Step 1: Understanding the context.
This question is based on the story "Madam Rides the Bus" by Vallikkannan. In the story, Valli is portrayed as a curious and confident child who desires to travel by bus to the nearby town. Her age is explicitly mentioned in the story.
Step 2: Recalling the detail.
It is mentioned that Valli was just eight years old. Despite her young age, she was determined and courageous enough to take a bus ride all alone. This detail is crucial to the theme of the story, as it highlights the innocence and independence of a child.
Step 3: Elimination of incorrect options.
(A) ten: Incorrect — Valli’s age is stated as younger.
(B) seven: Incorrect — Slightly younger than the correct age.
(C) eight: Correct — This is the age given in the text.
(D) twenty: Clearly incorrect — Valli is described as a little girl.
Step 4: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (C) eight, as directly mentioned in the text of the story.