Class 10 English Chapter 9 Madam Rides the Bus Question Answer

Madam Rides the Bus | Lesson 9 | Class 10 English | SEBA Question and Answer | Textbook in Class 10 | Class 10 Chapter 9 All Question And Answer | Class 10 Chapter 9 All Important Question And Answer: Welcome to our website! We are happy to provide you with Class 10th Notes for your academic journey. Class X is an important year for learners as they prepare themselves for the upcoming board exams, which will determine their academic success.

Today, in this article I will discuss your Class 10th “Madam Rides the Bus” Long and Short Questions| We provide solutions for almost all long and short questions.

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Question and Answers:

As given in the Text

Oral comprehension check

Q.1. What was Valli’s favourite pastime? [HSLC 2016]

Ans: Valli’s favourite pastime was that she would stand in the front doorway of her house. From there she would go on seeing what was happening in the street outside.

Q.2. What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire? [HSLC.’18]

Ans: Valli used to watch with great interest the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town. The sight of the bus filled each time with a new set of passengers was a source of unending joy for her. Her strongest desire was to ride on the bus, even if just once.

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

Ans: Valli found out the details about the bus journey between her village and the town. Valli found out the details by listening to the conversation between the neighbours and people who used to travel on the bus. She also asked a few careful questions here and there.

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

Ans: Valli was planning to make a journey to the town riding on the bus travelling between her village and the nearest town.

Additional Questions & Answers

A. Multiple Choice Questions [MCQ] and answers:

1. The source of unending joy of Valli was

(i) Sets of old passangers

(ii) Sets of new passangers

(iii) Sets of same aged passangers

(iv) None of these

Ans: (ii)

2. Valli wanted to ride on a

(i) Car

(ii) Bus

(iii) Train

(iv) Aeroplane

Ans: (ii)

3. Valli knew about the bus journey from

(i) Parents

(ii) Friends

(iii) Neighbours

(iv) Classmates

Ans: (iii)

4. The fare was_____one way.

(i) Thirty paise

(ii) Forty paise

(iii) Fifty paise.

(iv) Sixty paise

Ans: (i) Thirty paise

5. How much time did the bus take to reach the town?

(i) Twenty minutes

(ii) Thirty minutes

(iii) Forty-five minutes

(iv) None of these

Ans: (iii)

6. The conductor was a_____man.

(i) Joyfull (ii) Extrovert (iii) Introvert (iv) None

Ans: (i)

7 .What was the name the conductor gave to Valli?

(i) Sister (ii) Madam (iii) Mother (iv) None of These

Ans: (ii)

B. Very short and short answer type Questions and Answers bearing

Q.1. Who was Valli?

Ans: Valli was an eight year old girl. Her full name was Valliammai.

Q.2. Where did Valli live?

Ans: Valli lived in a village.

Q.3. Why did Valli stand in the door or her house and watch the street?

Ans: Because Valli had no playmates of her own age on her street.

Q.4. What was as enjoyable as elaborate games for Valli?

Ans: For Valli standing at the front door of her house was as enjoyable as any as an elaborate game.

Q.5. What did watching the street give Valli?

Ans: Watching the street gave Valli many new Unusual experiences.

Q.6. What was the most fascinating thing for Valli?

Ans: The most fascinating thing for Valli was the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town.

Q.7. When did the bus pass through Valli’s village?

Ans: The bus passed through Valli’s village each hour- once going to and once coming from the town.

Q.8. What was the tiny wish that crept into Valli’s heart?

Ans: The tiny wish that crept into Valli’s heart was that she wanted to ride the bus at least for once.

Q.9. What happened to Valli’s tiny wish?

Ans: Valli’s tiny wish became stronger and stronger and finally it became a strong desire.

Q.10. Where did Valli ask her discreet questions?

Ans: Valli asked her discreet questions here and there.

Q.11. How far was the town from Valli’s village? [HSLC 2019]

Ans: The town was six miles away from Vallis village.

