SKILL A
Exercise 1
RULES TO FOLLOW
The Grade Six pupils decided to make their room clean, orderly and beautiful. Here are some of
the rules everyone needs to follow:
Wipe your shoes on the doormat before entering the room.
Put the wastepaper, fruit peelings and candy wrappers in the wastebasket.
Keep the walls, desks and tables free from pencil and chalk marks and scratches.
Put the cleaning materials in a box.
Arrange the furniture properly.
Put away your pencils, books, notebooks after using them.
Hang umbrellas and raincoats in one corner of the room.
Keep books clean and well- covered.
1. What did the pupils decide to do?
a. make their room clean, orderly and beautiful
b. make their homes clean, orderly and beautiful
c. make their school surroundings clean, orderly and beautiful
2. What did they agree upon?
a. to form a society
b. to follow the rules
c. to work on the school ground
3. What will they do with their shoes?
a. wipe on the doormat
b. leave on the doormat
c. put under the doormat
4. From what will they keep the furniture free?
a. books
b. cover
c. scratches
5. Where should the cleaning materials be kept?
a. box
b. drawer
c. bookcase
6. How should the furniture be arranged?
a. properly
b. carelessly
c. artistically
7. Where should one keep his pencils, books and notebooks after using them?
a. in this bag
b. on the desk
c. on the teacher’s table
8. Where should wastepaper be thrown?
a. in the desk
b. in the drawer
c. in the wastebasket
9. Where should one hang raincoats and umbrellas?
a. on the desk
b. in the cabinet
c. on one corner of the room
10. What should be kept clean and well-covered?
a. desks
b. books
c. tables
Exercise 2
DAPHNE
Daphne was a beautiful nymph. The sun god, Apollo, fell in love with her but she rejected him.
Once, Apollo saw her and pursued her. Daphne sought shelter behind a big tree. She was out of breath
from running. Now, as she leaned on the tree, she looked back and threw herself upon her knees and
prayed to be saved from her pursuer. She rose with outstretched arms. Then her fingers fluttered
gently, as if blown by a gentle breeze. Little by little she was changed from a beautiful nymph to a laurel
tree. Slowly she broke into a smile. Now, she was safe. Apollo could not carry her away anymore.
1. Daphne sought shelter behind ____.
a. a big tree
b. a laurel tree
c. a large tree
2. As she leaned on the tree, she looked back with ____.
a. round eyes
b. smiling eyes
c. frightened eyes
3. She was out of breath from ____.
a. talking
b. running
c. laughing
4. She prayed to be saved from her ____.
a. father
b. pursuer
c. husband
5. Slowly she stretched out her ____.
a. feet
b. arms
c. hands
6. She threw herself upon her ____.
a. bed
b. knees
c. pillow
7. She was changed from a beautiful nymph into ____.
a. an oak tree
b. a narra tree
c. a laurel tree
8. Her fingers fluttered ____.
a. slowly
b. gently
c. rapidly
9. She felt safe, after she became a ____.
a. tree
b. nymph
c. goddess
10. She could not be carried away anymore by ____.
a. Theus
b. Midas
c. Apollo
Exercise 3
HOW THE ROMANS COOKED THEIR FOOD
Long ago the Romans used to cook their food just as the way hunters today sometimes do. They
dug out an oven in the ground, lined it with stones and made a fire in it. When the improvised oven was
well heated, they raked out the ashes, put in the food and covered it. We learned about this from
excavations in the city of Pompeii. Pompeii was destroyed and buried during the eruption of a volcano
hundreds of years ago. When the city found excavated, ovens with wood and ashes were found among
the ruins. It is believed that just as the cooks were about to bake, the fiery volcano rained out ashes and
boiling lava and burned down the city.
1. In ancient times, how did the Romans cook their food?
a. just as the cooks do today
b. just as the people do today
c. just as some hunters do today
2. What did they use to line the ground where they built the ovens?
a. lime
b. clay
c. stones
3. What did they do with the oven before putting in their food?
a. They cooled it.
b. They heated it.
c. They poured water in it.
4. Where did they dig their ovens?
a. in the ground
b. in the cement
c. in the tree trunks
5. What did they rake out of the oven before putting in their food?
a. sand
b. ashes
c. wood
6. Who cooked their food in underground ovens?
a. the Jews
b. the Italians
c. the Romans
7. Who had ovens with food ashes in them?
a. the British
b. the Romans
c. the people of Pompeii
8. What destroyed Pompeii?
a. a great fire
b. a terrible flood
c. a volcanic eruption
9. What were the cooks about to do when the volcano erupted?
a. eat
b. bake
c. wash dishes
10. What was done with the buried city?
a. rebuilt
b. forgotten
c. excavated
Exercise 4
FIRST NIGHT IN THE CITY
It was Lynn’s first night in the city. She woke up with a stun and then she remembered where
she was. She had never spent the night in a city before. She lay still and listened. Cars and jeepneys
seemed to race like ants heading straight towards here. A new house was being built next to her aunt’s
house and the cement mixer was roaring angrily. Downstairs, in the kitchen, she heard the clattering of
pans. Then, she heard the chime of the big clock. She turned over and fell asleep again.
1. What did Lynn remember when she woke up?
a. She was in the city.
b. She was in their house.
c. She was in her country.
2. Has Lynn ever spent a night before in the city?
a. No
b. Yes
c. Maybe
3. Where did Lynn imagine the cars and jeeps going?
a. heading to the city
b. heading towards her
c. heading towards the house
4. Where did the roaring sound come from?
a. a bulldozer
b. a cement mixer
c. a street sweeper
5. How did she know the time?
a. from the radio
b. from the big clock
c. from the position of the sun
6. Why did Lynn wake up with a stun?
a. She was afraid.
b. She had a dream.
c. She felt she was in a strange place.
7. What did she do when she woke up?
a. She ran out to play.
b. She washed her faced.
c. She lay still and listened
8. What did Lynn hear passing in front of the house?
a. buses and trains
b. cars and jeepneys
c. streetcars and carts
9. Where did she hear the clattering of the pans?
a. from the streets
b. from the kitchen
c. from the living room
10. Did Lynn fall asleep again?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
Exercise 5
THE FACE IN THE POOL
Narcissus was out of breath from running when he came to a clear pool. He stopped to drink.
Just as he was about to sip the cool water, he saw a face in the pool. It was handsome and he was
attracted to it.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“Who are you?” echoed someone.
“Why are you mocking me?” asked Narcissus.
“Mocking me,” said the voice.
Narcissus was puzzled. He wanted to talk with the face in the pool but it would not answer. He
tried to catch it but to no avail. At last, he lost hope and plunged into the pool hoping to see the owner
of the face.
1. Why was Narcissus out of breath?
a. He was running.
b. He was Jumping.
c. He was skipping.
2. Which of these sentence is true?
a. Narcissus came to a clear lake.
b. Narcissus came to a clear pool.
c. Narcissus came to a clear path.
3. He stopped to ____.
a. drink
b. swim
c. bathe
4. He saw something which ____.
a. attracted him
b. frightened him
c. drove him away
5. What did he see in the pool?
a. a boat
b. a face
c. a flower
6. Which is correct?
a. He talked with the face in the pool.
b. He shouted at the face in the pool.
c. He played with the face in the pool.
7. Narcissus heard ____.
a. his own echo
b. the singing bird
c. a reply from the man in the pool
8. Narcissus was not able to ____.
a. drink
b. swim
c. talk with the man in the pool
9. He became _____.
a. sad
b. angry
c. hopeless
10. What did he do at last?
a. plunged into the pool
b. ran into the dark woods
c. ran away from the pool
Exercise 6
CAMPING
Rene was tired from the day’s tramp. He rolled himself in his scout blanket and laid still. It was
very quiet in the woods. Then he heard some queer noses. There was a flapping of wings. A night owl
was on its way to hunt. Tiny raindrops started to fall on the leaves. The shower was over though, in a
moment. The cicadas and other insects started their night songs which ended into a forest symphony.
“Those queer night sounds in the forest is a good lullaby,” Rene thought as he drowsed off to a sound
sleep.
1. Rene went on ____.
a. a field trip
b. an excursion
c. a Boy Scout camping
2. It was very quiet in the ____.
a. city
b. house
c. woods
3. He rolled himself in his ____.
a. mat
b. raincoat
c. scout blanket
4. He began to hear ____.
a. soft music
b. hooting cars
c. queer noises
5. He heard a soft flapping of ____.
a. skirts
b. wings
c. leaves
6. An owl was on its way to ____.
a. hunt
b. roost
c. lay eggs
7. Tiny raindrops fell on the ____.
a. roof
b. leaves
c. treetops
8. The shower lasted for a ____.
a. few hours
b. long time
c. short time
9. Rene heard the singing of the ____.
a. owls
b. cicadas
c. campers
10. To Rene, the sound of the insects was a ____.
a. lullaby
b. serenade
c. symphony
Exercise 7
A WISE BUYER
“I have good news today, Mother,” said Norma as she put down the big basket she was carrying.
“What’s your news, Norma?” asked Mother.
“Look at my basket,” said Norma excitedly, “I bought many things today: meat, sugar, fish,
vegetables and fruits. See, I still have a little change left.”
“But why?” asked Mother, puzzled.
1. Where did Norma came from?
a. playing
b. the school
c. the market
2. What was she carrying?
a. a big bag
b. a big basket
c. a school bag
3. What was Norma’s news?
a. bad
b. good
c. neither good nor bad
4. How did Norma fell after coming from the market?
a. tired
b. angry
c. excited
5. What did she show to her Mother?
a. things in her study table
b. things in her school bag
c. things she bought in the market
6. Why was Norma happy?
a. She bought a pretty dress.
b. She bought things she would use in school.
c. She was able to buy many things and still had some change.
7. Which of these did Norma buy?
a. dress
b. meat
c. ribbon
8. How did Mother feel after listening to Norma?
a. sad
b. happy
c. puzzled
9. Why was Norma’s news good?
a. She was able to save an amount from marketing.
b. She found a wallet with money in the market.
c. She did not pay for the good she got from the market.
10. Why do you think was Mother puzzled?
a. She could not believe what Norma said.
b. She knew that prices of goods were high.
c. Norma had told the truth for the first time.
Exercise 8
HOW TO PREPARE TOMATO CATSUP
Select some ripe tomatoes. Was them thoroughly. Cut them crosswise into halves. Then
separate the pulp from the seeds. Cook the pulp in an enameled kettle, stirring it occasionally until the
thin peelings separate and roll up. Remove the pulp from the fire. Pass the pulp through a wire strainer
and get the juice, mix the juice with the pulp. Add some vinegar. Put onion juice, powdered cinnamon,
pepper, cloves of garlic and spices in a small cloth bag and dip it into the mixture. Cook the mixture until
it is thick. Take out the bag of spices. Bottle the cooked pulp and seal.
1. How is the pulp separated from the seeds?
a. by squeezing the tomato
b. by cutting crosswise into halves
c. by cutting the tomato into small pieces
2. When is the pulp removed from the fire?
a. when the pulp has hardened
b. when the pulp is mixed with the peelings
c. when the peelings have been separated and have rolled up
3. What is the first step in preparing catsup?
a. Boil the mixture.
b. Wash the tomatoes thoroughly.
c. Remove the mixture from the fire.
4. What kind of tomatoes are used?
a. ripe
b. green
c. cooked
5. What is used in cooking the pulp?
a. a pot
b. a pan
c. an enameled kettle
6. What kind of strainer is used?
a. wire strainer
b. rattan strainer
c. plastic strainer
7. What is wrapped in a cloth bag?
a. juice
b. spices
c. pulp
8. When is the mixture removed from the fire?
a. when it is thick
b. when it is watery
c. when it is smooth
9. What is added to the juice and pulp?
a. flour and others
b. water and others
c. vinegar, onion juice and others
10. What is the last step in preparing the catsup?
a. boil until thick
b. bottle and seal
c. add the vinegar to the mixture
Exercise 9
TRAVEL MADE EASY
“How was your trip, Wally?” asked Grandma as Wally kissed her hands.
“It was fine, Grandma,” answered Wally, yawning while stretching his arms, and shaking his legs.
“I slept almost throughout the way.”
“Why, you lazy boy!” exclaimed Grandma. “Then you didn’t see the beautiful scenery on the
countryside.”
“It was so nice riding on the bus,” explained Wally. “The roads now are very smooth, unlike the
first time Father and I visited you after the flood. A week had passed after that visit, yet my body was
still aching all over. We were like mashed fruits after our ride over those pot marked roads.”
“It did not take long for the government to have all the damaged roads repaired,” agreed
Grandma. “Thanks to our government, things are back to normal again.”
1. Where did Wally’s Grandma live?
a. in the city
b. in the province
c. in a city suburb
2. Why did Wally fail to see the beautiful scenery?
a. He slept almost throughout the way.
b. He was wearing dark glasses.
c. He was not interested to look at the scenery.
