Madam Rides the Bus Explanation, Line by Line, Meaning of Difficult Words, English CBSE Class 10 NCERT First Flight Chapter 9
MADAM RIDES THE BUS
(Explanation and Meaning of difficult words)
I
Author – Vallikkannan
| Word | Meaning |
| Curious | Eager to know or learn |
There was a girl whose name was Valliammai. In short she was called as Valli. Her age was eight years. She was very eager to learn about everything.
Her favourite activity to pass time was to stand in front of the door of her house to watch what was happening in the street. She did not play with anybody in the street because nobody was of her age. Therefore she could only watch incidents happening in the street.
| Word | Meaning |
| Elaborate | Fancy, Detailed, Complex |
| Unusual | Extraordinary |
Valli enjoyed standing at the door and watching. It was as enjoyable as playing fancy games with other children. She gained lot of extraordinary information by watching the street.
| Word | Meaning |
| Fascinating | Very interesting |
| Sight | Scene, Glimpse, |
The most interesting thing was the bus travelling between her village and the nearby town. A bus passed through her street every hour. Once going to the town and next hour coming back from the town. Each time, different passengers were travelling in the bus. Valli always enjoyed observing every bus.
| Word | Meaning |
| Day after day | Everyday |
| Gradually | Slowly |
| Crept | Came, Slipped |
| Overwhelming | Immense, Massive, Forceful |
She watched the bus every day. Slowly a small wish came to her mind and the wish became bigger. She wanted to travel in that bus at least once. This wish became stronger and it became an immense desire.
| Word | Meaning |
| Wistfully | Being sad because you can’t get it |
| Kindle | Appear, Inspire |
| Longing | Wish, Desire |
The bus used to stop at the corner of the street. She was aware that she may not be able to travel in a bus. Valli used to stare at the people getting down from the bus. Faces of those travelers used to come in her dreams, hopes and wishes. These dreams used to inspire her to travel in bus.
| Word | Meaning |
| Slang | Informal language |
If any of her friends had travelled in the bus to the town, the friend would try to describe scene of the town. On such occasions, Valli would get jealous. She would shout in English : ‘Proud, proud!’ Valli and her friends did not understand meaning of this word. But they used it to express their disapproval or disliking.
| Word | Meaning |
| Discreet questions | Specific questions |
For many days and many months, Valli carefully listened to the conversation between people who had regularly travelled in the bus. She used to ask some questions during their conversations.
| Word | Meaning |
| Picked up | Learnt |
| Almost nothing at all | Very small amount |
| Scarcely | Hardly, Rarely |
| Seemed a fortune | Was very big amount |
By this method she learnt many details about the bus journey. The town was six miles from the village. The fare of one side travel was thirty paise. One person who was wearing good clothes said that this was very small amount. Valli had hardly seen this much of money during a month. So thirty paise was a very big amount for her.
The travel time from village to town was forty five minutes. After reaching town if she remained in the bus and paid another thirty paise, she could return to the village in the same bus.
Valli calculated that if she started from the village by one-o’ clock bus in the afternoon, she would reach the town at one forty-five and could be back to the village by about two forty five. She thought many times about it. She did her calculation many times. She checked her planning many times.
II
| Word | Meaning |
| Command | Order, To give order |
| Commandingly | Giving order |
In the one clear afternoon of the spring season, bus had reached the point of leaving the village and turning on the main highway. A small voice was heard to stop the bus. A small hand was raised to order the bus to stop.
| Word | Meaning |
| Crawl | Move at very slow speed |
The bus slowed down and moved at very slow speed. The bus conductor took out his head from the door and said to hurry up. He told Valli to tell the passenger to come quickly. Valli shouted that she wanted to get into the bus to travel.
