Class 10 - Synonyms - 7. Madam Rides the Bus

Read the paragraph and write the synonym of the underlined words choosing from the words given in the brackets:

1. ( uninteresting           beloved     companions       occurring     interested       neighbours )

There was a girl named Valliammai who was called Valli for short. She was eight years old and very curious (a) about things. Her favourite (b) pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house, watching what was happening (c) in the street outside. There were no playmates (d) of her own age on her street, and this was about all she had to do.

2. ( detailed        captivating         pleasant       surprising   uncommon        beloved ) 

     But for Valli, standing at the front door was every bit as enjoyable (a) as any of the elaborate (b) games other children played. Watching the street gave her many new unusual (c) experiences. The most fascinating (d) thing of all was the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town.

3. ( strong       foolishly       ignite       kindly   thoughtfully        slipped )

Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept (a) 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 (b) desire. Valli would stare wistfully (c) at the people who got on or off the bus when it stopped at the street corner. Their faces would kindle (d) in her longings, dreams, and hopes.

4. ( tactful      habitually            profoundly   attentively       hardly       tactics)  

Over many days and months Valli listened carefully (a) to conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly (b) used the bus, and she also asked a few discreet (c)  questions here and there. This way she picked up various small details about the bus journey. The town was six miles from her village. The fare was thirty paise one way — “which is almost nothing at all,” she heard one well-dressed man say, but to Valli, who scarcely (d) saw that much money from one month to the next, it seemed a fortune. 

5. ( glanced            shivered    shining     absorbed        deluxe          normal )

     It was a new bus, its outside painted a gleaming (a) 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. (b) 

 

     Valli devoured (c) 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 (d) over the blind.

6. (  heavily        proudly         worried             managed  interrupted  displeased )

Sitting down, she looked to see who had spoken. It was an elderly man who had honestly been concerned (a) for her, but she was annoyed (b) by his attention.

 

     “There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily (c). “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”

 

     The conductor chimed (d) in. “Oh, sir, but this is a very grown-up madam. Do you think a mere girl could pay her own fare and travel to the city all alone?”

7. ( sharply      brilliantly   outgoing        advice  warning       unpleasant )

Valli found the woman absolutely repulsive — (a)  such big holes she had in her ear lobes, and such ugly earrings in them! And she could smell the betel nut the woman was chewing and see the betel juice that was threatening (b) to spill over her lips at any moment. Ugh! — who could be sociable (c) with such a person?

 

     “Yes, I’m travelling alone,” she answered curtly (d) . “And I’ve got a ticket too.”

8. ( candidly        thorough      desire       firmly      wisely      weakly )

Her first journey — what careful, painstaking (a), elaborate plans she had had to make for it! She had thriftily (b) saved whatever stray coins came her way, resisting every temptation (c)  to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, and the like, and finally she had saved a total of sixty paise. How difficult it had been, particularly that day at the village fair, but she had resolutely (d) stifled a strong desire to ride the merry-go-round, even though she had the money.

9. ( happiness    affected       beeped   walked   move slowly         ran fast

Suddenly Valli clapped her hands with glee (a) . A young cow, tail high in the air, was running very fast, right in the middle of the road, right in front of the bus. The bus slowed to a crawl (b) , and the driver sounded his horn loudly again and again. But the more he honked (c), the more frightened the animal became and the faster it galloped — (d)  always right in front of the bus.

10. ( sparkling     gazed       cried      crossed      items      appearing ) 

Then the bus went on and passed the train station. From there it traversed (a) a busy, well-laid-out shopping street and, turning, entered a wider thoroughfare. Such big, bright-looking shops! What glittering (b) displays of clothes and other merchandise (c)! Such big crowds! Struck dumb with wonder, Valli gaped (d) at everything.

 

11. ( weakening      attached       detached         sober    excitement        disturbed )

The bus moved on. The memory of the dead cow haunted (a) her, dampening (b)  her enthusiasm (c). She no longer wanted to look out the window. She sat thus, glued (d)  to her seat, until the bus reached her village at three forty.