Madam Rides the Bus Class 10 English Exam Questions

Please refer to Madam Rides the Bus Class 10 English Exam Questions provided below. These questions and answers for Class 10 English have been designed based on the past trend of questions and important topics in your class 10 English books. You should go through all Class 10 English Important Questions provided by our teachers which will help you to get more marks in upcoming exams.

Class 10 English Exam Questions Madam Rides the Bus

Class 10 English students should read and understand the important questions and answers provided below for Madam Rides the Bus which will help them to understand all important and difficult topics.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question. Why would Valli stand at the front door?
Ans. Valli was very curious about various things and that is why she would stand outside the front door of her house to watch what was happening in the street. She did not have any playmates of her own age but she found observing the elaborate games the children played in front of her house entertaining.

Question. How had Valli saved for her first bus journey?
Ans. Valli had saved every coin that she could for her first bus journey. She resisted the temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, etc. Finally, she had saved a total of sixty paise. In the fair, one day, she had killed her strong desire to ride the merry-goround. This was how she saved the money for the bus fare.

Question. What made Valli sad?
Ans. On the ride to the city, Valli was amused by a cow who was running right in the middle of the road in front of the bus. On the way back, she saw the same cow dead by the roadside hit by a speeding vehicle. This saddened her.

Question. How did Valli save money for her first journey?
Ans. Valli saved the money for her bus journey by resisting all her temptations to buy toys like peppermint, balloons, etc. The money that was given to her to buy toys and other things was saved by her for her journey. She also resisted the strong desire to use them to ride the merry-go-round at the village fair.

Question. What was the most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street? (2019 Delhi)
Ans. The most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street was the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town filled with new set of passengers each time.

Question. Why does Valli stand upon the seat? What does she see now?
Ans. Valli’s view was obstructed by a canvas blind which covered the lower part of the window and so she was forced to stand up on the seat. She noticed the canal on one side, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, the blue sky, a deep ditch and acres of green fields on the other side.

Question. How did Valli save money to travel by bus?
Ans. Valli saved the money to travel by bus by controlling every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons and even a ride on the merry-go round at the village fair to save money for her bus journey.

Question. During her journey, Valli absorbed the natural beauty and clapped her hands in happiness on seeing a young cow running very fast. What does this reveal about Valli?
Ans. During her journey, Valli absorbed the natural beauty and clapped her hands in happiness on seeing a young cow running very fast. This shows that although Valli was a mature and a responsible girl, she was still a child at heart.
Valli may have behaved like adults while boarding the bus but her childish nature and joy gets revealed when she reacts by clapping her hands on seeing a cow running in front of the bus.

Question. Who was Valli? Why did she keep standing in front of the door?
Ans. Valli was an eight year old girl who was very curious. Valli kept standing in front of the door as there were no playmates of her age. So, she used to keep on watching the street outside her house.

Question. Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does this tell you about her?
Ans. Valli didn’t want to go to the stall and have a drink because she did not have the money to pay for it.
This tells us about her that she was a well-mannered and self-respecting girl.

Question. Describe the bus in which Valli sat.
Ans. The bus in which Valli sat was new. 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. What was the most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street?
Ans. 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. Why didn’t Valli get off the bus when the bus stopped at the town?
Ans. When the nearest town had reached, everyone got off the bus except Valli because she wanted to return home in the same bus. She only wanted to take a ride on a bus. So, she gave the conductor the fare to return home in the same bus.

Question. Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?
Ans. Valli stands up on the seat because she found her view blocked by the canvas that covered the lower part of the window. In order to have a better view, she stood up on the seat and looked over the canvas.
Valli can now see that the road was narrow. On one side of the road was a canal beyond which there were palm trees, grasslands, distant mountains and the blue sky. On the another side, she sees that there was a deep ditch and many acres of green fields.

Question. What did Valli find out about the bus journey? How did she find out these details?
Ans. Valli found out that the town was six miles away from her village. The trip to town would take forty five minutes and the fare of one way was thirty paise.
Valli found out these details by listening carefully to the conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly ride the bus. She also asked a few questions from them.

