Madam Rides the Bus

Textual Solutions for Class 10 English 

Chapter 7 Madam Rides the Bus

The story "Madam Rides the Bus" is about a curious girl named Valli who lives in a small village. She likes watching people, animals, and vehicles passing by her house. Her favorite thing to watch is the bus. She saves money to ride it and learns about it from others. When she finally rides the bus, the conductor jokes with her. Valli enjoys the ride and sees many interesting things. But on her way home, she sees a dead cow. This makes her realize that life is unpredictable. We can't always understand why things happen.

1. What was Valli’s favourite pastime?

Valli’s favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house and watching what was happening in the street outside.

2. What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?

The sight of the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town, filled with a new set of passengers each time it passed through the street near her house was a source of unending joy for Valli. Her strongest desire was to take a ride on the bus someday.

3. What did Valli find out about the bus journey? How did she find out these details?

Valli found out that the bus journey to the town from her village was six miles and took approximately forty-five minutes. The fare for a one-way journey cost 30 paise. She listened to the conversations carefully between her neighbours and the people who regularly took the bus trip and asked a few questions to gain some information and small details about the bus journey.

4. What do you think Valli was planning to do?

Valli was planning to travel on the bus and go to the town and return home on the same bus. She heard the onward journey fare was thirty paise that took approximately forty-five minutes to reach the town. In this way, she planned to stay in her seat and pay another thirty paise for the return trip. This meant that she could take the one o’clock afternoon bus, reach the town at 1.45 p.m. and return home by 2.45 p.m.

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 122)

1. Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?

The conductor called Valli ‘madam’ because she was behaving like a woman in an audacious and smart manner. She did not accept his help to get on the bus and was very quick in replying to the conductor’s questions. Amused by her antics and behaviour, the conductor teased her by calling her ‘madam’.

2. Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?

Valli was enchanted by the sight of the beautiful scenery outside the bus and was trying hard to look outside. But her view was blocked by the canvas blind that covered the lower part of the window. In order to catch a better glimpse, she stood up on the seat and peered over the blind. She saw the narrow road as the bus was going along the bank of a canal, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, green fields and the blue sky. On the other side, there was a deep ditch, and many acres of green fields stretched far and wide as much as her eyes could see.

3. What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child?

When the elderly man on the bus referred to Valli as a child, she instantly replied that there was nobody on the bus who was a child. She further stated that she had paid her fare of thirty paise like other passengers on the bus.

4. Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?

Valli was not interested in making friends with the elderly woman because she looked quite repulsive to her. She had big earlobes with bigger holes and wore ugly earrings. Besides, she was also chewing betel nut, and her mouth was also filled with betel juice that was likely to spill all over her lips. Seeing all this, Valli thought that the elderly woman was not sociable enough to be friends with.

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 125)

1. How did Valli save up money for her first journey? Was it easy for her?

Valli had saved every stray coin meticulously that came her way. She resisted every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, etc., to save enough money for the bus trip. It had been really difficult for her as she had to control her urges and resist the temptation to be on the merry-go-round in the village fair. After making a lot of sacrifices, she was able to save sixty paise for her first bus journey.

2. What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?

Valli was overjoyed upon seeing a young cow, tail high in the air, running very fast right in the middle of the road just in front of the bus. The driver sounded his horn loudly repeatedly so that the cow moved away from the path. But the more he honked, the cow became more frightened and galloped as fast as possible. Seeing all this, it appeared very funny to Valli, and she laughed out loud until tears rolled down her eyes.

3. Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station?

Valli’s plan was only to take the bus ride and not roam around the town. She had painstakingly accumulated sixty paise for her onward and return bus journey. She knew that she had limited money to travel by bus and would spend thirty paise fare on her onward journey, go to the town and then return by the same bus before her mother woke up from her afternoon nap. She neither had the money to roam around the town nor had time to explore it, so she didn’t get off the bus at the bus station.

4. Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does this tell you about her?

Valli didn’t want to go to the stall as she had saved sixty paise only for the bus journey. She didn’t want to waste money on anything unnecessary as she had to return by the same bus at any cost. So, when the conductor suggested she get down and get a drink for herself, she refused. He also offered to get her a drink in case she didn’t have money, but she still refused. This implies that she was an independent girl who did not want to rely on anyone for her needs.

Thinking about the Text (Page 127)

1. What was Valli’s deepest desire? Find the words and phrases in the story that tell you this.

Valli’s deepest desire was to take a ride on the bus that she saw every day from her house. The words and phrases in the story that depicts her desire are ‘an overwhelming desire’, ‘source of unending joy’, ‘stare wistfully’, and ‘kindle in her longings, dreams and hopes’.

