NCERT Questions & Answers + Important Extra Questions
NCERT Textbook Questions
What was Valli's favourite pastime?
Answer
Valli's favourite pastime was standing at the front door of her house and watching what was happening in the street outside. She would watch the people passing by — vendors, neighbours, children playing, and especially the bus that passed through her village every hour. The sight of the bus, its passengers, and its journey to the nearby town fascinated her endlessly.
What was Valli's deepest desire?
Answer
Valli's deepest desire was to ride the bus to the nearby town and back. She watched the bus go by every day and longed to be a passenger. The bus journey was only about six miles each way, and the fare was thirty paise one way. Over time, this desire grew from a vague longing into a firm determination — she was going to ride that bus.
How did Valli plan her bus trip? What did she find out about the bus journey?
Answer
Valli planned meticulously: (i) She listened carefully to conversations of people who had taken the bus, picking up all the details. (ii) She asked discreet questions to neighbours and passengers without revealing her plan. (iii) She found out: the fare was 30 paise one way (60 paise for the round trip). The journey took 45 minutes each way. The bus passed through her village at certain times. If she took the 1:00 PM bus to town, she could take the 2:45 PM bus back and be home before her mother noticed. (iv) She saved money over months — resisting the temptation of peppermints, toys, and balloons from the village fair. She also had coins given to her by relatives. (v) She needed exactly 60 paise for the round trip.
What kind of person is Valli? How can you tell?
Answer
Valli is a remarkable eight-year-old: (i) Determined and persistent: She saved money for months, resisting temptations, to fulfil her dream. (ii) Intelligent and observant: She gathered all necessary information about the bus journey through careful listening and questioning. (iii) Independent and confident: She rejected the conductor's offer of help getting on the bus, saying "I can manage myself." She refused the kind elderly woman's offer of a treat. She didn't want to be treated as a child. (iv) Proud and self-respecting: When the conductor called her "madam," she beamed with pride. She sat alone and didn't need anyone's company. (v) Curious and adventurous: While other children played nearby, Valli dreamed of the world beyond her village. (vi) Sensitive: The sight of the dead cow deeply disturbed her, showing her emotional depth. (vii) Secretive: She kept her entire plan hidden from her mother — showing both cleverness and the innocent mischief of childhood.
Why does Valli refuse to get off the bus when it reaches the town?
Answer
Valli refused to get off at the town because: (i) She had money for only the round trip fare — she had exactly 60 paise and didn't have any extra money to spend in town. (ii) Her plan was always just to ride the bus — the journey itself was the adventure, not visiting the town. (iii) She needed to be back home before her mother noticed she was missing. If she got off and wandered around town, she might miss the return bus. (iv) She was also a little afraid — she was an eight-year-old alone in an unfamiliar town. The bus was a safe, contained environment.
What dampened Valli's enthusiasm on the way back?
Answer
On the way back, Valli saw a dead cow lying by the roadside. It was the same beautiful young cow she had seen happily running alongside the bus on her way to town — brown, with a joyful, carefree spirit. Now it lay dead, probably hit by a fast-moving vehicle, with blood all over. This sight deeply upset and disturbed Valli. The contrast between the lively cow she had seen just an hour ago and the dead animal was shocking. It was Valli's first real encounter with death, and it dampened her excitement. She no longer looked out the window with the same joy — she sat quietly, sobered by this reminder of life's fragility.
Important Extra Questions
What is the significance of the__( dead cow in the story?
Answer
The dead cow is significant because: (i) It introduces the theme of death and loss into what had been a joyful adventure story. (ii) It represents Valli's first loss of innocence — she encounters the harsh reality that life is fragile and can end suddenly. (iii) The cow was the same one she had seen running happily — showing how quickly life can change from joy to tragedy. (iv) It dampens her enthusiasm — the return journey is quieter and more subdued than the outward journey. (v) Symbolically, it suggests that every journey of discovery (growing up, exploring the world) involves encountering painful truths alongside beautiful ones. The cow's death transforms Valli's adventure from pure excitement to a more complex, mature experience.
What is the theme of the story?
Answer
The story explores: (i) A child's curiosity and determination: Valli's desire to explore beyond her village represents every child's natural curiosity about the wider world. (ii) Independence and self-reliance: Valli plans and executes her trip entirely on her own — saving money, gathering information, and travelling alone at age eight. (iii) The journey as metaphor: The bus ride represents the journey of growing up — exciting, full of new sights, but also encountering difficult realities (the dead cow = encountering death). (iv) The loss of innocence: The dead cow introduces sadness into Valli's adventure, marking a step from childhood innocence toward a more complex understanding of life. (v) The gap between adults and children: Adults underestimate Valli ("she's just a child") while she is actually capable, observant, and resourceful. Her mother at the end has no idea about her adventure — showing the secret inner lives children lead.