REGIONAL MID-YEAR ASSESSMENT
21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
Name: ___________________________________________
Date: _________________________
Grade & Section: ___________________________________
Score: ________________________
Directions: Read each statement carefully. Choose the letter of the correct answer.
Like any postcolonial country, Philippine culture is a melting pot of all its colonial masters with a base
that consists of its long, indigenous history. It is a culture that is difficult to pin down since it is so
diverse; the Western influences may appear to be dominant but at close inspection, it is a mere skin over
a pulsing archipelagic culture. The country's many languages underline the numerous narratives that
exist in the Philippines, each language delineating a locale. So much so that English is currency in the
country, even among the locals. The inherited language of a colonial master is what will allow someone
from one end of the country to speak to someone from the other end. For the Filipino is a nomadic
creature, even in their own land. This may explain why hospitality is a well-documented trait—everyone
is from somewhere else, everyone is creating new home even as he waxes nostalgic about his origins.
Religion is a powerful force in the country, whether it be Catholicism or Islam or the various religions
present in the country. A place of worship is always at the center of town and in a city; there are always
numerous places to visit if spiritual sanctuary is sought. The pageantry of these religions come to life in
the provincial fiestas and celebrations that combine colorful spectacle and the fervor of faith.
1. “The inherited language of a colonial master is what will allow someone from one end of the country to
speak to someone from the other end” simply means _______.
A. Filipinos use English to communicate with foreigners.
B. Filipinos have fondness in speaking foreign languages.
C. Filipinos have difficulty speaking with fellow countrymen due to language barrier.
D. Filipinos from all parts of the Philippines understand each other through a common language.
2. “Colonial master” in the previous sentence refers to _______.
A. Foreigners who previously colonized the Philippines.
B. The Japanese who showed hostility towards Filipinos.
C. Government officials who are very effective in public service.
D. Foreigners who chose to settle in the Philippines and marry a Filipina.
3. “Filipino is a nomadic creature, even in their own land. This may explain why hospitality is a welldocumented trait—everyone is from somewhere else, everyone is creating new home even as he waxes
nostalgic about his origins”. A perfect example for this is _______.
A. Benguet people who practice rituals
B. Kapampangans who are hardworking
C. Mindanao residents who are used to residing in floating houses
D. Ilocanos and Visayans who transfer to Manila to work and to permanently live
4. What can we perceive from the line, “Religion is a powerful force in the country, whether it be Catholicism
or Islam or the various religions present in the country”?
A. There is only one religion in the Philippines.
C. Catholicism dominates the country.
B. There are various religions in the Philippines.
D. Majority of Filipinos are Muslims.
5. “Like any postcolonial country, Philippine culture is a melting pot of all its colonial masters with a base
that consists of its long, indigenous history”. From this line, in what context is the word “melting pot”
used?
A. clay
B. mixture
C. plant container
D. purse
For numbers 6 – 10, read the text below and answer the questions that follow.
The Contemporary Philippine Literature
By F. Sionil Jose, written in 2003
Filipino writers started to use their writings to explore socio-political realities. The tradition
of protest has always been a potent force in the production of socially committed writings, as a number of
critics such as Bienvenido Lumbera, and Epifanio San Juan Jr. have argued. The 1970s, for example,
witnessed the proliferation of poems, short stories,and novels which grappled with the burning issues of the
times. In a large number of magazines and journals, writers in both English and Pilipino faced the
problems of exploitation and injustice, and appropriated these realities as the only relevant materials for
their fiction.
The early 1970’s saw a proliferation of politically motivated or committed writing and protest literature.
Short-story writers became more conscious of the political milieu and of social issues in the wake of the
increased activism all over the world and right in their country, especially during the troubled days of a
dictatorial government. Some of the more recent fiction writers include Paulino Lim, Alfred Yuson, Jose
Dalisay, Mario Eric Gamalinda, and Cristina P. Hidalgo.
Of course the Filipino writer has become more conscious of his art with the proliferation
of writers workshops here and abroad and the bulk of literature available to him via the mass media
including the internet. The various literary awards such as the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards
for Literature, the Philippines Free Press, Philippine Graphic, Home Life and Panorama literary awards
encourage him to compete with his peers and hope that his creative efforts will be rewarded in the long run.
