Madam Rides the Bus Class 10 English Chapter 9 Question Answer | SEBA HSLC

This page provides complete solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 9 “Madam Rides the Bus” by Vallikannan from the textbook First Flight (Assam SEBA). It includes a detailed summary, word meanings, answers to all textbook questions, multiple-choice questions, extra questions, previous HSLC questions, and FAQs for exam preparation.

পাঠৰ তথ্য

Summary of the Lesson

English Summary:
The story “Madam Rides the Bus” is about an eight-year-old girl named Valliammai (Valli) who lives in a village. She is a curious and independent girl who loves watching the street from her doorstep. Her greatest desire is to ride the bus that passes through her village every hour. She carefully plans her first bus ride – saving money by resisting all temptations and gathering information about the bus route, fare, and travel time. One afternoon, when her mother is asleep, she takes the bus to the nearby town. During the journey, she enjoys the sights – the canal, palm trees, grasslands, mountains, and a running cow that makes her laugh. The conductor calls her “Madam” because of her mature behaviour. She refuses help and insists she can manage on her own. However, on her return journey, she sees a dead cow lying on the road – the same cow that had made her laugh earlier. This saddens her deeply. She returns home without telling anyone about her adventure, but feels a sense of pride and maturity. The story beautifully captures a child’s innocence, curiosity, and the bittersweet experience of growing up.

অসমীয়া সাৰাংশঃ
“Madam Rides the Bus” কাহিনীটো ভল্লী নামৰ এজনী আঠ বছৰীয়া ছোৱালীৰ। তাই গাঁৱত বাস কৰে আৰু তাইৰ ঘৰৰ দুৱাৰমুখত থিয় দি ৰাস্তাত ঘটা ঘটনাবোৰ চাবলৈ ভাল পায়। তাইৰ প্ৰবল ইচ্ছা হৈছে বাছখনত যাত্ৰা কৰা। তাই নিজৰ সকলো ইচ্ছা দমন কৰি পইচা গোটায় আৰু বাছ যাত্ৰাৰ তথ্য সংগ্ৰহ কৰে। এদিন মাক সপ্তাহত থকাৰ সময়ত তাই বাছত উঠি ওচৰৰ চহৰলৈ যায়। যাত্ৰাপথত তাই নানা দৃশ্য উপভোগ কৰে। কণ্ডাক্টৰজনে তাইৰ ডাঙৰ মানুহৰ দৰে আচৰণ দেখি তাইক “মেডাম” বুলি মাতে। কিন্তু ঘূৰি অহাৰ পথত তাই এটা মৰা গৰু দেখা পায় – যিটো গৰুৱে আগতে তাইক হাঁহিছিল। এই দৃশ্যই তাইক গভীৰভাবে দুখ দিয়ে। কাহিনীটোৱে এজনী শিশুৰ কৌতূহল, স্বাধীনতা আৰু ডাঙৰ হোৱাৰ প্ৰথম অভিজ্ঞতাক সুন্দৰভাবে চিত্ৰিত কৰিছে।

Word Meaning

• favourite pastime = activity done for enjoyment in free time
• source of unending joy = something that gives endless happiness
• discreet questions = questions asked carefully without attracting attention
• fare = money paid for a journey on a bus/train
• wistfully = in a sad and thoughtful way
• elated = very happy and excited
• haughtily = in a proud manner
• irritably = in an annoyed way

Oral Comprehension Check

1. What was Valli’s favourite pastime?

উত্তৰঃ Valli’s favourite pastime was watching what was happening in the street outside by standing in the front doorway of her house.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ আজৰি সময়ত ভল্লীয়ে ৰাস্তাত ঘটি থকা ঘটনাবোৰ ঘৰৰ দুৱাৰদলিত ৰৈ চাই থাকিবলৈ ভাল পাইছিল।

