NCERT MCQ Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 7 Madam Rides the Bus

Valli loved to stand in the doorway of her house and observe the activities on the street outside. This activity gave her great enjoyment and became her favorite way to pass the time.

Valli was most fascinated by the bus that passed her street every hour, filled with new passengers each time. Watching it became a source of unending joy for her.

The story reveals that Valli’s overwhelming desire was to take a ride on the bus, even if only once, because the bus represented adventure and the unknown world outside her village.

Valli carefully listened to conversations among regular bus users and neighbors and discreetly asked questions to gather all details about the bus fare, distance and schedule.

The fare for a one-way trip from Valli’s village to the town was thirty paise, which was a considerable amount for Valli, who rarely saw that much money at once.

Valli learned through careful observation and questioning that the bus took forty-five minutes to reach the town from her village and another forty-five minutes to return.

Valli resisted the temptation to buy peppermints, toys and balloons, and saved every coin she could find, eventually collecting sixty paise needed for her round trip.

Valli planned her trip carefully so she could take the one o’clock bus, reach the town by 1:45 PM, and return home by 2:45 PM while her mother was asleep.

When the conductor offered to help Valli onto the bus, she proudly refused, asserting her independence by climbing into the bus by herself.

The conductor, amused by Valli’s seriousness and independence, jokingly referred to her as “madam” throughout the journey, making the other passengers laugh.

To see the sights outside, Valli stood up on her seat and looked over the canvas blind that covered the lower part of the bus window.

Valli saw a beautiful countryside with green fields, palm trees, distant mountains and the blue sky along with a canal, all of which amazed her.

An old woman with large earrings and betel-stained lips sat beside Valli, but Valli found her appearance and manner unpleasant.

Valli laughed until there were tears in her eyes when a young cow ran in front of the bus, tail high, with the driver honking but the cow only running faster.

Valli’s objective was simply to experience the bus ride itself; she did not wish to get off and explore the busy town alone.

Valli firmly refused the drink offered by the conductor, explaining that she did not have enough money, showing her careful planning and independence.

Valli’s excitement faded when she saw the cow she had laughed at earlier now dead by the roadside, teaching her about the harsh reality of life and death.

Valli’s bus returned to her village at 3:40 PM. She promptly went home, having completed her adventurous and emotional first journey.

When Valli arrived home, her mother was chatting with Valli’s aunt, who was known for being a chatterbox.

Valli’s journey was also a lesson about the mysteries of life and death. Seeing the dead cow made her realize the profound gap between knowing that death exists and truly understanding its impact.