Madam Rides the Bus – important questions for Boards 2027

CBSE Class 10 English

1. MCQ · 1 mark

   Which statement best describes Valli at the beginning of the story? (1 mark) A. She is eight, curious, and enjoys watching the street from her doorway. B. She is a teenager who spends her time playing with friends. C. She is an adult who works in the town. D. She dislikes watching the street.

   Answer

   (A) She is eight, curious, and enjoys watching the street from her doorway — Valli is eight years old, very curious, and finds watching the street from her front doorway enjoyable.

2. SA · 1.5 marks

   Name one concern you have about traffic or road safety.

   Answer

   My main concern is reckless speeding in crowded areas. Drivers who ignore speed limits have less time to react to pedestrians, cyclists and sudden obstacles, increasing the risk of serious accidents.

3. MCQ · 2 marks

   Choose the set of journey details Valli learns from listening to bus users and asking discreet questions. (2 marks) A. The town is six miles away; the fare is thirty paise each way; the trip takes forty-five minutes. B. The town is five miles away; the fare is forty paise each way; the trip takes an hour. C. The town is six miles away; the fare is thirty paise for a return trip; the trip takes thirty minutes. D. The town is ten miles away; the fare is one rupee each way; the trip takes forty-five minutes.

   Answer

   (A) The town is six miles away; the fare is thirty paise each way; the trip takes forty-five minutes — Valli learns these details by listening to bus users and asking discreet questions.

4. LA · 4 marks

   Explain how Valli planned her bus ride. Include what she found out about the bus service and how she saved the fare.

   Answer

   Valli carefully planned her journey by learning about the bus and saving its fare. 1. She listened to conversations between neighbours and regular bus passengers, and asked discreet questions to gather details about the journey. 2. She found out that the town was six miles away and that the journey took forty-five minutes. 3. She learned that a one-way ticket cost thirty paise, making the return fare sixty paise. 4. She saved stray coins and resisted buying peppermints, toys and balloons. Even at the village fair, she suppressed her desire to ride the merry-go-round, until she had saved sixty paise. Her careful preparation enabled Valli to take the bus to town and return on the same bus.

5. LA · 5 marks

   Write about a plan you made entirely on your own without taking grown-ups into your confidence. Explain what you planned, how you carried it out and whether it succeeded.

   Answer

   Last winter, I planned a small birthday surprise for my mother entirely on my own. 1. I decided to prepare her favourite breakfast and decorate the dining table before she woke up. I saved a little pocket money for flowers and ingredients. 2. I chose a morning when my father could quietly help by keeping her busy. I wrote a simple list and bought the items from a nearby shop after school. 3. On her birthday, I woke early, prepared the breakfast and arranged the flowers. I made a few mistakes, but I managed to finish before she came downstairs. The surprise succeeded, and my mother’s delighted smile made my careful planning worthwhile.

6. VLA · 6 marks

   Describe how Valli insisted on managing her own boarding and fare. How did the conductor’s joking use of “madam” and the concern shown by others reveal the way they viewed her?

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7. VLA · 8 marks

   Describe how Valli returned home and what she understood from her conversation with her mother and aunt. How did her reflection show that people may not know or understand everything happening around them?

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8. MCQ · 12 marks

   Which option best matches the clues about Valli’s character in the quoted lines from the story? A. She is timid, dependent and eager to please everyone. B. She is observant, self-assured and determined to act independently. C. She is careless, boastful and uninterested in other people. D. She is fearful, impatient and unable to make decisions.

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9. VVLA · 15 marks

   Write a detailed account of the sights Valli enjoyed along the countryside and the incident with the cow running in front of the bus. Explain how the honking affected the cow and Valli’s response.

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10. VVLA · 18 marks

    Trace Valli’s experience from the town to her return home. Include what she saw in town, why she stayed on the bus and paid for the return, how she responded to the conductor’s offer, and how the dead cow affected her. Conclude with what her later conversation suggests she has understood.

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