Circle of Learning • New NCERT textbook "Kaveri" (2026-27) • Reflect and Respond, Check Your Understanding, Critical Reflection, Vocabulary and Structures, Listening, Speaking, Writing, Learning Beyond the Text, and the poem "Gifts of Grace: Honouring Our Vocations" – complete answers
Reflect and Respond
Look at the pictures and identify the vocations. Now, list at least five more vocations.
Answer
Vocations in the pictures: (i) basket weaving (basket maker), (ii) pottery (potter), (iii) handloom weaving (weaver), (iv) carpentry (carpenter).
Five more vocations: blacksmith, tailor, goldsmith, cobbler (shoemaker), embroiderer, mason, sculptor, painter.
What is common among these pictures?
Answer
We refer to such skill-based work as v__ __ a __ __ o __ s.
Answer
Mention a few differences between handmade and machine-made products.
Answer
1. All the pictures show artisans making useful things with their own hands, using traditional skills and simple tools.
2. vocations
(i) Handmade products are made one at a time by skilled artisans, while machine-made products are produced in large numbers in factories.
(ii) Each handmade product is unique, with small differences; machine-made products are identical.
(iii) Handmade products take more time and are usually costlier; machine-made products are quick to make and cheaper.
(iv) Handmade products often use natural, eco-friendly materials and carry the culture and tradition of a region.
Answer
Check Your Understanding (Part I)
Do you think pot making is easy? If yes, why? If no, why not?
Answer
No. Pot making is very hard work. Arenla has to walk sixteen kilometres to the riverbank, climb down a sheer drop and carry heavy loads of clay uphill. Pounding the stubborn clay is tedious, shaping needs great skill, the firing must be watched carefully, and it takes months to produce a batch – all for "a few rupees".
Would Sentila be able to fulfil her dream of becoming a pot maker? Explain.
Answer
Yes, she probably would. She is passionate about the craft and keeps visiting the expert potters to watch and learn. Also, the village council has reminded Mesoba that Arenla must pass on the skill to her daughter, and Mesoba has promised that Sentila will soon make "the best pots in the village".
Do you think Mesoba and Arenla would support Sentila? Give a reason.
Answer
Yes. Mesoba has told the village council that Arenla never refused to teach Sentila, and the elders reminded them that it is their duty to hand down the traditional skill. Arenla also knew about Sentila's visits to the potters but pretended to be ignorant, which suggests she did not really want to stop her.
Check Your Understanding (Part II)
Do you think Onula's support helped Sentila? If yes, why? If no, why not?
Answer
Yes. Onula noticed that Sentila was too tense, showed her how to make a perfect pot and encouraged her to try again. Sentila worked "with a confidence she had never felt before" and made a beautiful pot. Onula also advised her to watch her mother shaping the mouth of the pot, which finally completed her learning.
Sentila observes her mother making pots. What does this tell us about her?
Answer
It shows that Sentila is observant, eager to learn and willing to take advice. She is a quick learner who learns by carefully watching skilled people, and she does not give up on her dream.
Arrange the following events of the story in the correct sequence.
Answer
Correct sequence: 4, 6, 3, 1, 8, 5, 2, 9, 7
Order | Event |
1 | (4) Sentila was passionate about pottery but did not share it with her mother. |
2 | (6) Sentila overheard her mother saying that pot making was a tiring job and that she earned very little from it. |
3 | (3) Sentila observed how other expert potters crafted beautiful pots. |
4 | (1) The village council called Mesoba to know about Arenla's unwillingness to teach pottery to Sentila. |
5 | (8) Sentila learnt the art of pot making for a year from her mother, but was unsuccessful. |
6 | (5) Onula guided Sentila in the art of pot making. |
7 | (2) Arenla made a new batch of pots and asked Sentila to continue the work as she was unwell. |
8 | (9) Sentila was able to make pots quickly and skilfully, just one less than her mother's. |
9 | (7) Onula observed two rows of pots inside the work shed, which she felt was the work of two people. |
Critical Reflection
Extract 1: "Pounding the stubborn clay inside bamboo cylinders to soften it, is also tedious ... the time spent on weaving one shawl is much less and the return is handsome."