3. Where did Wally ride?
a. on a bus
b. on a train
c. in a jeepney
4. Who was with Wally when he visited Grandma?
a. his father
b. his mother
c. nobody
5. How did Wally try to freshen himself?
a. He jumped.
b. He ran and run.
c. He stretched out his arms and legs.
6. According to Grandma, what did Wally miss by sleeping all the way?
a. Grandma’s house
b. the place where they were going
c. the beautiful scenery on the countryside
7. Why did Wally not enjoy his first visit to Grandma?
a. The journey was long.
b. The roads were pot marked.
c. The roads were smooth and nice.
8. What did Grandma call Wally for sleeping all the way?
a. lazy
b. cheerful
c. curious
9. Why were the roads easy to travel on now?
a. They were cleaned by the government.
b. They were damaged by the government.
c. They had been repaired by the government.
10. How was life after the flood?
a. It returned to normal.
b. It was never the same again.
c. It was much better than before.
Exercise 10
BOOKS
Those who cannot read are pitiful because they cannot enjoy books. Books tell us about the
wonderful things in the world. They tell us the interesting things people do. Books can answer the
“whys” and “hows” of things that puzzle us. They can take us to faraway places through imagination.
They can show us, too, the things that happened a long time ago as well as those happening at present.
Books tell us about the children in other lands. They hold the key to the greatest treasures in the world.
A wise man once said that he would rather be a poor boy in a cellar surrounded with books that a prince
who had no chance to read.
1. Those who do not know how to read are the
a. most pitiful people
b. most happy people
c. most wonderful people
2. What do books do for us?
a. make us rich
b. make us unhappy
c. tell us about the things in the world
3. Where can books take us?
a. nowhere
b. just in our room
c. to faraway places
4. What questions can books answer?
a. little things not worth knowing
b. the “whys” and “hows” the things
c. things that cannot be remembered
5. What do books hold for their readers?
a. falling leaves
b. running water
c. key to the greatest treasure in the world
6. What do books tell us?
a. nothing of importance
b. words without meaning
c. things that happened long ago
7. Do books tell us about the children in other places?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Perhaps
8. Who says he would rather be in a cellar with books than in a palace with a single book?
a. a prince
b. a wise man
c. a poor man
9. What do books unfold before us?
a. hidden health
b. hidden wealth
c. hidden knowledge
10. What is preferable than a prince in a palace without the love for reading?
a. a rich boy in a big house
b. a boy in a beautiful house
c. a poor boy in a cellar who loves books
Exercise 11
THE DIVER
A skillful diver can see clearly what lies underneath a vast body of water. He sees swaying
seaweeds, acres of sea plants that have large, bright colored leaves. He finds countless sea snakes, sea
horses, fierce sharks and other wild fishes. He takes delight in watching the different species of fish,
splendid in their brilliant colors. To a diver, the life underworld is full of thrilling adventures.
1. What can the diver see through the clear water?
a. ships
b. sea horse
c. sea weeds
2. Are there plants in the sea?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
3. What kind of a diver can stay in the water for a long time?
a. amateurs
b. untrained
c. experienced
4. Do the divers find only wild fishes under the sea?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
5. What does a diver find in the sea?
a. wealth
b. adventure
c. sunken ships
6. What makes a seaweed sway?
a. air
b. fishes
c. water current
7. How does a diver feel while watching the different species of fish underwater?
a. afraid
b. excited
c. delighted
8. How wide is the place underwater where sea plants grow?
a. acres
b. few meet
c. few meters
9. What may possibly happen to a diver who is not skillful?
a. He may drown.
b. He may just float.
c. He may be eaten by fishes.
10. Do you think deep sea diving is safe?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
Exercise 12
THE BLIND GIRL
A group of student were chatting and laughing excitedly near the sidewalk. They seemed to be
talking all at the same time when suddenly they became silent. They stared spellbound at a blind girl
groping along the wall, and feeling her way about. Though her eyes were open, they could tell that she
could not see. In her right hand was a bunch of flowers which she smelled how and then. She continued
walking till the end of the street. When she was out of sight the students gave a sigh of relief. Were they
not lucky to have two good eyes?
1. What were the students doing?
a. playing and jumping
b. singing and dancing
c. chatting and laughing
2. Which of these students is true?
a. The students stopped talking as they stared at a blind girl.
b. The students stopped talking as they stared at a lame girl.
c. The students stopped talking as they stared at an old beggar.
3. How did the girl move along the wall?
a. She ran along?
b. She walked briskly.
c. She groped along her way.
4. What did the students notice about the girl’s eyes?
a. They were open.
b. They were closed.
c. They were half opened.
5. What were the students sure about the girl?
a. She could see.
b. She could not see.
c. She could see a little.
6. What was on the girl’s hand?
a. a cane
b. a bunch of keys
c. a bunch of flowers
7. Where was the girl going?
a. to a nearby store
b. to the end of the street
c. to the house at the street corner
8. What did the students do when they saw the girl?
a. stared
b. looked
c. smiled
9. How did the students feel when the blind girl was out of sight?
a. sorry
b. afraid
c. relieved
10. What were the students thankful for?
a. for their feet
b. for their legs
c. for their good eyes
Exercise 13
FEEDING TIME AT THE ZOO
It was time the zookeeper to feed the animals. Judging from the noise, the beasts were hungry.
The lions opened their mouths and gave the people in the zoo a frightful sample of the howl of the king
of beasts. The little monkeys squeaked as they tumbled over each other to reach the cage bars. The
monkey shook the iron bars till they rattled, and parrots jumped up and down shrieking excitedly.
1. What time was it in the zoo?
a. playing time
b. feeding time
c. sleeping time
2. How did the animals show that they were hungry?
a. They played.
b. They quarreled.
c. They made noise.
3. Who howled?
a. the lions
b. the gorillas
c. the monkeys
4. What did the lions do?
a. roared
b. beat on the bars
c. opened their mouths
5. What was the zookeeper going to do?
a. beat the animals
b. feed the animals
c. bathe the animals
6. How did the little monkeys manage to reach the cage bars?
a. by jumping over each other
b. by tumbling over each other
c. by climbing over each other
7. What did the little monkeys do?
a. snitched
b. squeaked
c. screeched
8. What did the monkeys do with the iron bars?
a. broke
b. rattled
c. loosened
9. Who jumped up and down?
a. dancers
b. parrots
c. birds
10. How did the parrots welcome the zookeeper?
a. They shouted.
b. They shrieked.
c. They squeaked
Exercise 14
HOME FOR THE AGED
“It will not be long from now and Tandang Sela will not go begging anymore,” Mel told his sister
Sheila.
“Why did you say that?” asked Sheila.
“Didn’t you know?” Mel asked. “The government had decided to help the beggars, young and
old.”
“But how?” asked Sheila, still puzzled. “There are hundreds of beggars around. How can the
government help them all?”
“It is like this,” explained Mel. “The young ones will be placed in the care of their relatives if they
have any. The others will be sent to the provinces where they came from. The children who do not have
anybody to look after them will be placed in orphanages. The old ones who have neither families nor
relatives will be housed in the Home for the Aged. They will be taken care of by the government.”
“How nice,” Sheila said. “It is really a pity to see these beggars, especially the very old ones.”
1. What does Tandang Sela do?
a. She sells.
b. She begs.
c. She washes clothes.
2. What news does Mel have for Sheila?
a. Tandang Sela will move to another place.
b. Tandang Sela will not have to beg anymore.
c. Tandang Sela will not have to wash clothes anymore.
3. Whom will the government help?
a. the children
b. the beggars
c. the poor people
4. Where will the young ones be sent?
a. to their relatives
b. to the orphanage
c. to the social welfare
5. Where will the unattended young ones be sent?
a. to rich families
b. to orphanages
c. to the provinces where they came from
6. Who will be housed in the Home for the Aged?
a. the young ones
b. the very old ones
c. the ones with relatives
7. Who will provide the needs of the old folks?
a. their relatives
b. the rich people
c. the government
8. Which of these statements is true?
a. The government will help the beggars.
b. The government will imprison all beggars.
c. The government will drive the beggars away.
9. How did Sheila feel about the government’s decision?
a. glad
b. envious
c. curious
10. How does one feel when he sees beggars especially the old ones?
a. sad
b. joyful
c. happy
Exercise 15
AN AIRPLANE RIDE
The strangest thing about my first airplane ride was that I seemed not to be moving at all since
the plane assumed a certain altitude. As I looked down, the earth below seemed like a wonderful map in
lovely colors. Everything was a miniature. The houses, the trees, the buildings appeared like playthings.
The vast rice fields were restful to the eyes to look at. The ocean was but a shallow stream of clear, blue
water.
Indeed, anybody’s first plane ride is a pleasant experience.
1. On what kind of transportation was the author riding?
a. a car
b. a ship
c. an airplane
2. How did the earth below appear to the narrator?
a. a vast rice field
b. a wonderful map
c. a undeveloped place
3. How did the objects appear to the author?
a. shadows
b. reflections
c. miniatures
4. What made the rice fields restful to the eyes?
a. their size
b. their color
c. the location
5. How did the author consider his first airplane ride?
a. a horrible experience
b. a pleasant experience
c. a nauseating experience
6. What did the author say the ocean looked like?
a. long river
b. shallow stream
c. swimming pool
7. What was the strangest thing about the author’s first airplane ride?
a. The plane flew so fast.
b. The plane seemed not to be moving.
c. The plane could not go above the clouds.
8. How many times has the author ridden on an airplane?
a. twice
b. once
c. many
9. Which appeared like playthings to the author?
a. buildings, trees, houses
b. houses, people, animals
c. houses, buildings, people
10. How did he describe the rice fields?
a. restful to the eyes
b. like a dense forest
c. like a shallow stream
Exercise 16
JOSE RIZAL’S MOTHER
God’s best gift to Jose Rizal was his mother, Doña Teodora Alonzo. Teodora was brought up by
her mother in a home full of love and understanding. She was educated at Santa Rosa College. Her
excellent education, her goodness of heart and her other virtues prepared her to be the mother of our
national hero. To Jose Rizal, next to God, a mother means everything to a man. Doña Teodora was a
devout Catholic. It was her teachings that made her son, Jose, love the Christian way of life. He was still
a baby when his mother began teaching him the alphabet and the simple prayers as was the custom of
the Filipino family.
Doña Teodora was fond of telling stories to her son, Jose. The word “story: meant something
new and wonderful to Jose. He would sit down to listen, full of interest and wonder, when his mother
called him for the regular story time. He loved the stories his mother told him. He remembered the
moral lesson each story conveyed and made it a part of his education and training.
1. How did Jose Rizal consider his mother?
a. his playmate
b. God’s best gift
c. a good story teller
2. Which word best described Doña Teodora?
a. gay
b. lovely
c. virtuous
3. Which of the following prepared her to be the mother of our national hero?
a. her books
b. her goodness of heart
c. her pleasant disposition
4. What did a mother mean to Rizal?
a. Everyone’s mother is his friend.
b. Next to God, a mother meant everything to a man.
c. A mother is one who should teach her children how to read and pray.
5. What was Doña Teodora’s religion?
a. Catholic
b. Protestant
c. Presbyterian
6. What made Jose love the Christian way of life?
a. his father’s teachings
b. his mother’s teachings
c. his teacher’s teachings
7. What did his mother teach him as was the custom of the Filipino family?
a. reading simple stories
b. telling children’s stories
c. the alphabet and simple prayers
8. Did Jose believe his mother’s stories?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
9. What did the word “story” mean to Jose?
a. something nice
b. something good
c. something new and wonderful
10. How did Jose listen to his mother’s story?
a. carelessly
b. attentively
c. half-heartedly
Exercise 17
PLANT PESTS
In addition to different kinds of plant diseases, there are a great number of plant pests that can
destroy or stop the growth of plants. Insects carry fungi and bacteria diseases from plant to plant. The
potato beetle carries the potato rot. Some insects even eat plants. Certain grasshoppers and biting
insects strip a plant of its leaves thus killing the plant lice and leaf hoppers. They consume the sap of
plant tissues this causing the withering of the plant itself.
1. What can destroy or stop the growth of plants?
a. plant food
b. plant pests
c. plant fertilizers
2. What else besides pests injure plants?
a. fertilizers
b. insecticides
c. different kinds of plant diseases
3. Which carry diseases from one plant to another?
a. flowers
b. insects
c. people
4. What causes potato rot?
a. potato fungi
b. potato beetle
c. potato bacteria
5. What happens to plants where insects live and feed on?
a. They grow fast.
b. The plants are injured.
c. The plants grow healthy.
6. What is another name for the grasshopper?
a. flying insect
b. biting insect
c. sucking insect
7. How do the grasshopper harm the plants?
a. They cut the plants.
b. They strip the plant of its leaves.
c. They suck the juice from the plants.
