Gujarat Board GSEB Class 10 English Textbook Solutions First Flight Chapter 9 Madam Rides the Bus Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers, Notes Pdf.

Gujarat Board Textbook Solutions Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 9 Madam Rides the Bus

GSEB Class 10 English Madam Rides the Bus Text Book Questions and Answers

Oral Comprehension Check (Textbook Page No. 119)

Question 1.
What was Valli’s favourite pastime ?
Answer:
Valli’s favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house and watching what was happening in the street outside.

Question 2.
What was a source of unending joy for Valli ? What was her strongest desire ?
Answer:
The sight of the bus that travelled betwee^ her village and the nearest town, filled each time with a new set of passengers, was a source of unending joy for Valli. Her strongest desire was to ride the 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 bus journey to the town took forty-five minutes and the one-way fare costed thirty paise. She listened carefully to the conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly used the bus and asked a few discreet questions here and there. This way she picked up various small details about the bus journey.

Question 4.
What do you think Valli was planning to do ?
Answer:
Valli was planning to go to the town and then return back by the same bus. The fare was thirty paise one-way and the ride took forty-five minutes. In this way, she planned that she would be back by 2:45 pm if she took the bus at 1:00 pm.

(Textbook Page No. 122)
Question 5.
Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’? (August 20)
Answer:
The conductor called Valli ‘madam’ because she was trying to behave sophisticated and more mature than her age. She behaved like a woman. She was trying to look over¬confident and smart. She declined his help and was very quick in her answers to the conductor’s questions. This made the conductor want to tease her calling her madam.

Question 6.
Why does Valli stand up on the seat ? What does she see now?
Answer:
Valli wanted to look outside the bus. She found her view blocked by the canvas blind that covered the lower part of the window. In order to have a better view she stood up on the seat and peered over the blind. She saw a canal, palm trees, grassland, mountains, green fields and the sky.

Question 7.
What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child ?
Answer:
Valli replied that there was nobody in the bus who was a child. She told him that she had paid her fare of thirty paise like everyone else.

Question 8.
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 looked quite repulsive. She had big earholes and was wearing ugly earrings. Apart from this, she was chewing betel and her mouth was also filled with betel juice.

(Textbook Page No. 125)
Question 9.
How did Valli save up money for her first journey? Was it easy for her?
Answer:
Valli had very painstakingly saved every stray coins that came her way by resisting every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, etc. It had been very difficult for her. Even at the village fair she resisted the temptation to be on the merry-go-round. Thus, she had been able to save sixty paise for her first bus journey.

Question 10.
What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?
Answer:
Valli saw a young cow, tail high in the air running very fast right in the middle of the road in front of the bus. The driver sounded his horn again and again so that the cow moves away. But the more he honked, the more frightened the animal became and faster it galloped. This all seemed very funny to Valli and she laughed and laughed till there were tears in her eyes.

Question 11.
Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station ?
Answer:
Valli had planned that she only wanted to ride on the bus. She would spend thirty paise on her fare, go to the town. and then come back by the same bus before her mother woke up. She didn’t have time or money to go to see the town.

Question 12.
Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink ? What does this tell you .about her ?
Answer:
Valli had saved only sixty paise for the trip. She didn’t want to waste any money on that as she had to come back by the same bus at any cost. So, when the conductor suggested her to get down and have a drink she refused. He offered to bring one for her but she still refused. This tells us that she was a well-mannered girl.

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:
Valli’s deepest desire was to go on a bus ride. The words and phrases in the story that tell this are ‘source of unending joy’, ‘stare s wistfully’, and ‘kindle in her longings, dreams and hopes’.

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:
Over many days and months, Valli listened carefully to conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly used the bus and asked a few discreet questions here and there. She came to know that the town was six miles from her village, the bus fare was thirty paise and the bus trip took forty-five minutes. She also thought that if she stayed in the bus and came back by the same bus it would only cost her sixty paise. She painstakingly saved each and every penny she got, resisting all temptation to buy peppermints, toys, etc. and even a ride on the merry-go-round at the village annual fair so as to save sixty paise. It was a secret trip which she had planned without the knowledge of her parents.