Answer
(i) Choose the correct reason for the assertion (A): The effort in making pots is far greater than the returns.
A. The process of pot making is quite tiresome and long, and one hardly earns much.
(ii) Why does Arenla want Sentila to learn weaving?
Answer
Because weaving earns much more money, provides enough cloth for the family, is not messy, can be done indoors in all seasons and takes much less time.
(iii) State one advantage that weaving has over pot making, as per the extract.
Weaving can be done indoors in all seasons (it is also not messy and gives a handsome return in less time).
(iv) Choose the sentence that uses the word 'handsome' in the same way as in the extract.
B. They will make a handsome profit selling this property.
(v) 'And the reward?' What is the author's purpose of using a question mark here?
Answer
It is a rhetorical question. Arenla uses it to draw attention to how small and disappointing the reward is after so much labour, and then answers it herself: "A few rupees."
Extract 2: "Onula saw her taking out some clay ... Onula fashioned a beautiful pot and asked her to try again."
(i) Onula feels Sentila's effort at making a pot is clumsy because ______.
Sentila was too tense, so the clay did not yield the right shape.
(ii) 'Don't worry, little one, I shall teach you how to make a perfect pot.' This shows that Onula was ______.
C. thoughtful and generous
(iii) Which among the following is the effect of a cause?
Answer
A. As a result, the clay seemed unable or unwilling to yield the right shape.
(iv) 'Onula fashioned a beautiful pot.' Here, the word 'fashioned' means ______ (created/styled).
created
(v) How might Sentila have felt when she saw 'the misshapen lump fall flat on the ground'?
Answer
She must have felt tired, frustrated and disheartened, perhaps even ashamed that she still could not make a pot despite trying so hard.
Answer the following questions.
Answer
Describe the process of pot making followed by expert pot makers, as observed by Sentila.
Answer
The grey and red clay was dug from the riverbank, soaked, mixed with water and pounded inside bamboo cylinders to soften it. The potter pushed the left hand into a lump of softened clay, rotated it deftly and shaped it with a spatula held in the right hand, with a regular tap, tap. After two or three days, the pots were given a final touch-up and dried in the sun. They were then arranged in a kiln on a bed of hay and dried bamboo, covered with the same materials and fired. The fire had to be tended carefully, as over- or under-firing could ruin the whole batch.
What warning was given to Mesoba by the village council?
Answer
The council warned Mesoba to remind Arenla that it was her duty to teach her daughter the skill handed down from generation to generation. They said skills like pot making did not belong to any individual, and experts had to pass them on to their children and to anyone who wished to learn.
How did Sentila feel when she failed at pot making even after a year of training with her mother?
Answer
She felt ashamed and frustrated. The text says she "hung her head in shame and frustration" while her mother easily turned the lump into a beautiful pot.
'Onula stood there for a long time as if trying to absorb a new phenomenon'. Explain.
Answer
Onula saw two rows of newly made pots that looked exactly alike, and she could not tell one batch from the other. She realised that Sentila had made the second batch, equal in skill to her mother's. This sudden birth of a skilled potter, just as Arenla died, seemed like a wonder to her, so she stood still, trying to understand it.
'The tradition and history of the people did not belong to any individual,' what does this symbolise?
Answer
It symbolises that traditional crafts are a shared heritage of the whole community. A skilled person is only a keeper of the craft and has a duty to pass it on, so that the skill, and the culture it represents, survives for future generations.
What is the significance of the concluding line of the story, 'A new pot maker was born'?
Answer
The line shows that Sentila had finally mastered the craft and taken her mother's place. Just as Arenla died, her skill passed on to her daughter, so the tradition continued unbroken. It also suggests a kind of rebirth: Arenla's art lives on in Sentila.
