NCERT Textbook: Vocation | English Santoor Class 5 - New NCERT PDF Download

 Page 1


Let us Recite
(1)
When the gong sounds ten in the morning and 
I walk to school by our lane,
Every day I meet the hawker crying, “Bangles, 
crystal bangles!”
There is nothing to hurry him on, there is no 
road he must take, no place he must go to, no 
time when he must come home.
    I wish I were a hawker, spending my day in 
the road, crying, “Bangles, crystal bangles!”
9 Vocation
Unit 5: Work is Worship
Chapter 9.indd   105 6/10/2025   4:37:17 PM
Page 2


Let us Recite
(1)
When the gong sounds ten in the morning and 
I walk to school by our lane,
Every day I meet the hawker crying, “Bangles, 
crystal bangles!”
There is nothing to hurry him on, there is no 
road he must take, no place he must go to, no 
time when he must come home.
    I wish I were a hawker, spending my day in 
the road, crying, “Bangles, crystal bangles!”
9 Vocation
Unit 5: Work is Worship
Chapter 9.indd   105 6/10/2025   4:37:17 PM
(2)
When at four in the afternoon I come 
back from the school.
 I can see through the gate of that 
house the gardener digging the ground.
 He does what he likes with his spade, 
he soils his clothes with dust, nobody 
takes him to task if he gets baked in the 
sun or gets wet.
 I wish I were a gardener digging away 
at the garden with nobody to stop me 
from digging.
Chapter 9.indd   106 6/10/2025   4:37:21 PM
Page 3


Let us Recite
(1)
When the gong sounds ten in the morning and 
I walk to school by our lane,
Every day I meet the hawker crying, “Bangles, 
crystal bangles!”
There is nothing to hurry him on, there is no 
road he must take, no place he must go to, no 
time when he must come home.
    I wish I were a hawker, spending my day in 
the road, crying, “Bangles, crystal bangles!”
9 Vocation
Unit 5: Work is Worship
Chapter 9.indd   105 6/10/2025   4:37:17 PM
(2)
When at four in the afternoon I come 
back from the school.
 I can see through the gate of that 
house the gardener digging the ground.
 He does what he likes with his spade, 
he soils his clothes with dust, nobody 
takes him to task if he gets baked in the 
sun or gets wet.
 I wish I were a gardener digging away 
at the garden with nobody to stop me 
from digging.
Chapter 9.indd   106 6/10/2025   4:37:21 PM
(3)
Just as it gets dark in the evening and my 
mother sends me to bed,
 I can see through my open window the 
watchman walking up and down.
 The lane is dark and lonely, and the  
street-lamp stands like a giant with one red eye 
in its head.
 The watchman swings his lantern and walks 
with his shadow at his side, and never once goes 
to bed in his life.
 I wish I were a watchman walking the streets 
all night, chasing the shadows with my lantern.
– ? R a b i n d R a n a t h ? t a g o R e
Chapter 9.indd   107 6/10/2025   4:37:24 PM
Page 4