Question 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 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:
(1) “Stop the bus ! Stop the bus !” And a tiny hand was raised commandingly.
(2) “Yes, I simply have to go to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus.
(3) “There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”
(4) “Never mind,” she said, “I can get on by myself. You don’t have to help me.” “I’m not child, I tell you,” she said, irritably.
(5) “You needn’t bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said, turning her face toward the window and staring out.
(6) Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope to see you again.”

Valli appears to be a confident child. She does not like people making a fun of her or feeling pity for her because she is a child. She is very careful not to talk to strangers during her journey. She must have enjoyed her bus ride and may be planning ‘ for her next sojourn when her budget and time permit.

Question 4.
Why does the conductor refer to Valli as ‘Madam’ ?
Answer:
The conductor referred to Valli ‘Madam’ as she behaved like a grown up and did not think that she was a child. She also refused his help and told him that she can manage on her own.

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:

1. “Valli devoured everything with her eyes.”
2. “On the 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!”
3. “Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter. Suddenly, Valli clapped her hands with glee.”
4. “Somehow this was very funny to Valli. She laughed and laughed until there were tears in her eyes.”
5. “Valli wasn’t bored to 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, just where 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 and therefore, she refused to look out of the window.

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 said that many things happen around us, but we are usually unaware of them. Valli had gone on a bus ride to town, all alone, and had come back without any harm. 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-years-old’s point of ; view. Can you find evidence from the text ! for his 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. Watching the bus filled with a new set of people each time was a source of unending joy for her. Her strongest desire was to ride the bus. She saved money by cutting on peppermints, toys and balloons, and even resisting the temptation to ride the merry-go-round at the fair. When the author describes the bus, the points he stresses on are the colour and look of the bus.

It was a ‘new bus’, painted a ‘gleaming white’, The overhead bars ‘shone like silver’. The seats were ‘soft and luxurious’.

The descriptions that the author gives when Valli looked outside are also typical for an eight-year-old. The ‘blue, blue sky’ and the ‘acres and acres of green fields – green, green, s green’ show the enthusiasm of a kid on looking at different colours. Valli clapped her hands in glee on watching a cow run right in front of the bus. She found it so funny that tears came into her eyes. On the other hand, she was overcome with sadness on her way back when she saw the same cow lying dead. It had S been a ‘lovable, beautiful creature’ and later it ? ‘looked so horrible’. The memory of the dead cow haunted her so much that she refused to look outside the window. These are the typical reactions of a young child.

GSEB Class 10 English Madam Rides the Bus Additional Important Questions and Answers

Read the following passages and select the most appropriate answers to the questions given below them:

Question 1.
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. 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 corner. 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.

1. ……………… pleased Valli a lot.
A. Travelling by, bus
B. Watching the bus coming and going
C. Talking with passengers travelling by the bus
D. The games that she played
Answer:
B. Watching the bus coming and going

2. What was the tiny wish of Valli ?
A. Riding on the bus some day.
B. Driving a bus some day.
C. Going to the nearest city.
D. Entertaining passengers by playing pranks.
Answer:
A. Riding on the bus some day.

3. Valli was too jealous to ………………..
A. travel by a bus.
B. go to the nearest town.
C. listen to her friends who happened to ride the bus and described the sights of the town.
D. All of these three
Answer:
C. listen to her friends who happened to ride the bus and described the sights of the town.

4. Valli and her friends used the words “proud!, proud!” as a slang expression of disapproval because ………………….
A. they really did not understand the meaning of the word.
B. they really wanted to admire.
C. they wanted to condemn the things that they had seen at the town.
D. None of these three
Answer:
A. they really did not understand the meaning of the word.

Question 2.
Sitting down, she looked to see who had spoken. It was an elderly man who had honestly been concerned for her, but she was annoyed by his attention. “There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.” The conductor chimed in. “Oh, sir, but this is a very grown-up madam. Do you think a mere girl could pay her own fare and travel to the city all alone ?” Valli shot an angry glance at the conductor and said, “I am not a madam. Please remember that.

