CBSE Class 10 First Flight Book Chapter 7 Madam Rides the Bus Question Answers from previous years question papers (2019-2024)
Madam Rides the Bus Previous Year Questions with Answers – Question Answers from Previous years Board Exam Question papers provide valuable insights into how chapters are typically presented in exams. They are essential for preparing for the CBSE Board Exams, serving as a valuable resource.They can reveal the types of questions commonly asked and highlight the key concepts that require more attention. In this post, we have shared Previous Year Questions for Class 10 English Chapter 7, “Madam Rides the Bus”.
Questions which came in 2024 Board Exam
Q1. A desire is more personal whereas a vision has broader connotations. You have been asked to present an analysis of Valli’s desire and Mandela’s vision and how they are respectively fulfilled. Write this presentation draft including your insights, in about 120 words, comparing the approaches of both Valli and Mandela.
You may begin like this :
One acknowledges that both, Valli and Mandela however, (Reference — Nelson Mandela — A Long Walk to Freedom & Madam Rides a Bus) [2024, 120 words]
Ans. One acknowledges that both Valli and Mandela were able to achieve their goals. Valli had a desire to go on a bus ride. Being a mature girl, Valli left no stone unturned to undergo a successful outing. The readers are in awe of her wisdom, gracefulness and intelligence which helped her gather all information about the trip, make the necessary arrangements for the bus ride and also, make a safe bus journey and return home securely. Thus, she was able to fulfil her dream.
Nelson Mandela envisioned a free populace in his country. He wanted justice and equality for the people of the nation. His vision was beyond personal desires and he felt pain for all the countrymen. He struggled for a long period of almost thirty years in order to end racial discrimination and set up the first democratic government in the country. His persistence is an inspiration for us. The readers get to know that the real diamonds of the country are the numerous freedom fighters whose struggle finally made the country free.
Thus, we see that both the characters display strong qualities that helped them in their endeavours. A strong character is the foundation of success.
Q2. Valli was sensitive, but at the same time, she was fearless and quite determined. Think of another character from your text book, who displayed similar character traits.
Compare and contrast the lives of Valli and the other character, that you have chosen from the text of Two Stories about Flying.
You may begin this way.
The characters who are fearless and determined from two texts are Valli and _______.
(Reference : Madam Rides a Bus & Two Stories about Flying) [2024, 100-120 words]
Ans. The characters who are fearless and determined from two texts are Valli and the pilot. Valli is a young girl but she is quiet fearless. She fulfils her desire of going on a bus ride all by herself. She is not afraid of meeting strangers or going on a trip that is new to her. She is determined to fulfil her desire through her own means. She saves pocket money by resisting temptations and thus, buys the bus tickets. She asks discreet questions from the passengers to know the bus route and timings. She decides the trip timing suitable to her according to the period when her mother takes a nap. She avoids talking to strangers in the bus and dislikes being treated like a child. She guards herself against the friendly bus conductor and refuses his offer of buying her a cold drink. All these qualities assist Valli in fulfilling her desire successfully. The pilot is also determined to reach home and have an English breakfast with his family. Thus he does not think twice and flies straight into the storm clouds. He gets alarmed when the compass and radar stop working but still, he remains fearless. The mysterious black aeroplane is his mind’s product and his mind only guides him towards the runway.
Both these characters highlight the importance of self-belief, determination and fearlessness in the face of dangerous situations.
Q3. You have been chosen to address the school assembly on the occasion of Women’s Day. You choose to speak on the resilience and indomitable spirit of the young girls : Anne Frank and Valli. Prepare the speech draft, with reference to the commonality and contrast in the situations and circumstances of both the girls.
(Madam Rides the Bus and From the Diary of Anne Frank)
You may begin like this: Good morning everyone. Today, I’d like to express my insights on the resilience of two young girls ……….. .
You may end this way : To conclude I’d like to say that ……………… .
Thank you. [2024, 100-120 words]
Ans. Good morning everyone. Today, I’d like to express my insights on the resilience of two young girls Anne and Valli.
Anne and Valli are lonely and do not have any friends. Anne’s desire to share her deepest feelings with a close friend makes her write her feelings in a diary which she calls her friend ‘Kitty’. Valli spends her time watching the street outside her house and is attracted to the bus which crosses the street as it goes from the village to the town and vice versa. She develops a desire to take the bus ride and does a lot of work to make it a success.
When Anne faces a challenge of writing an assignment as a punishment for her talking in the Maths class, she accepts it and presents valid arguments and reasons that it is beyond her control. She successfully convinces the Maths teacher Mr Keesing who becomes jovial and stops pointing out Anne. When Valli encounters strangers and the over friendly bus conductor, she is on guard and does not accept any favours. When she sees the dead cow who had been running around sometime back, she learns an important lesson about the momentary nature of life.
To conclude I’d like to say that both Anne and Valli are mature for their age. Both the girls are strong and fight their battles by themselves.
Thank you.
