Question 1

The events narrated in this text took place over half-a-century ago. Discuss with your class what changes have taken place over these years in

(i) what animals we can keep as pets (some species are protected under the laws for wildlife preservation)

(ii) the laws for exporting and importing or trading in animals

(iii) rules for transporting goods, pets, etc. on aircraft.

The class might wish to do their own research on these questions and report their findings in class.

Accepted Answer

Answer will vary. Students should discuss how laws and societal attitudes have changed over the last 50 years regarding pets. (i) Many wild species are now protected and cannot be kept as pets; exotic pet ownership is regulated. (ii) Exporting and importing animals is now strictly controlled by international agreements like CITES to prevent illegal wildlife trade. (iii) Transporting animals on aircraft is governed by strict guidelines to ensure animal welfare and safety, including quarantine rules and health certificates. — Students should research current wildlife protection laws, international treaties like CITES, and airline regulations for animal transport, then compare with past practices.

Question 2

Ask students if they know of other examples of unusual pets or of wild animals which are trained to work for or amuse humans (eg dancing bears, lions and tigers in a circus, elephants trained to work or take part in ceremonies). Then lead students into a discussion about the ethics of keeping wild animals as pets: What are the difficulties these may entail? According to the students, what will the animal miss most when it is taken away from its natural habitat? Do they think that it is 'cute' to see Mij the otter on a leash? Get them to look at the situation from all points of view.

Accepted Answer

Answers will vary. Students should mention difficulties such as the animal's need for natural habitat, diet, space, and social needs. They should discuss ethical concerns about animal welfare, stress, and unnatural living conditions. The animal likely misses freedom, family, and natural behaviors. Students should critically evaluate the idea of 'cuteness' versus animal rights. — Encourages critical thinking about animal welfare and ethics, considering multiple perspectives including human entertainment and animal needs.

Question 3

Visit the website wwf.org.uk/core/wildlife to know more about otters and otter conservation projects.

Accepted Answer

Students should visit the website and summarize information about otters, their habitats, threats they face, and conservation efforts. They may report on how otters are protected, what organizations do to conserve them, and how people can help. — This is a research-based question encouraging students to use online resources to learn about wildlife conservation.

Question 4

(i) What does Sandburg think the fog is like?

(ii) How does the fog come?

(iii) What does 'it' in the third line refer to?

(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.

Accepted Answer

(i) Sandburg thinks the fog is like a cat.

(ii) The fog comes quietly and softly, like a cat walking on little cat feet.

(iii) 'It' in the third line refers to the fog.

(iv) The poet does not directly say the fog is a cat but uses metaphorical language: the fog comes on 'little cat feet', it 'sits looking over harbour and city on silent haunches', and then moves on—these are all cat-like behaviors. — The poem uses metaphor and imagery to compare fog to a cat without explicitly stating it. The question tests understanding of metaphor and imagery.

Question 5

You know that a metaphor compares two things by transferring a feature of one thing to the other (See Unit 1).

(i) Find metaphors for the following words and complete the table below. Also try to say how they are alike. The first is done for you.

|  Storm | tiger | pounces over the fields, growls  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  Train |  |   |
|  Fire |  |   |
|  School |  |   |
|  Home |  |   |

(ii) Think about a storm. Try to visualise the force of the storm, hear the sound of the storm, feel the power of the storm and the sudden calm that happens afterwards. Write a poem about the storm comparing it with an animal.

Accepted Answer

(i) Sample metaphors:
- Train: a speeding bullet, thundering down the tracks
- Fire: a hungry dragon, devouring everything in its path
- School: a hive of bees, buzzing with activity
- Home: a warm nest, sheltering its inhabitants

These metaphors are alike because they transfer qualities of animals or objects (speed, hunger, activity, warmth) to the given words.

(ii) Example poem:
"The storm is a lion roaring loud,
Pounding the earth with mighty paws,
Then silent as it slips away,
Leaving calm in its fierce claws."

Students should write their own poems using animal metaphors to describe a storm. — This question tests understanding of metaphor and creative writing skills by linking natural phenomena with animal characteristics.

Question 6

Does this poem have a rhyme scheme? Poetry that does not have an obvious rhythm or rhyme is called 'free verse'.

Accepted Answer

No, the poem 'Fog' by Carl Sandburg does not have a rhyme scheme. It is an example of free verse poetry, which does not follow a regular rhyme or rhythm pattern. — The poem's lines do not rhyme with each other, and the rhythm is natural and flowing, characteristic of free verse.

Question 7

According to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), which of the following is NOT a recommended responsibility when adopting a puppy?

Accepted Answer

Keeping the dog confined in a cage to prevent it from chewing shoes — The SPCA guidelines emphasize that socialisation is very important and that keeping dogs confined in cages or tied up to stop them from dirtying the garden or chewing shoes is wrong. The other options are responsibilities recommended by the SPCA.

Question 8

What was Gavin Maxwell's reason for choosing Camusfearna as a suitable place to keep an otter?

Accepted Answer

It was ringed by water a stone's throw from the door — Maxwell considered Camusfearna suitable because it was surrounded by water very close to the cottage, which is ideal for keeping an otter that loves water.

Question 9

Which of the following best describes Mijbil's appearance when he first emerged from the sack?

Accepted Answer

A creature resembling a small medieval dragon with mud scales and velvet fur — The text describes Mijbil as coated with symmetrical pointed scales of mud armour with soft velvet fur visible between the mud, resembling a small medieval dragon.

Question 10

Why was Mijbil named 'Maxwell's otter' scientifically?

Accepted Answer

Because it was a previously unknown species named after Maxwell — Zoologists christened the otter Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell's otter, as it was a species previously unknown to science and named in Maxwell's honor.

Question 11

What characteristic behavior of otters did Mijbil display when taken to the bathroom?

Accepted Answer

Playing wildly in the water, splashing and overturning bowls — Mijbil went wild with joy in the water, plunging, rolling, and making splashes, a characteristic behavior of otters who love to keep water moving and play with it.

Question 12

How did Mijbil manage to get water flowing in the bathtub taps?

Accepted Answer

He turned the chromium taps with his paws, sometimes the wrong way — Mijbil fumbled at the taps with his paws and turned them to produce a trickle and then full flow of water, though sometimes he screwed the taps tighter by mistake.

Question 13

What does the phrase 'thraldom to otters' mean as used in the text?

Accepted Answer

Being under the control or strong attachment to otters — 'Thraldom' is an old-fashioned word meaning being under control or a strong attachment. Maxwell describes his life as a thraldom to otters, meaning he is strongly attached to them.

Question 14

Why did Maxwell dread the prospect of transporting Mijbil to England?

Accepted Answer

Because the British airline did not allow animals on board — The British airline to London would not fly animals, so Maxwell had to book flights via Paris and make special arrangements for Mijbil's transport.

Question 15

What happened to Mijbil shortly before the flight from Basra?

Accepted Answer

He tore the lining of the box and was blood-spattered — Mijbil panicked and tore the lining of the box, causing blood to trickle and dry around the airholes, indicating he was injured and distressed.

Gavin Maxwell lives in a cottage in Camusfearna, in the West

Gavin Maxwell lives in a cottage in Camusfearna, in the West — Study Notes

Before You Read

Introduction to Mijbil the Otter

Transporting Mijbil to England

Practice Questions — Gavin Maxwell lives in a cottage in Camusfearna, in the West

All 9 Chapters in First Flight