And you’ve not yet given me my ticket.” “I’ll remember,” the conductor said, mimicking her tone. Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter. The conductor punched a ticket and handed it to her. “Just sit back and make yourself comfortable. Why should you stand when you’ve paid for a seat ?” “Because I want to,” she answered, standing up again. “But if you stand on the seat, you may fall and hurt yourself when the bus makes a sharp turly or hits a bump.

That’s why we want you to sit down, child.” “I’m not a child, I tell you,” she said irritably. “I’m eight-years-old.” “Of course, of course. How stupid of me! Eight years – my !” The bus stopped, some new passengers got on, and the conductor got busy for a time. Afraid of losing her seat, Valli finally sat down. An elderly woman came and sat beside her. “Are you all alone, dear?” she asked Valli as the bus started again.

1. Who had spoken to the girl to sit down ?
A. The Conductor
B. An elderly man
C. An old lady
D. A grown-up madam
Answer:
B. An elderly man

2. The phrase ‘chimed in’ means ……………….
A. ‘rang the bell’.
B. ‘said something in an insulting tone’.
C. ‘intervened’.
D. ‘retorted’.
Answer:
C. ‘intervened’.

3. Valli does not accept herself as a …………………
A. child.
B. grown-up lady.
C. an irritating passenger.
D. All of these three
Answer:
A. child.

4. Valli did not leave the seat for ………………….
A. she did not want to get down and visit the town.
B. the fear of losing the seat.
C. the fear that the conductor would not allow her to ride on the bus again.
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Answer:
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’

Answer the following questions in three to four sentences each:
Question 1.
Who was Valli?
Answer:
Valli was the short name of Valliamai. She was an eight-year-old girl who was very curious.

Question 2.
Why did Valli kept standing in front of the door?
Answer:
Valli kept standing in front of the door as there were no playmates of her age on her street. So, she used to keep on watching the street outside her house.

Question 3.
What was the most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street ?
Answer:
The most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street 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.

Question 4.
How did Valli gathered all the information about the bus ?
Answer:
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 here and there. This way she gathered all the information about the bus.

Question 5.
Where was the town located ? What was the fare to travel there by bus ?
Answer:
The town was located six miles from Valli’s village. The fare to travel to town by bus was thirty paise for one way.

Question 6.
What did Valli kept on planning and calculating continuously ?
Answer:
Valli kept on planning and calculating which bus to take, how much time it will take to reach the town and the fare that would be required in completing her journey.

Question 7.
How was the interior and exterior of the bus ?
Answer:
It was a new bus. Its outside was painted a gleaming white with some green stripes along the sides. Inside, the overhead bars shone like silver. There was a beautiful clock above the windshield and its seats were soft and luxurious.

Question 8.
How was the view outside the bus when it went through the canal ?
Answer:
On one side there was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the sky. On the other side was a deep ditch and then acres and acres of green fields.

Question 9.
Why did the conductor wanted Valli to sit ?
Answer:
The conductor initially told Valli that as she has paid for the ticket, she should sit, When she refused he told her that she may fall and hurt herself when the bus takes a sharp turn or hits a bump.

Question 10.
Why didn’t Valli want to talk to the elderly woman?
Answer:
The elderly woman was wearing ugly earrings and was chewing betel nut. The betel juice was about to seep out of her mouth. Valli found all this repulsive and hence did not wanted to talk to her.

Question 11.
What questions did the old woman ask ValliJ?
Answer:
The old woman asked Valli if she was travelling alone. She also asked her whether she knew where exactly she had to go in town. She further asked whether it was proper for such a young person to travel alone.

Question 12.
How did Valli save money to travel by bus ?
Answer:
Valli had thriftily saved whatever stray coins came her way. She resisted every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons and ride on the merry-go-round at the village fair to save money for her bus journey.

Question 13.
How did Valli manage to travel by bus without the knowledge of her mother?
Answer:
Valli managed to travel by bus without the knowledge of her mother as she was asleep when Valli went out.

Question 14.
How did Valli feel on seeing the dead cow on the road ?
Answer:
Valli was filled with sadness. She thought what had been a lovable, beautiful creature just a little while ago had now suddenly lost its charm and its life and looked so horrible and frightening.