8. What happen to the plants when harmed by these insects?
a. plants grow rapidly
b. plants become healthy
c. plants stop growing and die afterwards
9. Which of the following insects are the most destructive?
a. ants
b. mites
c. scale insects
10. Are all insects harmful?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
Exercise 18
THE SCHOOL LUNCH COUNTER
A school canteen or lunch counter is established in every school to improve children’s eating
habits and preferences. Native, nutritious dishes such as goto, pancit, lumpia are prepared by a teacher
with the help of some children. Sandwiches are also sold for those who prefer a light merienda. A good
lunch counter has milk as a regular item for sale. Teachers encourage their pupils to include milk in their
daily food intake.
The canteen is part of a school. It protects children from sickness by discouraging them to buy
from food peddlers and unsanitary, nearby stores.
Pupils are asked to patronize the canteen for their own health. The low prices of food serve as
an encouragement for the children to buy from the school canteen.
1. What does a school lunch counter serve?
a. lunch
b. dinner
c. merienda
2. When do the majority of children buy at the lunch counters?
a. after class
b. before class
c. during recess
3. Which of these statement is true?
a. Native foods are good for light merienda.
b. Recess lunch may take the place of lunch.
c. Goto, pancit and lumpia are eaten at breakfast.
4. What food should a lunch counter always have?
a. rice
b. milk
c. cereals
5. Why is milk good for children?
a. It tastes good.
b. It is nice to drink.
c. It supplies them with needed nutrients.
6. How do school lunch counters help children?
a. They sell native food.
b. They sell delicious food.
c. They sell nutritious food at low prices.
7. Why should children avoid buying food outside the school?
a. It is cleaner.
b. It is cheaper.
c. It is not safe to eat.
8. Where can children buy much safer and cheaper food?
a. from peedlers
b. from nearby stores
c. from school lunch counters
9. What is the aim of school lunch counters?
a. to make business
b. to make children thrifty
c. to improve the children’s health
10. How do the lunch counter operators encourage children to buy from them?
a. by offering bonus prizes
b. by being open the whole day
c. by lowering the prices of food
Exercise 19
BEAUTY
Beauty is seen
In the sunlight
The trees, the birds
Corn growing, people working
Or praying for a good harvest.
Beauty is heard all around
Wind sighing,
Rain falling or a singer humming
An old folk song.
Beauty is in yourself
Good deeds, happy thoughts reflected
In your dreams
In your work,
During peaceful rest.
1. Does beauty depend upon the observer?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
2. Is there beauty everywhere?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
3. Where lies the beauty in people?
a. in themselves
b. in their wealth
c. in their appearance
4. Is there beauty in the falling rain?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
5. When is a person peaceful?
a. when he is rich
b. when he is intelligent
c. when he has performed good deeds
6. According to the poem, where can you find beauty?
a. in flowers
b. in yourself
c. in the house
7. Can we hear beauty?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
8. Who are praying for good harvest?
a. rice growers
b. corn growers
c. coconut growers
9. Where are good deeds and happy thoughts reflected?
a. at home
b. in your dream
c. in other people
10. When do the happy thoughts occur?
a. when praying
b. during peaceful rest
c. when you are with other people
Exercise 20
THE ANIMAL’S WISH
We beg no fancy garb
To keep us cozily warm
Nor softer bed to rest
Though it should be less hard.
We wish not our liberty
For to serve is our fate
We live as servants forever
To work early and late.
To talk is a silly dream
For us domed mute to remain
Buy we hear, see and feel
Please to us be a bit kinder.
Be kind a little bit more
And be unkind ten times less
We are poor dumb creatures
And we have but few needs.
1. What do animals ask in general?
a. that we make them sleep
b. that we be more kind to them
c. that we ask them to dine with us
2. How long do animals serve us?
a. a few years
b. for some time
c. as long as they live
3. What do animals consider a silly dream?
a. to be able to talk
b. to be able to hear
c. to be able to serve
4. What do they beg of us?
a. shelter for them
b. kindness to them
c. clothing for them
5. Which of these statements is true?
a. Giving food to dumb
creatures is enough.
b. We need to be more kind to
dumb creatures.
c. We must not consider
dumb creatures as our friends.
6. Are they asking their master to let them free?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Does not say
7. When do the animals work as their master’s
servant?
a. early and late
b. non-stop
c. only at night
8. How much needs do animals have?
a. Many
b. None
c. Few
9. What are the animals doomed to remain?
a. mute
b. sensitive
c. untrainable
10. What three things can the animals do?
a. feel, hear, see
b. see, hear, speak
c. hear, speak, feel
Exercise 21
A LETTER OF INVITATION
26 del Pilar Street
Sampaloc, Manila
March 15, 2004
Dear Nina,
My parents are going to give a party on the evening of my graduation, March 29. It will be held
in our house on del Pilar Street. Please come and bring along your brother, Milo, and your sister, Ester.
My father has prepared some very exciting parlor games which I am sure you and your sister and
brother will enjoy. There will also be a program prepared by my elder sister, Nora. The party starts at six
o’clock. You can go home at nine so you will have plenty of time to enjoy the party. We are hoping to
see you all.
Your friend,
Gina
1. What kind of a letter is this?
a. a letter of thanks
b. a letter of invitation
c. a letter of congratulations
2. Who wrote the letter?
a. Gina
b. Father
c. Nina
3. The letter is addressed to
a. Mother
b. Gina
c. Nina
4. Who is giving a party?
a. Tita’s parents
b. Nina’s parents
c. Gina’s parents
5. Where is the party going to be held?
a. in school
b. in Nina’s home
c. in Gina’s home
6. Who are included in the invitation?
a. Milo & Ester
b. Gina & Nina
c. Gina’s parents
7. What did Gina’s father prepare for the children?
a. parlor games
b. group games
c. outdoor games
8. What has been prepared by Gina’s sister?
a. dances
b. program
c. parlor games
9. What occasion will be celebrated?
a. Gina’s birthday
b. Gina’s graduation
c. Gina’s house blessing
10. Who are expected by the family to come?
a. Nina, Milo and Ester
b. Gina, Nina and Ester
c. Nina, Gina and Nora
Exercise 22
LUNETA AND MANILA BAY
Do you know that Manila Bay has the finest harbor in the Philippines? It is also famous for its
beautiful sunset. Tourists observe that Manila Bay has one of the most glowing sunsets in the world.
Roxas Boulevard, formerly Dewey Boulevard, runs along the shores of Manila Bay. There are many
beautiful buildings aong the street, mostly hotels and restaurants. Luneta, a big park with fountains and
ornamental plants, faces the bay. People go to Luneta to listen to band concerts and to view
performances at the open theater.
1. What is Manila Bay noted for?
a. tall buildings
b. its fine harbor
c. ornamental flowers
2. What is it also famous for?
a. its many streets
b. its beautiful sunset
c. its many mountains
3. What do tourists say about its sunset?
a. It is red.
b. It is colorful.
c. It is the most glowing sunset in the world.
4. On what street is the Luneta located?
a. Shaw Boulevard
b. Roxas Boulevard
c. Quezon Boulevard
5. What do people enjoy most at the Luneta?
a. the plants
b. the people
c. the cool breeze
6. What is the Luneta today?
a. a harbor
b. a big park
c. a commercial district
7. What do people do at the Luneta?
a. stroll
b. pray
c. trade goods
8. Where is the Luneta Park Luneta?
a. facing the Manila Bay
b. at the tip of the Manila Bay
c. in the commercial district of Manila Bay
9. How are people entertained at the Luneta Park?
a. open air movies
b. by clowns and circus
c. in the commercial district of Manila Bay
10. Where are most performances held?
a. at the open theater
b. at the Chinese garden
c. near Rizal’s monument
Exercise 23
BEING ON TIME
Arturo was the president of the Grade Six class organization. They agreed to celebrate Arbor Day
with a program and mass planting of fruit trees.
“At what time will the program start?” asked Miss Diaz, their teacher.
“It will start at 7:00 o’clock in the morning, Miss Diaz,” answered Arturo.
“That’s good,” observed Miss Diaz. “It will not be too hot for the planting of trees. I only hope it
will begin on schedule.”
“That’s sure, Miss Diaz,” Arturo said. “It will be a new Filipino time concept.”
“I admire you, Arturo, for saying ‘Filipino time,’ which means on time,” said Miss Diaz laughing.
“It is really time for us to observe punctuality,” explained Arturo. “So instead of saying being on
time is ‘American time,” we shall call it ‘Filipino time’.”
1. What position Arturo have in the class organization?
a. secretary
b. treasurer
c. president
2. What did the class organization decide to celebrate?
a. Arbor Day
b. Town Fiesta
c. Parents Day
3. Aside from the program, what other activity was scheduled?
a. planting of shrubs
b. planting of fruit trees
c. planting of flowering trees
4. At what time was the program supposed to start?
a. 8:00 o’clock in the morning
b. 7:00 o’clock in the morning
c. 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon
5. Who was in doubt whether it would start on time?
a. Arturo’s mother
b. Arturo’s teacher
c. Arturo’s classmates
6. What do we usually say when punctuality is observed in any activity?
a. Filipino time
b. Spanish time
c. American time
7. How did Arturo call punctuality?
a. Filipino time
b. Spanish time
c. American time
8. What did Arturo’s class agree on?
a. starting late
b. adopting American time
c. changing the concept of Filipino time
9. Did Arturo’s class agree with it?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
10. Who admired Arturo’s leadership?
a. The teacher
b. The parents
c. The principal
Exercise 24
THE TRUE FILIPINO
President Quezon’s counsel to the Filipino was; “Make the Filipinos true citizens of the
Philippines. They should be made aware of things connected with their country and people including
their culture and civilization.”
What did President Quezon want to convey to his countrymen? In his opinion, we deserve to be
called a true Filipino if we have our country’s virtue welfare at heart. Knowledge and appreciation of our
country’s history, civilization and culture are to be required from each individual. Every citizen must be
concerned with the progress of the nation, in making the country known to other parts of the world and
in achieving peace for the land of his birth.
1. What did President Quezon wish for the Philippines?
a. fame
b. wealth
c. loyal sons and daughters
2. Who deserve to be called a true Filipino?
a. somebody working in a foreign firm
b. somebody working in the government
c. somebody working for his country’s progress
3. What should every Filipino strive to achieve for his coutry?
a. progress
b. culture
c. machineries
4. In what should a Filipino feel proud of?
a. his country’s name
b. his country’s culture
c. his country’s location
5. to whom was President Quezon’s counsel addressed?
a. to the soldiers
b. to all the citizens
c. to the government officials
6. Which of the following did Quezon want the Filipinos to be?
a. true citizens of the Philippines
b. good soldiers of the Philippines
c. good speakers of Filipinos language
7. In Quezon’s opinion, when do we deserve to be called a true Filipino?
a. when we can speak Filipino fluently
b. when we know our national anthem at heart
c. when we have our country’s welfare at heart
8. What did Quezon want every individual to know?
a. the country’s history, civilization and culture
b. the symbols of our country and their meanings
c. the different provinces that comprise our country?
9. To whom did Quezon want our own country be known?
a. to all the Filipino citizens
b. to all the people of Asia
c. to other parts of the world
10. One of the following was not mentioned among those which Quezon wanted every individual to
achieve. Copy the letter of that word.
a. power
b. peace
c. progress
Exercise 25
OUR MALAYAN BROTHERS
In some ways we, Filipinos, are similar or our Malayan brothers. This is so because our ancestors
included the Malays and the Indonesians. The Malays and the Filipinos are similar in height, in
complexion and in looks. Philippines aborigines such as the Ifugaos, Subanuns and Tagbanuas live in
much the same way as the Malaysians and Indonesians. The clothes, houses, weapons and art of the
Filipino Muslims are similar to those of the Malaysians and Indonesians.
The Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia have the same industries and products. The languages
used in the Philippines include many Malayan words. Like the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia were
former territories of western countries. Like the Filipinos, the people of Malaysia and Indonesia
struggled hard also of independence. The former MAPHIILINDO composed of Malaysia, the Philippines
and Indonesia was organized for mutual protection against belligent countries.
1. The selection tells us ____.
a. how the Filipinos dress
b. how the Indonesians dress
c. how similar we are to our Malayan brothers
2. To whom are the Filipinos similar in some ways?
a. to their Malayan brothers
b. to their European brothers
c. to their American brothers
3. Who of the following are among our ancestors?
a. Europeans
b. American Indians
c. Malays and Indonesians
4. Who live in the same way as the Malaysians and Indonesians?
a. Arabs and Egyptians
b. Indians, Polyneans, Hawaiians
c. Igorots, Ifugaos, Subanuns, Tagbanuas
5. Who believe in the Islam faith like the Indonesians and Malaysians?
a. lowlanders
b. Filipino Muslims
c. Mountain people
6. What do the languages in the Philippines include?
a. many English words
b. many Malayan words
c. many Japanese words
7. What things are similar in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia?
a. religion
b. languages
c. products and industries
8. Which of these countries were former territories of Western countries like the Philippines?
a. Japan and China
b. Taipei and Cambodia
c. Malaysia and Indonesia
9. People struggled hard to ____.
a. get their independence
b. get their countries started
c. get their people to cooperate
10. What was the former MAPHILINDO?
a. organization composed of Singapore, Hongkong and Taiwan
b. organization composed of Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia
c. organization composed of China, Japan and Cambodia.
