First Flight ch09 Madam Rides the Bus - CBSE Test Papers

CBSE Test Paper 01
Madam Rides the Bus 
  1. How did the conductor behave with Valli?
  2. What details did Valli pick up about the bus journey? How did she pick up these details?
  3. What kind of person was Valli? Illustrate your answer by giving examples from the text.
  4. What was the most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street?
  5. Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What did that tell you about her?
  6. Behaviour of the conductor in 'Madam Rides the Bus' is an example of good manners. Mentioning the instances of good manners shown by the conductor in the story, write how you can make your life happy by observing good manners.
  7. 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?
  8. What was Valli's deepest desire? How did she fulfill that?
  9. Read the passages given below and answer the questions that follow them: (4 marks)
    "Oh, why don’t you mind your own business,” said Valli. But she laughed all the same, and the conductor laughed too.
    But the old woman went on with her drivel "Is it proper for such a young person to travel alone? Do you know exactly where you’re going in town? What’s the street? What’s the house number?”
    "You needn’t bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said: turning her face towards the window and staring out.
    1. Why did all laugh at Valli?
    2. Why did Valli tell the old woman not to bother about her?
    3. Did Valli like the elderly woman? Why?
    4. Find out a word from the passage similar in meaning to 'silly nonsense’.
  10. Read the passages given below and answer the questions that follow them: (4 marks)
    Somehow this was very funny to Valli. She laughed and laughed until there were tears in her eyes.
    "Hey, lady, haven’t you laughed enough?” called, the conductor. “Better save some for tomorrow.”
    At last the cow moved off the road. And soon the bus came to a railroad crossing. A speck of a train could be seen in the distance, growing bigger and bigger as it drew near. Then it rushed past the crossing gate with a tremendous roar and rattle, shaking the bus. Then the bus went on and passed the train station. From there it traversed a busy, well-laid-out shopping street and, turning, entered wider thoroughfare. Such big, bright-looking shops! What glittering displays of clothes and other merchandise! Such big crowds!
    1. Why did Valli keep on laughing?
    2. What did the conductor tell Valli to do?
    3. Where did the bus go after passing the train station?
    4. Give the meaning of 'traversed’.
CBSE Test Paper 01
Madam Rides the Bus 
Solution
  1. The conductor was a jolly fellow. He behaved very well with Valli. When she entered the bus, he guided her for the seat and gave her a ticket. He called her 'fine madam' as a comment because she behaved like a mature woman. He took Valli's confident responses in humour. Moreover, when he came to know that she had no extra money except the bus fare, he offered her a cold drink. His behaviour towards Valli was positive and cheerful. 
  2. The details that Valli picked up were the distance that the bus travelled, the duration of the trip and the fare. She gathered this information by hearing the conversations of her neighbours and the people who took the bus. She also asked discreet questions to people to know more about their journey.
  3. Valli was a young, self-confident girl. She wanted a bus ride to the town. So she overcame every temptation to save money for the journey. She was a determined girl with a commanding nature. She was also inquisitive as she made discreet inquiries to know the details of her first journey. She didn’t like to be called a child. She got irritated whenever somebody called her a child as she behaved maturely. She was also a self-respecting girl as she declined the conductor’s offer of a cold drink. 
  4. Valli watched that the bus was travelling between her village and the nearest town. The sight of the bus filled each time with a new set of passengers was the source of unending joy for Valli. She was excited to start her bus journey.
  5. Valli didn’t want to go to the stall and have a drink because she didn’t have enough money for it. She had to save money for her ride back home. She even refused the offer of a drink by the conductor. This told us that she was a wise and well-mannered girl and had self-control on her feelings.
  6. The bus conductor in 'Madam Rides the Bus' comes across as an amiable person, with good manners and a general inclination to help and spread happiness. He exhibits genuine concern for a young girl, who is travelling alone, by making sure that she is comfortably seated and also offering to buy her something to drink. He takes it in a good spirit when Valli demands respect and does not wish to be treated as a child.
    Such people are not only happy and pleased with themselves but also radiate positive energy. Words like 'please' and 'thank you' should be a frequent part of our conversations, because they have a magical effect on the listeners and often stimulate a smile on their faces. Moreover, these are the basic etiquettes and should be cultivated in children right from their childhood. Exhibiting good manners is a sign of a good character and personality, and it leaves a good and positive impression on society. Thus, one can make life happy by observing good manners and inspiring others too to do the same.
  7. It is indeed true that whenever we want to achieve something, difficulties do come in our way. Achieving goals require perseverance. Valli wanted to ride the bus. However, she neither had the money nor the required information about the timings and the routes to do so. The challenge in front of her was to arrange the required amount of money and to gather information about the timings of the bus. Valli had carefully saved whatever stray coins came her way, resisting every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons etc. She didn't even go the fair. Finally, she saved sixty paise for the bus ride by suppressing her strong desires. She also collected all the information about the timings and routes of the bus by listening to other people's conversations and asking discreet questions.
  8. Valli was an eight-year old Tamil girl. She was very wise. She didn't have any playmates. So her favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house and looking at the street outside. She watched every activity very carefully. She watched a bus that ran between her village and the nearest town. Soon a deep desire to ride on that bus raised in her heart. She collected every needed information about the journey like how many miles away the town was, how much time it took to complete this journey, the fare and the bus routes by carefully listening to other people's conversations and by asking discreet questions. She also started saving money to fulfil her deepest desire. She didn’t buy toys, balloons etc. She even didn’t ride on the merry-go-round in the village fair. Finally, she saved sixty-paise and fulfilled her deepest desire.
    1. Valli told the conductor to mind his own business. That is why all laughed at Valli.
    2. Valli told the elderly woman not to bother about her as she could take care of herself.
    3. No, Valli didn't like the elderly woman because she irritated her and treated her as a child by asking if she knew the town and street and house number where she was going.
    4. Drivel.
    1. Valli kept on laughing at the way the cow had been running in front of the bus.
    2. The conductor told Valli to stop laughing.
    3. The bus went to a thoroughfare after passing the train station.
    4. Travelled across an area.