Words and Expressions Class 10 Solutions Unit 8 Mijbil the Otter

Let’s Begin:

Question 1.
You have read the chapter ‘Mijbil the Otter’. Discuss with your partner the commitment the author had towards Mijbil, and 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.
Answer:
→ 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.

Question 2.
Find out which illustrations (Page 100) will go with your list.
Answer:
All the first four illustrations will go with our list.

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

What Mijbil does	How Mijbil feels
1. Plunges, rolls in water	1. Goes wild with joy.
2. Opens the water tap.	2. Reveals his intelligence and feels happy
3. Tries to come out of the box.	3. Gets injured and feels exhausted.
4. Invents a game of his own with the ping- pong ball.	4. Feels amused.
5. Sleeps on Maxwell’s bed	5. Feels love for Maxwell.
6. Disappears on the plane, there are shrieks, shrill cries and shouts all around by the passengers.	6. Gets scared and returns to Maxwell.

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!
Rommel Shunmugam

Now read the following questions and tick the right answer.
Question 1.
Dharini ______.
(a) is the land owner
(b) loves animals
(c) is a gardener
(d) is father of Bhakat
Answer:
(b) loves animals

Question 2.
Civet cats are also called ________ .
(a) Baby cats
(b) Night cats
(c) Toddy cats
(d) Snail cats
Answer:
(c) Toddy cats

Question 3.
Baby Bhakat loves to eat ________.
(a) roti
(b) vegetables
(c) fruits
(d) meat
Answer:
(d) meat

Question 4.
Baby Bhakat hates to ________.
(a) eat snails
(b) be in water
(c) play with Mama
(d) sleep in the rafter
Answer:
(b) be in water

Question 5.
The home for the Bhakat is ________.
(a) a garden near a river
(b) the roof of the little hut
(c) a little hut by a river
(d) the nest in a coconut tree
Answer:
(c) a little hut by a river

Question 6.
Tick the statement which is not true.
(а) Dharani and Anjali treat Bhakat as their own baby.
(c) Anjali plays with Bhakat and lets it be naughty.
(d) Anjali feeds Bhakat before anyone else.
Answer:
(b) They keep the door closed to keep Bhakat safe.

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)

Question 1.
What happens when communities expand?
Answer:
When communities expand, natural wild places are reduced. As a result, people and wildlife are increasingly coming into conflict over living space and food. For example, baboons in Namibia attack young goats, elephants in Nepal eat crops, European bears and wolves kill livestock. This affects the rich and the poor and is bad news for all concerned.

Question 2.
What is the meaning of “impact” in the passage? How it is affecting people and their life?
Answer:
(i) The meaning of “impact” in the passage is a marked effect.

(ii) It is affecting people and their life to a great extent. People lose their crops and livestock, 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.

Question 3.
What will make the human-wildlife conflict more intense?
Answer:
The effects of climate change will make the human-wildlife conflict more intense. Such conflict is happening more and more, affecting a lot of different species. The impacts are often huge. People lose their crops and livestock, property and sometimes their lives. In contrast, sometimes even endangered animals are killed in retaliation.

Question 4.
The passage talks about one solution to tackle human-wildlife conflict. What is it?
Answer:
The solution to tackle human wildlife conflict that the passage talks about is to plant a barrier of crops that repel the animals. For example, elephants and some other wildlife don’t like chilli. Although, the solutions of such conflicts are often specific to the wildlife or area concerned, and are often creative and simple. It is about finding solutions that lead to mutually beneficial co-existence.

Question 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.
(c) mutually beneficial coexistence.
(d) people living with wildlife happily.
(e) people being more enthusiastic and supportive of conservation
(f) developing sustainable livelihood.
Answer:
(b) generate income naturally.

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)

Question 1.
What do the people who support animal rights recognise?
Answer:
The people who support animal rights recognise that all animals have an inherent worth, a value completely separate from their usefulness to humans. They hold that every being with a will to live has the right to live free from exploitation and suffering.

Question 2.
As human beings, what are our moral obligations towards animals?
Answer:
As human beings, our moral obligations towards animals are to respect their right to live free from exploitation and suffering. All animals have the ability to suffer in the same way and ft he 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 obliged to take them into account.

Question 3.
What is the right of animals as mentioned in paragraph three?
Answer:
The right of animals as mentioned in paragraph three is 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. They have the right of equal consideration and equal treatment.