Q.12. What was the bus fare to the town from Valli’s village? [HSLC 2019]

Ans: The bus fare was thirty paisa from Valli’s village to the town.

Q.13. It seemed a fortune.” What seemed a fortune to her?

Ans: To get thirty paisa at a time seemed a fortune to Valli.

Q.14. How much time a bus trip took from Valli’s village to the town?

Ans: It took forty five minutes.

Q.15. Where did Valli live in a town or in a village?

Ans: Valli lived in a village.

Q.16. What was the distance between Vallis village and the nearest town? [HSLC 2019]

Ans: The distance between Valli’s village and the nearest town was six miles.

Q.17. How old and what type of a girl was Valli?

Ans: Valli was eight years old. She was very curious about things.

Q.18………… and this was about all she had to do. Who was the ‘she’ and what she had to do’?

Ans: The ‘she’ was Valli. She had to stand in the front doorway of her house and watch the street.

Q.19. Why was standing in the doorway of her house enjoyable for Valli?

Ans: Because watching the street gave Valli many new unusual experiences.

Q.20. How did the bus travel between Valli’s village and the town?

Ans: The bus travelled hourly passing through the village street once going to the town and then coming back. Each time the bus carried a new set of passengers.

Q.21. Valli would stare wistfully at……..? Who stared and at what?

Ans: Valli would stare wistfully at the people who got on or off the bus when it stopped at the street corner.

Q.22. “Valli would be too jealous to listen and would shout…..”

(i) Valli would be too jealous to listen to what?

(ii) Why would she shout?

Ans:

(i) Valli would shout listening to the description given by any of her friends who happened to ride the bus.

(ii) She would be too jealous to listen and shout.

Q.23. Which is almost nothing at all.” Who said this and what did he mean to say?

Ans: A well dressed man said this. He meant to say that thirty paisa as busfare was nothing because it was a very small amount.

Q.24. What did Valli think of going to and coming back from the town?

Ans: Valli thought that if she would go by the one O’clock bus in the afternoon she would reach the town at one forty five and he back home by about two forty five.

Long answer type Questions and Answers:

Q.1. Give a brief description of Valli and the bus she wanted to ride.

Ans: Valli, her full name Valliammai was a girl aged eight. She lived in a village six miles away from the nearest town. She had no companions as playmates on the street she lived. Her favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house and go on watching the street. She gathered much experience watching the street.

A bus travelled hourly between her village and the nearest town that was six miles away. The bus fascinated her very much. She wanted to ride it if it were even for once. The new set of passengers boarding the bus in each trip was really interesting to her.

Q.2. Give a brief description of Valli’s deep interest in the bus. Or, Briefly describe how Valli’s tiny wish to rise on the bus strong desire.

Ans: Day after day Valli watched the bus travelling between her village and the nearest town. She wanted to ride on the bus even for once. A tiny wish crept into her mind. She would listen to her neighbours and other people who regularly travelled by bus. She derived great pleasure watching the new sets of passengers that boarded the bus when it stopped at the street corner. Their faces would kindle her hopes and dreams and longings. She would eagerly listen to the descriptions of the town given by her friends who happened to ride on the bus. Thus her tiny wish to ride the bus changed into a strong desire.

Q.3. How did Valli pick up various small details about the bus journey?

Ans: Over many days and months Valli listened carefully to conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly used the bus.

She also asked a few discreet questions relating to this. Thus she picked various small details about the bus ride. She learnt that the distance between her village and the town was six miles, the fare on one way journey was thirty paisa and the time of journey forty five minutes.

She calculated that she could travel to the town and come back to the village paying a total of sixty paisa as fare. She also calculated that if she would take the one O’clock afternoon bus she would reach the town at one forty five and be back home by about two forty five.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Given in the Text Oral Comprehension Check.

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

Ans: Valli claimed that she was eight years old. She had paid thirty as fare like the other passengers. So she was not a child. The paisa conductor realised her sentiment and jokingly called her ‘madam’. He was a jolly type person.

