Vocation NCERT Solutions for Chapter 9 of Class 5 English (Santoor Textbook)
NCERT Solutions — Vocation (Class 5 English)
Here is a full NCERT solution for Class 5 English — Chapter “Vocation” (Santoor / NCERT Book), covering Let Us Think, Let Us Learn, Let Us Speak / Write, and other typical exercise parts.
Let Us Think
A. Answer the following
- Who is the speaker in the poem?
Answer: The speaker is the poet, Rabindranath Tagore, expressing his wishes through a child’s perspective. - Why does the speaker want to be a hawker?
Answer: The speaker envies the hawker’s freedom — no hurry, no fixed path, no definite time to return, and the ability to roam freely. - What does he like about the gardener?
Answer: He admires that the gardener can work with his spade, get his clothes dusty, dig as he pleases, and no one scolds him, whether he bakes in the sun or gets wet. - What does the speaker compare the street lamp to?
Answer: He compares it to a giant with one red eye in his head. - On the basis of the poem, share the daily schedule of the speaker.
Answer: In the morning at ten, he walks to school and meets the hawker. In the afternoon around four, he returns home and sees the gardener digging. At night, he is sent to bed but sees the watchman walking up and down the lane with a lantern.
B. Think and Discuss
- Why does the speaker admire people with different vocations?
Answer: Because to him, their lives seem full of freedom — doing what they like, going where they want, without constraints of time or place. - What do you observe on your way to school and back?
Answer: (Sample response) Trees, vendors, vehicles, other students, shops, birds — many ordinary scenes that show the life around us.
Let Us Learn
A. Here are some of the words from Vocation. Read the poem and match each word with its meaning.
Here’s the correct matching of the words from the poem “Vocation” with their meanings:
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Spade | A tool used for gardening |
| Giant | An imaginary man-like creature of great height and strength |
| Lantern | A case that holds a candle or light in any form and can be easily carried |
| Gong | A metal disc that produces a loud sound when hit with a small hammer |
| Lane | A narrow path |
B. There is one mistake in each sentence given below. Underline the mistakes and rewrite the correct sentences in the given space. One example has been done for you.
Sentence correction
- I has recently read a new book.
→ I have recently read a new book. - The speaker goes for school at ten in the morning.
→ The speaker goes to school at ten in the morning. - The fox ran fast than the others.
→ The fox ran faster than the others. - Mita was slept when the doorbell rang.
→ Mita was sleeping when the doorbell rang. - The old elephant walked slow to the river.
→ The old elephant walked slowly to the river. - Radhika is tall than Suman.
→ Radhika is taller than Suman. - Sudhanshu ran faster of all the runners.
→ Sudhanshu ran faster than all the runners. - My mother are cooking.
→ My mother is cooking. - He go to school everyday.
→ He goes to school every day. - The birds is flying.
→ The birds are flying.
C. Look at the pictures and read the words written under them.
Objects:
Telescope, Hammer, Screwdriver, Grater, Sickle, Stethoscope, Tongs, Camera, Compass, Mouse, Saw
Answer:
- Telescope – I have seen a telescope in the science lab and in movies about astronauts. It is used to see distant objects like stars and planets.
- Hammer – I have seen a hammer at home and with carpenters. It is used for hitting nails into wood or walls.
- Screwdriver – I have seen it with electricians and mechanics. It is used to tighten or loosen screws.
- Grater – I have seen a grater in the kitchen. It is used to grate vegetables, cheese, or coconut.
- Sickle – I have seen a sickle with farmers. It is used for cutting crops and grass.
- Stethoscope – I have seen it with doctors. It is used to listen to a person’s heartbeat and breathing.
- Tongs – I have seen tongs in the kitchen. They are used to hold or lift hot utensils or food.
- Camera – I have seen cameras with photographers and in mobile phones. It is used to take pictures and record videos.
- Compass – I have seen a compass in the geometry box and with travellers. It is used to find directions (North, South, East, West).
- Mouse – I have seen a mouse with a computer. It is used to control the pointer on the computer screen.