Question 4.
Why should we rediscover our empathy, compassion, and respect for animals?
Answer:
We should rediscover our empathy, compassion, and respect for all animals equally because 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. In fact, all of us have some built-in capacity for empathy and compassion : For example, it can be seen that children often go in order to help animals. We should keep in mind the animal rights to rediscover our innate compassion and respect for animals.

Question 5.
Anyone who cares about animals can start putting “these principles” into practice. What are “these principles”?
Answer:
These principles are as follows:

We should respect the animal right-not to suffer at the hands of humans and to live their lives free from suffering and exploitation.
We should not have arbitrary distinctions between different species.
We should not eat the food that come by killing the animals i.e., meat, fish, etc.
We should not wear the clothes made up of animal skin and other organs.
We should not buy the products that are responsible for cruelty to animals.

Adopting those choices would be a form of non-violent protest that would bring two positive results :

This would reduce the profits of corporations that harm or kill animals.
Also, this would create a growing market for cruelty-free food, fashion, services, and entertainment.

Vocabulary:

Question 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
(c) hostile, unfriendly, averse, agreeable, unreceptive
(d) peaceful, harmonious, quiet, serene, violent
(e) appalling, atrocious, wonderful, awful, dreadful
Answer:
(a) ridiculous
(b) unfitting
(c) agreeable
(d) violent
(e) wonderful

Question 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 ______________________
(d) Mail ______________________
(e) Cable ______________________
(f) Sack ______________________
(g) End ______________________
(h) Head ______________________
(i) Colour ______________________
(j) Lead ______________________
Answer:
(c) Book

Verb : I have booked a railway ticket today.
Noun : I am writing a book on Social Science.

(d) Mail

Verb : Sohan mailed a letter to his father.
Noun : I have to collect my mail from Krishna Nagar Post Office.

(e) Cable

Verb : In order to know about his mail, Maxwell cabled to England.
Noun : The cable is used for transmitting electricity or tele communication signals.

(f) Sack

Verb : The corrupt officials must be sacked on the spot.
Noun : There are 50 sacks full of rice in the godown.

(g) End

Verb : The beautiful phase of Vijay Malya’s life has ended.
Noun : An all party meeting was called for an end to violence.

(h) Head

Verb : The meeting was headed by the Principal of my college.
Noun : Mr. Sinha is the head of his family.

(i) Colour

Verb : She coloured her hair with a selection of blonde and brown shades.
Noun : You should change the colour of your door by painting.

(j) Lead

Verb : This road leads to the railway station.
Noun : India is now taking the lead in environmental policies.

Grammar:

Question 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 _____________ car.

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

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

(e) The food was tasty. It was prepared quickly. food was tasty.
Answer:
(a) a sporty blue colour Maruti
(b) an interesting short
(c) to a beautifully decorated
(d) a frightfully expensive designer
(e) Quickly prepared

Question 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
(c) excited, exciting
(d) amused, amusing
(e) disgusting, disgusted, disgusted

Question 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.
(c) He ________ visit his friend in the hospital every evening.
(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
(c) would
(d) would
(e) used to
(f) used to

Editing:

Question 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.

Question 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
(c) 40 paramilitary personnel/ the suicide car/ pulwana district killed/ bombing in
(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.
(c) The suicide car bombing in Pulwana district, killed 40 paramilitary personnel.
(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:

Question 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.

Question 1.
Why did the residents gather near the village pond?
Answer:
The residents gathered near the village pond to see their beloved crocodile, Gangaram.

Question 2.
Why were the villagers crying?
Answer:
The villagers were crying to see the dead crocodile. The villagers were emotionally attached to the reptile and were heartbroken after his death.

Question 3.
Who was Gangaram?
Answer:
Gangaram was a crocodile.

Question 4.
How big was he?
Answer:
He was three-metre long

Question 5.
How old was he?
Answer:
He was 130 years old.

Question 6.
Give three reasons to justify Gangaram was friendly:
(а) Children could ___________.
(b) Gangaram never ___________.
(c) Gangaram was very ___________.
Answer:
(a) Children could swim around him.
(b) Gangaram never harmed or attacked anyone.
(c) Gangaram was very understanding.

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

“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.

Question 8.
What will the villagers do to remember their friends?
Answer:
The villagers will build a statue of Gangaram near the pond to remember their friend.