What is the role of perseverance in pursuing one's dreams? Elaborate with reference to Sentila.
Answer
Perseverance means continuing to work towards a goal despite difficulties, and it is the key to achieving one's dreams. Sentila dreamt of becoming a potter from childhood, but her mother wanted her to be a weaver. Instead of giving up, she quietly watched expert potters at work. When she trained with her mother, she failed for almost a year and "hung her head in shame and frustration", yet she kept trying. With Onula's guidance she gained confidence, and she carefully observed her mother shaping the mouth of the pot. Finally, when her mother left her alone in the shed, she made pot after pot, just one short of her mother's tally. Sentila's story shows that passion, patience and repeated effort can turn failure into success.
Vocabulary and Structures in Context
Classify the words/phrases in the box (dao, dough, pounding, bamboo, clay, kiln, spatula, basket, cylinders, rotating, bed of hay, shaping) into Tools/Implements, Raw Materials and Process.
Answer
Tools/Implements | Raw Materials | Process |
dao, kiln, spatula, basket, cylinders | dough, clay, bamboo, bed of hay | pounding, rotating, shaping |
Find the meanings of the following words related to economy and frame sentences using each: bankrupt, credit, currency, debt, fiscal, inflation, investment, interest.
Answer
Word | Meaning | Sentence |
bankrupt | officially unable to pay one's debts | The company went bankrupt after years of heavy losses. |
credit | an arrangement to buy now and pay later; money lent by a bank | The farmer bought seeds on credit and paid after the harvest. |
currency | the system of money used in a country | The rupee is the currency of India. |
debt | money that is owed to someone | He worked hard to clear his debt within a year. |
fiscal | related to government revenue, taxes and spending | The government announced new fiscal measures in the budget. |
inflation | a general rise in prices over time | Due to inflation, vegetables cost more this year. |
investment | money put into something to earn a profit | Buying a new loom was a good investment for the weaver. |
interest | money paid for the use of borrowed money or earned on savings | My savings account earns interest every quarter. |
Complete the following sentences with suitable noun clauses.
(i) The elders emphasised that skills like pot making did not belong to any individual.
(ii) Mesoba explained why Arenla had not yet taught Sentila pot making.
(iii) Onula's promise was that she would teach Sentila how to make a perfect pot.
(iv) Sentila observed her mother carefully when she was shaping the mouth of the pot, which helped her learn how to make the rim.
(v) The kiln, where the pots were fired, required careful attention to prevent over-or-under firing.
Answer
Underline the main clause and circle the subordinate clause.
(i) Main clause: Arenla took Sentila to the riverbank | Subordinate clause: where the grey and red clay was found
(ii) Main clause: She started on the next one, and like a sprinter | Subordinate clause: who had suddenly found momentum
(iii) Main clause: skills such as pot making | Subordinate clause: which not only catered to the needs of the people
Answer
Complete the following sentences with suitable relative clauses.
(i) Sentila, whose dream was to become a pot maker, practised the craft diligently.
(ii) The village council, where the elders of the village met, sought an explanation for Arenla's reluctance.
(iii) The potter's hands, which moved with great skill, shaped the clay into beautiful creations.
(iv) Arenla, her mother, wanted her to learn weaving, which earned more money and could be done indoors.
(v) Mesoba went home and discussed the matter with Arenla, who listened to him quietly.
Answer
(i) Find out some more determiners from the text.
Answer
her, a, the, some, many, enough, every, each, another, this, that, these, no, all, one, two, sixteen, few (a few rupees), much (much more money), their, my.
(ii) Fill in the blanks with suitable determiners.