Let us Recite
(1)
When the gong sounds ten in the morning and 
I walk to school by our lane,
Every day I meet the hawker crying, “Bangles, 
crystal bangles!”
There is nothing to hurry him on, there is no 
road he must take, no place he must go to, no 
time when he must come home.
    I wish I were a hawker, spending my day in 
the road, crying, “Bangles, crystal bangles!”
9 Vocation
Unit 5: Work is Worship
Chapter 9.indd   105 6/10/2025   4:37:17 PM
(2)
When at four in the afternoon I come 
back from the school.
 I can see through the gate of that 
house the gardener digging the ground.
 He does what he likes with his spade, 
he soils his clothes with dust, nobody 
takes him to task if he gets baked in the 
sun or gets wet.
 I wish I were a gardener digging away 
at the garden with nobody to stop me 
from digging.
Chapter 9.indd   106 6/10/2025   4:37:21 PM
(3)
Just as it gets dark in the evening and my 
mother sends me to bed,
 I can see through my open window the 
watchman walking up and down.
 The lane is dark and lonely, and the  
street-lamp stands like a giant with one red eye 
in its head.
 The watchman swings his lantern and walks 
with his shadow at his side, and never once goes 
to bed in his life.
 I wish I were a watchman walking the streets 
all night, chasing the shadows with my lantern.
– ? R a b i n d R a n a t h ? t a g o R e
Chapter 9.indd   107 6/10/2025   4:37:24 PM
108
Santoor  Grade 5
New Words
vocation  gong  lane  giant  spade  lantern
Let us Think
A. Answer the following questions.
 1. Who is the speaker in the poem?
 2. Why does the speaker want to be a hawker?
 3. What does he like about the gardener?
 4. What does the speaker compare the  
street lamp to?
 5. On the basis of the poem that you have read, 
share the daily schedule of the speaker.
B. Think and discuss.
 1. Why does the speaker 
admire people with 
different vocations?
 2. What are the things 
that you observe on 
your way to school 
and your way back 
home?
Chapter 9.indd   108 6/10/2025   4:37:25 PM
Page 5


Let us Recite
(1)
When the gong sounds ten in the morning and 
I walk to school by our lane,
Every day I meet the hawker crying, “Bangles, 
crystal bangles!”
There is nothing to hurry him on, there is no 
road he must take, no place he must go to, no 
time when he must come home.
    I wish I were a hawker, spending my day in 
the road, crying, “Bangles, crystal bangles!”
9 Vocation
Unit 5: Work is Worship
Chapter 9.indd   105 6/10/2025   4:37:17 PM
(2)
When at four in the afternoon I come 
back from the school.
 I can see through the gate of that 
house the gardener digging the ground.
 He does what he likes with his spade, 
he soils his clothes with dust, nobody 
takes him to task if he gets baked in the 
sun or gets wet.
 I wish I were a gardener digging away 
at the garden with nobody to stop me 
from digging.
Chapter 9.indd   106 6/10/2025   4:37:21 PM
(3)
Just as it gets dark in the evening and my 
mother sends me to bed,
 I can see through my open window the 
watchman walking up and down.
 The lane is dark and lonely, and the  
street-lamp stands like a giant with one red eye 
in its head.
 The watchman swings his lantern and walks 
with his shadow at his side, and never once goes 
to bed in his life.
 I wish I were a watchman walking the streets 
all night, chasing the shadows with my lantern.
– ? R a b i n d R a n a t h ? t a g o R e
Chapter 9.indd   107 6/10/2025   4:37:24 PM
108
Santoor  Grade 5
New Words
vocation  gong  lane  giant  spade  lantern
Let us Think
A. Answer the following questions.
 1. Who is the speaker in the poem?
 2. Why does the speaker want to be a hawker?
 3. What does he like about the gardener?
 4. What does the speaker compare the  
street lamp to?
 5. On the basis of the poem that you have read, 
share the daily schedule of the speaker.
B. Think and discuss.
 1. Why does the speaker 
admire people with 
different vocations?
 2. What are the things 
that you observe on 
your way to school 
and your way back 
home?
Chapter 9.indd   108 6/10/2025   4:37:25 PM
109
Vocation
Let us Learn
A. Here are some of the words from Vocation. Read 
the poem and match each word with its meaning.
A tool used for gardening
An imaginary man-like 
creature of great height 
and strength
A case that holds a candle 
or light in any form and 
can be easily carried
A metal disc that produces 
a loud sound when hit 
with a small hammer
A narrow path
Gong
Spade
Lane
Giant
Lantern
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.
 1. I has recently read a new book.
  .......................................................................................
 2. The speaker goes for school at ten in the 
morning.
  .......................................................................................
I have recently read a new book.
Chapter 9.indd   109 6/10/2025   4:37:27 PM