JAC Board Class 10th English Solutions First Flight Chapter 9 Madam Rides the Bus
JAC Class 10th English Madam Rides the Bus Textbook Questions and Answers
Activity (Page – 116)
Question 1.
Look at the words and phrases given below. Then put a tick against the ones you think you will find in the text.
1. a set of passengers
2. get off the bus
3. Tickets, please
4. a row of seats
5. blowing a whistle
6. get on the bus
7. platform
8. a roar and a rattle
9. slowing down to a crawl
Answer:
- a set of passengers (✓)
- get off the bus (✓)
- Tickets, please (✓)
- a row of seats (✓)
- blowing a whistle (✓)
- get on the bus (✓)
- platform (x)
- a roar and a rattle (✓)
- slowing down to a crawl (✓)
Question 2.
You must have travelled by bus more than once. What can you see from a fast-moving bus? Given below are some suggestions. Speak briefly about some of these scenes, or about other such scenes that you have seen; or write a sentence or two about them.
| rivers | green fields | hills |
| roadside shops | market places | railway tracks |
| moving trains | vehicles on the road | trees |
| a crowd | clothes in shops | animals |
Answer:
While we travel by a fast – moving bus, we see all the things given under the box. Some of the descriptions are given below.
- A crowd: While going by the bus from Delhi to Agra, we saw a large crowd at few places.
- Roadside shops: We find a number of shops at the roadside while travelling by the bus. We also purchase some eatable items there.
- Vehicles on the road: A number of vehicles ply on the road. These vehicles take people and luggage from one place to another.
- Hills: While we travel by the bus, we see hills at the outside. These hills really look beautiful.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page – 119)
Question 1.
What was Valli’s favourite pastime?
Answer:
Valli’s favourite pastime was to stand in the front doorway of her house and watch all the happenings around the street outside.
Question 2.
What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?
Answer:
A source of unending joy for Valli was the sight of the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town. Her strongest desire was to ride on that bus.
Question 3.
What did Valli find out about the bus journey? How did she find out these details?
Answer:
Valli found out that the town was six miles from her village. The fare was thirty paise for one way. The trip to the town took forty – five minutes. On reaching the town, if she stayed in her seat and paid another thirty paise, she could return home on the same bus. She found out these details by listening carefully to the conversations between her neighbours and the people who regularly used the bus. She also gained information by asking them a few questions.
Question 4.
What do you think Valli was planning to do?
Answer:
Valli was planning to travel on the bus.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page – 122)
Question 1.
Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?
Answer:
When the conductor stretched out his hand to help her get on the bus, Valli said confidently that she could get on by herself. She did not require anybody’s help. She did not act like a child, but as a grown – up girl. That is why the conductor called her ‘madam’.
Question 2.
Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?
Answer:
Valli stood up on the seat because her view was cut off by the lower part of the window. She saw the narrow road and beyond it there were trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue sky.
Question 3.
What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child?
Answer:
When the elderly man called her a child, Valli told him that there was no child on the bus. She had paid her full fare of thirty paise like everyone else.
Question 4.
Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?
Answer:
Valli did not want to make friends with the elderly woman because she found her absolutely repulsive. She saw that the woman had big holes in her ear lobes and very ugly earrings in them. She was chewing betel nut and the betel juice was coming out on her lips.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page – 125)
Question 1.
How did Valli save up money for her first journey? Was it easy for her?
Valli had carefully saved her money. She resisted every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, and the like. This way she had saved sixty paise. When she went to the village fair, she was tempted to ride the merry-go-round because she had the money. But she suppressed her desire and saved the money for the bus ride.
Question 2.
What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?
Answer:
Valli saw a young cow, whose tail was high in the air. When the bus came, the cow came on the middle of the road. The bus slowed down and the driver sounded his horn loudly. Even then it kept running faster in front of the bus. Valli found it so amusing that she laughed heartily. She had tears in her eyes.
Question 3.
Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station?
She did not get off the bus at the bus station because she had to go back on the same bus. She took out another thirty paise from her pocket and demanded ticket from the conductor. She just wanted to ride on the bus.
Question 4.
Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does this tell you about her?
Answer:
Valli did not want to go to the stall and have a drink because she did not have any money for that. Even when the conductor offered her a drink free of charge, she refused it. She only wanted her ticket. This shows that Valli had self-respect and control over her.
Thinking about the Text
Question 1.
What was Valli’s deepest desire? Find the words and phrases in the story that tell you this.
Answer:
The deepest desire of Valli was to ride on the bus. The words and phrases that tell us this are:
- the sight of the bus
- a tiny wish crept into her head
- small details about the bus journey
- a source of unending joy, etc.
Question 2.
How did Valli plan her bus ride? What did she find out about the bus, and how did she save up the fare?