2. What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?

উত্তৰঃ For Valli, the sight of the bus filled each time with a new set of passengers was a source of unending joy. Her strongest desire was to ride on the bus.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ ভল্লীৰ বাবে বাছখন আৰু লগতে ইয়াত অহা যাত্ৰীসকল আছিল উৎকন্ঠাৰ উৎস। তাইৰ প্ৰবল ইচ্ছা আছিল বাছখনত যাত্ৰা কৰা।

3. What did Valli find out about the bus journey? How did she find out these details?

উত্তৰঃ About the bus journey, Valli found out the distance between the village and the town, the bus fare, the time period of the journey, etc. She found out these details by listening to conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly used the bus, and also by asking discreet questions here and there.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ বাছ যাত্ৰাৰ বিষয়ে ভল্লীয়ে দূৰত্ব, বাছৰ ভাড়া, যাত্ৰাত খৰচ হোৱা সময়ৰ পৰিমাণ বিচাৰি উলিয়াইছিল। তাই বাছ যাত্ৰাৰ সবিশেষ তাইৰ ওচৰ চুবুৰীয়া তথা বাছত অহা যাত্ৰীসকলৰ কথোপকথন শুনি আৰু বিভিন্নজনক যাত্ৰাৰ বিষয়ে প্ৰশ্ন সুধি তথ্য সংগ্ৰহ কৰিছিল।

4. What do you think Valli was planning to do?

উত্তৰঃ Valli was planning to ride on the bus once in her life.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ ভল্লীয়ে জীৱনত এবাৰলৈ বাছ যাত্ৰা কৰিবলৈ মনত ঠিক কৰিছিল।

Oral Comprehension Check

1. Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?

উত্তৰঃ The conductor, a fun-loving person, calls Valli ‘madam’ because of her attitude like a young girl who can get into the bus by herself without the conductor’s help.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ ধেমেলীয়া মনৰ কন্ডাক্টৰজনে ভল্লীক মেডাম বুলি তাইৰ আচৰণৰ কাৰণে মাতিছিল। কিয়নো তাই ডাঙৰ ছোৱালীৰ দৰে ব্যৱহাৰ কৰিছিল আৰু কন্ডাক্টৰজনৰ সহায় নোলোৱাকৈয়ে বাছত উঠিছিল।

2. Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?

উত্তৰঃ Because of her short height, Valli can’t see the outside world from the window of the bus. Thus she stands up on the seat. Now she sees the outside world clearly – the canal, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, the blue sky, and on the other side a deep ditch, acres and acres of green fields.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ চাপৰ বাবে ভল্লীয়ে বাছৰ খিৰিকীৰে বাহিৰৰ দৃশ্যবোৰ দেখা নাছিল, সেইবাবে তাই থিয় হৈ গৈছিল। এতিয়া তাই সকলোবোৰ ভালদৰে দেখিছিল – ৰাস্তাৰ কাষৰ খাল, খেজুৰ গছ, ঘাঁহনি, পৰ্বত, নীলা আকাশ আৰু ৰাস্তাৰ আনটো পাৰৰ শাৰী শাৰী সেউজীয়া পথাৰ আদি।

3. What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child?

উত্তৰঃ When the elderly man calls her a child, Valli became annoyed and said that no one in the bus is a child and she had paid her own thirty paise.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ যেতিয়া ডাঙৰ মানুহজনে ভল্লীক শিশু বুলি কৈছিল তেতিয়া তাই কৈছিল যে বাছখনত কোনো এজনো শিশু নাই আৰু তাই নিজৰ বাছৰ ভাড়া ত্ৰিশ পইচা নিজে দিছে।

4. Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?

