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Extended, composition-style answers, about 120-150 words each.
19.
You are the head of your school’s literary club. Using ideas from the poem, write a speech to be delivered in the morning assembly on the topic ‘Dignity of Labour’ (120-150 words).
Speech Writing
How to answer:
Use the speech format: greeting, topic, two or three examples from the poem, a call to action, and thanks.
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Answer:
Dignity of Labour
Good morning, respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends. Today I wish to speak on the dignity of labour . We clap for toppers and celebrities, but do we ever thank the carpenter who made our benches or the electrician who lights this hall? A beautiful poem, Gifts of Grace , says, “I hear Bharat celebrating, the varied vocations I hear”. In it, carpenters work with “ mathematical precision ”, shoemakers stand by the quality of their work, and boatmen sing while they sail. The poem reminds us that “the voice of their vocation is the voice of their identity” — every worker’s job is their pride. Friends, no work is small. Let us respect every worker we meet, for they keep our country running. Thank you.
Good morning, respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends. Today I wish to speak on the dignity of labour . We clap for toppers and celebrities, but do we ever thank the carpenter who made our benches or the electrician who lights this hall? A beautiful poem, Gifts of Grace , says, “I hear Bharat celebrating, the varied vocations I hear”. In it, carpenters work with “ mathematical precision ”, shoemakers stand by the quality of their work, and boatmen sing while they sail. The poem reminds us that “the voice of their vocation is the voice of their identity” — every worker’s job is their pride. Friends, no work is small. Let us respect every worker we meet, for they keep our country running. Thank you.
20.
Imagine you are the boatman from the poem. Write a diary entry about a day of joyful work at sea (120-150 words).
Diary Entry
See Line 6
How to answer:
Use the diary format: day and time, ‘Dear Diary’, first-person feelings, the events of the day, and a closing thought.
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Answer:
Tuesday, 9 p.m.
Dear Diary,
What a day at sea! I was at the shore before sunrise, gathering my nets while the sky turned pink. As we sailed out, the others began a song and I joined in — somehow the waves feel friendlier when we sing . The catch was good today. On the way back, old Selvam told us a story about a storm he survived years ago; we laughed and listened as the shore lights came closer. People think a boatman’s life is only hard labour, but they do not hear what I hear — the sea, the songs, the tales we carry home. My boat and my nets are not just my living; they are who I am . Tired, happy, and ready for tomorrow.
— A proud boatman
Dear Diary,
What a day at sea! I was at the shore before sunrise, gathering my nets while the sky turned pink. As we sailed out, the others began a song and I joined in — somehow the waves feel friendlier when we sing . The catch was good today. On the way back, old Selvam told us a story about a storm he survived years ago; we laughed and listened as the shore lights came closer. People think a boatman’s life is only hard labour, but they do not hear what I hear — the sea, the songs, the tales we carry home. My boat and my nets are not just my living; they are who I am . Tired, happy, and ready for tomorrow.
— A proud boatman
21.
Write a short article titled ‘Every Job Matters’ for your school magazine, citing ideas from the poem (120-150 words).
Article Writing
How to answer:
Use the article format: title, byline, an interesting opening, a body with references to the poem, and a strong conclusion.
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Answer:
Every Job Matters
by Arjun Mehta, Class IX
We dream of becoming doctors and engineers, yet our daily life actually runs on a hundred quieter vocations. The poem Gifts of Grace reminds us of this beautifully. It hears the whole of Bharat “ celebrating ” through its workers — the carpenter’s “ mathematical precision ”, the electricians who “ brighten our lives ”, the shoemakers who promise quality for feet that “walk, dance, run, jump”. Imagine one day without cooks, masons or boatmen: kitchens cold, buildings half-built, markets without fish. Every job, however ordinary it looks, holds the country together. The poem ends with a truth worth remembering: “ the voice of their vocation is the voice of their identity ”. If every job gives someone their identity, then every job deserves our respect. Let us honour the hands that serve us.
by Arjun Mehta, Class IX
We dream of becoming doctors and engineers, yet our daily life actually runs on a hundred quieter vocations. The poem Gifts of Grace reminds us of this beautifully. It hears the whole of Bharat “ celebrating ” through its workers — the carpenter’s “ mathematical precision ”, the electricians who “ brighten our lives ”, the shoemakers who promise quality for feet that “walk, dance, run, jump”. Imagine one day without cooks, masons or boatmen: kitchens cold, buildings half-built, markets without fish. Every job, however ordinary it looks, holds the country together. The poem ends with a truth worth remembering: “ the voice of their vocation is the voice of their identity ”. If every job gives someone their identity, then every job deserves our respect. Let us honour the hands that serve us.
