UP Board Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Madam Rides the Bus (Prose)

This story is about an eight-year-old girl named Valliammai (Valli). She lives in a village from where a bus passes. She is fascinated by the bus that travels between her village and the nearest town. She wants to experience a bus ride by herself. Valli gathered information about the bus timings by listening to the conversations of her neighbours who used the bus regularly. She saves money for the fare by cutting down her spending on candies, peppermints etc., and she plans to go on the bus when her mother is asleep in the afternoon. She gets on the bus. The conductor is amused by her and calls her ‘madam’. He gives her a ticket and shows her a seat.

Valli enjoys the bus ride and observes the scenery outside. She sees mountains, fields, palm trees, and grasslands. She also sees a cow running across the road. She is thrilled by everything she sees and feels like she is in a dream. An elderly passenger in the bus calls Valli a child and he asks her not to stand. At the stand, an elderly woman came and sat beside Valli. Valli found the lady ugly. She had big holes in her ears and was wearing ugly earrings. She was chewing betel nuts. Valli does not talk to anyone on the bus and gets annoyed because she does not like being treated like a child and considers herself an adult. She does not get off the bus when bus reaches the town. She tells the conductor that she is there only for the ride. She buys a return ticket and stays on the bus.

On the way back, she sees the same cow lying dead on the roadside. She is shocked and saddened by the sight. She sat on the bus silently for the rest of the journey. She does not tell anyone about what she saw, and she keeps it to herself. She gets off the bus and goes back to her house. She pretends that nothing happened, and does not tell her mother about her adventure. She thinks that she will go on another bus ride someday, but she also feels that she has grown up a little.

यह कहानी वल्लियमाई (वल्ली) नाम की एक आठ वर्षीय लडकी की है। वह एक गाँव में रहती है, जहाँ से बस गुजरती है। वह उस बस के प्रति बहुत आकर्षित थी, जो उसके गाँव और कस्बे के बीच चलती थी। वह स्वयं बस की यात्रा का अनुभव करना ‘चाहती है। वल्ली ने अपने उन पड़ोसियों की बातचीत को सुनकर बस की समय सारिणी की जानकारी प्राप्त की, जो नियमित रूप से बस का प्रयोग करते थे। उसने अपने मिठाईयों और पेपरमिण्ट, टोफी आदि पर होने वाले खर्च को कम करके किराए के लिए धनराशि बचाई और उसने दोपहर में बस यात्रा करने की योजना बनाई जब उसकी माँ सोती है। वह बस में चढ़ती है। बस कण्डक्टर उससे बहुत प्रसन्न होता है और उसे मैडम कहता है । वह उसे टिकट देता है और उसे उसकी सीट दिखाता है।

वल्ली बस की सवारी का आनन्द उठाती है और बाहर के दृश्य का अवलोकन करती है। वह पर्वत, खेत, खजूर के पेड़ और घास के मैदान देखती है। वह एक गाय को सड़क पर दौड़ते हुए भी देखती है। वह अपने देखे हुए प्रत्येक दृश्य से रोमांचित होती है और उसे ऐसा महसूस होता है, जैसे वह सपने में हो। बस में एक वृद्ध यात्री वल्ली को बच्ची बोलता है और वह उसे खड़े रहने से मना करता है। बस के स्टैण्ड पर, एक बुजुर्ग महिला आकर वल्ली के पास बैठ जाती है। वल्ली को महिला अच्छी नहीं लगती है। उसके कानों में बड़े-बड़े छेद थे और उसने बदसूरत झुमके पहने हुए थे। वह सुपारी चबा रही थी । वल्ली बस में किसी से बात नहीं करती और क्रोधित हो जाती है, क्योंकि उससे बच्चों की तरह व्यवहार किया जाता है। वल्ली को यह व्यवहार पसन्द नहीं आता क्योंकि वह स्वयं को व्यस्क समझती है। जब बस शहर में पहुँच जाती है, वह बस से नहीं उतरती । वह कण्डक्टर को बताती है कि वह वहाँ केवल सवारी करने के लिए है। वह लौटने का टिकट खरीदती है और बस में ही रुकी रहती है।