Exercise 26
THE RAT
The rat belongs to the mouse family although it is larger than a mouse. It has also more scales
on its tail than a mouse. There are rats of different sizes and colors. The brown Norway rat is the most
destructive and powerful. Black rat can still be found in cities near the coasts and in countries with
warm climate.
Rats travel aboard ships and eat almost anything. If they are hungry they attack animals, even
men. Rats bread rapidly, producing 20 to 50 offsprings a year. A rat can start breeding at six months old.
Wild rats are special problems to man because they spread bubonic plague, rat fever and they destroy
crops.
1. To what family does the rat belong?
a. cat
b. dog
c. mouse
2. Which is the largest among the following animals?
a. rat
b. mouse
c. house lizard
3. What part of the rat has more scales?
a. its tail
b. its legs
c. its body
4. Which is the most powerful among the following?
a. white rat
b. black rat
c. brown Norway rat
5. Where can black rats be found?
a. near the coasts
b. near the woods
c. near the ground
6. What do rats eat?
a. roots
b. grass
c. almost anything
7. Why are there plenty of rats?
a. They eat anything.
b. They breed very rapidly.
c. They are found in homes.
8. What do rats destroy most?
a. trees
b. crops
c. houses
9. At what age does a rat start breeding?
a. a year old
b. six months old
c. three months old
10. Why are rats a problem to man?
a. They play around.
b. They breed rapidly.
c. They carry diseases.
Exercise 27
TWO PAINTERS
When Jose Rizal and Juan Luna were studying in Madrid, they lived together in a boarding
house. They used to play jokes on one another.
Juan Luna woke up early one morning and saw that Rizal was still asleep. He did one of Rizal’s
slippers and drew exactly one likely it on a cardboard. When Jose woke up, he tried to put on his slippers
but he found out that one was made out of cardboard. “I know who painted this. It is nicely done,” he
said.
One day, Juan Luna went out with his friends. Jose decided to draw the contents of Juan’s room
on the closed door with the permission of their landlady. When Luna arrived, he went directly to his
room. He bumped his head on the closed door. “You are a good painter.” Juan Luna told Rizal.
1. Who studied in Madrid?
a. Andres Bonifacio
b. Apolinario Mabini
c. Juan Luna and Jose Rizal
2. Where did they live in Madrid?
a. in a hotel
b. in a Filipino home
c. in a boarding house
3. What did they usually do when they entertain themselves?
a. play sipa
b. play jokes
c. play chess
4. What did Luna hide?
a. one of Jose’s pets
b. one of Jose’s books
c. one of Jose’s slippers
5. Why did Jose think it was his real slipper?
a. It was large.
b. It was just right for him.
c. It was realistically painted.
6. Where did Rizal paint the contents of the room?
a. on the wall
b. on the closed door
c. on the window pane
7. Why did Luna enter the room directly?
a. It was his room.
b. He thought he door was open.
c. He thought the door had been removed.
8. What did Luna think of Rizal’s painting?
a. It was not right.
b. It was just a view.
c. It was beautifully done.
9. For what was Luna known?
a. being a good writer
b. being a good soldier
c. being a good painter
10. How will you describe Luna and Rizal’s sense of humor?
a. dull
b. keen
c. neither a or b
Exercise 28
THE FLOWER OF LOVE
Once there loved a chieftain who had a beautiful daughter name Liwayway. One day Liwayway
went into the woods to gather fruits and flowers but unfortunately lost her way. She became
unconscious when a wild beast ran after her. When she came to, she saw a young man bending over
her. He was the son of another chieftain. When they parted, each one knew they were in love with each
other.
One day the young man was going away to fight the white men who had invaded their land. The
lovers promised never to forget each other saying “Sumpa kita.” But the warrior never came back. In
sorrow, the maiden killed herself. Sometime later, shrubs with fragrant flowers grew on her grave.
People believed that Liwayway’s love grew and bloomed. It became a custom for young lovers after that
to exchange garlands of these flowers as a token of their faithful love. They whispered “I promise”
(Sumpa kita) to each other. In time the flowers became known as sampaguita. It is adopted as our
national flower because of its fragrance and simplicity.
1. Who was Liwayway?
a. She was a mermaid.
b. She was a goddess of dawn.
c. She was the daughter of a chieftain.
2. Why did she go to the woods?
a. to chase birds
b. to take a bath
c. to gather fruits and flowers
3. What happened when a wild beast ran after her?
a. She played with it.
b. She climbed a tree.
c. She became unconscious.
4. What did she see when she regained consciousness?
a. a fairy bending over her
b. a wild beast bending over her
c. a young man bending over her
5. Who was the young man the maiden saw?
a. a hunter
b. a warrior
c. son of another chieftain
6. Why did the young man leave?
a. to go with his father
b. to fight the invaders
c. to live in another land
7. What did they promise each other?
a. to write each other
b. to love each other forever
c. never to forget each other
8. Who killed herself?
a. the fairy
b. Liwayway
c. the maiden
9. What grew on her grave?
a. shrubs with fragrant flowers
b. shrubs with yellow flowers
c. shrubs with thick leaves
10. What does the sampaguita symbolize?
a. loyalty
b. bravery
c. honesty
Exercise 29
FOOD AND DRINKS OF THE ANCIENT FILIPINOS
Rice was the staple food of the ancient Filipinos. They cooked it in pots and in bamboos. Our
forefathers’ diet included also various species of fish caught in rivers and lakes; meat from carabaos,
deer, hogs, chickens and edible birds; vegetables, tubers like sweet potato; spices like pepper and garlic;
and fruits like bananas, oranges, guavas and mangoes.
There were also many kinds of wine and drinks on the islands. The tuba which was taken from
the coconut palms was the champagne of the early Filipinos. Among the popular wines were the Visayan
pangasi, fermented from rice; the Visayan gauilang distilled from sugar cane; and the Igorot tapuy,
taken from rice.
Although the early Filipinos were heavy drinkers, they seldom lost their senses when drunk.
They only became lively, talkative and witty when intoxicated. Even after a heavy drink, their hands
never trembled and they could manage to weigh their gold correctly.
1. The story tells about food and drinks of ____.
a. the ancient Filipinos
b. the modern Filipinos
c. the mountain people
2. Where did they cook rice?
a. in jars and pots
b. in kettles and pots
c. in pots and bamboos
3. What other things were used as food?
a. grasses and roots
b. various species of fish
c. leaves and branches
4. Which was considered the champagne of the ancient Filipinos?
a. rice
b. tuba
c. coconut juice
5. What was the Visayan pangasi?
a. wine fermented from rice
b. wine extracted from sugar cane
c. wine extracted from the coconut palms
6. What wine was distilled from sugar cane?
a. Ilocano basi
b. Visayan tapuy
c. Visayan gauilang
7. What was the Igorot tapuy?
a. wine taken from rice
b. wine taken from sugar cane
c. wine taken from coconut palm
8. Although the Filipinos were heavy drinkers what did they seldom lose?
a. their drinks
b. their senses
c. their clothes
9. What happened to them when they got drunk?
a. They could not go home.
b. They became talkative and lively.
c. They trembled and became nervous.
10. What was the staple food of the ancient Filipinos?
a. rice
b. wine
c. roots
Exercise 30
SUPERSTITIONS
“Please tell us about some of our superstitious beliefs, Grandmother,” pleaded Elvi as she saw
the old woman sitting by the window. “We will discuss them in class tomorrow.”
“Listen and I will tell you about man’s three friends. These are three superstitious beliefs about
animals,” Grandma answered, putting down the shorts she was mending.
“Tell us about them,” said Elvi excitedly.
“One of them is the rooster who is up before dawn and crows on the rooftops,” said
Grandmother. “It is bidding its master to get up and go forth to earn his living.
“The second one is the cat who announces the coming of a visitor by washing its face so it may
look presentable to its master’s guests.”
“And the third is the dog who can smell danger and death. It barks to warm its master of the
presence of any stranger who might do him harm. When a dog howls with sorrow it is said that is smells
death coming its master’s way.”
1. What is the selection about?
a. a legend
b. a fairy tale
c. three superstitions
2. Which word describes superstitions?
a. true
b. good
c. beliefs
3. About what are the superstitions in the selection?
a. food
b. animals
c. weather
4. Why does the rooster crow from the rooftops before dawn?
a. to tell its master to get up
b. to tells its master to feed it
c. to make its master sleep soundly
5. Why does the rooster wake its master up before dawn?
a. to be given corn
b. to take it from the rooftop
c. to tell its master to earn his living
6. How do cats announce the coming of visitors?
a. by turning around
b. by waving their tails
c. by washing their faces
7. What do dogs smell?
a. food
b. other animals
c. danger and death
8. How do dogs warn their masters of a coming danger?
a. by barking
b. by howling
c. by wagging their tails
9. When does a dog howl with sorrow?
a. when he smells food
b. when he likes to sleep
c. when he smells death for its master
10. Are superstitious to be believed?
a. No
b. Yes
c. Maybe
Exercise 31
THE LOBSTER AND THE GRAB
One day Lobster and Crab met.
“I have ten claws,” boasted Crab. “I am the Great Crab which the land people like best to eat.
We, crab are covered with a head shield.”
“We are knights belonging to the Order of the Crustacea,” cried Lobster.
“What does that mean?” asked Crab.
“Crustacea means covered with a crust or shell,”explained Lobster.
“It is the same with us,” said Crab. “Our claws and bodies are made of rings of shell joined
together by sockets. We use our claws for walking and for tearing our food.”
“Land people like to eat us,” said Lobster. “When we are cooked, we turn into a bright red color
but in the water, we are green.”
1. Lobster and Crabs are ____.
a. birds
b. fish
c. crustaceans
2. The crustaceans are like knights because ____.
a. they have claws
b. they have nippers
c. their bodies are all covered with shields
3. Crustacea means ____.
a. covered with hair
b. covered with shell
c. covered with scales
4. Land people like to
a. eat the crustaceans
b. play with the crustaceans
c. make pets of the crustaceans
5. What color do the crab and lobster have when they are in the water?
a. green
b. orange
c. bright red
6. Both Crabs and Lobsters are kinds of
a. seafood
b. flying insects
c. land animals
7. Which of them can walk on land too?
a. Both
b. Crab
c. Lobster
8. Are crabs and lobsters eaten by people too?
Draw a crab if your answer is No; a lobster, if your answer is Yes.
9. Crustaceans have ____.
a. fur
b. shells
c. scales
10. This kind of story is a ____.
a. fairy tale
b. legend
c. fable
Exercise 32
PLANT FOR LIFE
Nestor looked happily at his rows of vegetable plants with their green, fresh and healthy leaves.
There were rows of lettuce, tomatoes, eggplants and pechay. On one side of the yard were trellises of
patola, squash and amargoso. Nestor remembered that their backyard was once a dumping place of
garbage, empty cans and trash. Then the government launched the “Plant for Life” project. With the
help of his father, they cleaned the backyard and dug the stumps and roots of old trees. They cultivated
the soil, got vegetable seeds from the Bureau of Plants and planted them in their backyard. Now all are
ready for harvest. The vegetables will be more than what they need so Nestor will take some to the
market. That will be extra money for the family.
1. Where did Nestor plant the vegetable seeds?
a. in their garden
b. in their backyard
c. in front of their house
2. What made Nestor happy?
a. his row of toys
b. his row of vegetables
c. his row of flowering plants
3. Where were the climbing vegetables planted?
a. in front of the backyard
b. on one side of the yard
c. in the middle of the yard
4. What was Nestor’s backyard before?
a. a storeroom
b. a playground
c. a dumping place
5. What project did the government launch?
a. Save a Life
b. Plant for Life
c. Help the Typhoon Victims
6. Who helped Nestor clean the backyard?
a. his sister
b. his father
c. his mother
7. How did Nestor feel about his vegetable plants?
a. He did not like it.
b. He was sorry about it.
c. He was happy about it.
8. Where did Nestor get his vegetable seeds?
a. from the Bureau of Plants
b. from the Bureau of Fisheries
c. from the Bureau of Industries
9. Where would Nestor bring the vegetables they do not need?
a. to his friends
b. to the market
c. to his relatives
10. What activity would increase food production?
a. planting flowering trees
b. planting flowering plants
c. planting vegetables in the backyard
Exercise 33
TELL THE TRUTH
Don’t be afraid, Little Johnny, my boy,
Open the door and go in;
The longer you wait before telling your fault
The harder it is to begin.
No wonder you stand with a pitiful face
And fear the confession to make;
For you know when you’re naughty the worst of it all
Is making your mother’s heart ache.
Have courage, dear boy, never mind if your shoes
Are muddy and wet, and all that;
Never mind if your clothes have been terribly torn
And you have ruined your pretty new hat.
