Thinking About Language. Write a page — about three paragraphs — on one of the following topics : Have you ever planned something entirely on your own, without taking grownups into your confidence? What did you plan, and how? Did you carry out your plan?

Thinking About the Text. The author describes the things that Valli sees from an eight-year-old’s point of view. Can you find evidence from the text for this statement?

Thinking About the Text. What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening without our knowledge” ?

Thinking About the Text. Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back?

Find the lines in the text which tell you that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus.

Thinking About the Text. Why does the conductor refer to Valli as ‘madam’?