Answer:
Valli wanted to ride on the bus. So, she planned that she would take the one o’clock afternoon bus, reach the town at one forty – five, and will be back home by about two forty-five. The town was at the distance of six miles from her village. The fare of one side was thirty paise. It took forty-five minutes to reach there. After reaching the town, if she stayed in her seat and paid another thirty paise, she could return home by the same bus. She had carefully saved the coins. To save this, she resisted her temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, etc. This way she had saved sixty paise.
Question 3.
WWhat kind of a person is Valli? To answer this question, pick out the following sentences from the text and fill in the blanks. The words you fill in are the clues to your answer.
1. “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised …………..
2. “Yes, I ………. go to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus.
3. “There’s nobody here ………..” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”
4. “Never mind,” she said, “I can …………… You don’t have to help me.” “I’m not a child, I tell you,” she said, .
5. You needn’t bother about me. I…………..,” Valli said, turning her face toward the window and staring out.
6. Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope.”
Answer:
- “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised commandingly.
- “Yes, I simply have to go to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus.
- “There’s nobody here who s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”
- “Never mind,” she said, “I can get on by myself.” “You don’t have to help me.” “I’m not a child, I tell you,” she said, irritably.
- “You needn’t bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said, turning her face towards the window and staring out.
- Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope to see you again.” Valli is a quite confident girl. She takes decision at her own. She has great sense of self respect but gets quite irritated when anyone treats her as a child. She replies every thing in a convincing way.
Question 4.
Why does the conductor refer to Valli as ‘madam’?
Answer:
The bus conductor called Valli ‘madam’ because she behaved in a matured and commanding way. She gave proper reply to conductor’s query. When the conductor stretched out his hand to help her on the bus, she said that she could get on by herself. She did not require anybody’s help. She always laid emphasis on the fact that she had paid her full fare, so she should not be treated in a different way.
Question 5.
Find the lines in the text which tell you that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus.
Answer:
The following lines in the text show that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus:
- “Valli devoured everything with her eyes.”
- “On one side there was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue, blue sky. On the other side was a deep ditch and then acres and acres of green fields – green, green, green, as far as the eye could see. Oh, it was all so wonderful!”
- “Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter.
- Suddenly, Valli clapped her hands with glee.”
- “Somehow this was very funny to Valli. She laughed and laughed until there were tears in her eyes.”
- “Valli wasn’t bored in the slightest and greeted everything with the same excitement she’d felt the first time.”
Question 6.
Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back?
Answer:
Valli refused to look out of the window on her way back because she saw a young cow lying dead by the roadside. It had been struck by some fast – moving vehicle. It was the same cow that was running in front of their bus, during their trip to the town. She was overcome with sadness. The memory of the dead cow haunted her again and again.
Question 7.
What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening without our knowledge.”
Answer:
Valli’s mother was talking to an aunt. They were discussing that many things happened around them, but they were usually unaware of them. Valli had gone on a bus ride to town, all alone. She did all this without the knowledge of her mother. Hence, she agreed with what her mother said.
Question 8.
The author describes the things that Valli sees from an eight-year-old’s point of view. Can you find evidence from the text for this statement?
Answer:
The author has described the things that Valli saw from an eight-year-old’s point of view. She was fascinated by a bus. Her strongest desire was to ride the bus. She saved money by resisting her temptation to ride the merry-go-round at the fair. She did not even take peppermints, toys and balloons. When the author describes the bus, the points he stresses on are the colour and look of the bus. It was a newly painted bus.
The seats were ‘soft and luxurious’. She was happy to see the green fields. Valli clapped her hands in glee on watching a cow run right in front of the bus. She found it very funny. On the other hand, she was quite sad while returning from the town. She saw the same cow lying dead. The memory of the dead cow haunted her so much that she refused to look outside the window. All these things have been described from the author’s point of view.
Speaking
This story has a lot of people talking in it. The conductor jokes and laughs with Valli, some passengers try to show their concern for her, and her mother and her aunt spend time chatting. Read the conversations carefully. Then think of similar people, or similar situations that you have experienced. Mimic a person or persons who spoke to you, saying what they said, along with your replies.
Answer:
Do it yourself.
Writing
Write a page – about three paragraphs – on one of the following topics.
1. Have you ever planned something entirely on your own, without taking grown-ups into your confidence? What did you plan, and how? Did you carry out your plan?
2. Have you made a journey that was unforgettable in some way? What made it memorable?
3. Are you concerned about traffic and road safety? What are your concerns? How would you make road travel safer and more enjoyable?
Answer:
(1) Yes, I have planned something entirely on my own. I along with my classmates planned a visit to see the ‘Hawa Mahal’ in Jaipur. We took bus tickets two days in advance. We along with our friends took bus on Saturday night from Delhi. We reached Jaipur early morning to visit the ‘Hawa Mahal’. We had actually saved some money from daily expenditures. We even did not take money from our parents. ‘Hawa Mahal’ or ‘Palace of the Winds’ is really a marvellous and beautiful place in Jaipur.