- Saw – I have seen a saw with carpenters. It is used to cut wood or branches.
Let us Listen
Activity: Let’s Ask and Answer – Questions from the Poem “Vocation”
Instructions (for students):
- Sit in groups of five.
- Discuss and create two questions based on the poem “Vocation” using WH-family question words (Who, What, When, Where, Why, Which, How).
- Write your questions in your notebook.
- Keep your textbooks closed once done.
- Each group will share their questions aloud.
- Other groups will answer them one by one until everyone has had a turn.
Sample Questions and Answers :
- Question: Who is the poet of the poem “Vocation”?
Answer: The poet of the poem is Rabindranath Tagore. - Question: What does the child wish to become when he sees the hawker?
Answer: The child wishes to become a hawker who sells goods freely on the streets. - Question: Where does the watchman walk at night?
Answer: The watchman walks up and down the dark and lonely street at night. - Question: Why does the child envy the gardener?
Answer: The child envies the gardener because he works freely in the sun and nobody scolds him. - Question: When does the watchman return home?
Answer: The watchman returns home at dawn when everyone else is asleep. - Question: How does the poet describe the gardener’s work?
Answer: The poet describes the gardener’s work as free and joyful, even though he works hard all day.
Note to the Teacher:
- Help students recall WH-question words like Who, What, When, Where, Why, Which, and How.
- Allow creativity—students can form factual or interpretative questions.
- Encourage every group to ask and answer at least two questions.
- Duration: 25–40 minutes, depending on class size.
- This activity can also be used with other lessons or poems.
Let us Speak
A. Listen and Repeat
Your teacher will say aloud the following words.
Listen carefully and repeat after the teacher.
| Word Pair 1 | Word Pair 2 |
|---|---|
| cushion | ration |
| fashion | tension |
| mention | attention |
| nation | vocation |
Note to the Teacher
- Say each pair of words clearly and slowly.
- Ask learners to listen carefully and repeat after you.
- Encourage correct pronunciation and clarity.
- This exercise should be done regularly and frequently to improve pronunciation and listening skills.
B. Listen and speak
The speaker of the poem wants to do many things.
• Think of a time when you wanted to do many things but could not.
• What were the things you wanted to do?
• What difficulties did you face in doing many things at once?
• How did it make you feel?
• Share your views with your classmates.
Activity: The Speaker Wants to Do Many Things
Question:
Think of a time when you wanted to do many things but could not.
What were the things you wanted to do? What difficulties did you face in doing many things at once? How did it make you feel?
Sample Answer:
Last Sunday, I wanted to do many things at the same time. I wanted to play cricket with my friends, watch my favourite cartoon, help my mother in the kitchen, and also finish my homework.
But I could not do everything. When I started playing cricket, my mother called me to study. After that, I got tired and could not help her in the kitchen. My friends also left early because it started raining.
I felt a little sad because I could not do all the things I planned. I learned that it is better to do one thing at a time and finish it properly instead of trying to do everything together.
For the Teacher:
- Allow students 10–15 minutes to think and write their responses.
- Encourage them to use their real-life experiences.
- After writing, each student (or volunteer) can share their answer aloud.
- The teacher can also share a short example to inspire students.
Let us Write
- What’s missing?
The child sees only the fun part of each job. What do you think might be the difficult or boring part of being a hawker, a gardener or a watchman? Write a paragraph to express your thoughts. - In the poem, the speaker tells us about the vocations of different people. Write the vocations of any three of your family members, in 50-60 words each, from the list below.
Mother, Grandmother, Aunt, Sister, Father, Brother, Uncle - What vocations are the following people associated with?
• A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
• M. Visvesvaraya
• Janaki Ammal
• M.S. Subbulakshmi
• Salim Ali
Comprehension and Writing – Vocation – Answers of above Questions
1. What’s Missing?
Question:
The child sees only the fun part of each job. What do you think might be the difficult or boring part of being a hawker, a gardener, or a watchman? Write a paragraph to express your thoughts.
