearna, ringed by water…

The noun forms of these two verbs are ‘cross’ and ‘ring’.

(a) I’ve put a cross on the map to show where the river Mahanadi is.

(b) She put the ring back in the jewelery box.

A list of words is given below. Make sentences using these words as verb and noun.

(c) Book

Verb: Riya will book the tickets for the movie tomorrow.

Noun: Aman is reading an interesting book about Indian history.

(d) Mail

Verb: I will mail the invitation to Priya for her birthday.

Noun: Rahul received an important mail from his school.

(e) Cable

Verb: The technician will cable the new internet connection today's.

Noun: The cable connecting the TV to the satellite is broken.

(f) Sack

Verb: The manager had to sack three workers for being late every day.

Noun: Akash carried a sack of rice on his back to the kitchen.

(g) End

Verb: The cricket match will end at 6 PM.

Noun: Neha was sad at the end of the movie because the hero left.

(h) Head

Verb: We will head to the park after school.

Noun: Ravi is the head of the student council this year.

(i) Colour

Verb: Tina loves to colour her drawings with bright pencils.

Noun: Red is Ramesh's favorite colour in the rainbow.

(j) Lead

Verb: Rohan will lead the team in the science quiz competition.

Noun: Anika is in the lead for the school race with 10 points!

Grammar:

1. You have read about “noun modifiers” in the chapter ‘Mijbil the Otter’, page 112. These give more information about a noun, hence are called noun modifiers. These are adjectives or adjective phrases. Let us look at more of the adjective phrases and their usage.

Example : I went to a party. It was a Christmas party. The party was lovely.

I went to a lovely Christmas party.

Now, join the sentences given below and make a simple sentence with an adjective phrase.

(a) I bought a Maruti car. The colour is blue. It is sporty.

I bought a sporty blue colour Maruti car.

(b) He made a speech. The speech was short. The speech was interesting.

He made an interesting short speech.

Suresh went to a beautifully decorated house.

(d) She bought a dress. It is a designer one but frightfully expensive.

She bought a frightfully expensive designer dress.

(e) The food was tasty. It was prepared quickly. The quikly prepared food was tasty.

2. Use the correct form of the word given in the bracket and fill in the blanks. One has been done for you.

His behaviour was disappointing. I expected him to be more polite. People present there were disappointed. (disappoint)

(а) The death of 40 jawans was ________. We were ________ when we heard the news, (shock)

(b) I met an ________ person in the party. He was ________ in tasting each and every dish kept in the food counter, (interest:)

(c) Ravi is not very ________ to visit new places. He tells his friends no place is more ________ compared to his village in Ranikhet. (excite)

(d) She got a new guest in her house. She was ________ by his handling the pups. His voice was more ________ when he was calling these pups near him. (amuse)

(e) It is very humid in the Summers. I don’t like this weather. This weather is ________. I am ________ as I sweat a lot. Children are ________ as they can’t play outside, (disgust)

Answer:

(a) shocking, shocked

(b) interesting, interested

(d) amused, amusing

(e) disgusting, disgusted, disgusted

3. You have read about how to describe a repeated action in the past by using ‘would’ or ‘used to’. Go through the rules again and fill in the blanks with ‘would’ or ‘used to’ as appropriate.

(a) Every day she ________ come home from work with a rose to give to her mother.

(b) I ________ lend him my books when he was preparing for his examination.

(d) Each time I called him he ________ come immediately.

(e) During his hostel life, he ________ eat all kinds of food without grumbling.

(f) When I was a child, I ________ believe that fire flies were small fire balls.

Answer:

(a) would

(b) used to

(d) would

(e) used to

(f) used to

Editing:

1. Use capital letters, full-stops, commas, and inverted commas wherever necessary in the following paragraph.

the land of the Bisnois in rajasthan is known for conservation of wildlife, it is a living religion to the. Bishnois. It is said This is probably only one religion in the world that is founded on the principles of conserving nature. It has followers over ten lakhs. For these many people protection of living beings is a way of life for the ishnois tree is sacred and their empathy and love extend to all living beings on earth. They protect the ecosystem that surrounds the village which is a safe haven for blackbucks chinkaras vultures great Indian bustards peacocks etc they protect them from poachers and provide them plenty vegetation they keep water in the stone vessels for the animals to drink from, and hang water filled pots from the branches for the birds.

Answer:

The land of the Bishnois in Rajasthan is known for Conservation of Wildlife. It is a living religion to the Bishnois. It is said, “This is probably only one religion in the world that is founded on the principles of Conserving nature”. It has followers over ten lakhs. For these many people, protection of living beings is a way of life. For the Bishnois, tree is sacred and their empathy and love extend to all living beings on earth. They protect the ecosystem that surrounds the village which is a safe haven for blackbucks, chinkaras, vultures, great Indian bustards, peacocks, etc. They protect them from poachers and provide them with plenty of vegetation. They keep water in the stone vessels for the animals to drink from, and hang water filled pots from the branches for the birds.

2. Parts of sentences are given below. Rearrange the parts and write meaningful sentences in the space provided. Use appropriate punctuation marks.

(a) a town in iraq/ in large numbers/ otters are found/ in the marshes near Basra.

(b) to the market/ we were fatigued/ having walked so far/ on account of

(d) india’s first semi-high speed train,/ was flagged off with excitement/ the inaugural trip of! Vande Bharat Express,

(e) the eastern hemisphere / the longer than all / the nile is said to be / other rivers in

Answer:

(a) In the marshes near Basra, a town in Iraq, Otters are found in large numbers.