It is constructed of red and pink sandstone. It was built up by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799. It is a beautiful blend of Hindu Rajput architecture and Islamic Mughal architecture. It was built for the royal women to enjoy the events and festivals in the street. It is also one of the famous tourist attractions. We visited this palace for the whole day and enjoyed a lot. We took a good lunch there and took the bus of 6 p.m. We reached Delhi at night. It was really an enjoyable journey.
JAC Class 10th English Madam Rides the Bus Important Questions and Answers
I. Short Answer Type Questions (20 – 30 words & 2 marks each)
Question 1.
What advice did the conductor give to Valli?
Answer:
The conductor referring to Valli as child, told her that it would be comfortable for her to sit down rather than standing up and she would not get hurt when the bus would take sharp turns.
Question 2.
What kind of girl was Valli? What was her deepest desire?
Answer:
Valli was an eight – year – old girl. She was wise and intelligent. She always watched everything carefully outside her house. Her deepest desire was to undertake a bus ride.
Question 3.
What details did Valli pick up about the bus journey? How did she pick up these details? Answer:Valli picked up details about the bus journey. She knew about the distance from her village to town, the duration and fare. She gathered this information by hearing the conversations of others and by asking a discreet or two.
Question 4.
Why didn’t Valli get off the bus at the bus station?
Answer:
Valli did not get off from the bus at the bus stand because she had come in the bus just for a ride and would go back in the same bus.
II. Short Answer Type Questions (40 – 50 words & 3 marks each)
Question 1.
How did Valli manage to leave the house?
Answer:
Valli was a meticulous planner. She knew that everyday her mother would take a nap from about one to four or so. She used these hours for her ‘excursions’ as she stood looking from the doorway of her house. In these hours, Valli decided to leave the house for her first excursion outside the village
Question 2.
Why was Valli overcome with shyness?
Answer:
While boarding the bus, Valli refused to take help of the conductor to get on to the bus and said to board the bus herself. The conductor being a jolly person, announced to make way for madam (Valli). All the six or seven passengers on the bus started laughing with the conductor, looking at Valli. This made Valli to overcome with shyness and avoiding everyone’s eyes, she quickly walked to an empty seat and sat down there.
Question 3.
Why did Valli not want to look at the sights in town alone?
Answer:
The conductor had asked Valli if she did not want to see the town. She replied that she was too afraid to go and see the sights alone in the town. The conductor reminded her that she was travelling alone too by bus. Valli told him that there was nothing to be afraid of in the bus.
Question 4.
How can you say that Valli was a meticulous planner?
Answer:
Valli desired to undertake a bus ride. She fulfilled her desire by systematic and organised planning. She gathered information about the time of the bus, the duration of the journey as well as the fare. She could do all this by saving money. She went to a bus ride and fulfilled her desire. So, it can be said that Valli was a meticulous planner.
Question 5.
How can you say that the conductor was a good natured jolly fellow? Substantiate your answer with examples.
Answer:
The conductor was a man of humour. He was concerned that a small girl was travelling to town alone and took care that she was comfortably seated. When Valli objected to being treated as a child, he took it in light spirit and jokingly addressed her ‘Madam’. These things show that the conductor was a jolly fellow.
Question 6.
How did Valli react when she saw the dead cow lying by the roadside?
Answer:
When Valli saw the dead cow lying by the roadside, she became very sad. She was now in a pensive mood. It was shocking to her that the animal she’d been laughing at a while ago, was lying dead. Because while she was going by bus, she saw the same cow roaming on the road.
III. Long Answer Type Questions (100 – 120 words & 5 marks each)
Question 1.
The bus ride introduces Valli to the mystery of life and death. Explain.
Answer:
Valli was excited about her first bus ride to the town. It was a dream come true for her. On this journey, she was introduced to the mystery of life and death. She was awestruck by the beauty of the outside world. She clapped, laughed and thoroughly enjoyed the sight of a young cow running in the middle of the road in front of the bus. The driver honked to warn it but the more he honked the horn, the faster it galloped.
Valli found it amusing and laughed till the tears came into her eyes. While returning, she saw the same cow lying dead on the road. Some fast speeding vehicle must have hit it. It was a horrible sight and the scene looked frightening and depressed to Valli. The above two opposite situations in which one character was alive at first and dead in the second time, present themselves as a reflection of life and death.
Question 2.
‘Age is not a barrier when it conies to doing something different and great’. Which characteristics of Valli help her achieve the wonder of visiting the town at such a tender age?
Answer:
In modem world, children are doing wonders at a very young age. So far Valli is concerned, she was determined enough to pursue her dream all alone by travelling in the bus to town. She was no different than others but some characteristics made her fulfil her dreams. She was a very confident and bold girl. Before executing her plan of bus ride, she had meticulously planned everything, like bus fare and the way to get out of home.
