SIGNAL VILLAGE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Department of EducationSenior High School

Name: Gr. & Sec. Date: Score:

I. READING COMPREHENSION
Directions: Read the selection and answer the questions that follow. One day when the young child was older and had learned to speak,
his father and mother found him industriously chipping away with a
There was a celebration on the day that the old man came to live on stone at two chunks of wood. “What are you doing?” the boy’s father
the small farm owned by his son’s young wife. A fine meal of freshly asked. His son replied, “I am making you a present!” “What could it
grown vegetables and home-baked bread was sent out on the table. be?” his father asked with delight.
The couple covered a new bed in a small adjoining room with a warm
cover and soft pillow. “We hope you will be comfortable here,” said the “I am making the wooden chicken-feed bowls I will give you and
son as he carried his father’s few belongings into the room. “As long Mama to eat from when you are old,” said the boy.
as I have family around me,” the old man said, wiping a tear from his The boy’s words stunned his father. The future loomed before him,
eye, “I will be happy. Perhaps there is still enough strength in these and he saw himself old and forgotten.
old limbs to help a bit on your farm. I want to be useful.”
When the vision cleared, he noticed his frail father sitting alone in the
“You are welcome to work as you will or rest when you want, Father,” corner. He gathered the old man in his arms and led him to the table
said the son. The next morning, the old man dressed himself in work and set a place for him with their best dishes. That night as the young
clothes and went out to the bam to feed the pigs and chickens. He boy watched, his father fed the old grandpa tenderly with a silver
scooped the chicken feed into a wooden bowl and scattered it about spoon. He handed his wife a cloth napkin, and she gently wiped the
the yard. He watched with amusement as the rooster struttled. “Oh, to old man’s drooling lips.
be young again,” he sighed as he rubbed his stiff hands to subdue the
pain he felt in his old joints. From that day on, they both treated the old man with the same
kindness and respect they hoped to receive from their own son in their
Each day the old man did as his body would allow, and each night he elderly years.
sat with his son and his son’s wife at dinner. He noticed the swelling of _____1. A fine meal of freshly grown vegetables and home-baked
his daughter-in-law’s belly and eagerly looked forward to the day bread was sent out on the table. The couple covered a new bed in a
when his first grandchild would be born. small adjoining room with a warm cover and soft pillow. What is the
effect of the details in the sentences?
Days melted into months and, finally, the child arrived. The old man A. They foreshadow the conflict.
held his grandson with great tenderness. He recalled his own son’s B. They introduce the characters.
small face as he gazed with wonder at the tiny eyes that stared back C. They create a mysterious mood.
at him. D. They suggest a comfortable setting.
_____2. According to paragraph 2, what is most important to the old
“Be careful how you hold him,” said the young wife. “Your hands are man when he comes to live on the farm.?
trembling.” The old man had noticed it too. The dull pain he felt in his A. regaining his wealth C. being with those he loves
joints had increased each day, and now his hands were betraying him. B. proving that he can work D. making the farm prosperous
“Don’t drop him,” exclaimed the wife, who worriedly snatched the child _____3. Why does the boy’s present surprise his parents?
away. A. They had not known he was making a gift.
B. They did not know their son was good at carving.
After that, the old man’s changes came quickly. By the time small boy C. They did not realize how much their son loved the old man.
could sit up by himself, the old man found it harder to cast the chicken D. They had not considered how they would be treated when
feed from the feeding bowl. His hands could not grip a pitchfork. His they were old.
son tried to ignore his father’s aging. _____4. One night after a gruelling day in the fields, the son and his
tired wife sat down to a hastily prepared dinner. Which word means
By the time the grandson could walk, the old man could not stride any about the same as “gruelling”?
longer into the bam. His steps were slow. His back was beginning to A. busy C. disturbing
stoop. He worked as he could but did not accomplish much. Times B. severe D. backbreaking
were hard and the son had to let most of the farm help go. Now he _____5. The little boy in the story can best be described as
worked from early hours to sunset along with his wife. The old man A. observant C. unkind
tended the little boy but could hard keep up with him. One night after B. innocent D. pitiless
gruelling day in the fields, the son and his tired wife sat down to a ____6. What do the wooden chicken feed bowls most likely represent
hastily prepared dinner. The boy sat next to his grandpa as his wife to the old man’s son?