(b) On account of having walked so far to the market, we were fatigued.

(d) The inaugural trip of India’s first semi-high speed train, Vande Bharat Express was flagged off.

(e) The Nile is said to be longer than all other rivers in the eastern hemisphere.

Listening:

1. Following is a story of Gangaram, a 130 year old crocodile, who died in a Chhattisgarh village. Listen to the story carefully and answer the questions that follow. You can listen to the recorded story or ask your teacher, sibling or friend to read the story aloud.

The incident took place in Bawamohatra, a village in Bemetra district of Chhattisgarh. The residents of Bawamohatra gathered near the community pond and started weeping after they saw that the crocodile had died. The villagers were emotionally attached to the reptile and were heartbroken after his death. About 500 people of the small village attended the last rites of their beloved crocodile, Gangaram. The over three-metre long crocodile was buried in Chhattisgarh’s Bawamohatra village after his last rites were performed by the villagers. A forest department official estimated that the crocodile was 130 years old. The crocodile was carried to its funeral on a tractor decorated with flowers and garlands. The villagers say Gangaram was friendly.

Even the kids of the village could swim around him. He had never harmed or attacked anyone. He was not a crocodile but a friend and a divine creature for them, who was worshipped in this village. Some say that he would even eat rice and dal which was served by the villagers and kids. He was very understanding and if he saw anyone swimming near him, he used to go to the other side of the pond. Villagers used to identify themselves with the crocodile as people used to call this village – Magarmachha vala gaaon, the Crocodile’s village. In fact, the villagers now wish to build a statue of Gangaram near the pond to remember their friend, who got the village a new name. It may be weird, but it could be an example of how humans and animals can coexist without harming each other.

1. Why did the residents gather near the village pond?

The residents gathered near the village pond to see their beloved crocodile, Gangaram.

2. Why were the villagers crying?

The villagers were crying to see the dead crocodile. The villagers were emotionally attached to the reptile and were heartbroken after his death.

3. Who was Gangaram?

Gangaram was a crocodile.

4. How big was he?

He was three-metre long

5. How old was he?

He was 130 years old.

6. Give three reasons to justify Gangaram was friendly:

(a) Children could swim around him.

(b) Gangaram never harmed or attacked anyone.

7. What was the new name given to the village and why?

“Magarmachha vala gaaon”, “the crocodile’s village” was the new name given to the village.

The crocodile was an example of how humans and animals can co-exist without harming each other.

8. What will the villagers do to remember their friends?

The villagers will build a statue of Gangaram near the pond to remember their friend.

Speaking:

1. We all have seen hand puppets on YouTube or during story telling sessions. Try to make one hand puppet of an Otter. The situation is: Mijbil playing with water and spilling water every where. Write a few dialogues between Mijbil and Maxwell. Be the characters and exchange dialogues.

Maxwell : Oh! Mijbil, what have you done ?

Mijbil: he did this, I did nothing.

Maxwell : Don’t lie me. I know you very well.

Mijbil : Hey! Max (Maxwell) believe me.

Maxwel : Believe my foot.

Mijbil : I swear Max. That’s not my fault and please don’t shout at me like this.

2. You have read a story ‘The Bond of Love’ in the class IX textbook, Beehive. In this story, the author talks about a sloth bear that his wife kept as a pet. The sloth bear was sent to the Zoo when it became too big to be kept at home. Now, discuss in a group of four, the following points, list views, and then share in the class.

(a) Keeping any big wild animal, like the sloth ‘ bears, at home.

(b) Keeping unusual pets for pleasure

(d) Making the monkeys dance, cock fighting, bull fighting for amusement

Ritika: I don’t like keeping wild animals, like sloth bears, at home. Wild animals belong in the wild, and they are naturally afraid of humans. Being in captivity stresses them, and even zoos can’t give them what the wild offers. They’re often treated cruelly to make them behave for people.

Arjun: Petting wild animals is harmful for them. In the end, it can lead to their death. Feeding, petting, or getting them used to humans will only hurt them.

Rohit: Some people make money by making monkeys dance, or organizing cockfights and bullfights for fun. This is wrong, and animals shouldn’t be treated that way.

Asha: Wildlife belongs in the wild. Let’s help keep it there.

Writing:

1. Based on the above points, write a paragraph giving your points of view. You can highlight on the loss of natural habitat, cruelty, loss of freedom etc.

Love is shared by both animals and humans. In the story “The Bond of Love,” the author’s wife loves her pet, Bruno, and Bruno loves her back. Animals feel happiness when loved and sadness when separated. Sadly, they often suffer because of humans. Their homes are shrinking due to cities and factories, and they face cruelty every day.

Many animals like oxen, donkeys, and monkeys are forced to work for people’s needs. Some animals are used in painful tests in labs. Others, in zoos, live in dirty cages and are not fed properly, leaving them weak. Animals also lose their freedom when kept in cages. We should care more for animals and stop encouraging cruelty towards them.

2. ‘Read these quotations and write one paragraph in the context of ‘Animal Rights’.

(a) “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” – Mahatma Gandhi

(b) When it comes to pain, love, joy, loneliness and fear, a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. Each one values his or her life and fights the knife.” – PETA founder, Ingrid E. Newkirk