This shows her intelligence of proper planning and execution. She resisted her temptation to save money for the bus ride. Also, she was a good observer and learner. All these qualities made her realise the dream of visiting the town. Therefore, one must never surrender to one’s inhibitions and must remember that there is no age barrier to leam and experience new things.
Question 3.
What made Valli sad in her bus journey?
Answer:
While going by bus, Valli saw a playful cow on the road. When the driver blew the hom the cow started mnning faster. It made her laugh. But while she was returning, she saw that the cow was hit by a fast moving vehicle. The cow looked frightening with legs spread and eyes lifeless. It really disturbed Valli a lot. This incident really made Valli sad in her bus journey. It was a rude shock that the animal that she’d been laughing at a while ago, was lying in the stillness of death.
Question 4.
The behaviour of the conductor in ‘Madam Rides the Bus’ is an example of good manners. Mentioning the instances of good manners shown by the conductor in the story, write how you can make your life happy by observing good manners.
Answer:
The bus conductor in ‘Madam Rides the Bus’ presents himself as an amiable person. He is a man of jolly nature. He shows genuine concern for a young girl. She is travelling alone. He makes sure that she is comfortably seated and also offers to buy her something to drink. He takes it in a good spirit. Valli demands respect and does not wish to be treated as a child, because she has paid him for her ticket like everyone else.
Such people are not just happy and pleased with themselves but also radiate positive energy. The words like ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ should be a frequent part of our conversation. They are not only basic etiquettes, but they have a magical effect on the listeners too. The conductor is practical as well as enthusiastic.
Question 5.
“The most fascinating thing of all was the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town. It passed through her street each hour, once going to the town and once coming back. The sight of the bus, filled each time with a new set of passengers, was a source of unending joy for Valli. On the basis of the given passage discuss what did the author want to express?
Answer:
The author wants to express the feeling of Valli, an eight – year – old girl for her bus journey. In it, he has given a detailed description of the bus journey which Valli usually used to see in day time. It was a source of unending joy for Valli. It was the sight of the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town. Her strongest yearning was to ride on that bus. The bus usually passed at the interval of an hour through her street. It usually made to and fro journey subsequently.
Each time, the bus travelled, it consisted of new passengers. While going towards the town and while returning towards the village. To ride on the bus, she observed all the things minutely and gathered all the details pertaining to it. She wanted to take the enjoyment of its journey. Her wish became stronger. It was really the most fascinating thing for her. Through this, the author wants to highlight the curiosity and desire of an eight – year old girl. It shows her curiousty and inquisitive mind.
Question 6.
“Her first journey what careful, painstaking, elaborate plans she had to make for it! she had thriftily saved whatever stray coins came her way, resisting every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons come the like, and finally she had saved a total of sixty paise.” On the basis of the given passage, write why did Valli resist her every temptation?
Answer:
Actually, Valli had carefully saved her money for a maiden journey to town by the bus. She had made adequate and elaborate arrangements. She had saved each paise very carefully. Whatever coins came her way, she saved it meticulously. Even during her visit to a fair, she resisted all her temptations of buying peppermints, toys, balloons and a ride of merry – go – round. She did not spend even a single penny like other children.
This way, she saved sixty paise to make journey by bus. It was really an appreciable effort by an eight-year old girl. All these things really show how calculative and intelligent she was. To fulfil her desire she did not spend money like other children did. As other children would have spent all the amount on peppermints, toys, balloons, etc. But she restricted her temptations and ultimately did what an intelligent girl should do.
Reference To Context
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:
Question 1.
THERE was a girl named Valliammai who was called Valli for short. She was eight years old and very curious about things. Her favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house, watching what was happening in the street outside. There were no playmates of her own age on her street, and this was about all she had to do.
Choose the correct option:
(a) What was the short name of Valliammai?
(i) Balli
(ii) Kalli
(iii) Malli
(iv) Valli
Answer:
(iv) Valli
(b) How old was the girl?
(i) Six-years old
(ii) Seven-years old
(iii) Eight-years old
(iv) Nine-years old
Answer:
(iii) Eight – years old
(c) Valli was very …………. about things.
(i) indifferent
(ii) embarrassed
(iii) curious
(iv) disappointed
Answer:
(iii) curious
(d) What was her favourite pastime?
(i) To play games with her friends
(ii) To watch all the activities in the street standing in front of her doorway
(iii) To cook in the kitchen
(iv) All of these
Answer:
(ii) To watch all the activities in the street standing in front of her doorway
(e) Find out a word from the passage similar in meaning to ‘inquisitive’.
(i) average
(ii) indifferent
(iii) ordinary
(iv) curious
Answer:
(iv) curious
Question 2.
