Chapter 12 of 18
NCERT Solutions
Madam Rides the Bus
Madhya Pradesh Board · Class 10 · English
NCERT Solutions for Madam Rides the Bus — Madhya Pradesh Board Class 10 English.
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BEFORE YOU READ
1Look at the words and phrases given below. Then put a tick against the ones you think you will find in the text.Show solution
Tick the phrases that appear in the story: a set of passengers, get on the bus, get off the bus, platform, Tickets, please, a roar and a rattle, a row of seats, slowing down to a crawl, blowing a whistle.
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2You must have travelled by bus more than once. What can you see from a fast-moving bus? Given below are some suggestions. Speak briefly about some of these scenes, or about other such scenes that you have seen; or write a sentence or two about them.Show solution
From a fast-moving bus, you can see rivers, green fields, hills, roadside shops, marketplaces, railway tracks, moving trains, vehicles, trees, crowds, clothes in shops, and animals. A student may briefly describe any of these scenes in a few sentences.
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Oral Comprehension Check
1What was Valli's favourite pastime?Show solution
Valli's favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house and watching the street outside. The text says this was “her favourite pastime.”
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2What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?Show solution
The bus was a source of unending joy for Valli because she watched it every day. Her strongest desire was to ride on that bus, even if just once.
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3What did Valli find out about the bus journey? How did she find out these details?Show solution
Valli learned that the town was six miles away, the fare was thirty paise one way, the trip took forty-five minutes, and that if she paid another thirty paise she could come back on the same bus. She found these details by listening carefully to conversations and by asking discreet questions.
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4What do you think Valli was planning to do?Show solution
Valli was planning her first bus journey to the town and back by herself. She wanted to go on the bus secretly, pay the fare, and return home in the same bus.
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Oral Comprehension Check
1Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?Show solution
The conductor calls Valli “madam” because she behaves like a grown-up customer: she insists on paying her fare herself and travelling alone. He is joking and teasing her respectfully.
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2Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?Show solution
Valli stands on the seat because her view is blocked by a canvas blind. When she looks over it, she sees the canal, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, blue sky, and green fields stretching far away.
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3What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child?Show solution
Valli tells the elderly man, “There’s nobody here who’s a child” and adds that she has paid her thirty paise like everyone else. She speaks haughtily and insists on being treated as a grown-up.
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4Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?Show solution
Valli does not want to make friends with the elderly woman because she finds her repulsive: the woman has big holes in her ear lobes, ugly earrings, and smells of betel nut with betel juice threatening to spill. So Valli turns away and looks out of the window.
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Oral Comprehension Check
1How did Valli save up money for her first journey? Was it easy for her?Show solution
Valli saved money thriftily by collecting stray coins and not spending them on peppermints, toys, balloons, and other temptations. She finally saved sixty paise. It was not easy for her, especially when she had to resist the merry-go-round at the fair.
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2What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?Show solution
On the way, Valli sees a young cow running right in front of the bus, and the bus honking behind it. This funny scene makes her laugh until tears come to her eyes.
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3Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station?Show solution
When the bus reached the station, Valli didn’t get off because she wanted to return on the same bus. She had no other purpose there and had already decided to complete the round trip.
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4Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does this tell you about her?Show solution
Valli refuses the drink because she doesn’t have enough money and says firmly no even when it is offered as a treat. This shows that she is proud, independent, and self-respecting.
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Thinking about the Text
1What was Valli's deepest desire? Find the words and phrases in the story that tell you this.Show solution
Valli's deepest desire was to ride on the bus to town. Words and phrases that show this are: “she wanted to ride on that bus, even if just once,” “an overwhelming desire,” and her repeated watching of the bus with longing.
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2How did Valli plan her bus ride? What did she find out about the bus, and how did she save up the fare?Show solution
Valli planned her ride very carefully. She listened to people talking about the bus, found out the distance, fare, and travel time, and learned that she could return on the same bus by paying another thirty paise. She saved money by thriftily collecting stray coins and by refusing to spend on peppermints, toys, balloons, and even the merry-go-round at the fair. She made her plan during her mother's nap time so she could slip out without being noticed.
