Chapter 9 Madam Rides the Bus Important Questions Class 10 First Flight English
Very Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1. What does the bus conductor call Valli?
Answer
The bus conductor called her ‘madam’.
Question 2. How much money did Valli save for the bus ride?
Answer
She saved sixty paise for the bus ride.
Question 3. What did the elderly woman try to do?
Answer
The elderly women tried to befriend Valli.
Question 4. What did Valli carefully listen to?
Answer
Valli carefully listened to conversations of her neighbours who used the bus regularly.
Question 5. Who was Valli?
Answer
Valli was eight years old village girl.
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 the memory of the dead cow haunted her, dampening her enthusiasm.
Question 7. Why did Valli spend her time all alone?
Answer
Valli spent her time all alone because she had no playmates of her own age.
Question 8. What was Valli’s favourite pastime?
Answer
Her favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house, watching what was happening in the street outside.
Question 9. How far was the town from the village?
Answer
It was at a distance of six miles.
Question 10. What made Valli sad?
Answer
The sight of the dead cow made Valli said.
Question 11. What did Valli find when she came back home?
Answer
When Valli came back and entered her home, she found her mother awake and talking to one of her aunts.
Question 12. How old was Valli?
Answer
Valli was eight years old.3
Question 13. What was Valli full name?
Answer
Her full name was Valliammai.
Question 14. When would Valli be jealous?
Answer
Valli would be jealous when one of her friends described the sight of the town to her.
Question 15. What type of man as the bus conductor?
Answer
The bus conductor was a jolly and fun-loving type of person.
Question 16. What was Valli’s deepest desire?
Answer
Valli’s deepest desire was to have a bus ride to the town.
Question 17. Why did Valli stand up on her seat?
Answer
She stood up on her seat because she found her view cut off by a canvas blind.
Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1. What was the favourite pastime of Valli?
Answer
Valliammai or Valli was eight years old. Her favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house. From there, she watched what was happening in the street outside. For her, standing at the front door was as enjoyable as any of the games other children played.
Question 2. Write down the conductor’s advice to Valli?
Answer
Calling Valli a child, the conductor requested her to sit down. It will make her comfortable. Standing up, again and again, can make her fall and get hurt because the bus can make a sharp turn.
Question 3. Give two reasons why Valli found the elderly woman on the bus, repulsive.
Answer
Valla did not want to make friends with the elderly woman because she found her repulsive as she had big holes in her earlobes and was wearing ugly earrings. She could the betel nut the woman was chewing.
Question 4. Give examples from the text to show that Valli was a meticulous planner.
Answer
Valli was a meticulous planner. She listened carefully to the conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly used the bus and also asked discreet questions. She picked up various small details about the bus journey and then planned it.
Question 5. Why was Valli overcome with shyness and avoided everyone’s eyes?
Answer
It was the slack time of the day. 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. She tried to avoid everyone’s eyes. She walked quickly to an empty seat and sat down.
Question 6. What was the next problem after Valli had enough money?
Answer
After she had saved enough money, Valli had her next problem. It was how to slip out of the house without her mother’s knowledge. She solved this problem easily. Every day after lunch her mother would nap from about one to four or so. She could easily venture out on her mission.
Question 7. Why didn’t Valli want to have a look at the sights alone?
Answer
The conductor asked if Valli didn’t want to have a look at the sights in the town. She replied that she would be too afraid to visit them all alone. The conductor reminded that she was travelling all alone by bus. Valli replied that there was nothing to be afraid of in the bus.
Question 8. Did Valli’s bus ride remain a secret for her mother and aunt?
Answer
When Valli entered her house, she found her mother awake and talking to one of her aunts. Her aunt was a real chatterbox. She asked where she had been so far. Valli’s mother spoke casually. She didn’t expect a reply. Both these ladies could know nothing about Valli’s pleasure ride on the bus.
Question 9. How did Valli react when she saw the dead cow by the roadside?
Answer
On her return journey, Valli saw a dead cow lying in the middle of the road. It was lying sprawled in a pool of blood, legs spread out, and lifeless eyes staring a horrible scene. She felt sad and this made her lose all the enthusiasm.
Question 10. What was the most fascinating thing for Valli?
Answer
Valli’s source of unending joy was to have a bus ride. That was her tiny wish which grew into a strong desire with the passage of time. Her desire turned into longing as she wistfully stared at the faces of the passengers who got on or off the bus.
Question 11. Why did Valli not get off the bus when it stopped at the bus stand?
Answer
Valli sole purpose was to enjoy the bus ride. She neither had the money to buy anything from the shops at the town nor the courage to get down at the strange among at rangers.
Question 12. How did Valli calculate and plan the bus journey?
Answer
Valli had gathered all the necessary details about the bus journey from those who regularly used the bus. The town was six miles from her village. The one-way fare was thirty paise. The trip to the town took forty-five minutes. If she took the one o’clock bus, she could reach the town at one forty-five. She calculated that she could be back home by about two forty-five.
Question 13. Why did Valli laugh until there were tears in her eyes?
Answer
Valli saw a young cow running very fast in the middle of the road. It was right in front of the bus. The bus slowed down to a crawl. The driver sounded the horn loudly again and again. But more he honked, the more frightened the animal became and galloped right in front of the bus. Valli laughed until there were tears in her eyes.
Question 14. Why didn’t Valli accept a free drink from the bus conductor? What does this act show about her character?
Answer
The bus conductor asked Valli to let him bring her a cold drink. She replied that she didn’t have enough money for that. He should just give him her ticket. The conductor offered to give it totally free. She said firmly, ‘Please, no.’ This shows how proud and self-respecting Valli was.
Question 15. Why did Valli smile to herself? Did her mother and aunt had any chance of knowing the secret of her smile?
Answer
Valli agreed with her mother that many things were happening outside in the world without their knowledge. Ironically, the two ladies didn’t know anything about Valli’s bus-journey. They didn’t know that `just a chit of a girl’ had done such a great feat. Valli smiled to herself. There was no chance of her secret being exposed.
Question 16. What kind of a person was Valli?
Answer
Valli was a curious, keen observer who had strong will power and determination. She was bold, brave and self-respective! She had immense self confidence and wanted to do everything on her own. she was innocent, highly sensitive, intelligent and was a very careful planner.