Vocation
English Workshop
1.Which of the following words / phrases match in meaning to the underlined ones?
(a) deserted
(b) exposed to heat
(c) dirties the clothings
(d) no particular route
(e) following imaginary goals
(f) scolds and corrects
Answer:
(i) Nobody takes him to task → (f) scolds and corrects
(ii) If he gets baked in the sun → (b) exposed to heat
(iii) Chasing the shadows with my lantern → (e) following imaginary goals
(iv) The lane is dark and lonely → (a) deserted
(v) He soils his clothes with dust → (c) dirties the clothing
(vi) There is no road he must take → (d) no particular route
2. Read the poem and fill in the table.
Answer: Time of the Day Activities
| Time of the Day | Location | Poet’s Activity | Hawker’s Activities | Gardener’s Activities | Watchman’s Activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | Garden | Observing nature | Selling goods in the streets | Watering plants | Sleeping after night duty |
| Afternoon | Marketplace | Thinking and writing | Calling out to customers | Trimming plants | Resting |
| Night | Home/Balcony | Watching the stars | Gone home | Resting | Patrolling the streets |
3. Think and answer in your own words.
(a) What could be the age group of the speaker in the poem?
Answer: The speaker is most likely a young child, possibly between 6 to 12 years old, as he dreams about different professions and desires the freedom he sees in them.
(b) What is the difference between a hawker and a shopkeeper?
Answer: A hawker moves from place to place selling goods, while a shopkeeper stays in one location, selling from a fixed shop.
(c) How do parents react when they see children soil their clothes in dust and heat?
Answer: Parents usually scold or correct their children when they dirty their clothes, as they want them to stay clean and presentable.
(d) Why is the street light compared to a one-red-eyed-giant?
Answer: The streetlight is tall and glowing red, resembling a giant with one red eye, creating an eerie, watchful presence in the night.
(e) What exactly does the speaker in the poem crave for?
Answer: The speaker longs for freedom from rules and restrictions, just like the hawker, gardener, and watchman, who seem to work without supervision.
(f) Does the poet really wish to become a hawker/gardener/watchman? Justify your response.
Answer: No, the poet doesn’t actually want to be a hawker, gardener, or watchman. Instead, he desires their freedom and independence, as he feels restricted by school and parental rules.
4. Say why the speaker of the poem wishes to be a –
Answer:
(a) Hawker → Because a hawker is free to roam and sell things without a fixed schedule.
(b) Gardener → Because a gardener works as he pleases and no one scolds him even if he gets dirty or exposed to the sun.
(c) Watchman → Because a watchman stays awake all night and does not have to follow a strict routine like the child.
5. Pick out lines that contain Alliteration, Simile, Repetition, Onomatopoeia.
Answer:
- Alliteration: “Bangles, crystal bangles!” (Repetition of ‘B’ sound)
- Simile: “The street lamp stands like a giant with one red eye in its head.”
- Repetition: “Bangles, crystal bangles!” (The phrase is repeated)
- Onomatopoeia: “The gong sounds ten in the morning.” (Sound of the gong)
6. Some poets do not use uniformity in rhyming words, nor a steady rhythm. Such poems with no uniformity in rhyme, rhythm, length of lines or stanzas are called Free Verse. Walt Whitman, Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, Rabindranath Tagore are some famous poets who have composed poems in Free Verse.
A quick glance at the poem ‘Vocation’ reveals that the style used by Tagore is Free Verse. Now turn the pages of your textbook and see if you can find other poems in Free Verse.
Answer: The poem “Vocation” is written in Free Verse, meaning it does not follow a fixed rhyme or rhythm. Other famous poets like Walt Whitman and T.S. Eliot also used Free Verse. You can check your textbook to find other Free Verse poems.
7. What vocation / profession / business would you like to take up in future? Prepare a fact file for the same using the following points.
Answer:
(i) Name of the vocation / profession / business → Vocation: Doctor
(ii) Educational qualifications required → MBBS, MD
(iii) Work profile / description → Work Profile: Diagnosing and treating patients
(iv) Opportunities for advancement → Specialization in different medical fields
(v) Your personal skills / talents for the choice→ Personal Skills: Compassion, patience, strong memory, and problem-solving skills
8. Read and understand the following poem ‘Paper Boats’ and write its paraphrase in your own simple language. (You may take the help of dictionary or internet.) The first line is done for you.
(Day after day, one after another, I sail paper boats on the stream of flowing water.)
Answer:
The poem “Paper Boats” describes a child’s imagination. The speaker makes paper boats and sends them floating in the water, believing that someone far away will find them. This represents childhood innocence and dreams of adventure.
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