But for Valli, standing at the front door was every bit as enjoyable as any of the elaborate games other children played. Watching the street gave her many new unusual experiences. The most fascinating thing of all was the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town. It passed through her street each hour, once going to the town and once coming back. The sight of the bus, filled each time with a new set of passengers, was a source of unending joy for Valli.
Choose the correct option:
(a) Where did Valli want to stand?
(i) Back door
(ii) Front door
(iii) Floor
(iv) None of these
Answer:
(ii) Front door
(b) How was the sight of the bus for Valli?
(i) Unending joy
(ii) Sorrow
(iii) Both (i) and (ii)
(iv) None of these
Answer:
(i) Unending joy
(c) Watching the street gave Valli many new unusual .
(i) thoughts
(ii) feelings
(iii) emotions
(iv) experiences
Answer:
(iv) experiences
(d) What was the most fascinating thing for Valli?
(i) The bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town.
(ii) The friends who came to play with Valli.
(iii) The teacher who came to Valli’s house for tuition.
(iv) The relatives who came to meet Valli.
Answer:
(i) The bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town.
(e) Find out a word from the passage similar in meaning to ‘infinite.’
(i) limited
(ii) perennial
(iii) unending
(iv) unusual
Answer:
(iii) unending
Question 3.
Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if just once. This wish became stronger and stronger, until it was an overwhelming desire. Valli would stare wistfully at the people who got on or off the bus when it stopped at the street comer. Their faces would kindle in her longings, dreams, and hopes. If one of her friends happened to ride the bus and tried to describe the sights of the town to her, Valli would be too jealous to listen and would shout, in English: “Proud! proud!” Neither she nor her friends really understood the meaning of the word, but they used it often as a slang expression of disapproval.
Choose the correct option:
(a) What tiny wish crept into Valli’s head?
(i) That she wanted to go to the market.
(ii) That she wanted to ride on the bus.
(iii) That she wanted to eat ice cream.
(iv) That she wanted to talk to her neighbours.
Answer:
(ii) That she wanted to ride on the bus.
(b) What slang expression of disapproval did Valli and her friends use?
(i) Bravo! Bravo!
(ii) Wow! Wow!
(iii) No! No!
(iv) Proud! Proud!
Answer:
(iv) Proud! Proud!
(c) Valli used to see the people getting on and off the bus when it stopped at the
(i) tea comer
(ii) street comer
(iii) school comer
(iv) bus stop
Answer:
(ii) street comer
(d) Whose wish became stronger and stronger, until it was an overwhelming desire?
(i) Valli
(ii) Valli’s mother
(iii) Valli’s friend
(iv) Valli’s aunt
Answer:
(i) Valli
(e) Find out a word from the passage opposite in meaning to ‘approval.’
(i) compliment
(ii) disapproval
(iii) overwhelming
(iv) content
Answer:
(ii) disapproval
Question 4.
Over many days and months Valli listened carefully to conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly used the bus, and she also asked a few discreet questions here and there. This way she picked up various small details about the bus journey. The town was six miles from her village. The fare was thirty paise one way “which is almost nothing at all,” she heard one well-dressed man say, but to Valli, who scarcely saw that much money from one month to the next, it seemed a fortune. The trip to the town took forty – five minutes. On reaching town, if she stayed in her seat and paid another thirty paise, she could return home on the same bus. This meant that she could take the one-o’clock afternoon bus, reach the town at one forty-five, and be back home by about two forty – five……..
Choose the correct option:
(a) How did Valli pick up various small details about the bus journey?
(i) Listening to the conversations of people
(ii) Reading a manual book ’
(iii) Learning from the elders
(iv) From her friends
Answer:
(i) Listening to the conversations of people
(b) What was the distance between Valli’s village and the town?
(i) Five miles
(ii) Six miles
(iii) Ten miles
(iv) Nine miles
Answer:
(ii) Six miles
(c) Thirty paise seemed a ……….. to Valli.
(i) fortune
(ii) misfortune
(iii) new thing
(iv) none of these
Answer:
(i) fortune
(d) How much time did the bus take to make a trip to the town?
(i) Forty minutes
(ii) Forty – five minutes
(iii) Fifty minutes
(iv) Fifty – five minutes
(ii) Forty – five minutes
(e) Find out a word from the passage opposite in meaning to ‘abundantly.’
(i) scarcely
(ii) amply
(iii) handsomely
(iv) sufficiently
Answer:
(i) scarcely
Question 5.
It was the slack time of day, and there were only six or seven passengers on the bus. They were all looking at Valli and laughing with the conductor. Valli was overcome with shyness. Avoiding everyone’s eyes, she walked quickly to an empty seat and sat down. “May we start now, madam?” the conductor asked, smiling. Then he blew his whistle twice, and the bus moved forward with a roar. It was a new bus, its outside painted a gleaming white with some green stripes along the sides. Inside, the overhead bars shone like silver.