Now the bus had stopped. The conductor was surprised to hear that Valli wanted to travel alone in the bus. Valli said that she wanted to go to the town. She told that she had money with her. While standing outside the bus she showed some coins to the conductor.
| Word | Meaning |
| Stretched out | Extended |
| Never mind | Not to worry |
The conductor told Valli that first she should get into the bus. He extended his hand to help her. But Valli told him not to worry about her. She said that she can get into the bus without any help. She does not need help of conductor.
| Word | Meaning |
| Jolly sort | Cheerful, Fun-loving |
| Fond of | Liked |
The bus conductor was a cheerful person and fond of joking. He addressed Valli as madam and requested her not to be angry at him. He asked Valli to sit at a seat that was in the front of the bus. He asked other passengers to move sideways to give way to Valli madam.
| Word | Meaning |
| Slack time | Less crowded period, Lean time |
| Avoid | Not to do something |
That time was of period of lesser business. There were only six or seven passengers in the bus. They all looked at Valli and laughed with the conductor. Valli became very shy. She did not look at anybody. She walked quickly to an empty seat and sat down.
The conductor smiled at Valli and asked her if the bus can begin to move. Then he blew his whistle twice and the bus started to move with a loud sound.
| Word | Meaning |
| Gleaming | Shining |
| Stripes | Lines |
| Overhead | Above |
| Windshield | Front glass of a vehicle |
| Luxurious | Very comfortable |
It was a new bus. Outside colour of the bus was shining white with some lines of green colour on its sides. Inside the bus, the top bars were shining like silver. Exactly in front of Valli and above the front glass, there was a beautiful clock. Seats were soft and comfortable.
| Word | Meaning |
| Devoured | Looked quickly |
| Cut off | Blocked, Obstructed |
| Canvas | Type of cloth |
| Peered | Looked |
Valli quickly looked at everything in the bus through her eyes. When she looked outside she found that she could not see everything because a canvas on the lower part of the window blocked her view. So she stood on the seat and tried to see from above the canvas cloth.
| Word | Meaning |
| Bank | Side, Edge, |
| Grassland | Fields of grass |
Now the bus was moving along the side of a canal. The road was very narrow. On one side of the bus there was a canal. Beyond canal there were palm trees and fields of grass. At a far distance there were mountains and blue sky.
| Word | Meaning |
| Ditch | Trench, Channel |
| Startled | Surprised |
On the other side of the road was a trench. Beyond that there were large areas of green fields as far as one could see. It was very wonderful. Suddenly she was surprised by a voice. The voice advised Valli not to stand on the seat. It asked her to sit down.
| Word | Meaning |
| Honestly | Really |
| Concerned | Worried |
| Annoyed | Angry |
While sitting down she looked around to see who had spoken. An elderly man had given the advice, he was really worried about her. But she was angry that he had noticed her or was watching her.
| Word | Meaning |
| Haughtily | Proudly, Angrily |
| Chimed in | Spoke in between, Joined discussion |
Valli angrily told that there was no child in the bus. I have paid thirty paise same as every other person has paid. The conductor joined the discussion and said to the man that Valli was a grown up madam. A small girl cannot pay her own fare and travel alone to the city.
| Word | Meaning |
| Shot an angry glance | Looked angrily |
Valli looked at the conductor angrily and said that she was not a madam. She further told him to recall that he had not yet given her ticket.
| Word | Meaning |
| Mimicking | Copying |
Copying her style of speaking, conductor replied that he would remember. Everyone in the bus laughed. Slowly Valli also started laughing.
The conductor punched a ticket and gave it to her. He advised Valli to sit on the seat and be comfortable. He told Valli that she should not stand on the seat because she has paid for the seat.
Valli said that she was standing because she wanted to stand. The conductor informs Valli that she may fall down and get injured when bus takes a sharp turn or goes over a bump. He addressed Valli as a child and requested her to sit down.
| Word | Meaning |
| Irritably | Angrily |
She angrily told that she was not a child. She was eight years old. The conductor told that certainly she was eight years old. It was foolish of him to call her a child.
| Word | Meaning |
| Elderly | Aged, Old person |
The bus stopped. Some new passengers got into the bus. The conductor got busy for some time. Valli was now afraid of losing her seat so she sat down. An elderly woman came and sat near Valli. She asked Valli if she was travelling alone. The Bus had started to move again.
