📝Page 119

Oral Comprehension Check 

Q1. What was Valli’s favourite pastime?
Answer: Valli’s favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house and watching what was happening in the street outside.

Q2. What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?
Answer: The bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town was a source of unending joy for Valli. Her strongest desire was to ride on that bus, even if just once.

Q3. What did Valli find out about the bus journey? How did she find out these details?
Answer: Valli found out that the town was six miles away and the fare was thirty paise one way. The trip took forty-five minutes. She found out these details by listening carefully to conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly used the bus, and by asking a few discreet questions.

Q4. What do you think Valli was planning to do?
Answer: Valli was planning her first bus journey to the town all by herself. She was calculating the time and the money needed to make a round trip and return home before her mother woke up from her nap.

📝Page 122

Oral Comprehension Check 

Q1. Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?
Answer: The conductor calls Valli ‘madam’ because she acts very grown-up. She confidently raises her hand to stop the bus, tells him she can get on by herself, and insists on paying her fare just like everyone else.

Q2. Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?
Answer: Valli stands up on the seat because her view of the outside world is blocked by a canvas blind that covers the lower part of her window. When she stands up, she sees the beautiful scenery, including a canal, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, a deep ditch, and acres of green fields.

Q3. What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child?
Answer: When the elderly man calls her a child, Valli says, “There’s nobody here who’s a child. I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”

Q4. Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?
Answer: Valli didn’t want to make friends with the elderly woman because she found her to be repulsive. She noticed the big holes in her earlobes, the ugly earrings, and the smell of the betel nut the woman was chewing, which was about to spill over her lips.

📝Page 125

Oral Comprehension Check

Q1. How did Valli save up money for her first journey? Was it easy for her?
Answer: Valli saved up money by resisting temptations like buying peppermints, toys, and balloons. She saved every stray coin that came her way. It was not easy for her, especially when she had to resolutely stifle a strong desire to ride the merry-go-round at the village fair, even though she had the money.

Q2. What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?
Answer: Valli saw a young cow with its tail high in the air, running very fast in the middle of the road, right in front of the bus. This was very funny to her, and she laughed until there were tears in her eyes.

Q3. Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station?
Answer: Valli didn’t get off the bus at the bus station because her plan was only to ride the bus and return on the same one. She was also afraid to go out all by herself.

Q4. Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does this tell you about her?
Answer: Valli didn’t want to go to the stall because she didn’t have enough money. When the conductor offered to treat her, she refused firmly. This tells us that Valli is very independent and has a lot of self-respect. She only wants to spend the money she has saved and not rely on anyone else’s kindness.

📝Page 127

Thinking about the Text

Q1. What was Valli’s deepest desire? Find the words and phrases in the story that tell you this.
Answer: Valli’s deepest desire was to ride on the bus. The words and phrases that tell us this are: “a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if just once. This wish became stronger and stronger, until it was an overwhelming desire.”

Q2. How did Valli plan her bus ride? What did she find out about the bus, and how did she save up the fare?
Answer: Valli planned her bus ride by listening to conversations of her neighbours and bus users. She found out the fare was 30 paise one way, the trip was 6 miles, and the journey took 45 minutes. She saved the fare by thriftily saving any stray coins that came her way, resisting the temptation to buy things like peppermints and toys.

Q3. What kind of a person is Valli? To answer this question, pick out the following sentences from the text and fill in the blanks.
(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.
(iii) “There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”
(iv) “Never mind,” she said, “I can get on by myself. You don’t have to help me.”
(v) “You needn’t bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said, turning her face toward the window and staring out.
(vi) Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope to see you again.”

Q4. Why does the conductor refer to Valli as ‘madam’?
Answer: The conductor refers to Valli as ‘madam’ because of her confident and self-assured manner. She behaves like a grown-up, insisting on her independence and paying her own fare. He is using the word playfully to poke fun at her grown-up act.

Q5. Find the lines in the text which tell you that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus.
Answer: The lines that tell us Valli was enjoying her ride are:
● “Valli devoured everything with her eyes.”
● “Oh, it was all so wonderful!”
● “Suddenly Valli clapped her hands with glee.”
● “She laughed and laughed until there were tears in her eyes.”

Q6. Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back?
Answer: Valli refuses to look out of the window on her way back because she sees the young cow that had been so full of life on the way to town, now lying dead by the roadside. The memory of the dead cow haunts her, and its horrible, frightening appearance dampens her enthusiasm, so she doesn’t want to look outside anymore.

Q7. What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening without our knowledge.”
Answer: When Valli says this, she is agreeing with her mother’s statement about how many things in the world happen without us knowing or understanding them completely. Valli is thinking about her secret bus ride and the painful lesson she learned about life and death that her mother is completely unaware of. She feels that this experience is a perfect example of what her mother is talking about.

Q8. 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?
Answer: Yes, there is evidence that the author describes things from an eight-year-old’s point of view. For example, the bus is “a source of unending joy,” and the fare of thirty paise “seemed a fortune.” The descriptions of the bus “gobbling up another vehicle” and the trees “coming running towards them” before “rushing away in the other direction” are also ways a young child would imaginatively see the world.

Writing

Q1. Have you ever planned something entirely on your own, without taking grown-ups into your confidence? What did you plan, and how? Did you carry out your plan?
Answer:
Yes, I once planned a surprise birthday party for my best friend without telling any grown-ups. The plan was to invite our friends to my house and decorate it before my friend came over. I wanted it to be a complete surprise, so I couldn’t ask for help.
First, I saved up my pocket money for a few weeks to buy some decorations and a small cake mix. I used my mother’s phone to secretly message all our friends, making sure they understood it was a surprise and they had to be quiet. On the day of the party, I told my mom I wanted to bake a cake for myself, so she wouldn’t be suspicious. I baked the cake and iced it, and then our friends arrived one by one while my mom was busy with other things. We decorated the living room in a hurry. When my friend came over, she was so surprised she almost cried. I was able to carry out my plan, and it was a great day.

Q2. Have you made a journey that was unforgettable in some way? What made it memorable?
Answer:
My most unforgettable journey was a camping trip with my family to a national park. It was memorable because it was the first time I was completely disconnected from the digital world. The phone network was weak, so I couldn’t use my phone. Instead of watching TV or playing video games, I spent my time exploring the forest and sitting by a campfire.
The journey was memorable because of the sights and sounds. The sounds of birds chirping in the morning, the crackling of the fire at night, and the feel of the cool air on my face made me feel alive. I learned how to set up a tent and how to identify different types of plants. It taught me to appreciate the simplicity and beauty of nature.

Q3. Are you concerned about traffic and road safety? What are your concerns? How would you make road travel safer and more enjoyable?
Answer:
Yes, I am very concerned about traffic and road safety. My main concerns are the reckless driving of some people, not following traffic rules, and the lack of awareness among pedestrians. People often drive too fast, don’t stop at red lights, or use their phones while driving, which puts everyone on the road at risk.
To make road travel safer and more enjoyable, I would suggest a few things. First, there should be stricter enforcement of traffic laws. I would also introduce more public awareness campaigns to educate people about the importance of following rules and being attentive. For example, campaigns could show the real-life consequences of distracted driving. I would also improve public transport so that more people use it and there are fewer vehicles on the road, which would reduce congestion and make travel more pleasant.