Answer:
The difficult part of being a hawker is that he has to walk in the hot sun or rain all day to sell his goods, and sometimes people do not buy anything. A gardener has to work hard under the sun, digging the ground and watering plants every day. His clothes get dirty, and his work is tiring. A watchman has to stay awake all night while others sleep. It can be lonely and sometimes scary. Every job has its challenges, even if it looks easy or fun from outside.
2. Vocations in My Family
Question:
In the poem, the speaker tells us about the vocations of different people. Write the vocations of any three of your family members, in 50–60 words each, from the list below.
(Mother, Grandmother, Aunt, Sister, Father, Brother, Uncle)
Answer:
(a) My Mother:
My mother is a teacher. She teaches English at a nearby school. She wakes up early, prepares lessons, and helps her students learn new things. She also helps me with my homework. Though she works hard all day, she always smiles and takes care of our family.
(b) My Father:
My father is an engineer. He works in an office where he designs machines. He leaves for work early in the morning and comes home in the evening. He is very hardworking and always tells me to be honest and disciplined in life.
(c) My Grandmother:
My grandmother is a homemaker. She cooks delicious food for us and keeps the house neat and clean. She also tells me wonderful stories at night. Though she doesn’t go to an office, she works all day and makes our home a happy place.
3. What vocations are the following people associated with?
| Name | Vocation / Profession |
|---|---|
| A.P.J. Abdul Kalam | Scientist and former President of India |
| M. Visvesvaraya | Engineer and statesman |
| Janaki Ammal | Botanist (Plant Scientist) |
| M.S. Subbulakshmi | Classical singer |
| Salim Ali | Ornithologist (Bird Scientist) |
Teacher’s Note:
- Encourage students to think about different kinds of work people do—paid and unpaid.
- Discuss how every job, whether small or big, is important for society.
- Use this activity to talk about respecting all professions and understanding gender equality in work.
Let us Do
Job Mix–Up!
There is something unusual in the given pictures. Notice carefully the things that you find strange. One example has been done for you.
Example:
- A chef’s job is to cook delicious meals, not to drive a fire engine.
That’s something firefighters do.
Now write two sentences for each picture:
- Chef
- A chef is supposed to cook meals, not drive a fire engine.
- Driving a fire engine is the job of a firefighter.
- Doctor
- A doctor is supposed to treat patients, not regulate traffic on a road.
- Controlling traffic is the duty of a traffic police officer.
- Policeman
- A policeman is supposed to maintain law and order, not treat the sick as doctors do.
- Treating sick people is the job of a doctor.
- Lawyer
- A lawyer is supposed to handle legal matters, not draw architectural designs.
- Drawing building designs is the work of an architect.
- Scuba Diver
- A scuba diver is supposed to swim and explore under water, not teach students in a classroom.
- Teaching students is the job of a teacher.
- Construction Worker
- A construction worker is supposed to build and repair structures, not mend shoes.
- Mending shoes is the job of a cobbler.
Grammar Focus:
Each sentence uses “is supposed to” — showing someone’s correct duty or expected job.
Let us Explore
beekeeper dancer photographer teacher chef pilot farmer florist
A. Which vocation from the above illustrations would you choose for yourself? And why?
Answer:
I would choose to be a pilot because I love flying and exploring new places. Pilots get to travel around the world and see beautiful sights from the sky. It is an exciting and adventurous job.
B. Is there any other vocation not shown in the pictures that you would like to take up as your dream job? Support your answer with a reason.
Answer:
My dream job is to become a scientist because I want to discover new things and help solve real-world problems. Scientists help make our lives better with new inventions and technologies.
C. Draw yourself in the selected vocation in the blank space provided.
Instructions for Students:
- Draw yourself wearing the outfit or uniform of your chosen profession.
- Add tools or objects related to that job (for example: a stethoscope for a doctor, a camera for a photographer, an airplane for a pilot, etc.).
- Write a caption below your drawing such as “I am a Pilot!” or “I am a Scientist!”
Example Caption:
“I am a Pilot! I fly airplanes and explore the world.”