Choose the correct option:
(a) For how many times did the conductor blow his whistle?
(i) Once
(ii) Twice
(iii) Thrice
(iv) None of these
Answer:
(ii) Twice
(b) How were the inside overhead bars shown like?
(i) Gold
(ii) Copper
(iii) Silver
(iv) None of these
Answer:
(iii) Silver
(c) The bus moved forward with a ………..
(i) roar
(ii) silence
(iii) fast speed
(iv) slow speed
Answer:
(i) roar
(d) How was the bus?
(i) Old
(ii) New
(iii) Neither old nor new
(iv) Broken
Answer:
(ii) New
(e) Find out a word from the passage similar in meaning to ‘hastily.’
(i) quickly
(ii) shortly
(iii) intermittently
(iv) frequently
Answer:
(i) quickly
Question 6.
Valli devoured everything with her eyes. But when she started to look outside, she found her view cut off by a canvas blind that covered the lower part of her window. So she stood up on the seat and peered over the blind. The bus was now going along the bank of a canal. The road was very narrow. On one side there was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue, blue sky. On the other side was a deep ditch and then acres and acres of green fields green, green, green, as far as the eye could see.
Choose the correct option:
(a) Why did Valli stand up on the seat?
(i) To look outside the window over the blind
(ii) To shout at the passengers
(iii) To call the conductor of the bus
(iv) None of these
Answer:
(i) To look outside the window over the blind
(b) How was the road along the bank of the canal?
(i) Wide
(ii) Busy
(iii) Empty
(iv) Narrow
Answer:
(iv) Narrow
(c) On one side of the road, there was a .
(i) canal
(ii) bridge
(iii) river
(iv) farm house
Answer:
(i) canal
(d) Who devoured everything with her eyes?
(i) The bus driver
(ii) The bus conductor
(iii) Valli
(iv) Valli’s mother
Answer:
(iii) Valli
(e) Find out a word from the passage opposite in meaning to ‘near.’
(i) adjacent
(ii) around
(iii) beside
(iv) distant
Answer:
(iv) distant
Question 7.
After she had enough money saved, her next problem was how to slip out of the house without her mother’s knowledge. But she managed this without too much difficulty. Every day after lunch her mother would nap from about one to four or so. Valli always used these hours for her ‘excursions’ as she stood looking from the doorway of her house or sometimes even ventured out into the village; today, these same hours could be used for her first excursion outside the village.
Choose the correct option:
(a) What did Valli do to make a bus ride?
(i) She consulted the conductor.
(ii) She consulted the driver.
(iii) She consulted her mother.
(iv) She saved enough money.
Answer:
(iv) She saved enough money.
(b) What was Valli’s next problem?
(i) To play with other friends
(ii) To slip out of the house without her mother’s knowledge
(iii) To manage everything
(iv) All of these
Answer:
(ii) To slip out of the house without her mother’s knowledge
(c) Valli’s mother would from about one to four daily.
(i) nap
(ii) read
(iii) write
(iv) watch television
Answer:
(i) nap
(d) For which purpose did Valli use these hours?
(i) Playing card
(ii) Watching children playing on the roads
(iii) Concentrated on studies
(iv) For first excursion
Answer:
(iv) For first excursion
(e) Find out a word from the passage similar in meaning to ‘undertook’.
(i) assured
(ii) ventured
(iii) idleness
(iv) protected
Answer:
(ii) ventured
Question 8.
The bus rolled on now cutting across a bare landscape, now rushing through a tiny hamlet or past an odd wayside shop. Sometimes the bus seemed on a point of gobbling up another vehicle that was coming towards them or a pedestrian crossing the road. But lo! somehow it passed on smoothly, leaving all obstacles safely behind. Trees came running towards them but then stopped as the bus reached them and simply stood there helpless for a moment by the side of the road before rushing in other direction.
Choose the correct option:
(a) Where did the bus roll on new cutting?
(i) Landscape
(ii) Field
(iii) Road
(iv) None of these
Answer:
(i) Landscape
(b) Where did the bus rush through?
(i) Village
(ii) Hamlet
(iii) City
(iv) None of these
Answer:
(ii) Hamlet
(c) The bus passed on smoothly, leaving all safely behind.
(i) obstacles
(ii) things
(iii) miseries
(iv) incidents
Answer:
(i) obstacles
(d) What did Valli notice about the bus on the road?
(i) The bus remained motionless on the earth.
(ii) The bus seemed on a point of gobbling up another vehicle.
(iii) The bus seemed to be running out of road.
(iv) None of these
Answer:
(ii) The bus seemed on a point of gobbling up another vehicle.
(e) Find out a word from the passage opposite in meaning to ‘roughly.’