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

Ans: The lower part of the window near Valli’s seat was covered by a canvas blind. So, to see the view of the outside world she stood up on her seat.

She saw that the bus was going on the bank of a canal. The road was narrow. On one side of the road lay the ditch. On the other side of it were seen palm trees, grasslands, mountains and the wide open blue sky.

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

Ans: Valli told the elderly woman that she was not a child as she had paid the fare of thirty paisa like the other passengers. Besides she told her not to bother about her because she knew how to take care of herself.

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

Ans: Valli did not like both the dress and manners of the elderly woman. She did not like the big holes on her earlobes and the earrings. Also, she did not like the smell of the betelnut that she had been chewing. Further, Valli did not like her enquiries such as where she would go in the town, to which street and to which house etc.

Additional Questions & Answers

A. Very short/short answer type questions and Answers bearing one or two marks each

Q.1. On what day did Valli start her bus journey?

Ans: Valli started her bus journey on a spring day.

Q.2. At what time did Valli start her bus journey?

Ans: Valli started her bus journey in the afternoon of a spring day.

Q.3. Where did Valli stop the bus?

Ans: Valli stopped the bus when it was turning into the main highway.

Q..4.……. and a tiny hand was raised ……” Whose tiny hand is mentioned here and why was it raised?

Ans: Vallis tiny hand was raised. It was raised to stop the bus.

Q.5. What did Valli say to the conductor when the bus had come to a stop’?

Ans: When the bus stopped Valli told the conductor that she wanted to go to the town. Standing outside the bus she showed him some coins with which she meant to pay the fare.

Q.6. What did Valli say to the conductor when he stretched out his hand to help her?

Ans: When the conductor stretched out his hands, Valli told him that it was not needed. She added that she could get on the bus by herself and he need not have to help her.

Q.7. What sort of a man was the conductor?

Ans: The conductor was a jolly sort and fond of joking.

Q.8. What did the conductor tell Valli after she got on the bus?

Ans: The conductor asked her not to be angry with him. Then addressing her as madam he pointed out a seat and asked the other passengers to make way for her.

Q.9. How many passengers were there in the bus when Valli got on?

Ans: There were only six or seven passengers in the bus.

Q.10. Why were there only six or seven passengers in the bus?

Ans: Because it was the slack time of the day.

Q.11. How did the other passengers behave when they saw Valli in the bus?

Ans: Seeing Valli in the bus the other passengers looked at her and laughed with the conductor.

Q.12. What like was the bus in which Valli travelled? or Give a description of the bus in which Valli travelled. [HSLC-’19]

Ans: The bus was new. Outside of it was painted a gleaming white with some green stripes along the side. The over head bars shone like silver. There was a clock in front of Valli just above the windscreen. The seats were soft and luxurious.

Q.13. Why did Valli stand up on her seat?

Ans: The lower part of the window near Valli was covered with a canvas blind. She could not see anything outside. So she stood up on her seat to have a view of the things outside.

Q.14: “Listen child, you should not stand like that, Sit down.” Who said this? Who is the child? Why did the speaker say so?

Ans: An elderly man, a passenger in the bus said this. The child is Valli. The man saw Valli standing on her seat. He was afraid that she might fall down and hurt herself. So he said like that.

Q.15. What was Valli’s reaction when an elderly man asked her to sit down?

Ans: Valli was annoyed when the elderly man asked her to sitdown.

Q.16. “The conductor chimed in”. How?

Ans: The conductor told the elderly man that Valli was a very grown up madam. How could a mere girl could pay her fare and travel alone in the bus.

Q.17. What did the conductor tell Valli after handing over the ticket?

Ans: Giving the ticket the conductor asked her to sit down and make her comfortable. He added that she should not go on standing since she had paid for a seat.

Q.18. “That is why we want you to sit down child.”

(i) Who is the child’?

(ii) Who are the ‘we’?

(iii) Why did they want her to sit down?

Ans:

(i) The child is Valli.

(ii) The ‘we’ are the conductor of the bus and the elderly gentleman.