| Word | Meaning |
| Absolutely | Totally |
| Repulsive | Hateful, Unpleasant |
| Spill over | Come out |
| Sociable | Friendly, Cordial |
Valli did not like that woman. She had big holes in her ear lobes. She was wearing ugly earrings. Valli could smell beetle nuts she was chewing. The juice of beetle nut was about to come out of her mouth. Valli thought who can be a friend of such a woman.
| Word | Meaning |
| Curtly | Abruptly, Rudely |
Valli rudely replied that she was travelling alone and she had a ticket also. The conductor told the woman that Valli was going to the town after buying a thirty paise ticket. Valli told conductor to do his own work. But then she laughed and conductor also laughed.
| Word | Meaning |
| Drivel | Nonsense talk |
| Proper | Correct |
But the old woman continued her nonsense talk. She asked if it was correct for such a young person to travel alone. She asked Valli if she knew where exactly in the town would she go. What is the street and what is the house number.
Vali told the lady to not to worry about her. She declared that she could take care of herself. Then she turned her face towards window and started looking out.
III
| Word | Meaning |
| Painstaking | Thorough, Accurate |
| Elaborate | Detailed |
Valli had carefully made accurate and detailed plan for her first journey.
| Word | Meaning |
| Thriftily | Miserly, Spending less |
| Stray | Random, Unexpected |
| Resist | To control |
| Peppermints | Toffees |
By spending less money she had saved whatever coins she randomly received from anyone. She controlled her every wish to buy peppermints, toys, balloons and other such things. Finally she had saved sixty paise.
| Word | Meaning |
| Resolutely | Firmly, With determination |
| Stifled | Suppressed, Controlled, Withheld |
It has been very difficult not to spend money. It was especially difficult when there was a fair in the village. Though she had money, with great determination she controlled her desire to ride merry go-round.
After she had saved money, her next problem was how to go out of the house without knowledge of her mother. But she did that without much difficulty.
| Word | Meaning |
| Nap | Short sleep |
| Excursions | A short journey |
| Ventured | Went, Made a risky journey |
| Hours | Period of time |
Every day after taking lunch, her mother used to sleep from 1 PM to 4 PM. During this period of time Valli used to stand at the doorway of her house. Sometimes she took the risk of going out of her house into the village. Today during this period of time she will be going out of her village for the first time.
| Word | Meaning |
| Landscape | Area |
| Hamlet | Small group of houses |
| Tiny | Very small |
| Gobbling up | Colliding |
| Pedestrian | Person walking on foot |
Now the bus was moving through an area that did not have any house. Now the bus was moving through an area that had small group of houses or a shop on the side of road. Sometime it appeared that bus will collide with another vehicle coming from other side or with a person crossing the road.
| Word | Meaning |
| Passed on | Ended, Moved on |
But somehow the bus moved on smoothly and peacefully. [Meaning that accident did not occur]. All obstacles were left behind and the bus moved ahead. The trees at the distance appeared running but stopped as soon as the bus stopped. But trees again started running when bus moved.
| Word | Meaning |
| Glee | Happiness |
| Crawl | Move at very low speed |
Suddenly Valli started clapping her hands with happiness. A young cow was running very fast in the middle of the road and right ahead of the bus. Its tail was high in the air. The driver slowed down the bus to a very low speed. The driver sounded the horn again and again.
| Word | Meaning |
| Honked | Sounded horn |
| Galloped | Ran fast |
But whenever he sounded the horn, the cow became more frightened. And it ran faster in the front of the bus. This incident was very funny to Valli. She laughed so much that tears came to her eyes.
The conductor told Valli that she had already laughed a lot. He advised her to save some of her laugh for tomorrow. Eventually the cow moved away from the road.
| Word | Meaning |
| Speck | A small dot |
| Rushed | Moved quickly |
| Tremendous | Very big |
Very soon the bus came to a railway crossing. A small dot of train could be seen at a far distance. This dot was become bigger and bigger as the train came near. The train moved past the crossing at a great speed. The sound of train was very big. The bus shook slightly because of movement of train.
| Word | Meaning |
| Passed | Crossed |
| Traversed | Travelled |
| Well laid out | Nicely arranged |
| Thoroughfare | Main road |
| Glittering | Shining, Impressive |
| Merchandise | Goods, Products |
After this, the bus started to move and it crossed railway crossing and passed the railway station. Then the bus travelled to a busy street. This street had nicely constructed and nicely arranged shops. Then it entered a wide main road. Shops on this road were very big and bright. There was an impressive display of clothes and other products in each shop.
| Word | Meaning |
| Struck dumb | Unable to speak due to surprise |
| Gaped | Stared |
| Got off | Got down |
She was so surprised that she could not speak anything. She merely stared at everything. Then the bus stopped and everyone got out of the bus. The conductor asked Valli why she was not getting down from the bus. He said that in thirty paise she could come up to that point only.
