English Language & Literature — CBSE Class 10 board question

Valli and Rajvir both embody youthful curiosity and a burning desire to go beyond the familiar.

Valli, an eight-year-old, is captivated by the bus that passes her village each hour. She watches it day after day until the wish to ride it becomes "an overwhelming desire." She plans meticulously — secretly gathering information, thriftily saving sixty paise by resisting peppermints, balloons, and even the merry-go-round at the village fair. Her journey is entirely self-driven. On the bus she is filled with wonder, laughing at the runaway cow and gazing "struck dumb" at the town's glittering shops. However, she also witnesses the dead cow on her return, and this encounter introduces her to the mystery of life and death, deepening her understanding of the world beyond childhood innocence.

Rajvir, travelling through Assam, is equally enthusiastic. He eagerly absorbs the landscape of tea gardens, shares fascinating legends about the origin of tea with his friend Pranjol, and asks questions about how tea is processed. His curiosity transforms a train journey into a learning experience.

Both characters show that genuine curiosity, careful observation, and the courage to step beyond one's comfort zone are the best tools for understanding the world.

Source: 'Madam Rides the Bus', First Flight (Class 10); 'Tea from Assam', First Flight (Class 10)

---

• Examiners expect you to discuss both characters equally in a comparative question — roughly half the answer each.
• Key points to hit: Valli's meticulous planning + self-reliance + emotional growth (dead cow episode); Rajvir's enthusiasm + knowledge-sharing + curiosity about tea.
• Quote or closely paraphrase the text (e.g., "overwhelming desire," "struck dumb," "thriftily saved") — this shows textual grounding and fetches full marks.
• End with a brief comparative conclusion linking both to the central theme; examiners reward this.
• Keep the answer within ~130–150 words for a 6-mark question.