6. “Filipino writers started to use their writings to explore socio-political realities”., quoted
the writer. A proof for this is Filipino writers who write fictions about _______.
A. The beauty of different islands in the Philippines
B. The supernatural beings that dwell in the island of Panay
C. The love stories of Filipino millennials and Generation Z
D. Corrupt government official who diverts government funds for personal interest
7. “The tradition of protest has always been a potent force in the production of socially committed
writings”. From this line, we can perceive that _______.
A. Filipino writers in the 70s all hailed and praised the government.
B. Filipino writers in the 70s were all forced to promote the government.
C. Activism in the 1970s had inspired many writers to produce objection-related texts.
D. Protests around the country had no significance to the writing themes during the 70s.
8. “Short-story writers became more conscious of the political milieu and of social issues in the wake of
the increased activism all over the world”. This line says that activism all over the world _______.
A. has inspired Filipino writers.
B. affected politicians globally.
C. has more negative effects on the youth.
D. should not be the theme of literary works.
9. “Of course the Filipino writer has become more conscious of his art with the
proliferation of writers’ workshops here and abroad and the bulk of literature available to him via the
mass media including the internet”. From this line, we can assess that Filipino writers _______.
A. became better with their craft because of workshops.
B. were all required to attend seminars and workshops.
C. didn’t adhere to the idea of attending trainings and seminars.
D. enjoyed the amenities of attending school-sponsored trainings and seminars.
10. What will be the best title for Paragraph # 1?
A. Why Activism Shouldn’t be a Theme in Fiction Writing
B. The Good Effects of Activism in the Writings of Filipinos
C. The Influence of Activism in the Themes of Filipino Writings
D. The Negative Effects of Activism in the Themes of Filipino Writings
For numbers 11 – 13, read the text below and answer the questions that follow.
Excerpt from “Dahong Palay”
by Arturo Rotor
from The Philippine Short Stories, published 2014
How deceptive his figure was, Sebio thought! No wonder those who knew him called him Sebiong Pasmado
(Sebio the weakling) because of his slight figure, his spindle-shanks, his timidity. None of them would believe
that he could lift two Socony cans full of water with either hand and raise them shoulder high, or that he could
carry three sacks of rice on those narrow shoulders. As he thought of them he snorted scornfully. He compared
himself with a snake. The snake is the most slender, the most timid creature of the field, and yet people are
afraid of it.
11. “Because of Sebio’s frame, none of them would believe that he could lift two socony cans full of water
with either hand and raise them shoulder high, or that he could carry three sacks of rice on those narrow
shoulders”. Those people referred to in the story are _______.
A. judgmental
B. observant
C. purists
D. regretful
12. How is Sebio correlated to a snake? Just like a snake, _______.
A. he has scales.
B. he is elusive and mysterious.
C. he appears thin and weak but dangerous.
D. he needed to hibernate for longer period of time.
13. What is the primary message of the paragraph?
A. Strength should only be possessed by men.
B. The taller the person is, the stronger he appears.
C. Strength is not measured by physical appearance.
D. Physical appearance is essential in impressing women.
For numbers 14 – 16, compare and contrast the two excerpts below and answer the questions that follow.
Excerpt from “The Nanking Store” (2010)
I was only three years old then, but I have vivid memories of Peter and Linda’s wedding. What I remember
most was jumping and romping on their pristine matrimonial bed after the wedding. I would learn later that
it was to ensure that their first-born would be a boy. I was chosen to do the honors because I was robust and
fat.
Excerpt from “The Bird Artist” (1871)
My name is Fabian Vas. I live in Witless Bay, Newfoundland. You would not have heard of me. Obscurity
is not necessarily failure, though; I am a bird artist, and have more or less made a living at it. Yet I murdered
the lighthouse keeper, Botho August, and that is an equal part of how I think of myself. I discovered my gift
for drawing and painting birds early on.
14. What is the similarity of the two literary works?
A. Both use flashback technique.
B. Both are with thrilling themes.
C. Both were written by Filipino writers.
D. Both mentioned the names of the narrator.
15. How do the two literary works differ from each other?
A. One is considered a classic and the other is not.
B. One has Science Fiction for a theme while the other has Romance.
C. One had been written in the 1700s while the other one had been written in the 1900s.
D. One discusses about the other characters in the story while the other one discusses about himself.
16. How are the two literary pieces similar in terms of Point of View?
A. Both have the first person as the point of view.
B. Both have the third person as the point of view.
C. Both have the second person as the point of view.
D. Both have shifting point of view which makes the story more comprehensive.
For numbers 17 – 20, cite what setting is being implied in the following line.