Valli said that she would not get down from the bus. She wanted to go back to the village in the same bus. She took out another thirty paise from her pocket and gave to the conductor. The conductor asked Valli if there was any problem. Valli replied that she just wanted to have a ride in the bus.
| Word | Meaning |
| Sights | Scenes |
| Amused | Happy, Filled with fun, |
The conductor said that since she is already in the town, she may like to see the town. Valli said that she was afraid to move alone in the city. The conductor felt funny at the way girl spoke this time. He said that but she was not afraid to come alone in the bus.
| Word | Meaning |
| Stall | Shop |
Valli answered that there was nothing to be afraid of while travelling alone in the bus. Conductor suggested Valli to go to a shop and buy something to drink. There is nothing to be afraid about it also.
Valli said that she cannot buy it. Conductor said that he will bring something to drink for her. Valli said that she did not have money to buy a drink. She asked him to give her tickets. Nothing more than that she wanted. Conductor said that it will be a treat from him, Valli need not pay anything.
| Word | Meaning |
| Shrugged | Ignored |
Valli firmly said no to the conductor. The conductor now ignored Valli. They waited till it was the time for the bus to start its journey back to the village. Once again there were not many passengers in the bus.
IV
| Word | Meaning |
| Look for | Search |
| Wonderful | Interesting, Good |
The conductor gave Valli her ticket. He asked if her mother would be searching for her. Valli said that no one would be searching for her. The bus started and during the journey there were same interesting scenes.
| Word | Meaning |
| Not in the slightest | Not at all |
| Greeted | Enjoyed, Welcomed |
| Struck | Collided, Hit |
Valli did not get bored at all. She enjoyed everything with the eagerness of the first time. Suddenly she saw a dead young cow lying on the side of road. Some fast moving vehicle had collided with it.
She asked conductor if that was the same cow which was running ahead of the bus during their journey to the town. The conductor moved his head to indicate yes. Valii was full of sadness.
| Word | Meaning |
| Charm | Attractiveness, Attraction |
| Spreadeagled | Legs and hands stretched out |
| Horrible | Bad |
| Frightening | Full of fear |
This was a lovable and beautiful animal some time ago. Suddenly it had lost its happiness and life. It looked very bad and full of fear. It legs were stretched out and lifeless eyes were staring at one point only. There was blood around its body.
| Word | Meaning |
| Haunted | Troubled |
| Dampen | To reduce |
| Enthusiasm | Interest, Excitement |
The bus continued to move. The memory of the dead cow troubled her. It reduced her excitement. Now she did not want to look out of the window.
| Word | Meaning |
| Glued | Fixed |
Therefore she continued to sit fixed on her seat till the bus reached her village at 3:40 PM. She stood from her seat and stretched herself. Then she looked at the conductor and said that she hoped to meet him again.
The conductor smiled at her said OK madam. He said that whenever she wanted to ride a bus, she could come to his bus. He reminded her to always bring the fare.
Valli laughed and jumped down from the bus. She ran directly towards her home. When she reached home she noticed that her mother had already woken up. She was talking to one of Valli’s aunts. This aunt lived in the South Street of the village.
| Word | Meaning |
| Chatterbox | Talkative, One who talks a lot |
| Conversation | Discussion, Talk |
This aunt was very talkative. She never stopped talking after starting to talk. Her aunt asked Valli where she had been to. Her aunt had spoken very casually as if she did not expect a reply. So Valli smiled at her. Her aunt and her mother continued to talk.
