Past board exam questions
CBSE 2026 board paper · 5 marks
Read the given extract and answer the questions given below :
It was a new bus, its outside painted a gleaming white with some green stripes along the sides. Inside, the overhead bars shone like silver. Directly in front of Valli, above the windshield, there was a beautiful clock. The seats were soft and luxurious.
Valli devoured everything with her eyes. But when she started to look outside, she found her view cut off by a canvas blind that covered the lower part of her window. So she stood up on the seat and peered over the blind.
(Madam Rides a Bus)
(i) The effect on Valli as she describes the bus reveals that she is _________. Choose the most suitable option. (1)
(A) awed
(B) scared
(C) disgusted
(D) repulsed
(ii) How does the author’s use of descriptive language enhance the narrative technique in the passage ? (2)
(iii) Fill in the blank with the correct word from the bracket. (1)
The use of the word ‘devoured’ adds to a sense of _______ (fascination / hunger) in the extract.
(iv) Which action of Valli shows that she did not want to miss out on any part of the experience ? (1)
Show answer
(i) (A) awed
(ii) (Any two) The descriptive language lets readers experience Valli’s fascination and excitement; it creates a vivid picture of her surroundings – the gleaming white bus, bars shining like silver, the beautiful clock, the soft seats; and it immerses us in her perspective and experience.
(iii) fascination
(iv) (Any one) She devoured everything with her eyes / she stood up on the seat / she peered over the blind.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
What unexpected event does Valli face and how is it ironically significant for the little child ? (Madam Rides the Bus)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
Show answer
(Content 2 – event and significance with textual evidence; Expression 1)
On her return journey Valli sees the young cow, which had made her laugh with joy on the way to town, lying dead by the roadside after being hit by a vehicle. Ironically, the creature that gave her joy brings her face to face with death for the first time – she learns the harsh reality that life is unpredictable, and loses some of her innocence.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
Valli made careful and painstaking plans for her first bus journey. What were her plans ?
(Madam Rides a Bus)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
Show answer
(Content 2 – any two points; Expression 1)
Valli listened carefully to the conversations of neighbours who regularly used the bus and asked a few discreet questions. She learnt that the town was six miles away, the fare was thirty paise one way and the trip took forty-five minutes. She saved sixty paise by resisting peppermints, toys, balloons and the merry-go-round, and planned to go in the afternoon while her mother slept, staying on the bus to return.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
During her journey, Valli absorbed the natural beauty and clapped her hands in happiness on seeing a young cow running very fast. What does this reveal about Valli. (Madam Rides the Bus)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
Show answer
(Content 2 – any two points with textual evidence; Expression 1)
Although Valli tries to behave like a grown-up on the bus, this spontaneous, joyful reaction reveals her innocence and childlike wonder – her pure delight in simple joys. It also shows her curiosity and excitement about the world outside her village and her love for the unfamiliar sights she had longed to see.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 6 marks
Compare how Valli in the story “Madam Rides the Bus”, and Maxwell in “Mijbil the Otter” experience independence and adventure.
(Answer in about 100-120 words.)
Show answer
(Content 3 – at least three value points; Expression 2; Accuracy 1)
Both Valli and Maxwell experience independence and adventure, though in different ways. Valli, an eight-year-old girl, independently planned her trip and saved money for months to pay for a bus journey to the town all by herself. Her solo ride was a great adventure: she rode the bus for the first time and enjoyed sights she had never seen, exploring the world outside her village. Maxwell, on the other hand, made the adventurous choice of keeping an otter as a pet, which was not a usual pet for Camusfearna. He independently learned to understand and care for Mijbil and even flew to London on an aeroplane with the otter for …
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
What sacrifices did Valli have to make in order to save enough money for fulfilling her long-cherished desire and how do these sacrifices reflect her strong will power ?
(Madam Rides the Bus)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
Show answer
(Content 2 – at least two value points; Expression 1)
To save the fare for her bus ride, Valli saved every stray coin that came her way. She resisted the temptation to buy peppermints, toys and balloons, and even stifled her desire to ride the merry-go-round at the village fair. These sacrifices reflect her strong will power, determination and maturity: she planned carefully and did everything she could to fulfil her dream of a bus ride.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
The conductor’s cheerful attitude and light-hearted teasing transformed Valli’s ordinary bus journey into a memorable adventure. Illustrate with evidence from the text.
(Madam Rides the Bus)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
Show answer
(Content 2 – at least two value points; Expression 1)
The jolly conductor made Valli feel welcome: he stretched out his hand to pull her up, jokingly called her ‘madam’ and offered her a seat. Instead of mocking her, he respected her courage, chatted with her politely and responsibly, and protectively offered to treat her to a cool drink at the bus station. His light-hearted teasing made her first bus ride enjoyable and memorable.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
How does “Madam Rides the Bus” bring alive Valli’s attributes and experiences through its narrative style ?
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
Show answer
(Content 2 – any two points with textual evidence; Expression 1)
The anecdotal narrative of her first bus journey brings out young Valli’s perspective – her careful planning, saving of money and confident interaction with the conductor and passengers. Vivid descriptive language captures her joy and awe at the sights, while the contrast of the dead cow incident shows her growth from an innocent girl into a more mature individual.