(iii) They wanted her to sit down because they feared that she might fall and hurt herself while the bus made a sharp turn or hit a bump.

Q.19. Valli finally sat down” Why?

Ans: When the bus stopped some new passengers got on. Afraid of losing her seat she finally sat down.

Q.20. Where did the elderly woman sit?

Ans: The elderly woman sat near Valli.

Q.21. Why did Valli find the old woman who sat beside her in the bus “absolutely repulsive”? [HSLC-’20]

Ans: The elderly woman had big holes on her earlobe and her earrings were ugly. She was chewing betelnut and the betel juice was threatening to spil over. Valli did not like the smell of the betelnut. In fact Valli found her absolutely repulsive.

Q.22. “You needn’t bother about me.”

(i) Who said this and to whom?

(ii) Why did the speaker say so?

Ans:

(i) Valli said this to the old woman sitting beside her in the bus.

(ii) Valli did not at all like the old woman she felt bored by her questions asking where she would go in the town, to wich street and to what house number etc. Being bored Valli said so.

B. Long Answer type Questions & Answers bearing 4 marks

Q.1. Describe the situation how Valli got onto the bus.

Ans: Valli got onto the bus in the afternoon of a spring day. The bus was about to leave the village. It was turning into the main highway. Just then a small voice asking the bus to stop was heard. A tiny hand was seen raised commanding the bus to stop. The bus slowly stopped. The conductor sticking his head out of the door asked the passenger to come in quickly. Valli came forward and said that it was she who had stopped the bus. She added that she wanted to go to the town.

Then showing some coins she said that she had the money. She meant to say that she had the money to pay the fare. The conductor asked her to get into the bus. He stretched out a hand to help her up. She said that no help was necessary because she could get on by herself. Then she got on the bus and the conductor pointed out to her a vacant seat. She sat down. All the passengers looked at her and laughed with the conductor.

Q.2. Give a description of the bus. What did Valli see from it?

Ans: The bus in which Valli travelled was a new one. The outside of the bus was painted a gleaming white with some green stripes along the sides. Inside, the overhead bars shone like silver. There was a clock above the windshield and in front of Valli, The seats were soft and luxurious.

Outside the bus, Valli saw a canal. As the bus travelled Valli saw on mountains and the endlessly blue sky. On the other side was a deep ditch one side the canal. Beyond the canal were palm trees, grass lands, distant and acres after acres of green fields extending as far as the eye could see.

It was a wonderful sight. All these things Valli had to see standing on her seat as the lower part of the window near her remained covered with thick canvas. Blinds. so stood on her seat and enjoyed the scenery.

Q.3. Give a description of the old woman and Valli’s experience with her in the bus.

Ans: The old woman got on the bus along with some other passengers. Valli found her absolutely repulsive. She had big holes in her earlobes and ugly earrings. She was chewing betelnuts. Valli found the smell obnoxious. The Juice of the betelnuts was threatening to spill over her lips at any time. Valli found that nobody could be social with such a person. Sitting near Valli she asked her whether she was travelling alone.

Valli felt bored. In a repulsive manner, she replied that she was travelling alone and that too with a ticket. The conductor supported her saying that she had a thirty paisa ticket. The woman did not like Valli. She was telling me whether it was proper for a child like her to travel alone. She asked if Valli knew exactly to where in the town she was going or to which strect or house she would go.

Valli asked her not to bother about her as she could take care of herself. Then she turned her face towards the window and went on staring outside.

III

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

As given in the Text Oral comprehension check:

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

Ans: Valli saved whatever stray coins came her way. She saved the money thriftily avoiding all temptations such as buying baloons, toys peppermints etc. Even she did not ride on the mery go round in village fair.

Q.2. What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh? [HSLC.’17, ’20]

Ans: Valli saw a young cow running in the middle of the road and in front of the bus. It was running raising its tail into the air. The driver honked to scare it away. But the more he did so the more it ran. That made Valli to break into laughter.

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

Ans: Valli did not get off the bus because she would be going back by the same bus.