2. How did Valli plan her bus ride? What did she find out about the bus, and how did she save up the fare?

Valli had been carefully listening for many days to the conversations between her neighbours and the people who regularly used the bus and asked a few discreet questions. She learnt from them that the town was six miles away from her village and the bus charged thirty paise as fare for the onward journey, and it took forty-five minutes to complete a one-way bus trip. She also made up her mind to stay on the bus and return on the same bus, which would cost her sixty paise to and fro. She was determined not to get down from the bus to roam around the town as she didn’t have enough money. Hence, she saved sixty paise meticulously and resisted all kinds of urges and temptations to buy peppermints, toys, etc. and even a ride on the merry-go-round at the village’s annual fair. It was Valli’s secret adventurous bus trip that she had planned without her parents’ knowledge.

3. What 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.

(i) “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised ___________.

(ii) “Yes, I ________ go to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus.

(iii) “There’s nobody here __________,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”

(iv) “Never mind,” she said, “I can ____________. You don’t have to help me. ”I’m not a child, I tell you,” she said, ________________.

(v) “You needn’t bother about me. I ______________,” Valli said, turning her face toward the window and staring out.

(vi) Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope ___________.”

Answer:

Valli was a confident eight-year-old girl who believed that her age was not a limiting factor for her to travel alone in the bus to the town. She considered herself to be a grown up person and also acted like one.

(i) “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised commandingly.

(ii) “Yes, I simply have to go to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus.

(iii) “There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”

(iv) “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.

(v) “You needn’t bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said, turning her face toward the window and staring out.

(vi) Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope to see you again.”

4. Why does the conductor refer to Valli as ‘madam’?

The conductor called Valli ‘madam’ as she behaved like a grown-up woman and responded irritably to being referred to as a child. She was an eight-year-old girl and considered herself old enough to travel alone on the bus. She also refused his help when he extended his hand to help her get on the bus, she replied commandingly that she could manage to get on the bus on her own.

5. Find the lines in the text which tell you that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus.

Valli thoroughly enjoyed her bus ride to the town. The following lines from the text are proof that exhibits her excitement:

• “Valli devoured everything with her eyes.”
• “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.”
• “Oh, it was all so wonderful!”
• “Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter.”
• “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.”
• “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.”

6. Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back?

Valli refused to look out of the window on her way back to her village because she was upset seeing the dead body of the cow that was running towards the bus while she was going to town. The poor animal was hit by some fast-moving vehicle on the road. She was overcome with sadness and extremely frightened to look outside the bus window as the memory of the cow was haunting her.

7. What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening without our knowledge.”

When Valli’s mother casually mentioned that there are certain things that happen around them without their knowledge, Valli instantly agreed with her mother’s words and said, “I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening without our knowledge.” She was happy about her adventurous bus trip to the town, which she had taken without the knowledge of her parents.

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?

The author describes how Valli, an eight-year-old girl, is fascinated by the bus and enjoys watching it fill up with new people. The colourful bus with shiny bars inside excites her. Sitting on soft seats feels luxurious to her. She marvels at the blue sky and green fields. Seeing a cow running in front of the bus fascinates her, but seeing a dead cow makes her sad. She can't forget it and refuses to look outside on her way back. These descriptions beautifully capture a child's typical reactions and behavior.

Speaking (Page 127)

1..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.

Activity to be done by yourself.

(Note: Students can write this answer as per their personal experiences.)

Writing (Page 128)

Write a page — about three paragraphs — on one of the following topics.

1. Have you ever planned something entirely on your own, without taking grownups into your confidence? What did you plan, and how? Did you carry out your plan?

Yes, I once planned a surprise birthday party for my best friend without telling any grownups. I secretly made invitations and handed them out to our friends. Then, I bought decorations and a cake with my pocket money. On the day of the party, I asked my friend to come over, saying it was just a regular hangout. When she arrived, everyone yelled, "Surprise!" She was so happy and surprised. We played games, ate cake, and had a great time. It was fun planning everything by myself, and I was really happy that my friend enjoyed the party.

(Note: Students can write this answer as per their personal experiences.)

2. Have you made a journey that was unforgettable in some way? What made it memorable?

Yes, I went on a camping trip with my family last summer, and it was unforgettable! We hiked through the woods, roasted marshmallows over a campfire, and slept in a tent under the stars. The best part was when we saw a family of deer grazing in a meadow nearby. We also went canoeing on a calm lake and saw turtles sunbathing on logs. It was my first time camping, and everything felt so exciting and adventurous. Being surrounded by nature and spending quality time with my family made the trip really special. I'll never forget the fun we had and the memories we made together on that camping trip!

(Note: Students can write this answer as per their personal experiences.)

3. Are you concerned about traffic and road safety? What are your concerns? How would you make road travel safer and more enjoyable?

Yes, I am concerned about traffic and road safety because I want everyone to stay safe while traveling. My concerns include people not following traffic rules, speeding cars, and distracted drivers. To make road travel safer and more enjoyable, I think we should all follow the traffic rules, like using seat belts, stopping at red lights, and looking both ways before crossing the street. Drivers should also avoid distractions like using phones while driving. It would be helpful to have more crosswalks and sidewalks for pedestrians, and maybe some fun signs or games along the road to make traveling more enjoyable for everyone.

(Note: Students can write this answer as per their own understanding.)