लौटते समय, वह उसी गाय को सड़क के किनारे मरा हुआ पड़ा देखती है। वह यह दृश्य देखकर हैरान और दुःखी हो जाती है। बाकी की यात्रा में वह चुपचाप बस में बैठी रहती है। वह किसी को नहीं बताती कि उसने क्या देखा, और इसे स्वयं तक ही रखती है। वह बस से उतरकर अपने घर वापस चली जाती है। वह ऐसा व्यवहार प्रदर्शित करती है जैसे कुछ भी न हुआ हो और अपने रोमांच के बारे में अपनी माँ को नहीं बताती है। वह सोचती है कि किसी अन्य दिन वह दूसरी बस यात्रा पर जाएगी, लेकिन उसे ऐसा भी अनुभव होता है कि वह थोड़ी बड़ी हो गई है।

परीक्षा में पाठ्य-पुस्तक के Prose के पाठों से एक Extract दिया जाएगा तथा उस पर आधारित 2 Multiple Choice Questions पूछे जाएँगे, जिनके उत्तर विद्यार्थी को देने होते हैं। यहाँ पर हमने Extracts के साथ 2 अधिक Questions दिए हैं, जो केवल विद्यार्थियों के सम्पूर्ण अभ्यास के लिए हैं। परीक्षा में 1-1 अंकों के 2 ही Questions पूछे जाते हैं।

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.

(a) Narrator

(b) Harshita

(c) Valliammai

(d) Anne

Ans. (c) Valliammai

(a) 9 years old

(b) 10 years old

(c) 6 years old

(d) 8 years old

Ans. (d) 8 years old

(a) Because the bus filled with new passengers everyday and wished to ride in the bus.

(b) Because no one of her age plays with her.

(c) Because she want to watch the vehicles on the road.

(d) Because her father went to city she used to wait for him.

Ans. (b) Because no one of her age plays with her.

(a) The bus with new set of curtains every time.

(b) The bus with new set of passengers every time.

(c) The bus with new drivers every time.

(d) The bus with new conductor every time.

Ans. (b) The bus with new set of passengers every time.

(a) longing to ride the bus

(b) nature as an envious person

(c) denial to accept her situation

(d) inclination to trouble travellers

Ans. (a) longing to ride the bus

(a) The wish developed in her head over a period of time.

(b) The wish was a feeling of wanting to prove her strength.

(c) The wish was planted in her head by someone’s suggestion.

(d) The wish was small and was overpowered by a sense of doubt.

Ans. (a) The wish developed in her head over a period of time.

(a) ten miles

(b) five miles

(c) six miles

(d) very near

Ans. (c) six miles

(a) Because she was curious.

(b) Because she wanted to travel in the bus.

(c) Becase it was hed hobby.

(d) Because she had nothing else to do.

Ans. (b) Because she wanted to travel in the bus.

(a) thirty paise

(b) fifty paise

(c) twenty paise

(d) forty paise

Ans. (a) thirty paise

(a) ten

(b) seven

(c) eight

(d) twenty

Ans. (c) eight

(a) Strangers travelling by bus

(b) Hearing the story of her friend’s bus journey

(c) Both (a) and (b)

(d) None of the above

Ans. (b) Hearing the story of her friend’s bus journey

(a) Usha

(b) Valli

(c) Amma

(d) Kutti

Ans. (b) Valli

(a) thirty

(b) forty

(c) fifty

(d) twenty

Ans. (a) thirty

(a) it was lunchtime

(b) it was her mother’s nap time

(c) it was. the scheduled time of the bus

(d) All of the above

Ans. (b) it was her mother’s nap time

(a) 6-7 passengers

(b) 8-9 passengers

(c) 9-10 passengers

(d) 10-11 passengers

Ans. (a) 6-7 passengers

(a) One passenger in the bus

(b) Lady in the bus

Ans. Valli was an eight years 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.