Question. What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?
Ans. Valli saw a young cow, running very fast in the middle of the road in front of the bus. The horn of the bus frightened the animal. The more the driver horned, the more faster the cow ran in front of the car. This all seemed very funny to Valli and she laughed heartily.

Question. How did Valli feel on seeing the dead cow on the road?
Ans. On seeing the dead cow on the road, Valli felt sad. She thought that a lovable, beautiful creature just a little while ago had now suddenly lost its charm and its life. It looked so horrible and frightening. After that, she did not even look outside the bus.

Question. Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?
Ans. 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 it seemed that the juice of the betel would spill out of her mouth.

Question. Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?
Ans. The conductor calls Valli ‘madam’ because she behaved like a mature woman. She declined his help and was very quick in her answers to the conductor’s questions. The conductor was amused at her behaviour and to tease her calls her ‘madam’.

Question. Valli didn’t like the way adults treated her during her bus journey. Describe how you would feel and react if you were to find yourself in a similar situation.
Ans. In a situation wherein adults are constantly ordering me during a journey, I would also react like Valli did because I would consider myself to be responsible enough to take the journey by myself. Just like Valli thought that she could take care of herself, I would also think the same and so, would dislike being interrupted by elders.

Question. What made Valli sad?
Ans. On the ride to the city, Valli was amused by a cow who was running right in the middle of the road in front of the bus. On the way back, she saw the same cow dead by the roadside hit by a speeding vehicle.
This saddened her.

Question. How did Valli react when she saw the dead cow by the roadside?
Ans. Valli was extremely excited about her bus journey. She had carefully planned and saved money for this journey. On her return, when she saw the dead cow on the roadside, she turned somber. She lost her enthusiasm on seeing the dead cow. She became pensive and built negative views towards life.

Question. Why does Valli stand upon the seat? What does she see now?
Ans. Valli’s view was obstructed by a canvas blind which covered the lower part of the window and so she was forced to stand up on the seat. She noticed the canal on one side, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, the blue sky, a deep ditch and acres of green fields on the other side.

Question. What happened when an elderly woman entered the bus and sat beside Valli?
Ans. An elderly woman entered the bus on a bus stop. She sat down on the vacant seat by Valli’s side. Valli found the woman very contemptible. She had big holes in her ear lobes and the earrings she had worn were ugly. Valli could smell the betel nut which the woman was chewing. The juice was coming over her lips.

Question. What happened when Valli stood near the bus when it stopped?
OR
How did Valli conduct herself before and after entering the bus for a ride?
Ans. Valli stood near the bus when it stopped at the fixed spot. She told the conductor that she had to go to the town. She showed some coins for the fare. The conductor told her to get inside the bus. When he tried to help her enter, she told him that she could get on by herself. This shows her self-reliance.

Question. Why did Valli not accept the conductor’s offer of a cold drink to her? What does this tell you about her?
Ans. The bus at last, reached the town which was its final destination. All the passengers were dropped there. But Valli did not get off as she was going back by this same bus. The conductor finally offered Valli a cold drink. But she declined the offer by saying that she did not have enough money. The conductor said that it would be his treat but Valli firmly declined the offer. This show that Valli was a very self-reliant and mature girl.

Question. How did the conductor and other passengers react to Valli?
Ans. The conductor was a jolly kind of a man. He was fond of joking and was quite humorous. He requested Valli not to be angry with him. He addressed her as, ‘madam.’ He also taunted her in good sense, saying ‘make way for madam.’ Some six or seven passengers looked at Valli. They laughed along with the conductor.

Question. Why did Valli shout in English ‘proud, proud’?
Ans. 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.

Question. What did the conductor advise Valli while on the bus?
Ans. The conductor advised Valli to sit on her seat comfortably because she had taken a full ticket and there was no need for her to stand on the seat and travel uncomfortably. Moreover, if she remained standing she could have hurt herself while observing outside.