Answer the following questions in five to six sentences each:

Question 1.
The people and surroundings are a great book to learn. Valli in the lesson ‘Madam Rides The Bus’ learns a lot from others. Mention the traits of her character which help her to learn from her surroundings.
Answer:
Valli dreamt of riding on the bus. Her .eagerness to-fulfill her dream fired her curiosity. This curiousness led her to listen to the conversations of people going on the bus ride and asking discreet questions so that she could gather as much information as she can regarding the bus journey.

On the bus journey, Valli acted confidently and behaved maturedly. She did not consider- herself to be any less than an adult. She was focused on fulfilling her dream and did not get tempted fo go outside the bus and explore the town when the bus reached the town.

On the return journey, she learnt about death when she came to terms with the dead cow. This made her aware of the fact that death is a part of life and should be accepted as it is a natural phenomenon. Thus, the bus journey made her learn a lot of things.

Question 2.
What kind of person is Valli ? Illustrate your answer from the text that you have read.
OR
Give the character sketch of Valli.
Answer:
Valli was a determined, confident and brave girl. She was also a good planner and executioner. She sacrificed a lot of things to achieve her dream. For example, she curbed s the temptation to buy sweets and riding on the merry-go-round in the fair so that she could save money for the bus ride. Sacrificing all these things at such a tender age is very s difficult for a child. She also behaved confidently in the bus and did not get bogged down in the presence of elders.

When the bus reached the town, Valli did not succumb to the temptation of going out to explore the town or having a drink. She did this as she had a limited amount of money which she wanted to ‘save for her return journey. So, Valli used her money wisely. When the conductor offered her a drink, she showed good manners in politely refusing to have it.

Grammar

Rectify the errors in each of the following lines as shown in the example:
(1)
Answer:
But for Valli, stand at the front door was each bft as enjoyable as any of the elaborate game other children played. Watch the street gave her many new usual experiences.
Example:

(2)
Answer:
Valli, devoured anything with her
eyes. But then she started to look
outside, she found her view cut
by a canvas blind who covered the
upper part of her window.
Example:

Turn the following dialogues into Indirect Speech:

Question 1.
“Stop the bus Stop the bus !” shouted Valli. “Hurry then! Tell whoever it is to come quickly,” the conductor said.
“It’s me,” shouted Valli.” I am the one who has to get on.”
“Oh really! You don’t say so,” the conductor said.
Answer:
Valli shouted twice to stop the bus. The conductor told her to hurry then. Then he asked her to tell whoever it was to come early. Valli shouted that it was she and added that she was the one who had to get on Looking at the little girl, the conductor exclaimed with surprise that it was difficult for him to believe (that such a little girl was travelling alone.)

Question 2.
Somebody from the passengers said, “Listen, child, You should not stand like that. Sit down.”
“There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like every one else.”
The conductor chimed in. “Oh, sir, but this is a very grown-up madam. Do you think a mere girl could pay her own fare and travel to the city alone ?”
Answer:
Somebody from the passengers brought to the attention of the child-Valli that she should not stand like that. Then he asked the girl to sit down. Valli responded haughtily that there was nobody there who was a child. She argued strongly that she had paid her thirty paise like everyone else. Then the conductor chimed in responding to the passenger satiringly that she was a very grownup madam. Then he asked curtly if he thought a mere girl could pay her own fare and travel to the city alone.

Rewrite as directed:

(1) How stupid of me (Turn into Assertive.) ?
(2) There was a girl Valliammai who was called Valli for short. (Make it Simple.)
(3) The most fascinating thing of all was the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town. (Change the Degree.)
(4) Valli would be too jealous to listen to their talks. (Remove ‘too’.)
(5) You don’t have to help me. (Turn into Affirmative.)
(6) Avoiding everyone’s eyes, she walked quickly to an empty seat. (Turn into Compound.)
(7) And you’ve not yet given me my ticket. (Change the Voice.)
Answer:
(1) It is greatly stupid of me.
(2) Valliammai was called Valli for short.
(3) The bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town was more fascinating than any other thing of all.
(4) Valli would be so jealous that she would not listen to their talks.
(5) I hardly need your help.
(6) She avoided everyone’s eyes and she walked quickly to an empty seat.
(7) And I have not yet been given my ticket by you.