Go in like a man, and tell Mother the truth
Like a brave little lad, and you’ll see
How happy a boy who confesses his fault,
And is truthful and honest as can be.
1. What was the author’s advice to Johnny?
a. not to play
b. not to enter the house
c. not to be afraid to confess the truth
2. What happens if one waits longer?
a. it will be hard to begin.
b. it will be easy to begin.
c. it will be foolish to begin.
3. How does a boy appear if he has a confession
to make?
a. He has a pitiful face.
b. He has a brave face.
c. He has a happy face.
4. How does a mother feel when her little boy
has been naughty?
a. She is sad.
b. She is proud.
c. She is very happy.
5. What will you do when you have something
to confess?
a. Try to hide it.
b. Try to forget it.
c. Face the truth like a man.
6. Will you be afraid to tell what you have done
if you have ruined you clothes?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
7. What does one need to tell the truth?
a. fear
b. courage
c. shyness
8. How will one feel if he confesses the truth?
a. happy
b. afraid
c. timid
9. Is it always easy to tell the truth?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
10. What is the best trait one must possess to
be able to confess?
a. fear
b. pride
c. courage
Exercise 34
THE LEGEND OF LAKE BUHI
Grandmother was relating the story of Lake Buhi to her grandchildren. According to her, Buhi
was a town at the bottom of the lake.
Once upon a time the people of this enchanted town lived in abundance. But as the people
became wealthy they forgot all about God and so God punished them. Their town sank beneath the
earth overnight and in its place there rose a beautiful lake.
When the weather was warm and clear and the surface of the lake is as clear as a mirror, it is
said that one can look down into the bottom of the lake. The people can be seen doing their everyday
tasks. Some are cultivating their lands, others are building houses and smoke can be seen coming from
the kitchen as women cook the family meals.
It is also said that the tiniest fish in the world, found in Lake Buhi, are trimmings of abaca fiber as
the people in the lake continue to make hats out of abaca for which the town was once famous.
1. What is the selection about?
a. a sea
b. a lake
c. a stream
2. What type of literature is the selection?
a. fable
b. legend
c. fairy tale
3. What was Buhi before?
a. lake
b. town
c. people
4. How does the surface of the lake look when the weather is calm and clear?
a. muddy
b. gloomy
c. clear as a mirror
5. Why did God punish the people?
a. They were lazy.
b. They forgot God.
c. They were selfish.
6. What appeared in place of their town?
a. a city
b. a lake
c. a forest
7. What kind of fish is found in Lake Buhi?
a. the tiniest fish in the world
b. the wildest fish in the world
c. the most beautiful fish in the world
8. What was believed to be seen down the lake when the weather was clear?
a. ruins of buildings and houses
b. people doing their everyday tasks
c. schools of fishes converging on the lake floor
9. What do people say about the fish found in Lake Buhi?
a. They are pieces of thread.
b. They are trimmings from abaca fiber.
c. They are roots of plants under the lake.
10. What do people believe about the lake?
a. It is big.
b. It is beautiful.
c. It is enchanted.
Exercise 35
DAY OF FREEDOM
For more than three hundred years, Spain ruled our land. The Spanish flag flew in our land to
show that the Philippines was Spain’s territory. Then, the Americans came. They freed us from the
Spanish rule. For fifty years, we were governed by the Americans. Our flag was allowed to fly side with
the American flag. We were permitted to established our own government but under the control and
supervision of the Americans.
In 1941, the Japanese invaded the Philippines. Under the Japanese, we suffered three years of
hunger, fear and misery. With the help of the Americans, our country was freed from the Japanese
invaders.
Once more, peace came to our country. The fourth of July, now known as the Fil-American
Friendship Day, marked the completion of Philippine Independence from foreign rule. It was on the
fourth July that we were granted total freedom.
1. For three hundred years, the Philippines was under ____.
a. Spain
b. Japan
c. the United States
2. The Spanish flag flew over ____.
a. Spain
b. our land
c. United States
3. Our land was freed from the Spaniards by the _____.
a. Spaniards
b. Japanese
c. Americans
4. The United States ruled our land for _____.
a. fifty years
b. two hundred years
c. one hundred years
5. They allowed our flag to fly ____.
a. alone
b. below theirs
c. side by side with theirs
6. We were permitted to establish our own ____.
a. religion
b. schools
c. government
7. In 1941 our country was invaded by ____.
a. Spain
b. Japan
c. United States
8. Under the Japanese occupation, the Filipinos ____.
a. were happy
b. were prosecuted
c. suffered hunger, fear and misery
9. The Americans helped the Filipino guerillas to ____.
a. enrich our country
b. liberate our country
c. beautify our country
10. The fourth of July means ____.
a. misery for the Filipinos
b. slavery for the Filipinos
c. freedom for the Filipinos
Exercise 36
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN
An American soldier called General Gregorio del Pilar was an officer and a gentleman. Del Pilar
was the youngest general of the Philippine revolution. When the revolution broke out he was only
seventeen. He was a brave and gallant soldier. He was only twenty-four years old when he died fighting
at Tirad Pass.
Gregorio del Pilar was born in Bulacan, Bulacan. He was a nephew of Marcelo H. del Pilar. He
became the favorite of General Emilio Aguinaldo who took the very young soldier with him wherever he
went. When the fighting between the Americans and the Filipinos became intense, General Emilio
Aguinaldo had to retreat to the mountains. General Emilion Aguinaldo had to retreat to the mountains.
General del Pilar and his sixty men stood at Tirad Pass to cover the retreat. The narrow pass was in
Palanan, Isabela. Three hundred Americans soldiers fought against del Pilar’s sixty men. But del Pilar and
his men fought bravely until a bullet struck him dead.
1. Who called General del Pilar an officer and a gentleman?
a. the English
b. the Filipinos
c. and American soldier
2. Which word describes Gregorio del Pilar as a general?
a. oldest
b. youngest
c. middle-aged
3. How old was he when the revolution broke out?
a. nineteen
b. eighteen
c. seventeen
4. How was he related to Marcelo del Pilar?
a. He was his aid.
b. He was his cousin.
c. He was his nephew.
5. Where did General Aguinaldo retreat when the Americans pursued him?
a. to Palanan
b. at Bulacan
c. at Pangasinan
6. Who were assigned to guard the pass where he Americans would pass?
a. General Aguinaldo’s soldiers
b. Gregorio del Pilar and his men
c. Marcelo H. del Pilar and his men
7. How many soldiers defended Tirad Pass with General del Pilar?
a. sixty men
b. three hundred
c. six hundred men
8. Where was Tirad Pass?
a. in Isabela
b. in Nueva Ecija
c. in Nueva Vizcaya
9. What happened to Gen. del Pilar during the battle?
a. He died.
b. He retreated.
c. He surrendered.
10. How old was he when he died?
a. twenty
b. seventeen
c. twenty four
Exercise 37
ABELENS, A NEW MOUTAIN TRIBE
The Abelens are small people, almost of pygmy size. The average height of a grown up girl is four
feet and a young man about four feet and eight inches. They are entirely different from the Negritoes
among whom they have lived for thousands of years. Abelens have long straight hair, not curly like that
of the Negritoes. Their complexion is light brown, much lighter than the dark complexion of the
Negritoes. Some of them have a distinct red tint on their hair. Their eyes are brown. Their features are
fine. They are quite a savage people. They used to make drinking cups from skulls of their enemies.
Although they know the Negrito language, the Abelens have a language of their own.
1. What is this selection about?
a. small islanders
b. small minority groups
c. small mountains group
2. What is the new tribe describe in the selction called?
a. Ifugaos
b. Abelens
c. Negritoes
3. How tall is an average Abelen girl?
a. 4 feet
b. 3 feet
c. 4 feet and 8 inches
4. How tall is an Abelen man?
a. 5 feet
b. 4 feet
c. 4 feet and 8 inches
5. From whom is the Abelen tribe distinctly differen?
a. Ifugaos
b. Ibanags
c. Negritoes
6. How does their hair look?
a. curly
b. wavy
c. straight
7. What is the color of their complexion?
a. black
b. light brown
c. dark brown
8. How are the Abelens described?
a. gentle
b. savage
c. intelligent
9. What do they use as drinking cups?
a. big leaves
b. bamboo joints
c. skulls of their enemies
10. What is their language?
a. Ifugao dialect
b. a language of their own
c. a borrowed language from some mountain tribe
Exercise 38
THE DUTCH
The Dutch are the people of Holland. They are considered serious and hardworking. They are
the cleanest people in the world. The Dutch are fond of eating, during and attending parties. Have you
seen a picture of a Dutch girl? She was wears big wooden shoes called klompers. Men wear baggy
trousers while women wear flowing skirts, white aprons and starched cloth caps. Dutch children are
healthy for they drink plenty of milk and take big amounts of butter. Boys are trained to steer the boat
and take charge of the windmill. Water sports are popular with the Dutch children.
1. The Dutch are considered ____.
a. the cleanest people in the world
b. the most religious people in the world
c. the most industrious people in the world
2. A Dutch girl usually wears ____.
a. big hats
b. big shirts
c. big wooden shoes
3. What is the native footwear of the Dutch called?
a. skirts
b. windmills
c. klompers
4. What do men wear?
a. long trousers
b. short trousers
c. baggy trousers
5. Who wear the flowing skirts, white aprons and starched caps?
a. the nurses
b. the women
c. the children
6. The Dutch are ____.
a. lazy
b. not serious
c. hardworking
7. Children take plenty of ____.
a. rice and fish
b. milk and butter
c. wheat and pork
8. Boys are trained to ____.
a. run races
b. steer boats
c. become soldiers
9. What is Holland known for?
a. boats
b. sports
c. windmills
10. What is the country of the Dutch?
a. Holland
b. England
c. Switzerland
Exercise 39
THE HOMING PIGEONS
During the first World War, both the army and the navy felt a great need for some way to send
messages back to their headquarters. Sometimes a torpedoed ship needed to send wireless message to
land. Men in a sinking ship were lost unless a passing ship chanced upon them. Battalions sent out on
scouting trips were sometimes gunned down by enemies. A soldier sent with a message for help was
oftentimes caught. Even messengers in airplanes were not safe. The enemy usually shot the planes and
kept the messengers as prisoners. So, pigeons were trained as messengers. They have a strong love for
their homes. Most of the birds move from one home to another but the pigeons have one home to
which they always return. Pigeons, even when taken away far from home, always fly swiftly back to their
habitations.
1. Who have a strong love for their homes?
a. mayas
b. pigeons
c. love birds
2. What do they do even when taken away from home?
a. They are usually lost.
b. They never come back.
c. They fly swiftly back home.
3. Pigeons were trained as
a. nurses
b. soldiers
c. messengers
4. What often happened to men sent as messenger in airplanes?
a. They were often lost on their way.
b. They were often shot down by enemy guns.
c. They carried messages safely to the headquarters.
5. Who felt a great need for a way to send messages to the headquarters?
a. the police
b. the constabulary
c. the army and the navy
6. During the First World War, how did the distressed ships ask for help?
a. through the radio
b. through the underground channels
c. through the messenger-pigeons
7. Who were sometimes lost and kept as prisoners by enemies?
a. batallions
b. messenger in ships
c. messenger on planes
8. When is the safe delivery of messages very important?
a. during travel
b. during field trips
c. during World War
9. What is the common characteristic of most birds?
a. They build homes.
b. They stay in one home.
c. They move from one home to another.
10. Why do pigeons make good messengers?
a. They always fly steadily back home.
b. They change their homes very often.
c. They move from one place to another.
Exercise 40
THE ATOMIC ENERGY
With the establishment of a Nuclear Center, we will engage in the production of radio isotopes
for use in agriculture, industry and medicine. This is a landmark in our scientific progress as it opens up
for our youth the field of nuclear science and ultimately harness the mightiest industrial power known
to man. It will greatly help fight poverty. With the use of the atomic energy, we will have the power to
run more industries.
1. What was established in our country?
a. a nuclear center
b. a telephone center
c. a telegraphic center
2. What can we engage in with the establishment of this center?
a. production of radio
b. production of short waves
c. production of radio isotopes
3. Of what use will this be?
a. in business and exporting
b. in sports and competitions
c. in agriculture, industry and medicine
4. What will the establishment of the Nuclear Center mean to us?
a. industrial progress
b. scientific progress
c. agriculture progress
5. For whom is the vast field of nuclear science open?
a. for the youth
b. for the old people
c. for the coming generation
6. What will the vast field of nuclear science harness?
a. mightiest manpower
b. mightiest industrial power
c. mightiest submarine power
7. What can atomic energy offer?
a. work in our land
b. illness in our land
c. poverty in our land
8. Of what use is atomic energy?
a. in planting rice
b. in running industries
c. in teaching children
9. Win what branch of science is the mightiest industrial power known to man?
a. nuclear science
b. historical science
c. elementary science
10. With what area is the Nuclear Center concerned?
a. science
b. agriculture
c. entertainment
SKILL B
Getting the General Significance of a Selection
Exercise 1
A skilled worker earns P1,800 a week; and unskilled worker earns P 1,000 a week. How much is
the difference in their earnings in a year or in 52 weeks?