Question. What of the town did Valli see after the train station? How did she react to it?
Ans. When the bus reached the outside of the town, it had shops on both sides of the road. The bus came through a busy and well-laid-out shopping street after the train station. It turned and entered a wider thoroughfare. There were bigger and better looking shops. There was a shining display of clothes and other articles. A huge crowd was accumulated.

Question. Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does it tell you about her?
Ans. Valli had accumulated only sixty paise, which was the cost of her bus ride between her village and the nearest town, and did not have enough money to spend at the stall. This shows that Valli was a firm and decisive little girl.

Question. Who was Valliammai? What was her favourite pastime?
Ans. Valliammai fondly known as Valli was an eight-yearold girl. She was a mature girl but did not have any playmate of her age on her street. So, her favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house, observing what was happening in the street outside.

Question. How did Valli slip out of the house without her mother’s knowledge?
Ans. Every day after lunch her mother would take a nap for about one to four or so. Valli always used these hours for her ‘excursions’ and this is when she slipped out of the house without her mother’s knowledge.

Question. What was the most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street?
Ans. The most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street was the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town filled with new set of passengers each time.

Long Answer Type Questions :

Question. Valli posed herself to be very confident when the conductor offered her help to ride the bus. Later on she felt shy when all laughed at her. What does this tell you about Valli’s character? What values do we learn from her character?
Ans. Valli posed to be very confident in front of the conductor when he offered her help to ride the bus. This shows her confidence, intelligence and maturity. However, when everybody laughs at her, she felt shy. This shows that she was innocent as well. Being aware of that fact that she was travelling for the first time, she was taking every precaution not to be fooled by anybody. Although she should not have travelled alone yet it was wise on her part to behave confidently. Sometimes, situations arise when a child has to travel or live alone. In such a situation, it is necessary for children to get training in order to be self-reliant and independent. Valli teaches us the values of confidence, compassion and sympathy to us.

Question. Describe what happened when Valli signalled for the bus to stop to let her in?
OR
Describe the beginning of Valli’s ride on the bus.
Ans. Valli had to sacrifice a lot to save money for her bus fare. One fine spring day, she rode on the afternoon bus. The conductor was surprised to see someone as young as Valli in it travelling alone. Valli told him that she was going to the town and had the money to pay the fare. There were only six or seven passengers on the bus. They looked at Valli in astonishment. Valli sat on an empty seat after paying the fare. Inside of the bus looked new and beautiful. The seats were comfortable. Above the windshield, there was a beautiful clock. Valli observed everything with all the seriousness.

Question. An eight-year-old girl travelling alone in a bus. Is it right on the girl’s part to take this journey? What would have happened if she had informed her mother before leaving?
Ans. An eight-year-old girl travelling alone in a bus does not happen too often these days. It was not right on Valli’s part to have undertaken this journey alone. Anything could have gone wrong. The bus may not have returned by the same route or the same day. he had not informed her mother about it so, if the bus had been delayed due to unknown reasons, her family wouldn’t have known where to look for her. She was lucky to get good people as passengers, the conductor and the driver.
If Valli had informed her mother before leaving, either her mother would have refused to let her do so or she would have herself taken Valli on a bus ride.

Question. Valli sternly refused the conductor’s offer of a cold drink though she might be willing to have one. What lesson do you learn from her gesture?
Ans. By the end of the journey, the conductor had developed fondness of Valli. When the bus reached its destination, the conductor went to the nearby stall to have something to drink. He offered to bring one for Valli as a treat from him but Valli refused sternly She didn’t have much money and out of the feeling of self-respect, she was not ready to take any favour either. Such a conduct from an eight-year-old girl shows her good upbringing. We must not get lured by temptations or any attractions, however strong they may be. It is always wise to spend money judiciously. Children must not waste their pocket money on unwanted items.

Question. There is a lot of humour caused by the conductor due to Valli’s behaving like a mature woman. Describe this humour.
Ans. The story has a lot of humour. The conductor is the source of all this humour. He is fond of joking. However, Valli in all her childish innocence also causes this humour. The elder man in the bus callsher a ‘child.’ Valli retorts that she has paid the full fare, making the conductor add that she is ‘a grownup madam.’ The conductor copies her and all laugh. The conductor offers to help Valli get into the bus in the beginning but Valli offers the money first. The conductor tells her to first get in. This makes the conductor offer her a seat. He calls her ‘madam’ as Valli tries to act like an adult. The conductor imitates her actions and creates a plenty of humour.

