Madam Rides the Bus Class 10 MCQ Quiz – Test Your Understanding

Valli's observation of bus passengers reveals her:

Suddenly she was startled by a voice. “Listen, child,” said the voice, “you shouldn’t stand like that. Sit down.”

Sitting down, she looked to see who had spoken. It was an elderly man who had honestly been concerned for her, but she was annoyed by his attention.

“There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”

The conductor chimed in. “Oh, sir, but this is a very grown-up madam. Do you think a mere girl could pay her own fare and travel to the city all alone?”

Valli shot an angry glance at the conductor and said, “I am not a madam. Please remember that. And you’ve not yet given me my ticket.”

“I’ll remember,” the conductor said, mimicking her tone. Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter.

How did Valli feel when the elderly man expressed concern that she was standing?

“‘Yes, I’m traveling alone,” she answered curtly. And I’ve got a ticket too.’

‘Yes she’s on her way to town,’ said the conductor. ‘With a thirty paise ticket.’

‘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.”

The old woman asked her questions

“Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if it was just once. This wish became stronger until it was an overwhelming desire. Valli would stare wistfully at the people who got on and off the bus when it stood at the street corner. Their faces would kindle in her longings, dreams, and hopes. If one of her friends happened to ride the bus and tried to describe the sights of the town to her. Valli would be jealous to listen and would shout, in English: “Proud! Proud!”

‘Valli would be jealous to listen…’ This indicates Valli’s

Valli's refusal to accept offers of help indicates:

What is the significance of the title Madam Rides the Bus?

“‘Yes, I’m traveling alone,” she answered curtly. And I’ve got a ticket too.’

‘Yes she’s on her way to town,’ said the conductor. ‘With a thirty paise ticket.’

‘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.”

The old woman went on with her drivel. Why is the word ‘drivel’ used here? It is used to show that the old woman

Suddenly she was startled by a voice. “Listen, child,” said the voice, “you shouldn’t stand like that. Sit down.”

Sitting down, she looked to see who had spoken. It was an elderly man who had honestly been concerned for her, but she was annoyed by his attention.

“There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”

The conductor chimed in. “Oh, sir, but this is a very grown-up madam. Do you think a mere girl could pay her own fare and travel to the city all alone?”

Valli shot an angry glance at the conductor and said, “I am not a madam. Please remember that. And you’ve not yet given me my ticket.”

“I’ll remember,” the conductor said, mimicking her tone. Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter.

Pick the option that correctly classifies fact/s(F) and opinion/s (O) of the students below.

What is the central theme of Madam Rides the Bus?

“Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if it was just once. This wish became stronger until it was an overwhelming desire. Valli would stare wistfully at the people who got on and off the bus when it stood at the street corner. Their faces would kindle in her longings, dreams, and hopes. If one of her friends happened to ride the bus and tried to describe the sights of the town to her. Valli would be jealous to listen and would shout, in English: “Proud! Proud!”

Valli would stare wistfully at the people as she

“Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if it was just once. This wish became stronger until it was an overwhelming desire. Valli would stare wistfully at the people who got on and off the bus when it stood at the street corner. Their faces would kindle in her longings, dreams, and hopes. If one of her friends happened to ride the bus and tried to describe the sights of the town to her. Valli would be jealous to listen and would shout, in English: “Proud! Proud!”

What does the line ‘gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there’, mean?

“Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if it was just once. This wish became stronger until it was an overwhelming desire. Valli would stare wistfully at the people who got on and off the bus when it stood at the street corner. Their faces would kindle in her longings, dreams, and hopes. If one of her friends happened to ride the bus and tried to describe the sights of the town to her. Valli would be jealous to listen and would shout, in English: “Proud! Proud!”

A part of the extract has been paraphrased. Choose the option that includes the most appropriate solution to the blanks.

The desire became so (i) _____ that it transformed into an (ii) _____ one. Valli would look (iii) _____ at people who boarded the bus and got off.

“‘Yes, I’m traveling alone,” she answered curtly. And I’ve got a ticket too.’

‘Yes she’s on her way to town,’ said the conductor. ‘With a thirty paise ticket.’

‘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.”

How do you think Valli felt when the old woman asked her questions? Pick the option that best describes her feelings.

“Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if it was just once. This wish became stronger until it was an overwhelming desire. Valli would stare wistfully at the people who got on and off the bus when it stood at the street corner. Their faces would kindle in her longings, dreams, and hopes. If one of her friends happened to ride the bus and tried to describe the sights of the town to her. Valli would be jealous to listen and would shout, in English: “Proud! Proud!”

Pick the option that shows the list of words that collocate with ‘overwhelming’ (e.g. overwhelming desire)

1. response
2. lies
3. support
4. majority
5. pets
6. places

Suddenly she was startled by a voice. “Listen, child,” said the voice, “you shouldn’t stand like that. Sit down.”

Sitting down, she looked to see who had spoken. It was an elderly man who had honestly been concerned for her, but she was annoyed by his attention.

“There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”

The conductor chimed in. “Oh, sir, but this is a very grown-up madam. Do you think a mere girl could pay her own fare and travel to the city all alone?”

Valli shot an angry glance at the conductor and said, “I am not a madam. Please remember that. And you’ve not yet given me my ticket.”

“I’ll remember,” the conductor said, mimicking her tone. Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter.

Choose the characteristic displayed by the conductor when he addressed Valli and declared that she couldn’t be ‘a mere girl’.