উত্তৰঃ Valli did not want to make friends with the elderly woman because the woman asked her questions and irritated her. Also Valli could smell the betel nut the woman was chewing and the betel juice was threatening to spill over from her lips at any time.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ ভল্লীয়ে বয়োজ্যেষ্ঠ মানুহগৰাকীৰ সৈতে বন্ধুত্ব কৰিব বিচৰা নাছিল কিয়নো মানুহগৰাকীয়ে তাইক প্ৰশ্ন কৰি অভ্যস্ত কৰি তুলিছিল। ইয়াৰ উপৰিও ভল্লীয়ে তেখেতৰ মুখৰ পৰা তামোলৰ গোন্ধ পোৱাৰ লগতে তেখেতৰ মুখৰ পৰা ওলোৱা তামোলৰ সেলেঙিও দেখা পাইছিল।

Oral Comprehension Check

1. How did Valli save up money for her first journey? Was it easy for her?

উত্তৰঃ Valli had saved every stray coin that came her way. She also stopped herself from fulfilling her desire to ride the merry-go-round in the village fair. No, it was not easy for her to save such an amount of money.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ ভল্লীয়ে তাইৰ হাতলৈ অহা সকলো পইচা জমা কৰি গৈছিল। তাইৰ নিজৰ সকলোবোৰ ইচ্ছা পৰিত্যাগ কৰিছিল আৰু গাঁৱৰ মেলাতো তাই কোনো খেল খেলা নাছিল। নাই তাইৰ বাবে পইচা জমা কৰাটো সহজ নাছিল।

2. What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?

উত্তৰঃ On her way, Valli saw a young cow with its tail high in the air running very fast right in the middle of the street and right in front of the bus. The animal got more frightened after hearing the honk and galloped faster; this incident made Valli laugh.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ যাত্ৰা পথত ভল্লীয়ে এটা গৰু দেখিছিল যাৰ নেজডাল ডাঙ খাই আছিল। বাছখনৰ আগে আগে ৰাস্তাৰ মাজেৰে দৌৰি গৈছিল। গাড়ীৰ হৰ্ণ শুনি গৰুটোৱে ভয় খাই আৰু খৰকৈ দৌৰিছিল। এই কথাই ভল্লীক আমোদ দিছিল।

3. Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station?

উত্তৰঃ After reaching the bus station, Valli did not get off the bus because she only wanted to have a bus ride. Also she was afraid to get off the bus as the place was new to her.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ বাছ আস্থান পোৱাৰ পাছত ভল্লীয়ে বাছৰ পৰা নামি যাব বিচৰা নাছিল কিয়নো তাই মাত্ৰ বাছখনত উঠিবহে বিচাৰিছিল। ইয়াৰ উপৰিও ঠাইখন তাইৰ বাবে নতুন হোৱাৰ কাৰণে তাই নামিবলৈ ভয় কৰিছিল।

4. Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does this tell you about her?

উত্তৰঃ Valli had only sixty paise with her during the trip and she did not want to waste any money because she had to come back by the same bus at any cost. Thus she refused to go to the stall and have a drink. Also when the conductor offered her a cold drink, she refused to take it. This shows her well-mannered and responsible nature.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ যাত্ৰাৰ সময়ত ভল্লীৰ ওচৰত মাথোঁ ষাঠি পইচা আছিল। এই পইচা অযথা ব্যয় কৰিব বিচৰা নাছিল কিয়নো তাই সেইখন বাছতেই আকৌ উভতি যাব লাগিব। সেইবাবে তাই দোকানখনলৈ যাবলৈ আৰু শীতল পানীয় খাবলৈ অমান্তি হৈছিল। তাই কণ্ডাক্টৰজনৰ প্ৰস্তাৱো প্ৰত্যাখ্যান কৰিছিল, যিয়ে তাইৰ ভাল আচৰণৰ প্ৰমাণ দিছিল।

Thinking about the Text

1. What was Valli’s deepest desire? Find the words and phrases in the story that tell you this.

উত্তৰঃ Valli’s deepest desire was to go on a bus ride. The words and phrases that tell this are “source of unending joy”, “stare wistfully”, and “in her longings, dreams and hopes”.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ ভল্লীৰ প্ৰবল ইচ্ছা আছিল বাছত যাত্ৰা কৰা। পাঠটিৰ কিছুমান শব্দ যেনে “অন্তহীন উৎকন্ঠা”, “প্ৰবল ইচ্ছা”, “আশা আকাঙ্খা” আদি শব্দই এই কথাষাৰৰ উমান দিছিল।