A. The florist arranged five bouquets for her clients, that were displayed in her elegant floral shop.
B. The carpenter crafted three unique tables, and one became the centrepiece in his furniture collection.
C. Each of the apprentices in the culinary class demonstrated their knife skills during the intense cooking session.
D. Many of his sculptures were displayed at the art exhibition, showcasing his diverse artistic skills.
(Other suitable determiners are also acceptable, e.g. "Some of our apprentices", "Several of her sculptures".)
Listen and Respond
You will listen to a man speak about stone statues. Complete the paragraph with the exact words you hear: A statue is carved to create a shape that is 1. ______. Among the many things stone is used for, making stone 2. ______ is one of them. India has some of the most 3. ______ stone sculptures.
Answer
1. visually interesting (a visually interesting three-dimensional shape)
2. sculptures
3. fascinating and mesmerising
Listen to the man speaking about some steps in making stone statues. Select the six correct steps out of the nine given.
Answer
The six correct steps, in the order described by the speaker:
6. choose the stone
3. measure the weight and dimensions of the statue (the sculptor chooses a stone according to the needed weight and dimensions of the statue)
1. carve to remove large unwanted portions of the stone
9. work to bring out the imagined shape
8. detach the creation from the stone as the final statue
5. refine the creation (the sculptor refines it with finishing touches)
Steps not mentioned: 2 (set up the different tools), 4 (leave the statue in water to firm up overnight) and 7 (begin carving from the centre).
Speaking Activity
Prepare a role-play between Sentila and one other character (Arenla, Mesoba, Onula or a village elder) covering Sentila's desire to learn pot making, the challenges she faces and the advice the other character offers.
Answer
Sample role-play (Sentila and Onula):
Onula: Why are you sitting alone with your clay, little one? Everyone has gone to the musical evening.
Sentila: Aunty, I wish I could make pots like my mother because I have dreamt of it since I was a child. But the clay never listens to me.
Onula: I watched you. Your hands are too tense. When you are tense, the clay refuses to take shape.
Sentila: I felt so ashamed because I practised with my mother for almost a year and still failed. She only sits and watches me.
Onula: Don't worry, little one, I shall teach you how to make a perfect pot. Relax your shoulders, keep your left hand steady inside the clay and let the spatula tap gently.
Sentila: Look, Aunty! It is a real pot! When you said I could do it, it made me feel confident for the first time.
Onula: It is beautiful, but the mouth of the pot is all wrong. Next time, watch your mother carefully when she shapes the mouth. You are a quick learner, and you will do well.
Sentila: I will, Aunty. One day I will make pots just like my mother's.
Writing Task
Reflective Writing – Identifying Skills and Passion: Follow the steps (Introduction, Describing skills, Passion into profession, Examples and reflection, Conclusion) to create a write-up about your skills and passions.
Answer
Model answer:
My Passion for Drawing and Design
Ever since I was small, I have loved drawing. Sketching people, buildings and nature makes me calm and happy, and it lets me express ideas that I cannot always put into words.
To develop this skill, I attend weekend art classes, practise sketching every evening and have recently started learning simple graphic design on a computer at school. I also design posters for school events and the class notice board.
I believe drawing and digital design can turn my passion into a profession. A career in graphic or product design needs creativity, an eye for colour and detail, and computer skills, and I am building all three.
Last year, I designed the poster for our school's cleanliness drive. Seeing students stop to read it made me realise that design can carry a message and influence people. This experience made me more confident and showed me that art can be both useful and meaningful.
Through this reflection, I have understood that my hobby is also a strength. With regular practice and proper training, I hope to become a designer who creates things that are beautiful as well as helpful to society.
Learning Beyond the Text
Find out about the different styles of indigenous pottery. Match the pictures with the pottery each represents.