placed a large bowl of porridge on the table. “Times have been A. the past C. old age
better,” she sighed. “I am looking forward to the first fresh vegetable B. hardship D. humiliation
crops.” Grandpa tried to ladle some porridge. His hand shook so much ____7. What type of narrative is “The Wooden Bowl”?
that he toppled the bowl onto the dusty floor. “How clumsy!” the wife A. myth C. fable
shouted. It was more than the old man could bear. He slowly got up B. legend D. folktale
and left the table. His son ignored the problem and sat silently as his ____8. This passage is told from the point of view of
grumbling wife cleaned up the mess. A. the grandfather C. the wife
B. the father D. an outside narrator
Each day the old man’s condition worsened. He began to drool. The _____9. When the little boy grows up, he is most likely going to
wife sat him at a small table in the corner, away from the family as A. Leave his parents
they ate. One night the man’s trembling hand knocked his porcelain B. Change his attitude towards his parents
eating bowl off his little table. It landed to crash and broke on the floor. C. Send his parents to a nursing home
The wife went out to the bam and got the wooden bowl used for D. Care for his parents in their old age
chicken feed. She filled it with food and served the old man another _____10. What value does the selection impart?
supper. “Now here is one you won’t break,” she said. Her husband A. sympathy C. love and good example
stared into the distance and again said nothing. B. appreciation D. respect
 IV. Literature/ 21st Century Literary Genre
II. Fact and Opinion A. Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer.
Directions: Select the letter of the sentence which states a FACT. _____26. It is a genre fiction which addresses issues of modern
_____11. A. Jose Rizal is considered as the Philippine national hero. womanhood, often humorous and lighthearted.
B. Jose Rizal is the greatest Filipino hero. A. spoken word poetry C. flash fiction
C. There is an official proclamation that Rizal is the B. chick literature D. erotic literature
national hero according to NCCA. _____27. It comprises fictional, factual stories and accounts of
D. The position that Rizal holds in Philippine history is a human sexual relationships intended to arouse the readers.
tribute to the continued veneration of the Filipinos in his A. text talk novel C. flash fiction
contribution to social transformations. B. spoken word poetry D. erotic literature
_____28. It is a 21st literary genre that includes blog, e-mail and IM
_____12. A. Martial Law is a bad for the Philippine history format narratives. Stories are told simulating social network.
B. Martial Law is the greatest glory of the Philippines A. spoken word poetry C. chick literature
C. Martial Law is seen as a great evil. B. text talk novel D. flash fiction
D. Martial Law babies are born from 1964-1986
_____29. It is story of a young girl and the sacrifices she and her
_____13. A. Martial Law began in September 21, 1972. family made to fight against the Marcos government.
B. Martial Law lessened the crimes in the country. A. Safe House C. Apo on the Wall
C. There is an estimated 30,000 victims of Martial Law. B. The Death of a Hero D. Padre Faura Witnesses
D. Filipinos believed that Martial Law would curb the _____30. It is the novel explored through the eyes of a young man
insurgency of various rebels. written by Gina Apostol.
A. Lengua Para Diablo C. Apo on the Wall
_____14 A. The Writ of Habeas Corpus was suspended.
B. Safe House D. Revolution According to Raymundo Mata
B. Filipinos were tortured when they violated the law.
C. It was a mortal sin to ignore the curfew.
D. Rebellion justified the declaration of Martial Law. IV. POETRY INTERPRETATION
Directions: Read the poem below and answer the questions that
_____15. A. The publication of Noli Me Tangere affected the country follow.
B. Noli Me Tangere was published in 1887. “MY NATIVE VILLAGE”
C. Noli Me Tangere opened the eyes of Katipuneros for 1 How poor my native village looks!
rebellion.