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

Ans: Valli did not go to the stall to have a drink because she did not have enough money to buy anything. She had no surplus money after paying the fare. This tells that Valli was frugal and cautious as well. She thought that if she spent the money she would not be able to pay her return journey fare. Her behaviour shows that she was a girl of firm determination who knew how to check temptation.

Additional Questions & Answers

A. Very short & short Questions and Answers Bearing One/Two marks

Q.1. What sort of plans did Valli make for her first journey?

Ans: Valli made careful, painstaking, elaborate plans for her first journey.

Q.2. How did she save the money and why?

Ans: She saved the money thriftily. She saved the money to pay the bus fare.

Q.3. What sort of temptation did Valli check?

Ans: Valli checked the temptation to buy baloons, toys and peppermints. She also checked the temptation to ride on the merry go round at the village fair.

Q.4. How difficult it had been particularly that day was the day and what was the difficulty?

Ans: The day was on which the village fair was held. The difficulty was to stiffle a strong desire by Valli to ride the merry go round though she had the money.

Q.5. What was the total saving of Valli?

Ans. Valli’s total saving was sixty paisa only.

Q.6. What was her next problem after Valli had enough money?

Ans: After having enough money Valli’s next problem was how to slip out of the house without her mother’s knowledge.

Q.7. “But she managed this without much difficultly.” Who is the ‘she’ and what is the ‘difficulty’ mentioned here?

Ans: The ‘she’ is Valli. The difficulty is how to slip out of the house without her mother’s knowledge.

Q.8. What did Valli’s mother do after lunch?

Ans: After lunch, Valli’s mother would nap from about one to four or so.

Q.9. What did valli do when her mother would nap?

Ans: When her mother would have a nap Valli stood looking from the doorway. Sometimes she even Ventured out into the village.

Q.10. Where was Vallis’s first excursion to?

Ans: Valli’s first excursion was to the nearest town and it was her first excursion outside the village.

Q.11. “The trees came running towards them.” How?

Ans: As the bus ran forward the trees appeared rushing towards it. Actually, the bus moved and the fixed trees appeared approaching the bus. It was only a vision.

Q.12. “Suddenly Valli clapped her hands in glee.” What made Valli laugh.

Ans: A young cow running in front of the bus with tail high in the air made Valli Laugh. It was a funny sight to Valli.

Q.13. “Better save some for tomorrow.” Who said this and to whom? What did the speaker ask to save?

Ans: The bus conductor said this to Valli. The speaker asked her to keep some of her laughter for the next day.

Q.14. What could be seen when the bus stopped at a rail road crossing?

Ans: A speek of a rain could be seen.

Q.15. What is meant by a speek of a train?

Ans: By the term ‘a speek of a train’ is meant the smallest view of a train that was seen from the farthest end of the vision.

Q.16. How did the train cross the rail road crossing?

Ans: The train roared and rottled and shook the bus when it crossed the rail road.

Q.17. Where did the bus go leaving the railroad crossing?

Ans: Leaving the railroad crossing the bus went passing the railway station.

Q.18. How were the shops at the wide thoroughfare?

Ans: The shops in the thoroughfare were glittering with displays of clothes and other merchandise.

Q.19. “Such a big crowd!” Where did Valli see the big crowd?

Ans: Valli saw the big crowd at the thoroughfare.

Q.20. Why didn’t Valli want to have a look at the sights in the town?

Ans: Valli did not want to have a look at the sights because she was afraid of going off the bus and also because she was alone.

Q.21. Why did Valli refuse to accept the free treat offered by the conductor?

Ans: Valli refused to accept the free treat offered by the conductor probably because she did not like to accept the hospitality offered by a stranger.

Q.22. How many passengers were there in the bus on its return journey?

Ans: There were not many passengers in the return journey of the bus.

Q.23. What did the conductor do when Valli said that she had no money to buy a cold drink?

Ans: The conductor offered to treat her at his cost.

B. Long Answer Type Questions & Answers bearing 3/4 marks.

Q.1. How did Valli plan her first bus journey? How did she overcome the difficulties?