Questions from the Chapter in 2023 Board Exams
Q1. How did Valli save money to travel by bus? [2023, 40-50 words]
Ans. Valli arranged for her bus fare meticulously for her first journey outside the village. Valli needed sixty paise for the two way fare of the bus. She needed some knowledge and ample time. She saved the money herself, collected the information from the passengers and utilised the time of her mother’s nap for it.
Q2. Why did Valli spend her time all alone and what became her favourite pastime. [2023, 40-50 words]
Ans. Valli spent most of her time alone because she had no friends of her age in the neighbourhood. Therefore, her favourite pastime was standing outside her door and watching the street in front of her house, which provided her with numerous unusual experiences.
Q3. How did Valli gather the details of the bus journey? [2023, 40-50 words]
Ans. Valli carefully gathered information about the bus trip. In order to learn every detail about the trip, she carefully listened to conversations among her neighbours and other regular bus riders. She also asked thoughtful questions. She learned a great deal about the journey during this process, including numerous minor details.
Q4. What stopped Valli from going to the stall to have a drink? What do we learn about Valli from this? [2023, 40-50 words]
Ans. Valli just wanted to go on a bus ride and see the surroundings. She did not want to waste money on a drink. Also, she felt that getting down from the bus in an unknown town was not safe for her as she was all alone. This shows that Valli was a mature and responsible girl.
Q5. Whenever we want to achieve something, difficulties always come in our way. What did Valli have to do to go and ride in a bus? [2023, 100-120 words]
Ans. It is true that obstacles do present themselves whenever we seek anything out. Nonetheless, ambition in life is necessary. Perseverance is necessary to achieve goals. Valli wanted to take the bus, but she lacked the funds to do so. The task at hand was to come up with the necessary sum of money, so Valli had diligently saved whatever spare change that came her way while restraining herself from splurging on things like peppermints, toys, balloons, and the like. At the end, she had thirty pence. She also paid close attention to the bus’ timetable and routine. She also listened in on chats regarding people’s travels. Nonetheless, her efforts allowed her to fulfil her goal in the end.
Q6. The people and surroundings are a great book to learn from. 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 people and her surroundings. [2023, 100-120 words]
Ans. Valli wanted to take the bus ride. She was eager to know about the timings, fare and route of the bus. She carefully watched the bus and deduced that it crossed the street at regular intervals. She overheard the passengers and gathered information about the bus fare. She also asked discreet questions to collect maximum details. On her bus trip, she behaved maturely and confidently. She was careful and cautious. She restricted her outing to the bus journey and did not get lured by the drinks that were on sale at the bus stand in the city. The return journey became eventful for her when she saw the dead cow. It gave her the realization of the temporal nature of life. Thus, the bus journey made her learn a lot of things.
Q7. Valli was an extra-ordinary girl who had self-confidence and courage to realise her ambition by planning and drawing on her spirit of adventure. Discuss in reference to the chapter ‘Madam Rides the Bus’. [2023, 100-120 words]
Ans. Valli or Valliamai is a young girl of eight years of age. However, she displays a maturity much above her age. She is confident and composed. She has the ability to fulfil her desire by her own means. She gets over the temptations to buy candies and other tempting stuff in order to save up for the bus ride. She is calculative, and does detailed inquiry before going on the bus trip. She plans the trip during her mother’s afternoon nap time. During the bus ride, Valli behaves like an adult and dislikes being treated like a child. She is well-guarded and does not let the conductor and other passengers take her for granted. She is not lured by the attractive drinks at the bus stand in the town. Thus, Valli takes all necessary precautions to make her bus ride a success.
Questions which came in 2022 Board Exam
Q1. As Valli, make a diary entry about your experience of riding the bus alone for the first time. [2022, 120 words]
OR
As Valli, make a diary entry sharing your joys and disappointments during the bus ride. [2022, 120 words]
Ans.
Date: 21/08/2024
Dear diary
Today I fulfilled my long pending desire of taking a bus ride to the town. It was a great feeling! I was a bit nervous due to the presence of strangers and the over friendly conductor but I remained cautious throughout the journey. I did not get off the bus at the town and refused the offer of getting a cold drink from the conductor. My only wish was to enjoy the ride in the bus and I restricted my outing to it. I am glad that I behaved responsibly and did not give in to temptation. However, when the old aunt told me to sit on the seat, I was annoyed. I wanted to see the scene outside the bus, so I stood up but no one understands the other’s feelings. On the way back, the sight of a dead cow lying by the road put off my mood. The same cow had been running along the bus on our way to the town. Perhaps she was hit by a vehicle and the injury was fatal. I am sad to know that the poor cow is no more. Today’s bus trip was very enjoyable.
Bye diary.
Q2. Valli was a mature girl and ahead of her age. Justify the statement with evidence from the text. [2022, 120 words]
Ans. Valli was only eight years of age but she was quiet responsible and mature. Valli fulfilled her desire of a bus ride in a well planned manner. She meticulously planned for it by gathering the information about distance, ticket money and fare. She was determined to resist any temptation that came in her way like buying peppermint, toys, or a ride on the merry-go-round in order to save sixty paise for the bus journey. She boarded the bus without anyone’s help. She did not like being called ‘Madam’ or ‘Child’. She refused a free treat by the conductor and did not talk to strangers. This shows her commanding, confident and self-dependent nature. This also shows her determination and maturity ahead of her age.
