What was Valli’s favourite pastime?
Valli's favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house, watching what was happening in the street outside. Since there were no playmates of her own age on her street, this activity was about all she had to do.
For Valli, standing at the front door was every bit as enjoyable as any of the elaborate games other children played. Watching the street gave her many new and unusual experiences, making it a deeply engaging activity for the curious young girl.
Explanation
The textbook explicitly mentions that Valli's favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house and observing the street. Because she lacked playmates of her own age, this observation became her primary source of entertainment, offering her as much joy as elaborate games and providing her with many unusual experiences.
Solution Steps
Step 1: Identify the direct statement in the text regarding Valli's favourite pastime (standing in the front doorway, watching the street).
Step 2: Note the context explaining why she did this (no playmates of her own age) and what it provided her (new unusual experiences, enjoyment equivalent to elaborate games).
Step 3: Combine these points into a concise, 2-mark student answer with proper paragraph breaks and bold key terms.