Her mother told to aunt that there are so many things around us and in the world. We cannot know everything. And even when we know about certain things, we cannot fully understand about it.
Valli agreed with her mother and said yes in a low voice. Her mother asked Valli about what she had said. Valli replied that she agreed with what her mother that certain things happen around us without our knowledge.
| Word | Meaning |
| Chit of a girl | Naughty girl |
| Poke a nose | To interfere |
Aunt said that Valli was a naughty girl. Aunt also said that Valli interfered into their conversation as if she was a grown up lady.
Valli smiled to herself. She did not want them to understand why she was smiling. But there was very less chance for them to understand her smile.
****
THE TALE OF CUSTARD THE DRAGON
(Explanation)
Poet – Ogden Nash
| Word | Meaning |
| Kitten | Baby cat |
| Wagon | A small vehicle |
| Realio, trulio | Really, Truly |
| Poetic Devices | |
| Belinda lived in a little white house | Alliteration |
| With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse | Repetition |
| And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon, | Repetition |
Belinda is a little girl who lived in a white coloured house. She had a black coloured baby cat as her pet. She also had a grey mouse, yellow dog and a really little dragon as a pet. She also had a small wagon of red colour.
| Word | Meaning |
| Sharp | Smart, Brave |
| Poetic Devices | |
| Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink, | Repetition |
| Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink, | Alliteration |
| And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard, | Simile |
| But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard. | Alliteration |
Name of the kitten was Ink. Name of the mouse was Blink. Name of the dog was Mustard. These pets were very smart and brave. Name of the dragon was Custard. It was a coward.
| Word | Meaning |
| Spikes | Sharp pointed surface |
| Scales | Skin same as fish |
| Underneath | Below |
| Fireplace | Place where fire is burnt |
| Dagger | Knife, Small sword |
| Toes | Fingers of feet |
| Poetic Devices | |
| And spikes on top of him and scales underneath, | Alliteration |
| Mouth like a fireplace, | Simile |
| chimney for a nose | Metaphor |
The dragon had big and sharp teeth. It had some sharp projections on top of its body and scales on its lower portion. Its mouth looked like a fireplace and was very hot. Its nose was as long as a chimney. The nails on feet of the dragon were like a knife.
| Word | Meaning |
| Barrel full of bears | Group of bears |
| Chase | To pursue, To run behind |
| Rage | Anger |
| Poetic Devices | |
| Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears, | Simile |
| Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears, | Alliteration |
| Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage, | Simile |
| But Custard cried for a nice safe cage. | Alliteration |
Belinda was as brave as a group of bears. Ink and Blink were so brave that they could chase away lion. [Meaning that they were more brave than lions]. Mustard was as brave as an angry tiger. But custard always wanted to stay in a cage for his safety.
| Word | Meaning |
| Tickled | Teased |
| Unmercifully | Without any sympathy |
| Rudely | Impolitely, Without respect |
| Poetic Devices | |
| Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful, | Repetition |
| they rudely called him Percival, | Personification |
| They all sat laughing in the little red wagon | Alliteration |
Belinda used to tease the dragon without having sympathy or mercy towards it. Ink, Blink and Mustard teased the dragon by calling him Percival. [Percival was a knight of King Arthur of England. He was known for his bravery and being pious]. The animals used to sit in the red wagon and laugh at the dragon for his cowardice.
| Word | Meaning |
| Giggled | Laughed |
| Poetic Devices | |
| And Blink said Weeck! which is giggling for a mouse, | Onomatopoeia |
| But Custard cried for a nice safe cage. | Alliteration |
Belinda used to laugh a lot at the cowardice of dragon. Her laugh was so loud that it could be heard everywhere in the house. Blink also used to laugh at the dragon. The laughing sound of a mouse is called ‘weeck’. Ink and Mustard used to tease the dragon by asking his age. [Meaning that they considered him to be a child]. Custard always wanted to stay in a cage for his safety.
| Word | Meaning |
| Nasty | Bad, Terrible, Harsh |
| Growled | Sound of a dog |
| Pirate | Robber |
| Winda | Window |
| Poetic Devices | |
| Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound, | Repetition |
| Meowch! cried Ink | Onomatopoeia |
| Meowch! cried Ink, and ooh! cried Belinda, | Repetition |
Suddenly they heard very harsh sound. Mustard the dog growled and all animals started looking around to see what had happened. Ink and Belinda spoke different sounds. A robber was climbing through the window.