17. “Alex wandered down the aisle of the mystery/thrillers hoping to find the book he wanted. But his gaze
landed on the white nameless spine of all the manuscripts”?
A. bookshop
B. coliseum
C. forest
D. gymnasium
18. What setting is being implied in the line “Mommy hauled her little baby up in the air, placed him on
the bed and prodded her fingers in his squishy skin eliciting fits of belly-laughs”?
A. airport
B. bedroom
C. elevator
D. hospital
19. What setting is being implied in the line “The deep yellow hues of the sunset drowned in and mixed
with the blues of the sea”?
A. beach
B. dormitory
C. grounds
D. railway
20. What setting is being implied in the line “The children dressed in yellow shirts and blue shorts scuttled
all over the park running in each other and giggled upon falling down. Ignoring the soil covering their
clothes and knees and their white socks blackened, the little kids cavorted in the park, their giggles and
cheer reached the ears of the on-lookers”?
A. aviary
B. playground
C. school
D. tunnel
21. Which imagery is used in the line “She awoke to the chirping of birds and the soft whisper of a breeze as
it passed through the tree outside her window”?
A. auditory
B. gustatory
C. tactile
D. visual
22. Why is JPEG an advantageous multimedia image format? Because ______.
A. it is more colorful.
C. it makes image files smaller.
B. it is a moving image.
D. it appears to be more realistic.
23. Danny Castillo and Demsey Puno are reporting about the novel Animal Farm in their literature class.
Which one is
the BEST tool to use?
A. blog
B. YouTube
C. FB Messenger
D. slideshow
24. How can Moodle be used in a literature class?
A. It is an application with glossary.
B. It is an audio book.
C. It is a thick book.
D. It is very handy and portable.
25. Sir Polong has so many E-book novel files in his laptop and he worries about viruses that might erase the
said files. What can he do to solve this concern?
a. Make a YouTube channel .
b. Store the files in Google Drive.
c. Upload all the files in Facebook and make them available to everyone.
d. Send all the files to a friend and tell him to store it in his laptop with bigger specs.
For numbers 26 – 30, read the poem below and answer the questions that follow.
I Will Take Care of You
By Randy Batiquin
Published August 2018, Family,and Friends Poems book
1
Let me take care of your broken heart
2
and show you how to fly.
3
Let me hold you gently by the hand
4
and kiss your tears goodbye.
5
Let me lead you to tomorrow's light
6
and out of needless rain,
7
'cause all I want right now
8
is to see you smile again.
9
Let me sing you all the songs I wrote
10
'til you sleep in my embrace,
11
and I'll keep you safe and warm until
12
the sunlight strokes your face.
26.
27.
28.
What technique is evident in Stanza 1?
A. It uses same-sound pattern.
B. It uses vague words.
C. It uses metonymy.
D. It uses hyperbole.
Line 4 pertains to _______.
A. forgetting the relatives.
B. forgetting everything.
C. forgetting the pain.
D. forgetting the kisses.
In Line 5, the speaker talks about the _______.
A. dreams
B. pain
C. sorrows
D. future
29.
Lines 7 and 8 are about wanting to see someone _______.
A. smile after the sorrow.
C. become emotionally strong.
B. enter in a new relationship.
D. love unconditionally.
30.
Sunlight in line 12 is synonymous with _______.
A. rays of the sun
B. pessimism
C. luck
D. happiness
For numbers 31 – 35, read the text below and answer the questions that follow.
Excerpt from “Our Lady’s Juggler”
Written by Anatole France
1
In the days of King Louis there lived a poor juggler by the name of Barnabas, a native of Compiègne, who
wandered from city to city performing tricks of skill and prowess.
2
On fair days he would lay down in the public square a worn and aged carpet, and after having attracted a
group of children and idlers by certain amusing remarks which he had learned from an old juggler, and which
he invariably repeated in the same fashion without altering a word, he would assume the strangest postures,
and balance a pewter plate on the tip of his nose.