Speaking:

Question 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, he ______________
Maxwell : ___________
Mijbil : ___________
Maxwel : ___________
Mijbil : ___________
Answer:
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.

Question 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
(c) Using tigers, lions, dancing bears in circus
(d) Making the monkeys dance, cock fighting, bull fighting for amusement
Answer:
Vanshika : No, I am not interested to keep any big wild animal, like the sloth bears, at home or keeping unusual pets for pleasure. Why?
Firstly, wild animals belong to wilderness and would never naturally interact with humans. They have innate fear of humans and will not choose to be near them. Being in captivity and available for petting puts enormous stress on any wild animal whose instinct would be to run away. Circus or zoos can never replicate what the wild provides for these animals no matter how hard they try to or how much money they spend.
They are very often subjected to cruel and inhumane methods in order to make them tame enough for the public to handle.

Daksh: Petting wild animals is BAD FOR THEM. In the long run,it will only result in their death. Habituating, feeding and petting wildlife WILL kill it.

Eklavyh : Some people make money by making the monkeys dance, cock fight, bull fight for amusement. This is wrong and they should not be treated as such.

Pari : Wildlife, it belongs to the wild… lets help keep it there.

Writing:

Question 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.
Answer:
Love is Mutual:
‘Love is mutual’. This fact is represented by the story “The Bond of Love’ in the class-EX textbook. The chapter signifies the mutual love and affection between the author’s wife and the pet, Bruno. Animals also feel the pleasure of love and pain of separation. They can and do understand the love and affection showered upon them. They even feel miserable when separated from their loved ones irrespective of the fact whether they are the fellow animals or even humans. However, now-a-days they are becoming the victim of human cruelty. Due to industrialisation and urbanisation their natural habitat is decreasing continuously. Moreover, we often come across the scenes related to cruelty to animals.

Animals are treated cruelly for various needs. As we walk on the road, sometimes we find bullock carts driven by oxen, donkeys carrying burdens, bears staging road shows, monkeys dancing to the beats of his master’s sticks and even pythons swerving to the tunes of his master. The animals are, thus, used for earning a living. Animal testing is another problem. This is the use of animals in biological, medical and psychological studies. Medical researchers use many animals to study the causes and effects of animals vivisection i.e., cutting a living thing is the most controversial issue of animal rights. Right now, millions of mice, rats, rabbits, cats, dogs, and other animals are locked inside cold cages in labs across the country.

They suffer in pain, ache with loneliness and long to be free. After going through this terrible life, almost all of these animals are killed. At many places especially in villages, animals are used to carry goods from one place to another in carts. Moreover, we can see pitiable condition of animals in the zoo. There are filthy and sticky places where animals and birds are kept. The cages are in very bad conditions. Besides, the animals seem very lethargic, weak and restless as they are not fairly fed. Loss of freedom is also a matter of serious concern to animals. Confinement takes away the liberty of the confined, be it a human being or an animal. Therefore, I feel concerned due to the cruel treatment meted out to animals. Some stern steps must be taken to improve the condition of animals. We should stop encouraging such cruelties to animals.

Question 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
Answer:
Animal Rights:
We often come across the scenes related to cruelty to animals. Animals are treated cruelly for various needs. As we walk on the road, we often see that they are used for earning a living. People fail to understand that the voiceless animals are living beings who feel the same amount of pain and sadness as humans, and in some cases, even more whereas our culture, religions, traditions advocate non-violence and compassion towards animals. Therefore, it is an urgent need to implement animal rights honestly. India’s first national animal welfare law, the Prevention of cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, criminalizes cruelty to animals. The 1960 law also created the Animal Welfare Board of India. Moreover, subsequent laws have placed many regulations and restrictions to safeguard animals.

According to Article 51A(g), it is the fundamental duty of every citizen of India to have compassion for all living creatures. Similarly, as per the law of the land, to kill or maim any animal, including stray animals is a punishable offence. Abandoning any animal for any reason can land a person in prison for up to three months. Neglecting an animal by denying her sufficient food, water, shelter and exercise or by keeping him chained/ confined for long hours is a punishable offence. Animal sacrifice is illegal in every part of the country.