Answer
Picture (as printed in the book) | Pottery style |
Top row, first – bright multi-coloured glazed jars and vases | Khurja pottery, Uttar Pradesh |
Top row, second – blue and white plates and vases | Blue pottery, Jaipur |
Top row, third – reddish-brown clay figures and horses | Terracotta, West Bengal |
Bottom row, first – glazed bowls with painted patterns | Andretta pottery, Himachal Pradesh |
Bottom row, second – heaps of small red clay pots | Karigari pottery, Tamil Nadu |
Bottom row, third – black cooking pots and kettles | Longpi Black pottery, Manipur |
Read the story 'Quality' by John Galsworthy. Write its review and make a presentation highlighting the decline of traditional crafts and skills vs. industrialisation and mass-produced goods.
Answer
Sample review:
Review: "Quality" by John Galsworthy
"Quality" is a moving story about Mr Gessler, a German bootmaker in London who makes boots only to order, by hand, with the best leather. The narrator, his customer since childhood, admires boots that "lasted terribly" and that "never failed to fit". Gessler treats bootmaking as an art ("Id is an ardt!") and is hurt when big firms win customers "by advertisement, nod by work". As orders shrink, he loses his brother, ages quickly and finally dies of "slow starvation", still making boots of the finest quality. The story is told simply, and Gessler's German accent makes him real and touching.
Presentation points: (i) Handmade goods carry skill, care and pride, but take time and cost more. (ii) Mass production and advertising offer cheap, quick goods, so customers stop waiting for craftsmen. (iii) As a result, traditional artisans, like Gessler or the potters in "The Pot Maker", lose their livelihood and skills die out. (iv) Solutions: buying handmade products, fair prices, government support, craft fairs, online markets and teaching skills to the young.
Gifts of Grace: Honouring Our Vocations (Poem) – Reflect and Respond
Read the four riddles and identify who these people are.
Answer
1. A farmer
2. A potter
3. A mason (builder)
4. A cook (chef)
What is the role and relevance of the people you identified in the riddles? How do they contribute to society?
Answer
Sample answer: The farmer grows the food that feeds the whole nation. The potter makes useful and beautiful clay items and keeps an ancient craft alive. The mason builds the homes, schools and hospitals we live and work in. The cook prepares tasty, healthy meals that keep us strong. Each of them meets a basic need of society, and without them our daily life would not run smoothly, so every one of them deserves respect.
Gifts of Grace – Check Your Understanding
State whether the following statements are true or false. Also, rectify the false statements.
Answer
Statement | True/False (with correction) |
1. The poem highlights the skilled work of craftsperson. | True |
2. The poet shares that musicians express emotions through their instruments. | True |
3. The carpenters in the poem are admired for their logical work. | False. The carpenters are admired for creating anything out of wood with mathematical precision (accuracy). |
4. The electricians in the poem are recognised for their crucial role in lighting up lives. | True |
5. The poem pays homage to shoemakers who manufacture quality footwear. | True |
6. The poem celebrates the patriotism of the people of Bharat. | False. The poem celebrates the varied vocations of the people of Bharat and the dignity of their work. |
7. The poet feels that each vocation deserves to be respected. | True |
Let us appreciate the poem.
Answer
1. Rhyme Scheme and Lineation
(i) Does the poem strictly adhere to a rhyme scheme, or is it in free verse?
Answer
It is in free verse; it has no regular rhyme scheme.
(ii) What is the impact of the varying length of lines in the poem?
Answer
The varying lines give the poem a natural, flowing, conversational rhythm, like a list of voices being heard one after another. They also reflect the variety of the vocations being described.
(iii) What is the pattern in the structure of most lines of the poem?
Answer
Most lines begin with a group of workers followed by a present participle (-ing word) describing their activity, e.g. "The carpenters celebrating", "The electricians humming", "The boatmen gathering", "The shoemakers affirming".
Speaker – (i) Who appears to be the speaker and what is her/his role here?
Answer
The speaker is the poet, an observer who listens to the voices of working people across India ("I hear Bharat celebrating"). The speaker's role is to notice, celebrate and honour the different vocations.
Tone and Mood – Fill in the blanks.
Answer
A. The tone is celebratory and reverential, depicting a sense of admiration and respect for the artisans and craftspersons.