3
At first the crowd regarded him with indifference, but when, with his hands and head on the ground he
threw into the air and caught with his feet six copper balls that glittered in the sunlight, or when, throwing
himself back until his neck touched his heels, he assumed the form of a perfect wheel and in that position
juggled with twelve knives, he elicited a murmur of admiration from his audience, and small coins rained
on his carpet.
4
He had never thought much about the origin of wealth nor about the inequality of human conditions. He
firmly believed that if this world was evil the next could not but be good, and this faith upheld him. He was
not like the clever fellows who sell their souls to the devil; he never took the name of God in vain; he lived
the life of an honest man, and though he had no wife of his own, he did not covet his neighbor's, for woman
is the enemy of strong men, as we learn by the story of Samson which is written in the Scriptures.
31. From the 1st line, what could possibly be the source of profits of Barnabas?
A. athlete
B. street performer
C. teacher
D. vendor
32. What does the line 3 imply?
A. People became angry at Barnabas.
B. People asked Barnabas to transfer elsewhere.
C. People called the authorities to arrest Barnabas.
D. People were happy with his tricks that they gave him money.
33. From the line 4, one can perceive that Barnabas is _______.
A. adventurous
B. contented
C. dissatisfied
D. angry
34. “He was not like the clever fellows who sell their souls to the devil; he never took the name of God in vain.”
tells the readers that Barnabas has _______.
A. animosity towards people
C. so much respect for God
B. grudge on wealthy people
D. enjoyed the company of offenders
35. What is the gist of the last paragraph?
A. Being a good follower of God
B. Being excellent in one’s profession
C. Being nice to neighbors
D. Being a loving child to parents
For numbers 36 – 40, read the text below and answer the questions that follow.
Excerpt from “Elephant in the Room”
Written by Conrado De Quiros, published on September 23, 2014
The silver lining is that “Mario” wasn’t as bad as “Ondoy.” Unnerving as the sight of Metro Manila turned into
“Waterworld” was—you could see that in stark relief in aerial photos—Mario dumped only half as much
rainwater as Ondoy. Although tell that to the residents of Marikina and Cainta, many of whom were driven out
of their homes when the floodwaters rose. Marikina River in particular rose to 20 meters high and overflowed
its banks, forcing residents to flee to higher ground.
One long-suffering resident sought shelter in the second floor of a neighbor who lived in a higher part of the
street. Her dog swam in the knee-high flood while she waded through it. Alas, she sighed, that had become her
lot in life every time it rained hard. At the first sign of it, she would bundle her clothes and trek to her neighbor’s
place. She wondered when it would end, short of giving up a long-held family abode and relocating elsewhere.
The silver lining as well is that the casualties were minimal. There were initially only four reported deaths,
though that number appeared to have risen to six last Saturday. The deaths included two children, one of whom,
a two-year-old, drowned; the other, an infant, was crushed by a fallen tree. The rest were adults who died by
drowning or electrocution.
Excerpt from “Tuna Turnover, SONA, and Meteor Garden”
Written by Ronald B. Polong, posted on July 23, 2019
For most of the time, I have been against the policies introduced by the president but god forbids, I agree with
him when it comes to taking it easy against China. This situation is not as easy as raiding a drug compound in
Manila or arresting a drug dealer from Pasay. Despite the annoying barrage of words coming from the ignorant
“patriots”, Duterte keeps his cool. Despite being called coward, the 74-year-old leader remains silent provided
that his people are far from harm and far from being the Nanking victims in the late 1930’s.
True enough, he’d rather have tons of fishes stolen from our shore than have millions of people’s lives wasted
as the price being paid for being “brave”. Bravery in the context of modern world is not measured by the volume
of blood shed in a war. Bravery nowadays is how you endure and absorb criticisms and accusations, yet you
remain quiet, for the sake of your people, for the sake of their lives and for the continuation of a race that has
endured and survive series of atrocity and hostility from those who dared to conquer us. Let us not forget Ismael
Mallari’s “”Pliant Like the Bamboo”. We know that we are not robust so everytime the wind blows, we can
bend to survive.
36. In what aspect are the two essays similar with each other?
A. Both pertain to the Gross Domestic Product of the Philippines.
B. Both pertain to the good deeds of the president.
C. Both are about the condition of the Philippines.
D. Both were written during the 1960s.
37. How do the two essays differ in Point of View (POV)?
A. One uses first-person POV while the other doesn’t.
B. Both use second-person POV.
C. Both don’t have a clear POV.
D. No POV is used.
38. The line “For most of the time, I have been against the policies introduced by the president but god
forbids, I agree with him when it comes to taking it easy against China” tells that the writer is ___.