2. How did Valli plan her bus ride? What did she find out about the bus, and how did she save up the fare?

উত্তৰঃ Valli listened carefully to conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly used the bus and asked a few discreet questions. She came to know that the town was six miles from her village, the bus fare was thirty paise, and the bus trip took forty-five minutes. She saved each and every penny she got, resisting all temptations to buy peppermints, toys, and even a ride on the merry-go-round at the village fair so as to save sixty paise. It was a secret trip which she had planned without informing her parents.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ ভল্লীয়ে কান পাতি যাত্ৰীসকলৰ কথোপকথন শুনিছিল আৰু তেওঁলোকক কিছু প্ৰশ্ন সুধিছিল যাত্ৰাৰ বিষয়ে। তাই গাঁও আৰু চহৰৰ দূৰত্ব জনাৰ লগতে বাছৰ ভাড়া আৰু যাত্ৰাৰ সময়ৰ বিষয়ে জানিব পাৰিলে। তাই বাছ যাত্ৰাৰ বাবে নিজৰ সকলো ইচ্ছা পৰিত্যাগ কৰি পইচা জমা কৰিছিল।

3. What kind of 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.

উত্তৰঃ Valli is an innocent girl child whose deepest desire is to ride on the bus.

• (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, still standing outside the bus – firmly.
• (iii) “There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said – haughtily.
• (iv) “Never mind,” she said, “I can get on by myself. You don’t have to help me. I’m not a child, I tell you,” she said – irritably.
• (v) “You need not bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said, turning her face toward the window and staring out – independently.
• (vi) Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope to see you again” – politely.

4. Why does the conductor refer to Valli as ‘madam’?

উত্তৰঃ The conductor called Valli “madam” as she behaved like a grown-up and did not think that she was a child. She also refused his help and told him that she could manage on her own.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ কণ্ডাক্টৰে ভল্লীক মেডাম সম্বোধন কৰিছিল কিয়নো তাই ডাঙৰ ছোৱালীৰ দৰে ব্যৱহাৰ কৰিছিল। তাই কণ্ডাক্টৰজনৰ সহায়ো প্ৰত্যাখ্যান কৰিছিল আৰু নিজৰ দায়িত্ব নিজে পালন কৰিছিল।

5. Find the lines in the text which tell you that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus.

উত্তৰঃ Valli thoroughly enjoyed her ride on the bus. The following lines from the text tell us about it: “She saw many things on her way – a canal, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains. ‘Oh! it was all so wonderful,’ that’s what she felt.” Also, the sight of a cow running in front of the bus seemed very funny to Valli and she laughed till tears flowed from her eyes.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ ভল্লীয়ে তাইৰ বাছ যাত্ৰা বেছি উপভোগ কৰিছিল। পাঠটোৰ পৰা উল্লেখযোগ্য বাক্যবোৰ হ’ল: “তাই নিজ যাত্ৰাত বহু বস্তু দেখা পাইছিল – খাল, পাম গছ, ঘাঁহনি, পৰ্বত আদি। চোৱাচোন! এইবোৰ ইমান ধুনীয়া।” লগতে বাছৰ আগে আগে দৌৰা গৰুটোৱে তাইক হাঁহিছিল।

6. What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening without our knowledge”?

উত্তৰঃ While making this statement, Valli was trying to hide the fact about her bus ride. She was also feeling elated at making a successful attempt at her plan.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ এই কথাষাৰৰ জৰিয়তে ভল্লীয়ে নিজৰ বাছ যাত্ৰাৰ কথাটো লুকুৱাব বিচাৰিছিল। তাই বাছ যাত্ৰা প্ৰথম বাৰতে সফল হোৱা বাবে তাই আনন্দ অনুভৱ কৰিছিল।