B. There is a joyful mood throughout the poem, capturing the vibrancy and richness of cultural traditions and skills.
Imagery – (i) Select any two descriptions from the poem that evoke visual images.
(a) "craft, woven with colours and myriad hues"
(b) "The boatmen gathering their nets from the shore" (also: "work with cables and wires to brighten our lives")
(ii) The poem includes auditory imagery through mentions of artisans with lutes, ______, and ______, emphasising the sounds associated with each vocation.
Answer
the electricians humming; the boatmen singing while at work (also: the delicious singing of the cook)
Metaphor – (i) True or false: The mention of 'delicious singing' of the cook is a metaphor because it implies that the singing is so enjoyable that it can be equated to tasting something delicious.
Answer
True
Personification – (i) Select the line that tells us that the poet personifies vocations.
Answer
"The voice of their vocation is the voice of their identity." (A vocation is given a human voice.)
Repetition – (i) Why might the poet have begun and ended with the same line?
Answer
Repeating the line frames the poem and stresses its main idea – that all of India is celebrating its many vocations. It gives a sense of completeness and leaves the reader with the joyful sound of Bharat at work.
Alliteration – (i) Identify two examples of alliteration from the poem.
(a) "varied vocations"
(b) "sailing, and singing" (also: "voice of their vocation", "craftsperson ... celebrating their craft ... colours")
Answer
Symbolism – (i) Each vocation in the poem symbolises something more than just a job. What does it symbolise?
Answer
Each vocation symbolises the worker's identity, pride and dignity, as well as the culture, tradition and skills of India. It also stands for each person's unique contribution to society.
Gifts of Grace – Critical Reflection
Extract: "The shoemakers affirming the quality of their work, for the feet that walk, dance, run, jump, return home. The delicious singing of the cook, or the rhythm of designer, mason, each celebrating what belongs to them and to none else,"
Answer
What does 'affirm' refer to here?
Answer
(ii) to declare with confidence
What do quality shoes help with, according to the poet?
Answer
They help our feet walk, dance, run and jump comfortably, and bring us safely back home.
What does 'return home' symbolise besides the literal act of returning?
Answer
It symbolises safety, comfort and the completion of life's daily journeys – coming back to one's family, rest and belonging after work and play.
Identify the phrase that tells us that every worker's contribution is distinct.
Answer
"each celebrating what belongs to them and to none else"
'...for the feet that walk, dance, run, jump, return home' refers to ______.
Answer
all the everyday activities and journeys of people's lives, which the shoemaker's work supports.
Answer the following questions.
Answer
Why does the poet say, 'I hear Bharat celebrating, the varied vocations I hear'?
Answer
The poet hears the sounds of people at work all over India – singing, humming, tapping and creating. To him, these sounds are a joyful celebration, because every worker takes pride in his or her vocation.
What does the electrician 'humming' while getting ready for work suggest?
Answer
It suggests that the electrician is happy, relaxed and enjoys the work. Humming also echoes the sound of electricity, linking the worker with his job of brightening our lives.
Explain the significance of the line, 'The voice of their vocation is the voice of their identity.'
Answer
The line means that a person's work is a part of who they are. The skills, pride and sounds of their vocation express their identity, so respecting their work means respecting them as people.
Do you think the role of all the people belonging to different vocations is important in our daily lives? Support your answer with a reason.
Answer
Yes. Every vocation fulfils a need: electricians give us light, cooks feed us, masons build our homes, shoemakers protect our feet. If any one of them stopped working, our daily life would be disturbed, so every job is important.
Why is the poet celebrating all the vocations in the poem? Explain by giving examples from your context.
Answer
The poet celebrates all vocations to show that every kind of work has dignity and value, whether it is done with the hands or the mind. In my own neighbourhood, the vegetable vendor brings fresh food to our door, the sanitation worker keeps our streets clean, the tailor stitches our school uniforms and the electrician repairs our fans in the hot summer. Without them, our lives would be difficult. The poet wants us to look beyond the size of a person's income or status and respect everyone for the skill and effort they put into their work.