2 The hills with all the leaves shaken off
D. The novel inspired a lot of Filipinos.
3 How thin they look in the evening dusk!
III. Vocabulary Building 4 I walked through the village
Directions: Read each sentence carefully. Choose the nearest in the cold driving rain,
meaning of the underlined word. with my knees all wet,
_____16. Many of us have ambivalent feelings about our politicians, throwing glances from under the black
admiring but also distrusting them.
umbrella at my village, to which I shall never
A. mixed C. untoward
B. critical D. amazed return.
_____17. I prefer the occasional disturbance of ear-splitting thunder to
the incessant dripping of our kitchen sink. 5 Parents and brothers are living more
A. exciting C. harmless lonesome than ever
B. boring D. non-stop Around a small happiness
_____18 . The speaker’s voice is audible even without a microphone. which may be gone at any moment.
A. irritating to the ears C. loud enough to be heard
6 Did I come here just to get lonesome?
B. too soft to be heard D. nice to hear
_____19. Mundane activities such as doing the laundry or dishes or 7 The railway station stands alone in the rain,
going food shopping or reading the newspaper all help me relax. and the train comes with old lamps showing
A. exciting C. ordinary the rows of deep shadowed faces like dumb
B. routinely D. painful 8 Ah, can I dare
_____20. Some animals have remarkable longevity. For an example, 9 To leave such helpless village behind?
the giant land tortoise can live several hundred years. 10 Am I sure that it won’t be buried
A. appetite C. habits
under the snow this winter?
B. life span D. appearances
_____21. There was only a bare, dreary yard to be seen, and the 11 That it won’t be buried forever?
blank side of the brick house twenty feet away.
A. extravagant C. simple ____31. What season is described in the poem?
B. majestic D. dull A. autumn C. spring
_____22 . Hard work is a prelude to success. B. summer D. winter
A. a form of reward C. good explanation
____32. What could be the occasion that prompted the author to write
B. something that comes before D. good start
this poem?
_____23. Pleasure is fleeting while joy is lasting. A. homecoming C. feast
A. going smoothly C. moving slowly B. migration D. death
B. passing smoothly D. running quickly
____33. What is the atmosphere of the poem?
_____24. Today I had to deal with one mishap after another. I
couldn’t find my car keys, I dropped a bowl of soup at A. desperate C. festive
lunchtime, and my computer crashed twice. B. euphoric D. pitiful
A. event C. untimely question ____34. What could be inferred from the setting of the poem?
B. unlucky accident D. confusion A. rural area C. depressed area
_____25. Old Behrman, with his red eyes, plainly streaming, shouted B. urban area D. industrial area
his contempt and derision for such idiotic imaginings.
A. ridicule C. cries
B. hallucination D. speech
____35. What do you think does the last line of the poem mean?
A. The place will be buried in thick layers of snow because it is B. 48-57. “Literature is the mirror of society.” Explain
already winter season.
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B. The place will be totally wiped out.
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C. will be forgotten forever. ________________________________________________
D. None of the above. ________________________________________________
____36. What makes the author say this line, “Throwing glances from ________________________________________________
under the black umbrella at my village, to which I shall never return.”? ________________________________________________
A. The poor life he had before in the village. ________________________________________________
B. The oddity of the place. ________________________________________________
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C. The excessive convenience of life in the village.
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D. Both A&C ________________________________________________
____37. What could be the possible reason behind lost happiness in ________________________________________________
line no. 5? ________________________________________________
A. Family members need to leave the place to look for a ________________________________________________
decent living in urban areas. ________________________________________________
B. Their population decreases during winter season. ________________________________________________
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C. There is a plague that challenges their lives.
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D. All of the above. ________________________________________________
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VII. Explain the following questions in 5-10 sentences. Use the ________________________________________________
back of this paper if needed. ________________________________________________
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A. 38-47. Why is the Noli Me Tangere, a book that was ________________________________________________
banned in the past, now a required reading in Philippine ________________________________________________
school? Why did the Catholic Church go against ________________________________________________
making the Noli a requirement? ________________________________________________
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________________________________________________ Pagpalain, Kapatid!
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________________________________________________ Prepared by:
________________________________________________ Carolina N. Marcelino
________________________________________________ SHS English Speci
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