Writing
Write a page – about three paragraphs – on one of the following topics:

Question 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 ?
Answer:
If was during my summer vacations. I wanted to plan a special birthday for my mother. So, I roped in my younger sister in my plan to celebrate her birthday. We saved our pocket money and didn’t go for our weekly outings for some time. In this way, we were able to save five hundred rupees for the birthday party.

Now, we had to arrange everything without our mother’s knowledge. On her birthday we pretended as if we didn’t remember her birthday at all. Instead we requested our father to take her to the market. In the meantime, we arranged everything like cake, decorations, flowers and even invited two of her best friends. When she s came back she was surprised. It was the best birthday she ever had in her life.

Question 2.
Have you made a journey that was unforgettable in some way ? What made it memorable ?
Answer:
I have gone on many trips and s excursions, but one journey which I can’t forget is my trip to Hemkund and Badrinath. The scenery over there is mesmerising and as you leave Delhi, you enjoy cool fresh air and see s breath taking lush green fields. The bus ride takes you on winding narrow roads, with river flowing on one side and mountains on the other side. To reach Hemkund Sahib, one has to travel 14 kms by foot.

Everywhere there are crowds of devotees, chanting holy names and moving up the hill. When I reached the shrine, it was enveloped in clouds. The water in the holy tank was ice cold. The moment you step in it your tiredness vanishes. After that we went to Badrinath by bus. It was also a very nice place. There were many hot springs over there.

Question 3.
Are you concerned about traffic and road safety ? What are your concerns ? How would you make road travel safer and more enjoyable ?
Answer:
India has a wide network of roads. Everyday crores of Indians travel on these roads by bus, car, cycle, cycle rickshaw, scooter, moped, truck, etc. Even pedestrians use these roads. As people don’t follow road safety rules,
every year many people lose their lives due to fatal road accidents. It is also seen that 90 percent of these fatal accidents involve youngsters who like to drive at very high speed, don’t wear- helmets and seat belts, talk on mobiles while driving or love to do stunts inspired by movies.

Despite many directions issued by the traffic police all their advice falls on deaf ears. It is our duty to follow all the rules and regulations and to keep safety measures in our mind while driving. Safe driving is best driving and the rules are framed keeping our security in mind.

Madam Rides the Bus Summary in English

Madam Rides the Bus Introduction:

Vallikkannan is the pseudonym of Rajavallipuram S. Krishnaswamy (12 November, 1920-9 November, 2006), a Tamil, writer, journalist, critic and translator from Tamil Nadu, India. He started writing at a very young age and had published twenty five books by the time he was 30. He worked for magazines like Cinema Ulagam, Navasakthi, Grama Oozhiyan and Hanuman. He wrote a total of 75 books in his life – novels, novellas, poetry collections, plays and essay anthologies. In 1978, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for Tamil for his critical work on modern Tamil poetry Pudukavithaiyin Thottramum Valarchiyum (lit. The birth and growth of Modern Tamil Poetry).

Madam Rides the Bus Summary:
This is a sensitive story of an eight-year- old girl’s first bus fourney into the world outside her village. The girl Valli, at a very tender age, tries to understand the mystery of life and death. The outside world for Valli is charming and ‘fascinating but mysterious. She longs to – experience it by herself. The talks of the village people about the town added fuel to the fire. She decides to go to the town all by herself without anybody’s support. She asked the bus conductor to take her to the town. She herself paid her fare.

She wanted to devour everything with her eyes. She saw the canal, palm tree, grass land, distant mountain and the blue sky. She also saw great stretch of green field as far as the eye could see. She was overjoyed when she saw a cow running with her raised tail on the road ahead of the bus. While returning she noticed that the body of the same cow was crushed and bled. She was moved from within. Perhaps she was trying to understand the meaning of life and death in her own terms. She returned home in time. None of the family members could know her adventurous journey.