How does the poet use sensory imagery to bring out the beauty of everyday work?
Answer
The poet appeals to several senses. Visual images such as "craft, woven with colours and myriad hues" and "boatmen gathering their nets from the shore" help us picture the workers. Auditory images, like "artisans with lutes", "electricians humming", boatmen "singing while at work" and "the rhythm of designer, mason", let us hear their work. The "delicious singing of the cook" even mixes sound and taste. Through these images, ordinary work becomes lively, musical and beautiful.
Gifts of Grace – Vocabulary in Context
Match the vocations in the box (ASHA worker, confectioner, sericulturist, welder, horticulturist, goldsmith) with the descriptions.
Answer
Description | Vocation |
1. A person who studies or grows garden plants | horticulturist |
2. A trained female community health worker | ASHA worker |
3. A producer of raw silk | sericulturist |
4. A person whose job is making or selling sweets and chocolates | confectioner |
5. A metalworker who specialises in working with precious metals | goldsmith |
6. A person who fuses materials together | welder |
Identify the word from Column 2 that is not the synonym of the words given in Column 1.
Answer
Column 1 | Not a synonym |
1. myriad | countable |
2. hues | drawing |
3. precision | calculation |
4. varied | uniform |
5. delicious | inedible |
Gifts of Grace – Listen and Respond
Listen to two friends discussing the occupations of their parents. What does the boy use to understand the details of the tools? (two to three words)
Answer
toy cars (he uses toy cars to discuss the details and usage of the tools with his father, an automobile mechanic)
Listen again and select the correct option: 1. The girl is ___ about taking food for her mother at the factory. 2. The boy thinks the job of the girl's mother carries a lot of ___. 3. The girl ___ why the boy is good at science exhibitions. 4. The girl shares her ___ about joining the weekend discussion on tools.
Answer
1. (i) happy (she wants her mother to have warm food, so she packs it fresh and takes it to her)
2. (iii) responsibility
3. (iii) realises ("No wonder you were so good with mechanical demonstrations during the Science exhibition!")
4. (ii) wish ("I'd love to join in next time.")
Gifts of Grace – Speaking Activity
In groups of five, each student represents one vocation from the poem and speaks for 1–2 minutes: who they are, what they do, where they work, their experiences, problems they face and a message for all.
Answer
Sample speech (an electrician): Good morning, everyone. I am Ramesh, an electrician. I install and repair wiring, fans, lights and switches in homes, shops and offices in my town. I enjoy my work because when I fix a fault, I bring light back into people's lives. Once, I restored the power supply of a small hospital late at night during a storm, and the doctors could continue an operation – I felt very proud that day. My job has problems too: it can be dangerous, I have to climb poles in all kinds of weather, and people sometimes call me only in emergencies and forget to thank me. My message to all of you is: never touch electrical wires with wet hands, save electricity, and respect every worker, because every job keeps the country running.
Gifts of Grace – Writing Task
Your school is organising a 'Career Mela'. Complete the poster for the event.
Answer
Model poster (to be drawn in a box):
SUNRISE PUBLIC SCHOOL, DEHRADUN
announces
CAREER MELA
to spread awareness about various careers
on 25 February from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
at the School Auditorium, Rajpur Road, Dehradun
Highlights
• Details, information and guidance provided for all streams
• Counsellors for all subjects and careers
• Interactive sessions with professionals
CHART YOUR FUTURE AT CAREER MELA
Entry for students and parents: FREE
Sponsored by: City Education Trust
Issued by: Principal, Sunrise Public School
Gifts of Grace – Learning Beyond the Text
Read and enjoy the poem 'The Lamplighter' by R.L. Stevenson.