A. against the policies of the president
C. neutral with the policies of the president.
B. critical with the president’s policies.
D. in agreement with the decision of the president
39. What is the line “The silver lining is that “Mario” wasn’t as bad as “Ondoy.” Unnerving as the sight of
Metro Manila turned into “Waterworld” was—you could see that in stark relief in aerial photos—Mario
dumped only half as much rainwater as Ondoy” about?
A. comparison of two leaders
C. comparison of two regions in the Philippines
B. comparison of two generations
D. comparison of two typhoons
40. How do the two essays differ in theme?
A. One discusses about calamities, the other is about foreign relationship.
B. One discusses about typhoon, the other is about offense on China.
C. One discusses about Metro Manila, the other about provines.
D. One discusses about Ondoy, the other about Mario.
41. In the subjects Media and Information Literacy and 21st Century Literature, the teacher instructed the class
to develop a website which should contain information about the events happening at DepEd Region III.
What multimedia format is the BEST for this task?
A. blog
B. stream
C. webcast
D. newspaper
42. The teacher instructed the students to watch the movie “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” and they were
required to make an outline in a graphic form. What is the MOST SUITABLE multimedia format they
will use?
A. Machine
B. Mind Mapping
C. Music
D. Maze
43. You are tasked to write a poem and send it through SMS or through messenger. Which of the following
multimedia format is the BEST to use?
A. Essay
B. Paragraph
C. Play
D. Text Tula
44. Mr. Ruel Agustin is a novelist/writer who wants to present a business proposal to a publishing house as his
possible partner. He wants the presentation to be concise. What is the BEST multimedia format that Mr.
Agustin can use?
A. stand
B. stream
C. stroll
D. slideshow
45. Shirts nowadays are not only utilized as outfit but are also used for expression. You want a t-shirt design
that contains some words related to the story “Dead Stars”. What multimedia format will you use?
A. Tag Clue
B. Tag Clear
C. Tag Cloud
D. Tag Cleeve
For numbers 46 – 50, read the analysis below and answer the questions that follow.
A Sample of Student’s Analysis on the Epic Iliad
From anonymous student, S.Y. 2017 - 2018
The Iliad is an epic poem attributed to Homer. I don’t know who Homer is, but I guess he was a blind poet
from Europe, as they often say. It was probably composed between 800 and 700 BCE, and some scholars
believe that it had multiple authors, not just one. The Iliad story is part of an extended mythology around the
legendary Trojan War in which the Greeks and the Trojans fought for 10 years. Homer's Iliad was originally
written in dactylic hexameter, a verse form that suited Latin and Greek but is notoriously difficult to use in
English and it gives me difficulty. As a result, most English translations of the Iliad are either written in the
more standard iambic pentameter or are simply translated into prose.
46. The line in the analysis, “I don’t know who Homer is, but I guess he was a blind poet from Europe, as they
often say” _______.
A. is an excellent part of the analysis
C. is irrelevant, informal and should not be included
B. is the best part of the analysis
D. make the analysis more meaningful
47. What should be corrected in the line, “The Iliad story is part of an extended mythology around the legendary
Trojan War in which the Greeks and the Trojans fought for 10 years”?
A. 10 should be ten.
C. Mythology should be capitalized.
B. The word “story” should be deleted.
D. The adjective legendary is unnecessary.
48. What should be deleted in the line, “Homer's Iliad was originally written in dactylic hexameter, a verse
form that suited Latin and Greek but is notoriously difficult to use in English and it gives me difficulty”?
A. originally
C. suited
B. dactylic hexameter
D. and it gives me difficulty
49. Why should the analysis be improved?
A. The punctuations should be corrected.
B. The frequent use of the word Greek should be avoided.
C. The words Greeks and Trojans should begin in small letters.
D. The unfamiliar words like dactylic, hexameter, iambic should be avoided.
50. What should be the title of the analysis?
a. How Trojan War Ended
b. The Background of The Trojan War
c. Why the Greeks and the Trojans Fought
d. Homer, The Blind Poet