1. What word tells that subtraction is important in solving this problem?
a. amount
b. earnings
c. difference
2. To get the answer what other process is involved?
a. division
b. addition
c. multiplication
3. How will you find the difference in their earnings in 52 weeks?
a. divide
b. multiply
c. subtract
Exercise 2
The children in a Grade Six class had an experiment. They boiled water in a kettle until the steam
came out. They put a tray in a place where the steam could reach it. They noticed the water vapor was
collected around the tray. Then they placed cracked ice on the tray. They observed that drops of water
fell underneath the tray.
From the experiment, the class formed some conclusions: When water is heated by the sun, it
evaporates and goes up into the air. When this water vapor becomes cool (because temperature at very
high altitudes is very low), it condenses and becomes water. Theses droplets of water become clouds.
When they become very heavy, they fall as rain.
1. What did the children experiment on?
a. how to boil water
b. how rains are formed
c. how clouds are formed
2. Which sentence is true?
a. Temperature falls at very low altitude.
b. Temperature at very high altitude is very low.
c. Temperature at very low altitude is very high.
3. What did the experiment prove?
a. Clouds evaporate as rain.
b. Vapor comes from cold water.
c. When droplets of water in the clouds become very heavy, they fall as rain.
Exercise 3
Once, a bullcart driver was passing through a muddy road. The wheels sank deep in the mud.
Though the bulls pulled with all their strength, they could not go farther.
The driver did not do anything to help his bulls. Instead he went down on his knees. He prayed
to Hercules, god of strength. He prayed to him to help him pull his cart out of the mud.
But Hercules said, “Put your arms on the wheel, lazy fellow. Help the bulls pull the wheels out of
the mud. The gods help those who help themselves.
1. Why did the wheels sink?
a. The road was soft.
b. The road was wet.
c. The road was muddy.
2. Which sentence is true?
a. The driver helped the bulls.
b. The driver pushed the cart.
c. The driver did not make any effort to help the bulls.
3. Which lesson does this story teach us?
a. Try hard to win.
b. If at first don’t succeed, try again.
c. God helps those who help themselves.
Exercise 4
William Howard Taft, and American Governor-General, felt that the Filipinos should own and
develop the natural resources of their country, and use them for themselves and their children. He
started the policy of “The Philippines for the Filipinos”.
Under Governor Taft, the government bought the friar lands, subdivided them into lots and sold
these to the tenants. The Bureau of Lands was established to distribute public lands and to see that
these were used properly. The Homestead Law allowed Filipinos to own and cultivate at least 25
hectares of land. Foreigners could own land if they comply with certain requirements.
1. What did William Howard Taft feel about the Filipinos?
a. They could own land if they are naturalized Americans.
b. They could own land only if they comply with certain requirements.
c. They should own and develop the natural resources of their country.
2. How were public lands distributed?
a. through Governor Taft
b. through the Bureau of Posts
c. through the Bureau of Lands
3. Which phrase best describes Governor Taft’s policy?
a. distribution of lands
b. land for Americans
c. the Philippines for the Filipinos
Exercise 5
It is not kindness to set free a canary, or a bird that in injured or has been kept in a cage for
years because it will be unable to take care of itself. Canaries are born in cages of pet bird parents. They
have been taken care of for generations and have no knowledge on how to find food or shelter. Letting
loose a canary in this world is like leaving a two-year old baby to make his own living.
The only way to soften the hard lot of a canary is to make it feel happy that it will not wish to be
set free.
1. Which word best describes the canary?
a. happy
b. restless
c. helpless
2. What is it like to let loose a canary in this world?
a. leaving a dog to make its own living
b. leaving a beggar to make his own living
c. leaving a two-year old baby to make his own living
3. Which sentences tells why canaries do not know how to find food or shelter?
a. They do not wish to be set free.
b. They are lazy to look for their own food.
c. They have been taken care of for generations.
Exercise 6
For over three hundred years, the Filipinos had suffered the cruelties of the Spaniards. They
were not free to do anything in their own country. A group of patriots formed the Katipunan with
Andres Bonifacio as the head. They fought for their country’s freedom.
The Katipuneros came from all over Manila and the nearby provinces on August 26, 1896. Their
meeting-place was in Balintawak. Only a few of them had guns but many of them had bolos. Others
came with weapons made from sharpened bamboos. They tore their cedulas to pieces angrily shouting,
“Long live the Katipunan! Long live the Philippines! Down with the tyrants!”
These words were the opening salvo of the First Cry of Balintawak.
1. Which is true according to the selection?
a. The Filipinos were free under the Spaniards.
b. The Filipinos were happy under the Spanish government.
c. The Filipinos could no longer bear the cruelties of the Spaniards.
2. What does the selection show?
a. Filipino humility
b. Filipino honesty
c. Filipino bravery
3. Which sentence summarizes the selection?
a. Andres Bonifacio was the head of the Katipunan.
b. The fighting at Balintawak was between the Filipinos and Spaniards.
c. The Filipinos revolted against the tyranny of Spain in the First Cry of Balintawak.
Exercise 7
The gorilla, an ape, is a large and man-like animal. It lives in African jungles and is so large and
fierce, that no full-grown one has ever been caught alive. It feeds on fruits and builds a covered platform
on trees for its house. With one stroke of its great arm, it can kill a person or a horse. Young gorillas
have been caught and brought to our menageries but they usually die because of our climate.
A young gorilla can be cared for and taught tricks. It can also prove itself to be very intelligent.
1. What is the selection about?
a. the gorillas of Africa
b. the natives of Africa
c. wild creatures in Africa
2. Which word best describes the gorilla?
a. fierce
b. gentle
c. intelligent
3. What kind of gorillas are usually caught and tamed?
a. full-grown ones
b. the young ones
c. large and fierce ones
Exercise 8
Located at the south of Manila, just about an hour ride away, is Tagaytay. It is located atop of
ridge some 2,000 feet above sea level. Tourists can view from this ridge the fascinating Taal Volcano and
Taal Lake. Because of its delightfully cool climate, many Filipinos and tourists from other countries visit
the place. There is a government hotel there built especially for tourists. First class accommodations can
be had in this resort. It has all the modern facilities that a tourist can ask for. When you go to Cavite, do
not miss to see this beautiful spot. It is one of the most beautiful spot in our country.
1. Why do tourists love to see Tagaytay?
a. because it is near Cavite
b. because it is a historical spot
c. because of the fascinating view of Taal Volcano and Taal Lake
2. What is the selection about?
a. a beautiful spot
b. a historical spot
c. a legendary spot
3. After reading this selection, what is one likely to think about?
a. to paint Tagaytay
b. to write about Tagaytay
c. to see Tagaytay sometime in the future
Exercise 9
The Barrio Council had a meeting to discuss about the barrio fiesta. It was agreed upon by all the
members that the fiesta be held for one day only instead of the traditional several days. This would be in
line with the high mass in the morning and a religious procession. Every household would try to prepare
some food for the visitors. All the people in the barrio agreed to be thrifty in the celebration of the town
fiesta.
1. What is the story about?
a. electing a barrio council
b. celebrating a barrio fiesta
c. celebrating a barrio holiday
2. Which is true about the coming celebration?
a. The fiesta is going to be celebrated for a week.
b. The fiesta is going to be celebrated for one day.
c. The fiesta is going to be celebrated for three days.
3. Which sentence tells us how the fiesta is going to be celebrated?
a. Much food would be served to the visitors.
b. The people would all attend the high mass.
c. The fiesta would be celebrated with austerity.
Exercise 10
Flowers are a beauty. Fortunately, the Philippine climate is favorable to the growth of various
species of these wonderful beauties of nature. As one travels around the islands, one comes across all
sorts of flowers. They are abundant especially in the months of March, April and from trees, bushes,
herbs, vines and water plants. Each species has its own distinct beauty. While children in the cities enjoy
them in flower shops, botanical gardens and parks, the children in the barrios see them on the fields,
gardens, forests, swamps and river banks. However, their beauty remains wherever they may be.
1. Which is a good title for this selection?
a. Beauty
b. How Beautiful!
c. The Flowers Around Us
2. Which is true about flowers?
a. They remain beautiful wherever they are.
b. Flowers bloom during the Christmas season only.
c. You don’t see many flowers when you travel around.
3. Why are flowers abundant in the Philippines?
a. due to the size of our country
b. due to the beauty of our country
c. due to the climate in our country
Exercise 11
Taxes are important sources of income for the government. They are essential to the life,
progress and security of a nation. As good citizens, it is our obligation and responsibility to pay taxes
willingly and on time. The income of the government is intended for the welfare of the people. A large
part of the government money is spent on the following: maintenance of public schools maintenance of
the army and the police, establishment of health services and construction of roads and bridges. It is
therefore necessary that our people – young and old alike – be made to understand the importance of
paying taxes.
1. Which of the titles below is appropriate for this selection?
a. Necessary Taxes
b. Why We Pay Taxes
c. Expenses of the Government
2. Why are taxes necessary?
a. They help us travel abroad.
b. They are put in a bank as savings.
c. They are sources of income for the government.
3. What are taxes for?
a. for its officials
b. for government support
c. for the welfare of the people
Exercise 12
“Why, I have never seen our town so clean!” cried Lyn as she alighted from the tricycle. “Not a
single trash around.”
“Don’t you know that every citizen in our town helps to make our town clean?” said Dennis, her
brother. “Anyone caught throwing rubbish around will be punished accordingly.”
“It can really be don’t,” said Lyn. “We can really make our town clean if we want to.”
“Yes,” answered Dennis.
1. What is the selection about?
a. keeping ourselves clean
b. keeping our toilets clean
c. keeping our surroundings clean
2. The main idea of the selection is
a. Let the government clean your surroundings.
b. Every citizen should help make the surroundings clean.
c. Clean your surroundings if your neighbors will clean theirs.
3. Which title is best for the story?
a. How To Keep Clean
b. In Keeping With Laws
c. Cleaning Our Surroundings
Exercise 13
Ruby overslept that Monday morning. When she woke up she had only ten minutes to eat
breakfast and start for school.
As if everything was against Ruby, she didn’t find a single pair of clean socks. She got a pair of
Aida’s socks but as she hurried downstairs, Aida saw her wearing her yellow socks.
“You never led me any of your things,” Aida said, “Remember when I wanted to wear your
yellow headband, you didn’t lend me? So you better remove those socks.”
“Well, I never saw a sister as hard to get along with as you are,” muttered Ruby as she ran back
upstairs to return Aida’s socks.
1. Which sentence best describes Ruby that morning?
a. She was calm.
b. She was in a hurry.
c. She was easy going.
2. What would be a good title for the story?
a. Selfish Ruby
b. The Yellow Socks
c. Blue Monday Morning
3. Do you agree with Ruby that her sister was hard to get along with?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
Exercise 14
We hear of cottage industries. These are industries that people engage in at home. Our
government and civic organizations are helping to promote cottage industries. These are encouraged
because they help the people in the following ways:
They provide work for the jobless.
They increase man’s usefulness through creative and useful activities.
They increase the family income.
They develop neighborliness and cooperation among the people in a community.
1. What is the selection about?
a. how people work
b. cottage industries
c. increase in usefulness
2. Which is true about cottage industries?
a. They promote goodwill among nations.
b. They provide work for those who already have jobs.
c. They develop cooperation among people in a community.
3. Why are cottage industries encouraged in our country?
a. to get rich
b. to help the jobless
c. to help big industries
Exercise 15
“Is Father going hunting?” Jay asked his mother when he saw his father get his gun and go out of
the house.
“Didn’t you listen to the radio, Jay?” asked her mother. “Every citizen who owns a gun without
license is asked to surrender it to the government.”
“Will Father be punished for owning a gun?” asked Jay.
“No, Jay,” answered Mother. “No questions will be asked to citizens who surrender their guns.
They will also be issued receipts.”
“That is a very good move to prevent crimes,” said Jay. “Ordinary citizens like us will have
nothing to be afraid of anymore.”
“You’re right, Jay,” agreed Mother. “There is peace around us now.”
1. Which word best describe what Mother thinks about our present society?
a. fearful
b. peaceful
c. same as before
2. Which of these statements is true?
a. Citizen fear for their lives.
b. Citizen cannot rest easily.
c. Citizen are not afraid anymore.
3. What is expected of every citizen who possesses firearms without license?
a. to keep it
b. to fight with it
c. to surrender it
Exercise 16
You read advertisements of various medicines in newspapers and magazines and hear them
over the radio. Unfortunately, many people believe all these advertisements. Large amounts of money
are spent in this country each year for health “cures” and medicine.