Answer
This poem is for reading and enjoyment. In it, a small child, who watches Leerie the lamplighter every evening, wishes to become a lamplighter rather than a driver, sailor or banker – showing a child's fascination with a simple vocation.
Visit https://www.msde.gov.in/, collect information on any one vocation of your choice and prepare a presentation explaining the reason for your choice and how it is helpful to society and self.
Answer
Sample presentation outline – Vocation: Solar panel technician.
(i) Reason for choice: India is expanding solar energy, so there is a growing demand for trained technicians; the training is short and practical.
(ii) Helpful to society: provides clean, renewable electricity, reduces pollution and brings power to remote villages.
(iii) Helpful to self: steady income, chance to start one's own business, and the satisfaction of doing environment-friendly work.
Create a Haiku poem (5-7-5 syllables) and share with your classmates and teacher.
Answer
Sample haiku:
Clay turns on the wheel (5)
Patient hands shape a small pot (7)
Earth becomes a home (5)
Extra Important Questions
Short Answer Questions
Why did Arenla not want Sentila to become a pot maker?
Answer
Arenla felt pot making brought her no joy and "only a pittance". It involved hard labour – fetching clay from sixteen kilometres away and pounding it – while weaving earned more, was cleaner and could be done indoors.
How did Mesoba defend Arenla before the village council?
Answer
He humbly said that Arenla had never refused to teach Sentila; they only wanted their daughter to grow stronger after her illness, and soon she would make the best pots in the village.
Who was Onula and how did she help Sentila?
Answer
Onula was a kind, middle-aged widow who supervised the girls' dormitory. She noticed Sentila was too tense, showed her how to make a perfect pot and advised her to watch her mother shaping the mouth of the pot.
Why did Sentila cry, "Mother, I did not wish it to happen this way"?
Answer
Sentila felt that she had finally become a pot maker on the very day her mother died. She felt guilty, as if her success had come at the cost of her mother's life.
What does the line "The voice of their vocation is the voice of their identity" tell us?
Answer
It tells us that people's work is a part of who they are; their skills and pride in their work express their identity.
Long Answer Questions
How does "The Pot Maker" show the importance of passing on traditional skills from one generation to the next?
Answer
The story shows that traditional crafts belong to the whole community and must be passed on. When Arenla seemed unwilling to teach Sentila, the village council worried that if all potters did the same, there would be no experts left. They reminded Mesoba that skills like pot making "did not 'belong' to any individual" and must be taught to anyone who wished to learn. Sentila learnt by watching expert potters, by practising with her mother and with Onula's help. At the end, the two identical rows of pots show that the skill has passed from mother to daughter, and "A new pot maker was born". The craft, and the community's tradition, live on.
Compare Arenla and Onula as guides to Sentila.
Answer
Arenla was a highly skilled potter, but she was tired of the hard work and low income and wanted Sentila to weave. When she finally taught her, she simply sat and watched Sentila struggle, and then quickly made the pot herself, which left Sentila ashamed. Yet she may have been testing her, and in the end she left Sentila alone to work, allowing her to discover her skill. Onula, on the other hand, was gentle and encouraging. She noticed that Sentila was tense, calmed her, demonstrated the process and pointed out her mistake kindly. Both helped Sentila, but Onula built her confidence, while Arenla's silent example gave her the final skill.
How does the poem "Gifts of Grace: Honouring Our Vocations" promote the dignity of labour?
Answer
The poem presents many ordinary workers – craftspersons, musicians, carpenters, electricians, boatmen, shoemakers, cooks, designers and masons – as celebrating their work. Each one is shown with pride and joy: carpenters work with "mathematical precision", electricians "brighten our lives", and shoemakers "affirm" the quality of their work. By saying "the voice of their vocation is the voice of their identity", the poet shows that every job gives a person dignity. The repeated line "I hear Bharat celebrating" suggests that the whole nation is built by such workers, so every vocation deserves equal respect.