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3What kind of a 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.Show solution
The completed lines are:
(i) “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised commandingly.
(ii) “Yes, I simply have to go to town,” said Valli...
(iii) “There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily.
(iv) “Never mind,” she said, “I can get on by myself... ‘I’m not a child, I tell you,’ she said, irritably.
(v) “You needn’t bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said...
(vi) Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope to see you again.”
(i) “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised commandingly.
(ii) “Yes, I simply have to go to town,” said Valli...
(iii) “There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily.
(iv) “Never mind,” she said, “I can get on by myself... ‘I’m not a child, I tell you,’ she said, irritably.
(v) “You needn’t bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said...
(vi) Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope to see you again.”
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4Why does the conductor refer to Valli as 'madam'?Show solution
The conductor calls Valli “madam” because she insists on acting like a grown-up: she buys her own ticket, travels alone, and speaks boldly. He is teasing her in a friendly way.
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5Find the lines in the text which tell you that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus.Show solution
The text shows Valli enjoying the ride through phrases like “Valli devoured everything with her eyes,” “Oh, it was all so wonderful!”, “She laughed and laughed until there were tears in her eyes,” and “Struck dumb with wonder, Valli gaped at everything.” These lines show her excitement and delight.
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6Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back?
7What does Valli mean when she says, "I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening without our knowledge."
8The author describes the things that Valli sees from an eight-year-old's point of view. Can you find evidence from the text for this statement?
Writing
1Have 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?
2Have you made a journey that was unforgettable in some way? What made it memorable?
3Are you concerned about traffic and road safety? What are your concerns? How would you make road travel safer and more enjoyable?
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
1Related the story of Valli's first bus ride.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
1The students should be given two or three days to collect old (used) tickets from their friends, relatives and acquaintances: they could be bus tickets, train tickets, plane tickets, cinema tickets, tickets to cultural events, etc. By the time they finish the lesson they should be able to get a good collection in place. Get them to make a collage using as many as possible of the tickets collected, on a sheet of poster paper. This can then form the basis for many interesting activities: classification according to type of tickets (for what?) or price (how much?), etc; the most desirable tickets, the tickets no one wants, etc. — let students think of more ways to classify them. Get students to write a paragraph with the collage as base, and their imagination as guide.
2You can also ask the students do the following.
Thinking about the Poem
1Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names.
2Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called “cowardly dragon”?
3“Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful...” Why?
4The poet has employed many poetic devices in the poem. For example: “Clashed his tail like iron in a dungeon” — the poetic device here is a simile. Can you, with your partner, list some more such poetic devices used in the poem?
5Read stanza three again to know how the poet describes the appearance of the dragon.
6Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or three stanzas of the poem?
7Writers use words to give us a picture or image without actually saying what they mean. Can you trace some images used in the poem?
8Do you find *The Tale of Custard the Dragon* to be a serious or a light-hearted poem? Give reasons to support your answer.
9This poem, in ballad form, tells a story. Have you come across any such modern song or lyric that tells a story? If you know one, tell it to the class. Collect such songs as a project.
Writing
1Have fun writing your ballad. Gather information (choose/decide an idea/theme), organise your materials under characters and story and then write. Revise and edit your ballad to make it entertaining. Use the following guidelines to write your ballad.
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Ask a Doubt FreeFrequently Asked Questions
What are the important topics in Madam Rides the Bus for Madhya Pradesh Board Class 10 English?
Madam Rides the Bus covers several key topics that are frequently asked in Madhya Pradesh Board Class 10 board exams. Focus on the core concepts listed on this page and practise related questions to build confidence.
How to score full marks in Madam Rides the Bus — Madhya Pradesh Board Class 10 English?
Understand the core concepts first, then work through the 71 practice questions available for this chapter. Revise formulas and definitions regularly, and use flashcards for quick recall before the exam.
Where can I get free NCERT Solutions for Madam Rides the Bus Class 10 English?
This page has free step-by-step NCERT Solutions for every exercise question in Madam Rides the Bus (Madhya Pradesh Board Class 10 English) — written the way examiners award marks: given, formula, working, answer.
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