Question. Once we decide to achieve something, so many difficulties come in our way but with focused attention we can make that achievement. How did Valli succeed in fulfilling her desire of riding a bus?
Ans. Eight-year-old Valli’s desire was to ride the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town. Her desire was so strong that it overcame her fears prompting her to plan the trip meticulously. She collected all the details of the journey and saved every coin that came her way. She maintained her will power so much that she did not even get tempted to go shopping. After taking all the precautions to ensure that she had a safe journey, she fulfilled her dream of riding a bus. Despite her young age, she returned back home safely. Valli teaches us that once we decide to achieve something, many difficulties may come our way but with courage and confidence, we can accomplish the task.

Question. Valli posed herself to be very confident when the conductor offered her help to ride the bus. Later on she felt shy when all laughed at her. What does this tell you about Valli’s character? What values do we learn from her character?
Ans. Valli posed to be very confident in front of the conductor when he offered her help to ride the bus. This shows her confidence, intelligence and maturity. However, when everybody laughs at her, she felt shy. This shows that she was innocent as well. Being aware of that fact that she was travelling for the first time, she was taking every precaution not to be fooled by anybody. Although she should not have travelled alone yet it was wise on her part to behave confidently. Sometimes, situations arise when a child has to travel or live alone. In such a situation, it is necessary for children to get training in order to be self-reliant and independent. Valli teaches us the values of confidence, compassion and sympathy to us.

Question. Valli got jealous every time one of her friends told her about the bus ride and the sights of the town. Do you think jealousy is a positive trait? What should be done to keep jealous thoughts away?
Ans. Valli has a deep desire to visit the town and experience a bus journey. The world outside holds a charm for her. Whenever one of her friends tells Valli about her bus ride and the sights of the town, she gets jealous and tells them to shut up. Jealousy is not a positive trait. It’s a negative feeling that arises out of hatred and contempt for others. We must never be jealous of others instead, we must share the achievements and happiness of our friends. We should feel inspired by their accounts and try to achieve our goal with all our heart.

Question. Describe what happened when Valli signalled for the bus to stop to let her in? OR Describe the beginning of Valli’s ride on the bus.
Ans. Valli had to sacrifice a lot to save money for her bus fare. One fine spring day, she rode on the afternoon bus. The conductor was surprised to see someone as young as Valli in it travelling alone. Valli told him that she was going to the town and had the money to pay the fare. There were only six or seven passengers on the bus. They looked at Valli in astonishment. Valli sat on an empty seat after paying the fare. Inside of the bus looked new and beautiful. The seats were comfortable. Above the windshield, there was a beautiful clock. Valli observed everything with all the seriousness.

Question. 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. (a) Valli was thoroughly enjoying herself on the bus. Who all has she met so far?
(b) How have the people on the bus treated her?
Ans. (a) Valli has met the bus conductor who was a friendly guy, the driver, an old woman and a man in the beginning of her journey on the bus.
(b) People have been extremely cooperative, friendly and loving towards the little girl who got on the bus all by herself. They were also concerned for her well-being and asked her to sit lest she fell.

Question. Once we decide to achieve something, so many difficulties come in our way. With focused attention we can make that achievement. How did Valli succeed in fulfilling her desire of riding a bus?

How did Valli fulfill her desire to ride a bus to thetown and back?
Ans. It is true once we decide to achieve something, many difficulties came in our way to stop us from doing our best to achieve our goals. However, with focused attention we can make our achievement. The story ‘Madam Rides the Bus’ proves this fact to be true. In the story, Valliammai or Valli, an eight year old girl develops a strong desire to take a ride on the bus that travelled from her street everyday. As a confident and bold girl Valli not only gathered all knowledge about the journey but also meticulously planned her trip.
With extreme self-control, Valli saved the money she would require for a round trip in the bus. She controlled her desire to buy peppermints, toys, balloons and even did not take a ride on the merry-go-round in the village fair. Then she properly plans to take the journey quietly when her mother is taking her afternoon nap. Finally, she was able to fulfill her dream.
Her passion, self-dependence and self-respecting nature helped her to take the journey safely. Thus, it is true that with focussed attention, determination and planning one can achieve everything in life.