(i) smoothly
(ii) practically
(iii) approximately
(iv) visibly
Answer:
(i) smoothly
Question 9.
Suddenly Valli clapped her hands with glee. A young cow, tail high in the air, was running very fast, right in the middle of the road, right in front of the bus. The bus slowed to a crawl, and the driver sounded his horn loudly again and again. But the more he honked, the more frightened the animal became and the faster it galloped always right in front of the bus.
Choose the correct option:
(a) Why did Valli clap her hands with glee?
(i) Seeing the bus
(ii) Seeing the passengers
(iii) Seeing the cow in the middle of the road
(iv) Seeing the roadside market
Answer:
(iii) Seeing the cow in the middle of the road
(b) What did the driver do?
(i) He stopped the bus.
(ii) He de – boarded the passengers from bus.
(iii) He chided Valli.
(iv) He sounded his horn loudly again and again.
Answer:
(iv) He sounded his horn loudly again and again.
(c) As the driver honked, the more the animal become.
(i) frightened
(ii) scared
(iii) rigid
(iv) fearless
Answer:
(i) frightened
(d) What did the cow do?
(i) The cow always came in front of the bus.
(ii) The cow never came in front of the bus.
(iii) The cow annoyed the passengers.
(iv) None of these
Answer:
(i) The cow always came in front of the bus.
(e) Find out a word from the passage similar in meaning to ‘noisily’.
(i) inaudibly
(ii) silently
(iii) fruitfully
(iv) loudly
Answer:
(iv) loudly
Madam Rides the Bus Summary
Madam Rides the Bus About the Author
- Vallikkannan is the pseudonym of R. S. Krishnasamy. He was a writer, journalist, critic, and translator from Tamil Nadu.
- Krishnasamy was bom on November 12, 1920 in Rajavallipuram near Tirunelveli.
- He worked for magazines like Cinema Ulagam, Navasakthi, Grama Oozhiyan and Hanuman.
- He wrote a number of books including novels, novellas, poetry collections, plays and essay anthologies. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his critical work on modem Tamil poetry Pudukavithaiyin Thottramum Valarchiyum in 1978.
- He died on November 9, 2006.
Madam Rides the Bus Gist of the Lesson
In the story, 1 Madam Rides the Bus the author has written a sensitive story of an eight-year-old girl, Valli. She is curious to know about the outside world, which is charming and fascinating. She wants to experience it by herself. She watches everything standing on her doorway. She watches the people of the village and town daily who come there. She takes all the details about the journey, fare and time duration. She decides to go to the town all by herself without anybody’s support. To ride the bus, she had collected money by crushing her wishes.
She did not even take peppermints, toys, etc. She did all this to ride the bus. She wanted to devour everything with her eyes. She asked the bus conductor to take her to the town. She herself paid her fare. She saw the canal, palm tree, grassland, distant mountain and the blue sky. She was too overjoyed when she saw a cow running with her raised tail on the road ahead of the bus. While returning, she noticed that the same cow was crushed and bled. She was totally disturbed. She returned home in time. None of the family members could know about her adventurous journey.
Madam Rides the Bus Summary
1. Brief introduction of Valli: Valliammai, (short name Valli) was an eight-year-old girl. She was very curious. She always wanted to know something about the outer world. Her favourite pastime was to stand in the front doorway of her house and watch the outside activities. She had also no playmates.
2. The most fascinating thing: To her, the most fascinating thing was the bus that travelled between the village and town. The bus passed through her street at an interval of one hour. She always watched a new set of passengers. It gave her much joy.
3. A wish crept into her head: After watching the bus for the whole day, a wish crept into her mind. She wanted to ride the bus and take its enjoyment. Her wish became stronger and it turned into desire. She always stared at the people who came down from the bus at the street comer. Even if one of her friends used to ride the bus and tried to describe the sights of the town, Valli felt jealous towards her. She often started shouting “proud! proud!. But nobody could understand its meaning. It was considered to be an expression of disapproval.
4. Details about the bus journey: Valli gathered all the details about the bus journey from her neighbours. She knew that the town was at the distance of six miles from her village and the fare was thirty paise. But, it was really a big amount for Valli. She planned about her journey again and again.
5. Boarded the bus: On a fine spring afternoon, Valli left the village. She reached at the bus stop and stood outside the bus. She also showed him some coins. The conductor was a man of jovial nature. He told her to board the bus first and take a seat. Being afternoon, there were hardly six to seven passengers in the bus.
6. The bus started: The conductor blew the whistle and the bus started. The seats were comfortable and there was a beautiful clock in front of Valli. She also started looking outside. There was a canal and around it there were palm trees, grasslands, mountains, etc.
7. Curiosity of Valli: Valli heard the conversation of every passenger in the bus. An elderly man had much concern for this little child. But she was annoyed by her attention. She told that nobody is a child in the bus. And she had also paid thirty paise like other passengers. The conductor called her ‘Madam’.