When people are in pain, they are often tempted to take almost any kind of medicine that can
be quickly purchased at the corner drug store. Such medicine often contains pain-killing drugs so the
pain seems to disappear. Then people would think that that medicine is good. What they do not realize
is that pain is only a symptom, a danger signal that something is wrong. Meanwhile, a serious condition
in the body – a condition that needs a doctor’s diagnosis and treatment – may be neglected.
1. What lesson does this selection teach?
a. Medicine that easily cures pains is good ones.
b. All medicines that are advertised in the newspaper are good.
c. One should not rely on pain-killing drugs that are purchased at the corner drug store.
2. Which is true about some medicines?
a. cure all diseases
b. do not cure at all
c. remove the pain but do not cure the disease
3. What is the main idea of this selection?
a. Advertisement for illness cures are valuable.
b. Pain-killing medicines can easily be purchased at any drug store.
c. Due to pain-killing drugs, a serious condition in the body may neglected.
Exercise 17
February is the shortest month of the year, having only 28 days. It has 29 days during a leap year
which comes once every four years. There are 366 days in all in a leap year.
All the months of the year are named after Roman gods and goddesses. February comes from
the Latin word “Frebuare”. It means to make clean and pure or purify. This is also the month of love, as
February 14 is Valentine’s Day, a day for dedication and renewal of love for parents, friends and
sweethearts. We can make everyday a Valentine’s Day by loving other sincerely.
1. What is the story about?
a. leap year
b. Roman gods and goddesses
c. February and Valentine’s Day
2. The message of this selection is
a. friendship and love
b. purify and cleanliness
c. significance of the leap year
3. Which sentence is not true?
a. The month of February has 28 days.
b. All months are named after Roman gods and goddesses.
c. February is the only month not named after a Roman gods or goddesses.
Exercise 18
You have always thought that good sportsmanship is true only in sports or athletic contests.
Good sportsmanship and a sense of fair play is limited not only to games and sports. There is also a great
need for sportsmanship at home, in the classroom, and in group work. Sportsmanship is very much like
courtesy. It means showing consideration for other people and treating them the way you would like to
be treated. It also means respecting other people’s rights, feelings and believing they are just as
important as you are. Be a good loser; don’t get angry or sulk or make excuses when you lose. On the
other hand, if you win, do not belittle the loser: show sympathy for their defeat.
1. To what trait is sportsmanship similar?
a. honesty
b. courtesy
c. obedience
2. What is the selection about?
a. being a good loser
b. limiting sportsmanship to game and sports
c. doing to other people what you would like them to do to you
3. To whom will this selection best apply?
a. to old folks
b. to everybody
c. to sports-loving people
Exercise 19
Certain holidays, such as Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, have a special religious meaning.
In Catholic countries, a Friday in Lent is set aside as Good Friday. Many churches have special services on
religious holidays. The Roman Catholic Church was has a number of annual holidays which are observed
with religious ceremonies.
In addition to legal and church holidays, there are a number of other days that by custom have
come to be observed in some special manner. Such days as Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and patron
saint’s feast days, are observed in particular ways.
1. Which question asks for the main idea of the selection?
a. What are some of the religious holidays?
b. What is the significance of religious holidays?
c. What holidays are mentioned in the above selection?
2. Which of these sentences is true?
a. By custom, holidays are not observed.
b. Usually, holidays have special meanings.
c. Sunday is observed as a religious holiday.
3. Which of these titles is best for the story?
a. Holidays
b. Special Holidays
c. Religious Holidays
Exercise 20
The Filipino Flag is rectangular in shape with a white triangle, a broad blue field on top of a
broad red field. The blue stands for hope, loyalty, patriotism and honor. The red stands for courage, the
courage of the Filipino in time of war. A sun with eight rays is in the middle of the white triangle. There
is a star in each corner of the triangle. These represent Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The white triangle
stands for equality of all under the law.
Mrs. Marcela Agoncillo made the first Filipino national flag in Hong Kong. It was raised by
General Emilio Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898. Later, this flag was again raised at the first
Philippine Congress in Malolos. The Filipino flag is the symbol of our country.
1. Which is a good title for this selection?
a. The Filipino Flag
b. The Flag of All Nations
c. The Flag of The Katipunan
2. What is the selection about?
a. the story of the Filipino flag
b. the makers of the Filipino flag
c. the meaning of the Filipino flag
3. Which is true according to the selection?
a. The red stands for the courage of the Filipino in time of war.
b. The flag represents the dream of the Filipinos to become superpower.
c. The flag symbolizes the traits of the Filipinos and the composition of their country.
Exercise 21
Tandang Sora is known as the “Mother of the Revolution”. Her name was Melchora Aquino.
Tandang Sora was quite old when the revolution broke out in 1896. How sad she was when she saw how
poor people were. She promised herself to help the poor folks. Whenever a Katipunero was wounded,
she nursed him in her little hut in the hills of Banilad. She also supplied and secretly gave them to the
Katipuneros.
When the Spaniards learned of this, Tandang Sora was arrested and exile to Marianas. She was
released after several years. She returned to the Philippines. She died poor but well-loved and
remembered for her services to her country and people.
1. What is the best title for the story?
a. The Good Deed
b. The Kind Old Woman
c. The Mother Of The Revolution
2. Why did the Spaniards exile her to marianas island?
a. She felt sorry for the poor.
b. She had a little hut in the hills of Banilad.
c. She supplied the Katipuneros with food and medicine.
3. When did the story happen?
a. during the Spanish occupation
b. during the American occupation
c. during the Japanese occupation
Exercise 22
Corregidor made history during the last World War. It is an island located at the mouth of
Manila Bay. The United States Army made its last stand against the Japanese soldiers on this island.
Corregidor became sacred with the blood of Filipinos and Americans who fought bravely against the
Japanese.
President Manuel L. Quezon established his established his government in Corregidor before he
retreated to Australia.
Corregidor is now a national shrine. It is open to the public. It can be reached by boat. Buses are
ready to take visitors to the different places of interest within the island. It is indeed a worthwhile
experience to see Corregidor.
1. What is the selection about?
a. how to see Corregidor
b. how Corregidor can be reached
c. how Corregidor became a national shine
2. What important face have you learned about Corregidor in this selection?
a. It can be visited.
b. It is a beautiful island.
c. It was made sacred by the blood of the Filipino and American soldiers
3. Choose the best title for the selection
a. Beautiful Corregidor
b. Historical Corregidor
c. The Island of Corregidor
Exercise 23
Since ancient times, man has tried to use seeds, stems, leaves and roots of certain plants to cure
illnesses. Such plants are called herbs. The early man would boil, dry or power the plants to make herbal
medicines. In modern times, medical scientists found out that some herbs are useful while others are
useless and even harmful.
One of the plant medicines that is medically and scientifically valuable is quinine. It is one of the
best drugs for malaria. Two long known drinks, coffee and tea, contains caffeine which, too, is produced
from plants. Many other plants contain some substances used in producing medicines. Grapes, sugar
cane, and beets are fermented to make alcohol; jimsonweed is used in making belladonna; and several
mint family plants are used to produce menthol, peppermint and tonics.
1. What is the selection about?
a. plants used for food
b. plants used for medicine
c. plants used as beverages
2. Why is quinine valuable?
a. It is used in surgeries.
b. It is needed in making coffee.
c. It is one of the best drugs for malaria.
3. Since when were herbs first used as medicines?
a. ancient times
b. in modern times
c. both in ancient and modern times
Exercise 24
Most of the articles in the newspaper may not be of interest to some boys and girls. However, if
you develop the habit of reading the daily newspaper at your home, you will always find something of
interest and value. Some people, though, spend too much time reading the newspaper. A reason for this
is that they have not learned how to select articles that are really worth reading. They do not know how
to choose between materials which contain valuable information or provide experience that enriches
one’s life and articles that are merely for filling up spaces. It is important therefore that you develop
proper reading interest and taste now while you are young.
1. Which title is best for the selection?
a. Reading Newspapers
b. Parts Of A Newspaper
c. How To Enjoy The Newspaper
2. Which is true in the selection?
a. Learning how to read newspaper is difficult.
b. There is really nothing of value in a newspaper.
c. Newspapers are interesting if we know how to read them.
3. What is the whole selection about?
a. selecting valuable information
b. developing proper reading interest and taste
c. judging between worthwhile and useless materials.
Exercise 25
To the Filipinos, the happiest, gayest and noisiest day is New Year’s Day. The people greet the
holiday with noise and merrymaking. At the stroke of twelve, they light firecrackers, beat empty cans
and fire bamboo cannons. Church bells peal and sirens blow for several minutes.
The Filipino families, no matter how very poor they are, partake of a “Media Noche”.
All windows of houses are opened on New Year’s Eve and all lights are turned on. People believe
that these practices bring good luck to the household. The old people pray for a happier and more
prosperous days ahead and the young ones make New Year resolution.
1. What is the selection about?
a. Filipino customs during fiestas
b. Filipino customs during Christmas
c. Filipino customs during New Year’s Eve
2. Why do people open their windows wide and turn on the lights on New Year’s Eve?
a. to bring in good luck
b. to hear the noise and fun
c. to let the fresh air enter the house
3. Which of these statements is not a true picture of Filipino families?
a. Both the rich and poor prepare their Media Noche.
b. The poor ones cannot enjoy the merrymaking on New Year’s Day.
c. They believe that opening their windows on New Year’s Eve bring good luck.
Exercise 26
Gil wanted to buy a pair of roller skates that costs P 420.00. His father promised to pay half the
cost of the skates if Gil would pay the other half.
Gil was given a daily allowance of P 50.00. He listed his needs and budgeted the amount he
spent for each item like school supplies, bus fare, snacks, and a little amount for recreation.
Gil was able to set aside a part of his allowance for his share in the cost of the roller skates. By
saving a little amount each week, he finally saved enough for the roller skates.
Gil triumphantly showed his father the P 210.00 for his roller skates. That evening, Father had
Gil’s roller skates when he came home.
1. What kind of a boy was Gil?
a. wise
b. thrifty
c. spendthrift
2. What is the story about?
a. how Gil spent his money
b. how Gil saved the whole amount for the roller skates
c. how Gil saved a part of his allowance for the roller skates
3. Which is true?
a. Gil spent all his allowances.
b. He saved all his allowances.
c. Gil listed his needs and then budgeted the amount he spent for each item.
Exercise 27
Our country is blessed with rich natural resources. Our forests are rich in plant and animal life.
We have large collections of flowers and fruits which abound all year round. We have the rarest orchids
in the worlds. One of them is waling-waling, considered one of the most beautiful orchids in the world.
There are more than 10,000 kinds of flowering plants growing in our country. Among them is the
sampaguita, our national flower.
Our country is also noted for its delicious fruits such as mango, mangosteen, durian, marang and
chico. We have all kinds of tropical animals, too. The carabao, our most useful animal, is beast of
burden. One of our rare animal is the tamaraw of Mindoro. The smallest monkey known as the tarsier,
and the mouse deer, are both found in Palawan.
1. What does the selection say about our country?
a. rich
b. rare
c. delicious
2. What is the selection about?
a. animals in the forest
b. rare plants in the forest
c. our rich natural resources
3. What is true?
a. Several collections of flowers and fruits abound in our forests.
b. A few collections of flowers and fruits can be found in our forests.
c. A large collection of flowers and fruits abound in our forests all year round.
Exercise 28
King Solomon was known as a just king. One night, he dreamed that God was asking him what
he wished most. He requested God to give him an understanding heart. This, he was granted.
One day two women came to see King Solomon. The first woman said, “O King! This woman
took my baby. While I was asleep, she took my baby and substitutes him with her dead baby.”
“That is not true,” cried the other woman. “This baby is mine.”
King Solomon asked a soldier to get a sword. “Cut the child into half,” he said. “Give half of the
baby to the first woman and other half to the other woman.”
“Good!” exclaimed the other woman. “That’s far and just decision.”
“Wait!” cried the first woman. “Please let this woman keep the baby. I don’t want the baby
hurt.”
“Soldier,” said King Solomon, “give the baby to the first woman. She is the real mother.”
1. Which word best describes King Solomon?
a. just
b. cruel
c. selfish
2. What was the complaint of the first woman?
a. The dead baby was hers.
b. The other woman took her baby.
c. The second woman killed her baby.
3. Why did King Solomon give the baby to the first woman?
a. The baby was her child.
b. The baby was taken from her.
c. The other woman wanted the baby cut into halves.
Exercise 29
One day, when Mike was in his route delivering the morning newspapers, he found a onethousand-peso-bill on his way. Now, he could buy the bicycle he had wanted for a long time. For the
past two years, he had been saving money for a bicycle but it seemed it would take him some years
more before he could buy one.
However, Mike did not have the heart to keep the money. He requested Mr. Cruz, the editor of
the newspaper, to look for the owner of the money. Three days later, an old gentleman called up. Make
received a card from him. Together with the card was the bicycle he wanted very much. Mike did not
know that Mr. Cruz told the old gentleman of Mike’s wish to own a bicycle.