| Word | Meaning |
| Cutlass | A small sword |
| Pirate | Robber |
| Poetic Devices | |
| Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right, | Repetition |
| And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright, | Alliteration |
| His beard was black, one leg was wood; | Repetition |
| His beard was black, one leg was wood; | Alliteration |
| It was clear that the pirate meant no good. | Alliteration |
The pirate had pistol in his each hand. He had a small sword between his teeth. His beard was of black colour. His one leg was made of wood. It was clear that the pirate had come to harm them.
| Word | Meaning |
| Paled | Got afraid |
| Fled | Ran away |
| Terrified | Afraid, Feared |
| Yelp | Sound of dog |
| Trickled | Silently ran away |
| Strategically | In a planned way |
| Poetic Devices | |
| Belinda paled, and she cried Help! Help! | Repetition |
| But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp | Onomatopoeia |
| And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed. | Alliteration |
Belinda was afraid and shouted for help. But Mustard got afraid and ran away. It was making sounds of fear. Ink silently went to the basement of the house. And to save itself, the mouse went into its mousehole.
| Word | Meaning |
| Snort | Sounds from nose |
| Clashed | Fought, Struck |
| Dungeon | Cage, Prison |
| Clatter, Clank, Jangle | Different metallic sounds |
| Squirm | Twist, Wriggle |
| Robin | Type of bird |
| Poetic Devices | |
| snorting like an engine | Simile |
| Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon | Simile |
| With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm | Onomatopoeia |
| With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm | Alliteration |
| He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm | Simile |
But Custord jumped up at the pirate. His nose was producing sounds of an engine. [He was very angry]. He struck the pirate with his tail. His tail was as hard as the iron rods of a cage. He twisted and moved his body. Every time it produced a metallic sound. [Meaning that his body was very strong and powerful]. He attacked the pirate as a bird attacks a worm. [The pirate was helpless, he could not do anything]
| Word | Meaning |
| Gaped | Stared |
| Gulped | Swallowed |
| Grog | Alcoholic drink with water, Liquor |
| Flagon | Container |
| Gobbled | Eat quickly, Swallow quickly |
| Poetic Devices | |
| And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon, | Alliteration |
The pirated started at the Belinda’s dragon. He took out a container from his pocket and drank some liquor. Then he fired two bullet but these did not hit the dragon. And the dragon quickly ate every piece of the pirate.
| Word | Meaning |
| Embraced | Hugged |
| Mourned | Felt sad |
| Glee | Happiness, Joy |
| Gyrate | Dance |
| Poetic Devices | |
| Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him, | Repetition |
| Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate | Alliteration |
| Around the dragon that ate the pirate. | Repetition |
| Around the dragon that ate the pirate. | Alliteration |
Belinda hugged the dragon and Mustard licked him. No one was feeling sad for the pirate who was eaten by the dragon. Ink and Blink danced with joy around the dragon that had eaten the robber. Everybody was happy that dragon had saved them from the robber.
| Word | Meaning |
| Flustered | Confused |
| Poetic Devices | |
| And up spoke Ink and up spoke Blink | Repetition |
| That everybody is braver than me. | Alliteration |
Now the little dog Mustard spoke. He said that he would have been twice as brave as dragon if he was not confused. Now Ink and Blink also spoke. They said they would have been thrice as brave as the dragon. Custard agreed that everybody was braver than him.
Belinda continues to live in a white coloured house. She has a black coloured baby cat as her pet. She also has a grey mouse, yellow dog and a really little dragon as a pet. She also has a small wagon of red colour.
Belinda is as brave as a group of bears. Ink and Blink are so brave that they can chase away lion. [Meaning that they are more brave than lions]. Mustard is as brave as an angry tiger. But custard always wants to stay in a cage for his safety.
Poet wants to say that nothing has changed. Every animal continues to behave as earlier. No one appreciates bravery of dragon.
****
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