Q3. Valli was sensitive, but at the same time she was fearless and quite determined. Explain with reference to the text. [2022, 120 words]
Ans. In the story “Madam Rides the Bus,” Valli, an eight-year-old girl, displayed both sensitivity and fearlessness. Despite being sensitive, she was not afraid to pursue her desire to ride the bus. She gathered information about the bus by listening to conversations and asking questions, showing her determination. Valli also faced the temptation to spend her money on treats and toys but resisted it in order to save for her bus fare. When she finally boarded the bus alone, she showed fearlessness by refusing help, rejecting free treats, and not talking to strangers. These actions demonstrate Valli’s sensitivity towards her own desires and the determination and fearlessness she possessed to achieve them.
Questions that appeared in 2020 Board Exams
Q1. How did Valli fulfil her desire to ride a bus to the town and back? [2020, 100-150 words]
Ans. Valli was a meticulous planner. She fulfilled her desire in a responsible and mature way. She collected information about the bus ride like the fare, duration and timing by overhearing the talks of the passengers. She even asked discreet questions. The next step was to save enough money for the bus fare. She resisted temptations to buy balloons, toys and candies. She planned the timing of the ride during the mother’s afternoon nap time to avoid being caught. After this detailed planning, she finally went on the bus ride. Valli had an amazing experience and enjoyed it.
Q2. Describe Valli’s interaction with people while she was riding the bus to the town. What does this tell you about Valli’s character? [2020, 100-150 words]
Ans. On the ride, Valli interacted with the bus conductor. She did not seek help from the conductor which shows her confidence and independent nature. The conductor realized that she was way too mature for her age and he addressed her as ‘Madam’. An elderly woman was travelling beside Valli. She seemed to be concerned over the fact that a small child was in the bus all by herself. However, her appearance of big ear lobes and mouth full of betel nut paste made Valli detest her. Valli did not like being asked soo many questions by her. When Valli stood in the bus to see the sights outside, an old man directed her to sit lest she should fall. Valli did not appreciate the old man’s advice and retorted that she could take care of herself. She added that she too had paid the full fare like other passengers. This shows that Valli was self-confident and had the courage to take risks.
Q3. Whenever we want to achieve something, difficulties always come in our way. What did Valli have to do to go and ride in a bus? [2020, 100-150 words]
Ans. It is true that obstacles do present themselves whenever we seek anything out. Nonetheless, ambition in life is necessary. Perseverance is necessary to achieve goals. Valli wanted to take the bus, but she lacked the funds to do so. The task at hand was to come up with the necessary sum of money, so Valli had diligently saved whatever spare change that came her way while restraining herself from splurging on things like peppermints, toys, balloons, and the like. At the end, she had thirty pence. She also paid close attention to the bus’ timetable and routine. She also listened in on chats regarding people’s travels. Nonetheless, her efforts allowed her to fulfil her goal in the end.
Q4. “Valli was a mature girl and ahead of her age.” Justify the statement with instances from the text. [2020, 100-150 words]
Ans. Valli was eight year-old but she was far mature and responsible. She fulfilled her deep desire of going on a bus ride all by herself. She collected the money required for the bus fare by avoiding buying other articles like candies, toys and joy rides. She gather information by overhearing talks of passengers. She decided on the timing which co-incided with her mother’s afternoon nap time. On the bus, she avoided the over-friendly conductor and did not accept his offer of buying her a drink. She did not get off at the bus stand in the town because she only wanted a ride in the bus. She got angry on fellow passengers who tried to command her to sit and showed concern over her solo travel. She did not like being called ‘child’ or ‘madam’. Valli was self-dependent and confident girl.
2019 Exam Question and Answers from the chapter
Q1. What was the most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street? [2019, 30-40 words]
Ans. Valli did not have any friends. She would stand by the door of the house and watch the street. The bus to and from the town crossed once every hour. The sight of the bus filled with a new set of passengers every time it passed, was a source of fascination for her.
Q2. Valli’s dream was to enjoy a ride on the bus to the nearest town. What preparations did she make to realise her dream? [2019, 100-120 words]
Ans. She listened in on the conversations taking place between her neighbours and regular bus travellers. She even asked them questions. She was well-informed on the bus, the bus fare, and the travel time. Between her village and the closest town, a bus ran. Her village was six kilometres from the town.
The cost for one way was thirty paise. In order to pay for the two side trips, she had to collect sixty rupees. She had heard this from a well-dressed individual. It took 45 minutes to travel to the town. She would catch the bus in the afternoon at 1 o’clock and arrive in the town at 1:45. She planned to return around 2:45. She saved money despite all of her urges to buy balloons and toys. All the dropped coins that came her way, she gathered. She stayed away from the swing and the merry-go-round at the village fair. She then gathered the necessary funds.
Also see:
Madam Rides the Bus Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
Madam Rides the Bus Summary, Explanation
Madam Rides the Bus Character Sketches