Bears, monkeys, tigers, panthers, lions and bulls are prohibited from being trained and used for entertainment purposes, either in circuses or streets. Organising of or participating in or inciting any animal fight is a cognizable offence. Cosmetics tested on animals and the impact of cosmetics tested on animals is banned. Every animal lover should know these laws to prevent cruel treatment meted out to animals. Mahatma Gandhi has rightly said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

Project:

Question 1.
In a group of four, conduct research on the following question and write a report on the findings.
What animals can be exported or imported under law ? (Customs seizures show a variety of animals from reptiles, lizards, leopards to pythons, venomous reptile. These are carried in tiny suitcases and smuggled.)
Answer:
The livestock definition covers mules, asses,’ bulls, calves, bullocks, buffaloes, goats, swine, dogs, cats, poultry, parrots, pigeons, canaries, fishes and other seafood, etc. that can be exported or imported under the law. However, apart from regular procedures and documentation to import goods, the special provisions are also required to import live animals. The exporters and importers have to follow specific requirements of each importing country to import live animals from foreign country. India’s live animal exports mainly include live goat and sheep. It accounts for 1.5% of global live animals exports. Also, it is the largest exporter of buffalo meat but not exporter of live buffalo. India exports live animals mostly to Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kenya, Maldives, Sri Lanka, etc. Due to various restrictions on meat or processed meat, the industry is looking towards live animals.

The culture and several religious traditions of India advocate non-violence and compassion towards animals. For example, the first scriptures of Hinduism, the Vedas teach us ahimsa or non-violence towards all living beings. In Hinduism, killing an animal is regarded as a violation of ahimsa and causes bad Karma. Similarly, ahimsa is the central teaching of Jainism. Jains believe in the sanctity of all life. So, they practise strict vegetarianism. Many of them go to great lengths even to avoid harming insects. Buddhism teachings also include ahimsa. Buddhism teaches vegetarianism. Buddhists even practise life release in which animals destined for slaughter are purchased and released to the wild.

Under the British rule, animal experimentation began in India in the 1960s. The British began introducing new drugs to the colony. Moved by the suffering of Indian strays and drought animals, the first Indian Society for the Prevention of cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was founded in 1861 in Calcutta (now, Kolkata) by C. Grant. Mahatma Gandhi also advocated vegetarianism. He argued for abstinence from meat on ethical grounds.

India’s first national animal welfare law, the Prevention of cruelty to Animals Act, was passed in 1960. The Act criminalizes cruelty to animals. Although, exceptions are made for the treatment of animals used for food and scientific experiments.

India has passed a number of animal welfare reforms since 1960. Subsequent laws have placed regulations and restrictions on the use of drought animals, the use of performing animals, animal transport, animal slaughter, and animal experimentation.

The import and ownership of foreign animals are restricted under the Export-Import Policy which governs all imports and exports in our country. This has elaborate procedures and permissions required for the import of any live animal which is not covered under the definition of “livestock” under Livestock Importation Act, 1898. The illegal trade of wildlife is prohibited under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The Act aims at effectively protecting the wildlife of this country and to control poaching, smuggling and illegal trade in wildlife and its derivatives. In fact, International trade in all wildlife species of India is regulated collectively through the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, Export-Import Policy (EXIM Policy) under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act of 1992 and Customs Act of 1962.

The Wild Life Protection Act provides for the prohibition of hunting of protected species, strict regulation of their possession transport and trade and the creation and management of protected areas. However, in spite of all legal provisions, exotic animal trade is thriving in India. People shell out large sums of money for pocket monkeys from Brazil, black pond turtles from Southern Asia, iguanas from South America and the Caribbean and fish from the coral reefs of Indonesia. These wild animals are illegally transported, cruelly bred and then sold at steep rates in Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and Delhi.

Although, sufficient legal backing is provided for the scheduled animals which are indigenous species native to India and South Asia but non-indigenous animals are also imported illegally into India on a large scale. In fact, there is lack of legislation for the exotic pet trade. Customs seizures show a variety of animals exported from India such as reptiles, lizards, leopards to pythons, venomous reptile, etc. These are carried in tiny suitcases and smuggled. An exotic animal or exotic pet is not defined under any law of India. So, there is an urgent need for sufficient and stronger legislation to efficiently curb these criminal activities.