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.

Ans. The bus fare which was required to travel to town in the bus was thirty paise only. It was a sum considered small but it was difficult for a small child to collect that amount by saving the pocket money that was meant for sweets and fair rides. Hence the amount has been called a ‘fortune’ for Valli.

Ans. When Valli got into the bus, she looked at everything very thoroughly. When she looked outside, she found her view cut off by the canvas blind that covered the lower part of her window.

Ans. The bus conductor received Valli respectfully.

The conductor referred to her as ‘madam’ as she behaved like a grown-up woman and did not think that she was a child.

Ans. Valli managed to move out of the house very easily without her mother’s knowledge because every day after lunch her mother took a nap from around one to four. Valli used these hours for her first excursion outside the village.

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

Ans. Valli planned her bus ride after carefully listening to conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly used the bus. She also asked a few questions from them.

She found out 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.

Q. 9. What was Valli’s favourite pastime? [NCERT

Ans. Valli’s favourite pastime was to stand at the front door of her house and enjoy the happenings on the street. Since, she had no playmates of her age, standing at the front door was as enjoyable as any games that children played.

Ans. The source of unending joy for Valli was the sight of the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town and how each time it was filled with a new set of passengers. Valli’s strongest desire was to have a ride in the bus.

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.

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 he called her ‘madam’.

Ans. Valli tells the elderly man that there is nobody in the bus who is a child. She tells him that she has paid her fare of thirty paise like everybody else. Thus, she indirectly tells him that she is not a child.

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.

Ans. Valli saved up money for her first journey by not spending money on toys and eatables. She controlled herself from buying these things.

No, it was not easy for her at all. Even at the village fair, she resisted the temptation to be on the merry-go round. Thus, she was able to save sixty paise for her first bus journey.

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 faster the cow ran in front of the bus. This all seemed very funny to Valli and she laughed heartily.

Ans. Valli did not get off the bus at the bus station because she wanted to return to her village in the same bus. Furthermore, she did not have any work in the town and was riding the bus solely for its experience.

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 that she was a well-mannered and self-respecting girl.

Ans. Valli refuses to look out of the window on her way back as she saw the dead body of the cow that was running towards the bus when she was going to town. This made her sad and frightened.

Ans. Valli did not like to be called a child because she wanted to be taken seriously as an adult and refused to be treated like someone incapable of making decisions for themselves.

Ans. Introduction Valli was an eight-years old girl. She was very curious about things. Her favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house and watching the street outside.

More Mature than her Age She was much more mature than her age.

She calculated the total cost of the ride on both the ways and the timing of the trip and planned the safe return without her mother’s knowledge.

Courageous Valli was brave to travel alone. She was not afraid of anyone and did not accept help from anyone.

Self-respect and Fast-forward She had self-respect and paid the full fare of the bus. She refused the conductor’s offer of the drink. She was an independent and self-respecting girl. She was also fast-forward and clever. She also argued with the conductor and gave reply to all his questions.

Sensitive Valli was a sensitive girl. When she saw the dead cow, she got upset and forgot her happiness of the bus ride. The memory of the dead cow haunted her, that’s why she didn’t look outside of the window after this.

Curious The story shows that Valli was an inquisitive child. She wanted to explore all the things. She wanted to know more and more about her surroundings.

Conclusion Valli was a very intelligent, sensitive, clever, self-respecting, fast forward and courageous girl.

Ans. The ride of the bus was not an easy task for Valli but it is true that once we decide to achieve something, many difficulties come 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 of Valli in Madam Rides the Bus’ proves this to be true.

In the story, Valliammai or Valli, an eight years 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 planned to take the journey quietly when her mother was 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.

Ans. Valli stands up on the seat because she finds her view blocked by the canvas that covered the lower part of the window. In order to have a better view, she stands up on the seat and looks 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 a deep ditch and many acres of green fields.