8. The entry of an elderly woman: When the bus stopped, an elderly woman entered and sat beside her. She was repulsive. She told that it was not proper for a young person to travel again. At this, Valli expressed her anger and told that she could take proper care of herself.
9. Saved money restricting her temptations: Valli had saved money with great difficulty. She restricted all her temptations. She did not buy peppermints, toys, balloons, and not even rode merry-go-round. This way she could be able to save sixty paise.
10. Cow episode: While the bus was returning from town to village, a cow was mnning on the road. The driver sounded the hom loudly but it made no effect on the cow. It was really a funny thing for Valli. The cow moved off the road. The bus came to a railroad crossing soon.
11. Returning of Valli: While returning from the town, Valli boarded the same bus and took ticket. All of a sudden, she saw that the same cow was lying dead on the road. It really frightened her. She became very sad at this.
12. Valli reached home safely: Valli reached home well within time. When she entered her home her mother was talking to one of her aunts. When her aunt asked anything from Valli, she just smiled and spoke nothing.
Madam Rides the Bus Lesson at a Glance
Valli was an eight – year old girl who was fascinated by the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town.
- She gathered more information about the bus from the conversations of her neighbours.
- She wanted to travel in the bus and therefore, planned her trip and saved sixty paise for the fare.
- One day, she got onto the bus and the conductor jokingly addressed her ‘Madam’.
- She paid for the fare and sat on a seat beside an elderly lady.
- The old lady was chewing betel and Valli was not liking its smell. Moreover, the lady asked her why she was travelling alone.
- Valli wanted to travel alone, so she told her not to bother about her.
- Out of nowhere, a cow came running in the middle of the road. It got more frightened when the driver honked.
- Valli enjoyed this scenario a lot and laughed over it until tears came in her eyes.
- After sometime, the conductor asked her to get down as the bus had reached the town.
- Valli told him to take her to the village from where she had boarded the bus and gave him another thirty paise.
- The conductor, surprised at her, offered her a free cold drink but she denied firmly.
- While returning, she saw the same cow, lying dead by the side of the road.
- The gory scene seared her and she did not look outside the window anymore.
- She reached her village and hoped to see the conductor of the bus again.
- Her aunt and her mother were talking and her aunt asked her casually where she had been all day, without expecting any reply.
Madam Rides the Bus Character Sketch
Valli: Valli was an eight – year – old girl. She was very clever, sensitive and fun loving. She was of inquisitive nature. She was curious to know about things. Her favourite pastime was to stand in the front doorway of her house. To ride on the bus, she collected all the information pertaining to the journey and also resisted her temptation. She even calculated time. The bus conductor called her ‘Madam’ at which she reacted harshly. She was a girl beyond her years.
Madam Rides the Bus Word – Meanings
| Word | Meaning | Word | Meaning |
| sensitive | full of feeling | gleaming | shining |
| crawl | move slowly | slang expression | using informal words |
| haughtily | proudly | ditch | a narrow trench |
| bump | push against | punched | made a hole |
| Overwhelming desire | a keen desire | concerned | caring |
| glance | stare | on and on | further and further |
| wistfully | regretful longing | curtain | a piece of cloth to cover a door or a window |
| crept | came, entered | induction | entry |
| mystery | surprise | disapproval | unacceptable disagreement |
| fascinating | attractive | annoyed | angry |
| mere | small | lobes | soft hanging part of ear |
| peered over | seeing through | repulsive | causing strong dislike |
| chimmed | to be in rhyme | startled | surprised |
| resisting | controlling, opposing | struck dumb with wonder | kept mum due to wonder |
| chatterbox | who talks too much | firmly | with belief |
| a chit of a girl | a small girl | dampening | wetting |
| stifled | controlling | tremendous | violent |
| glew | with happiness | traversed | lying across |
| elaborate | complicated | unusual | not common |
| fascinating | captivating, charming | overwhelming | fantastic |
| wistful | pensive | kindle | ignite |
| longing | desire | disapproval | dislike |
| discreet | careful, tactful | pastime | hobby, craze |
| commandingly | powerfully | stretched out | in relaxed manner |
| peer over | to look over something | devour | to eat quickly |
| chimed in | to interrupt in conversation | startled | surprised |
| repulsive | disgusting | mimicking | copying |
| drivel | rubbish, silly, nonsense | curtly | rudely |
| thriftily | spending money carefully | painstaking | meticulous, careful |
| resolutely stifled | suppressed | temptation | urge, desire |
| ventured out | went cautiously | excursion | trip, journey |
| glee | happiness, joy | gobbling up | hurriedly and noisily |
| thoroughfare | roadway, passage | gallop | go at fast speed |
| spreadeagled | spread out | shrugged | dismiss, ignore |