Question. What kind of person is Valli? Illustrate your answer from the text that you have read.

“Valli was amature girl ahead of her age.” Justify the statement with instances from the text.
Ans. Valliammai or Valli was an eight year old curious girl who developed a strong desire to take a bus ride. In the story, Valli emerged as a clever, sensitive, self-respecting and fun loving girl. With determination and passion she worked towards fulfilling her desire.
Not only did she just gather all the information she would require for the bus journey but also sacrificed many things to achieve it. She controlled her simple desires of buying toys, balloons, etc to take a ride on the bus. During the bus journey, Valli proved to be mature, confident, bold and practical girl beyond her age. She was full of excitement and enthusiasm with which she enjoyed the scenes outside the bus.
Even the cow filled her with extreme joy. Valli was also a keen observant intelligent and sensitive girl, she was friendly, polite as well as careful. She not only refuses to take a cold drink from a strange man but also shows her good manners while talking to the conductor. Her nature is evident when she is saddened by the dead cow lying by the roadside. All these characteristics shows that Valli is different from other children of her age.

Question. Age is not a barrier when it comes to doing something different and great. Which characteristics of Valli help her achieve the wonder of visiting the town at such a tender age?
Ans. In today’s era, age is no more a barrier. Children are doing wonders at a very young age. Same goes with Valli. At an age of 8 years, Valli was able to pursue her dream all alone by travelling in the bus to town. She was no different from others, except that she had certain characteristics that made her fulfil her dreams. Valli was a very confident and a bold girl. She had a knowledge of proper planning and execution. She controlled her wishes to save money for the bus ride. Also, she was a very good observer and learner. All these qualities made her realise the dream of visiting the town. Hence, one should always remember that there is no age to learn and experience new things.

Question. Valli’s dream was to enjoy a ride on the bus to the nearest town. What preparations did she make to realise her dream?
Ans. Valli planned her bus ride by listening carefully to conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly used the bus. She also asked a few questions from them.
She found out that the town was six miles from her village, the bus fare was thirty paise for one way 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 cost her sixty paise.
She saved up the fare by controlling herself from buying toys, peppermints etc. She did not even take a ride on the merry-go round at the village annual fare to save money. Finally, she was able to save sixty paise for her journey.

Extract Based Questions :

Question. Read the extract to attempt the questions that follow.
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.
(i) How many times did the bus pass?
(ii) What was the source of unending joy for Valli?
(iii) Find a word from the extract which means ‘ever casting’.
(iv) What was the most fascinating thing for Valli?
(v) What happened when Valli see the bus everyday?
Ans. (i) The bus passed through Valli’s street once in an hour.
(ii) The sight of the bus, filled each time with a new set of passengers, was a source of joy for Valli.
(iii) ‘Unending’ from the extract means ‘ever lasting’.
(iv) The most fascinating thing for Valli was watching the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town.
(v) Valli slowly developed a desire to ride the bus on seeing the bus passing through her village everyday.

Question. Read the extract to attempt the questions that follow.
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.
(i) Why did Valli kept on standing at the doorway?
(ii) How did Valli feel while standing at the doorway?
(iii) Find a word from the extract which means ‘not very common’.
(iv) How was Valli different from children of her age?
(v) What did other children do on street?
Ans. (i) Valli kept on standing at the doorway to watch the happenings of the street outside.
(ii) Watching the street gave Valli many new experiences. She felt joyous standing at the doorway.
(iii) ‘Unusual’ from the extract means ‘not very common’.
(iv) Valli was different from children of her age as she was not interested in playing any elaborate games.
(v) Other children used to play elaborated games on the street.