Question 2.
Make a team of four studients. Imagine a unique animal or bird as a pet. Draw the animal and write the following information about it.
(a) Name of the pet and draw the animal on a chart paper.
Answer:
My Pet Dog – Rocky:
The dog is considered as the man’s best friend. It is a loving, honest and faithful animal. The dog is a four-footed carnivore animal. However, pet dog may be omnivore. The dog is considered as the first animal ever to be domesticated by the human. The earliest known fossil of a domestic dog is from 31,700 years ago in Belgium. They have lived with people for at least 30,000 years. In ancient times, dogs were buried together with humans. That is, they have been proved very useful for the mankind. They understand human’s way of talking and nature very wrell. Dogs vary in their colours, shapes, sizes, weight, and habits depending on the type. A female dog can give birth to 3-6 puppies in one time.

The mother dog feeds milk and takes care to all her puppies till they become independent. The lifespan of a dog can be 12 to 15 years long. It sleeps in the day and remains active at night. It can make various sounds such as howl, snarl, bark, growl, etc. in order to express different moods. It can run very vast. It has strong sense of smell and hearing. It is a very clever domestic animal. That is why, it is used by the police and army to detect criminals. Also, they have sharp vision and understanding power. They have sweet glands in their tongue which help in cooling themselves through the process of panting.

I have always been fond of dogs. I had an earnest desire to have a pet dog at home. Ultimately, my parents allowed me to purchase it from Sonepur animal fair. I purchased it for X 5,000.
I named it, Rocky. The picture of my Rocky is as follows :

(b) My pet: (Make a table like the following and write its specifications)

Answer:
Specifications of My Pet Dog – Rocky

has	can	is
1. It has light weight, soft fur and fat legs	1. It can run very fast.	1. It is a warm blooded mammal
2. It has strong sense of smell.	2. It can hunt small animals such as rats, rabbits, etc. and birds like pigeon parrots, etc.	2. It is a medium size animal.
3. It has a wider field of vision.	3. It can guard the house.	3. It is a good hunter
4. It has different lifespan, 12-15 years depending on the size and the breed of the dog.	4. It can make a variety of sounds to show different moods- affection, emotion, etc.	4. It is a very sensitive, docile and smart animal
5. The dog has 800 breeds.	5. It can hear better than humans.	5. It is loyal and like being around humans.
6. It has friendly, and carable behaviour, sensory capabilities and physical attributes.	6. It can see better in dim light than humans.	6. It is very intelligent and faithful animal to its owner.
7. It has very sharp teeth and vision.	7. Dogs can serve people in many ways as guard dogs, hunting dogs, herding dogs, guide dogs for blind people, police dogs, sniffer dogs, etc.	7. It is found all over the world and considered as main domesticated animal and kept at home as pets.
8. It has curved and hairy tail.	8. It can understand human’s way of talking and nature very well.	8. Its lifespan is 12-15 years long.
	9. It can be easily controlled and taught anything through proper training.	9. It is very vigilant in nature.
	10. A female dog can give birth to 3-6 puppies in one time.
	11. It can take action soon.

(c) What all do you have to do to keep the animal with you at home ? (You can refer to the dos and don’ts given on page no. 102 of the textbook First Flight.)
Answer:
Care for My Pet – Rocky:
All the members of my family love Rocky very much. It is a fact that owning a pet is a lifetime commitment involving considerable responsibilities. We have to involve in various caring activities to keep the animal with us at home. So, the decision to acquire one, should be made by the whole family. Without full agreement by everyone, the pet could end up unwanted. Most importantly, people should purchase the pet having the knowledge on how to take proper care of them.

Rocky is so adorable that every member of my family is attracted to it. We take proper care of it. We take an annual dog licence in accordance with government regulations. We are very careful for its annual vaccination against major diseases. We have given it proper toilet training. Especially, my younger brown is involved in its regular grooming and bathing. My sister Rita gives it obedience training. My mother is very careful of feeding it a balanced diet. We don’t confine it in the cage or tie it up to stop its natural activities. But, we encourage it for socialisation. We give special attention to a daily dose of exercise, affection and play. Rocky is a very good source of entertainment for all of us. It takes special care of my grandfather. It loves and respects him very much. It shows affections towards him by wagging its tail and licking his hand and legs. He, too, cannot live without it.

(d) Prepare a write up, share it in the class, and put it on the wall for the class to read.
Answer:
All the members of my family love Rocky very much. It is a fact that owning a pet is a lifetime commitment involving considerable responsibilities. We have to involve in various caring activities to keep the animal with us at home. So, the decision to acquire one, should be made by the whole family. Without full agreement by everyone, the pet could end up unwanted. Most importantly, people should purchase the pet having the knowledge on how to take proper care of them.