7. The 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?

উত্তৰঃ Yes, for example when the author says, “She was fascinated by the bus and watching the bus fill with a new set of people each time was a source of unending joy for her.” When the author describes the bus, he stresses on the colourful look of the new bus like silver because a child is attracted towards colour. The seats were soft and luxurious. The description that the author gives when Valli looked outside – the blue sky and acres of green fields – shows the enthusiasm of a child. A cow running in front of the bus fascinated her whereas the sight of the dead cow brought tears in her eyes and she refused to look outside the window on her return journey. This also describes the behaviour of an eight-year-old child aptly.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ হয়, লেখকে কাহিনীটো আঠ বছৰীয়া কিশোৰী গৰাকীৰ দৃষ্টিৰে বৰ্ণনা কৰিছে। কিয়নো তেওঁ উল্লেখ কৰিছে যে তাই বাছখনৰ ৰং তথা বাছ যাত্ৰীসকল তাইৰ উৎকন্ঠাৰ উৎস। শিশু সদায় ৰঙৰ প্ৰতি আকৰ্ষিত হয়। বাছৰ চিটবোৰ কোমল তথা আৰামদায়ক, নীলা আকাশ, সেউজীয়া পথাৰ আদি বৰ্ণনাবোৰে আঠ বছৰীয়া শিশুৰ মনৰ উৎকন্ঠাৰ প্ৰমাণ দিয়ে। যাত্ৰাৰ আৰম্ভণিতে যিটো গৰুৰ দৌৰ দেখি হাঁহিছিল, ঘূৰি আহোতে সেই গৰুটোৰ মৃত্যুত তাই মনত দুখ পাইছিল।

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What was Valli’s favourite pastime?

• (A) Playing with friends
• (B) Watching the street from her doorway
• (C) Reading books
• (D) Going to the market

উত্তৰঃ (B) Watching the street from her doorway

2. How old was Valli?

• (A) Six years old
• (B) Seven years old
• (C) Eight years old
• (D) Ten years old

উত্তৰঃ (C) Eight years old

3. What was the bus fare for the round trip?

• (A) Thirty paise
• (B) Forty paise
• (C) Fifty paise
• (D) Sixty paise

উত্তৰঃ (D) Sixty paise

4. How did Valli save money for the bus ride?

• (A) By working in the fields
• (B) By saving every coin and resisting temptations
• (C) By asking her mother for money
• (D) By selling vegetables

উত্তৰঃ (B) By saving every coin and resisting temptations

5. Why did the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?

• (A) Because she was rich
• (B) Because she behaved like a grown-up
• (C) Because she was the conductor’s relative
• (D) Because she was wearing new clothes

উত্তৰঃ (B) Because she behaved like a grown-up

6. What made Valli laugh during her journey?

• (A) The conductor’s jokes
• (B) A cow running in front of the bus
• (C) The elderly woman’s stories
• (D) The view of the town

উত্তৰঃ (B) A cow running in front of the bus

7. How did Valli feel when she saw the dead cow on her return journey?

• (A) Happy
• (B) Excited
• (C) Sad and upset
• (D) Angry

উত্তৰঃ (C) Sad and upset

8. What did Valli refuse to accept from the conductor?

• (A) A bus ticket
• (B) A cold drink
• (C) A seat
• (D) A helping hand

উত্তৰঃ (B) A cold drink

Extra Questions (Additional Important Questions)

Q1. What was Valli’s reaction when the elderly man called her a child?

উত্তৰঃ Valli reacted with annoyance. She said that there was no child on the bus and that she had paid her own thirty paise like everyone else.
অসমীয়া অৰ্থঃ ভল্লীয়ে খং কৰি কৈছিল যে বাছখনত কোনো শিশু নাই আৰু তাই নিজৰ ভাড়া ত্ৰিশ পইচা আন সকলো যাত্ৰীৰ দৰে দিছে।

Q2. How did Valli prove that she was not a child?

উত্তৰঃ Valli proved she was not a child by refusing the conductor’s help, paying her own fare, and insisting that she could manage everything on her own.
অসমীয়া অ