Ans: Valli planned her first bus journey carefully, painstakingly and elaborately. She thriftily saved whatever stray coins came to her hand. Thus she saved a total of sixty paisa. To do that she had to check the temptation of buying balloons, toys and peppermints. Her trial was hard on the village fare day. She had money but she checked the temptation of riding on the merry go round.

After having the required money for the busfare she had to overcome another problem. And that was how to ship out of the house without her mother’s knowledge. That too she solved prudently. Usually, her mother took a nap after lunch. She would nap between one and four or so.

During that time Valli would look at the street from the doorway the. house or make an excursion into the village. On that day she decided to make her excursion out of the village and into the town.

Q.2. Give a description of Valli’s journey till the bus reached the railroad crossing.

or

What were the things seen by Valli during her journey till the bus stopped at the rail road crossing?

Ans: The bus ran through bare landscape, then through a small hamlet or past a wayside shop. Sometimes it seemed to hit another vehicle coming from the opposite direction or a pedestrain crossing the road. As the bus ran the wayside trees seemed coming near it. The trees stopped along with the bus and then they rushed behind as the bus rushed forward.

Suddenly a young cow raising its tail into the air was seen running in front of the bus. The driver blew horn to drive it away. But the more he hanked the more the cow ran right in front of the bus. Valli was so delighted that she laughed and laughed till tears rolled down from her eyes. At last, the cow went off the road and after a while the bus stopped at a railroad crossing.

Q.3. Give a description of the market area in the town and Vallis reaction after seeing the things there? Why didn’t Valli go out of the bus to see the sights?

Ans: After crossing the railway stain the bus passed through the market area in the town. It was a busy locality with well laid out shops by the side of the street. Then the bus entered a busy thoroughfare. It was a wide place. The shops there were glittering with clothes and other merchandise. There were big crowds in that locality. Valli was struck dumb with wonder and simply remained gaping at everything seen in the area.

Valli travelled alone and stealthily without the knowledge of her mother. She was afraid to go out alone. So she remained sitting inside the bus waiting for its return journey.

IV

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

As given in the text

Q.1. What was Valli’s desire?

Ans: Valli’s deepest desire was to have a bus ride to the nearest town.

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

Ans: Valli standing in the doorway of her house saw the bus travelling between her village and the nearest town which was six miles away. She had developed a strong desire to have a ride on the bus. She found that the bus travelled hourly once going from the village and once coming back. From the conversations of the neighbours and others who travelled in the bus she gathered much information. She also learnt that the fare of the journey one way was thirty paisa. Valli gathered wharever stray coins came her way. She checked the temptation of buying baloons, toys and peppermints etc and saved sixty paisa for the journey. In the village fair, she did not ride the ‘merry go round’ inspite of her having the money.

She planned to go to the town riding on the bus during the time her mother would have a nap between one and four in the afternoon. Accordingly, she fulfilled her desire to travel in the afternoon bus trip in a spring afternoon without the knowledge of her mother.

Q.3. What kind of 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 the answer.

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

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

(iii) “There is nobody here who is a child.” she said haughtily. “I have paid my thirty paisa like everyone else.”

(iv) “Never mind” she said, “I can get on by myself. You need not have to help me. I am 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 towards the window and staring out.

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

Or, What type of a girl was Valli?

Ans: Valli was a girl of a strong and independent mind. Though a minor girl of eight she thought herself a grown up woman and behaved like that. She did not like to take anyone’s help. From the commencement. of the bus journey she behaved commandingly which in turn showed her self confidence. She never thought of herself a child and did not like to be treated as a child. She had the confidence that she could get on the bus herself without anybody’s help. She thought that she could take care of herself. She told this to the conductor and to the old woman sitting beside her in the bus.

In fact, she successfully completed the bus journey quite independently. She had the confidence to make more excursions’ to the town and so told the conductor that she hoped to see him again. She planned her journey so carefully that even her mother failed to detect her successful trip to and from the town. She proved her vanity.

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