1. The story tells about _________.
a. being kind
b. being good
c. being honest
2. Why did Mike ask Mr. Cruz to look for the owner of the money?
a. He wanted to buy a bicycle.
b. He did not have the heart to keep it.
c. He wanted to keep the money for himself.
3. How was Mike rewarded?
a. The old gentleman got his money back.
b. The old gentleman complained to the police.
c. The old gentleman rewarded Mike with a bicycle.
Exercise 30
As Ed passed y his neighbor’s yard, he saw Tiger, his neighbor’s dog, stumble and fall across the
live fallen electric wire. Tiger gave one wild yell of pain and lay on the ground, kicking and struggling to
set himself loose from the wire.
Ed stopped his neighbor’s two sons from going near the dog. He saw one of the boys rush
towards the dog, crying. He ran to prevent the boy from touching the dog.
“Oh, poor Tiger!” Ed said with tears in his eyes as he saw Tiger, helplessly freeing himself. Then
he turned to the boys and shouted, “Keep back there or that wire will kill you, too.”
“Run home quickly and call up the Electrical Company,” Ed told one of the brothers. “Tell them a
live wire has killed a dog and may kill others too if they don’t hurry. Give the address. Run!”
1. What did Ed see?
a. how a fallen electric wire killed the passerby
b. how a dog was killed by a live, fallen electric wire
c. how a boy was killed by a live, fallen electric wire
2. Who did Ed save from harm?
a. Tiger
b. the two boys
c. the man from the Electric Company
3. From whom would the boys ask for help?
a. from the people
b. from their parents
c. from the Electric Company
Exercise 31
The most striking thing in the appearance of the crayfish is the pair of nippers on each tip of its
front legs. Joined together are its “thumb and finger”. The “thumb” is jointed so that it can move back
and forth freely. Both nippers are armed with saw teeth and a sharp claw at the tip so that they can get
a firm grip of any object. The claws can be bent in any direction.
1. What is the story about?
a. the crab
b. the crayfish
c. a water animal
2. Which is true about the animal described?
a. It has a great pair of nippers on its sides.
b. It has a great pair of nippers on its hind legs.
c. It has a great pair of nippers on each tip of his front legs.
3. Which sentence describes their claws?
a. It can be bent sideways.
b. It can be bent in any direction.
c. It can be bent forward and back
Exercise 32
Not all great deeds are done in time of war. Here is the story of a man whose greatness was
achieved in time of peace. He was Thomas Alva Edison. He was the greatest inventor that ever lived. He
invented the talking machine and the electric light. He made instruments to measure the heat of far-off
stars. He invented hundreds of things that gave comfort to the lives of millions of people. From
childhood he showed an inquiring mind. He looked closely at things around him. His mind looked for
causes and reasons. His mother had to answer and explain things to him. But Thomas was no contented.
He tried to find out about things himself. So, he began performing experiments one after another.
1. What is the story about?
a. the greatest painter of all times
b. the greatest sculpture of all times
c. the greatest inventor of all times
2. What distinguishing trait had Thomas Edison?
a. He was very playful.
b. He was always busy.
c. He had an inquiring mind.
3. Choose the best title of the story?
a. The Experiment
b. The Great Thinker
c. The Greatest Inventor
Exercise 33
The Bible is the word of God. The evangelists who wrote the Bible did so at the command and
inspiration of God Himself. What God wants to say to us, He has indicated in the Bible, in the Old and
New Testament, we read what God wants of us: to make us know Him, love Him, serve Him and be
forever happy with Him in heaven. It is in the Bible where we learn His exact will for us, His
commandments, His love and reward for us, and the Last Judgment.
1. What is the selection about?
a. God’s physical appearance
b. The Old and New Testaments
c. The Bible as the Word of God
2. Which sentence is true?
a. It is man’s word that is written in the Bible.
b. We learn the exact will of God for us from the Bible.
c. God will appear to us so that we may know what He expects of us
3. What is the ultimate goal of God’s wishes for us?
a. to punish us
b. to appear before us
c. to be forever happy with Him in heaven
Exercise 34
King Metabus was a cruel king. His daughter Camilla was still a baby when the people burned his
palace, killed the queen and drove Metabus into the forest.
He ran away. He held Camilla in his left arm and carried a mighty spear on his right hand. His
enemies were coming and he had to cross a deep stream. He tied his baby daughter to the handle of the
spear and sprint to a rock on the edge of the stream. He lifted his spear and asked Diana, the goddess of
the forest, to save his daughter.
With a careful aim, he hurled the spear which landed safely on the opposite shore. Metabus
safely swam across the stream, untied his daughter and went to a faraway country.
He lived there with his daughter Camilla who became attached to the Goddess Diana as she
grew into womanhood.
1. Which of these statements is true?
a. The people liked King Metabus.
b. The people loved King Metabus.
c. The people hated King Metabus.
2. What is the selection about?
a. how King Metabus escaped
b. how King Metabus was killed
c. how King Metabus was punished
3. Who was the goddess of the forest?
a. Diana
b. Camilla
c. King Metabus’ wife
Exercise 35
For many years, Ric’s father had carried the mail from the post office of their hometown to the
railroad station. That particular day, however, Ric’s father was sick and Ric got ready to take over his
father’s work. Ordinarily it would have been an easy task but the weather was so bad that even his
father would have a hard trip.
“The storm is getting worse but the mail has to be delivered,” said his sick father. “Start early so
you will have plenty of time to finish the work.”
Ric went out through the lashing storm. Usually there were vehicles along the way but none
could be seen in that day. Many times Ric thought he would never make it to the railroad station but he
arrived in time for the train to collect the mail.
1. Which of these statements is true?
a. Ric’s father had delivered mails for a few years.
b. Ric’s father delivered the mails for many years.
c. Ric’s father delivered the mails only the previous year.
2. What is the selection about?
a. a sick man
b. delivering mails
c. braving a storm
3. Was it necessary for Ric to deliver the mails that day?
a. No
b. Maybe
c. Yes
Exercise 36
Bread is one of the most important food items. The word bread comes from the word “bray”
which means to pound. During the ancient times, grains used in baking bread were pounded between
two stones.
Bread can be made from various grains – wheat, rye, corn, buckwheat and oats. However, when
we speak of bread, we generally think of the kind made from wheat because bread from wheat grains is
the best in texture and in taste.
1. What is the selection about?
a. rye
b. bread
c. wheat
2. Which is true about bread?
a. Bread is made from flour.
b. Bread is made from grains.
c. Bread is made from starch.
3. What was the original word for bread?
a. bray
b. wheat
c. pound
Exercise 37
HYMN TO LABOR
Hail to labor! Blessed be it
For it brings our country wealth.
May we ever hold it sacred
`Tis our country’s life and health.
If youth would win our favor
By his work should forth be shown.
Only he would toils and struggles
Will Support and keep his own.
Show us then the way to labor
Guide our careless, wandering feet,
So that when our country needs us
We, who work may make complete.
And the old men then will call us
Children worthy of their sires!
For the dead are honored chiefly
By their sons whom worth inspires.
1. What is the poem about?
a. the beauty of our land
b. the importance of work
c. our dead ancestors
2. Which sentence is true?
a. Only the old man should work.
b. The old man honors the dead.
c. The old man calls on the youth who works, worthy of their sires.
3. According to the poem, what brings about wealth to our country?
a. money
b. labor
c. man
Exercise 38
A good-looking boy lived with his wise grandmother. The boy loved to talk about himself and
boasted to his friends that he was best. His grandmother knew that people did not like him for his
boastfulness. So one day, she took the boy to the ricefields. “Do you see the heads of palay?”
Grandmother asked. “They are full of big ripening grains of palay. See how humbly they bowed their
heads to the ground.”
“Look over on the other side,” Grandmother pointed to the other part of the ricefield. “The
palay heads are thin for they are still empty, yet they all stand very proundly.”
“These palay plants are like boastful persons,” continued Grandmother. “The empty headed
ones are boastful while the wise ones are silent and humble. Learn a lesson from the full heads of
palay.”
1. This story tells about
a. the humble and the proud
b. the ripening grains of palay
c. the full heads and empty heads of palay
2. Why was the boy unpopular?
a. He was dishonest.
b. He only talked about himself.
c. He did not like his grandmother.
3. Which is true about the ripening grains of palay plants?
a. They stand so proudly.
b. They do not grow at all.
c. They bow their heads to the ground.
Exercise 39
This man is a Mexican.
This one is an African.
And this one comes from Japan.
And this one is from Peru.
We must work and show and prove,
That we understand democracy.
Yes it does not matter much
That you are a tidy Dutch.
Dutch or Arab, Scotch or Moor,
We are brothers evermore.
We have skills that we can use
For the good of all of us.
Turk or Dane or Norwegian,
Indian, Swede or Canadian,
Prince and peer of Great Britain
Peasant, peon or coolie bent.
All deserve rest and food and life
Want of such may produce strife.
1. Who are the people mentioned in this poem?
a. Dutch, Arabs, Scotch
b. all people all over the world
c. Africans, Mexicans, Japanese
2. Which sentence is true?
a. People all over the world are brothers.
b. It matters much if you were a Dutch or an Arab.
c. The prince and peers of Great Britain can’t be compared with peons and coolies.
3. What will be the best title for the poem?
a. One World Are We
b. Understand Democracy
c. For the Good of All of Us
Exercise 40
“Wanted – a boy.” How often do we see
This quite familiar notice.
Wanted – a boy for every kind
Of a task that a busy for every kind.
He is wanted – wanted now and here.
There are towns to build; there are paths to clear;
There are seas to sail; there are gulfs to span
In the ever onward march of Man.
Wanted – the world wants boys today,
And it offers them all it has for pay.
It will grant them wealth, position, fame,
A useful life and an honored name.
Boys who will guide the plow and pen;
Boys who will shape the ways for men;
Boys who will forward the tasks began;
For the world’s great work is never done.
The world is eager to employ
Not just one, but every boy
Who, with a purpose stance and true,
Will greet the work he finds to do.
Honest, faithful, earnest, kind,
To good, awake; to evel, blind,
A heart of gold without alloy,
Wanted – the world wants a boy.
Adapted
1. What is the best title for the poem?
a. The Boy Who Wanted Work
b. The Boy Who Applied For A Job
c. The World Wants An Honest, Dutiful Boy
2. Which sentence is true?
a. Work awaits any boy.
b. The world’s greatest work can be finished.
c. An honest, faithful and kind boy is always needed.
3. According to the poem, what does the world want today?
a. boys who love to play
b. boys who love to work
c. boys who love to watch others
Skill C
Exercise 1
THE FOX AND THE STORK
The fox and the stork were formerly good friends. They often visited each other. One day, the
fox invited the stork to dinner because he wanted to play a joke on her. At the dinner table, the fox put
soup in a very shallow dish before the stork. The fox could easily lap the soup, but the poor stork could
only wet the end of her long bill. So, she left the dinner table as hungry as when she came.
“I’m sorry you did not like the soup,” said the fox.
“Oh, please, don’t apologize,” said the stork sweetly. “I hope you will come and dine with me
soon.”
So came the day when fox visited the stork. The stork served their dinner in a jar with a very
long neck and a narrow mouth. All the fox could do was lick the outside of the jar.
1. How did the fox feel when he saw where the stork served dinner?
a. He was angry.
b. He was happy.
c. The story does not say.
2. What do you think happened?
a. The fox thanked the stork.
b. The fox went away satisfied.
c. The fox went away as hungry as when he came.
3. Was the stork right in what she did?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
Exercise 2
PETE’S CATCH
Pete considered himself a fine fisherman. He stood on the riverbank as he held his fishing line
with the patience only a fisherman knew. His heart beat faster as he felt a tug on the line. He was
excited as he planted his feet firmly on the ground. He gave a big pull expecting to find a big fish at the
hook of his fishing line. Disappointment clouded his face as he stared at his catch.
1. What do you think did Pete catch?
a. a big fish
b. a big turtle
c. a water weed
2. What kind of fisherman was Pete?
a. He was an old fisherman.
b. He was a good fisherman.
c. He was an impatient fisherman.
3. What did Pete do?
a. went away
b. sat on the riverbank
c. threw his fishing line again into the water
Exercise 3
THE RED SWEATER
Lourdes opened her piggy bank. She counted her money carefully and went straight to a
downtown store. She looked with longing at the bright new sweater on display at the store window. She
wanted to inquire about the price but as she was about to go in, she stopped and hesitated. She
counted her money again, then shook her head. At last, she looked at the sweater with regret and
returned the money into her pocket.
1. How did Lourdes feel about the sweater?
a. She disliked it.
b. She liked it very much.
c. She just wanted to look at it.
2. What did she intended to do?
a. She wanted to buy it.
b. She wanted to ask for it.
c. She wanted to ask Mother to buy it for her.
3. Did she finally get the sweater?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
Exercise 4
THE GRADUATION GIFT
“Thank you! O thank you, Father!” cried Jun embracing his father tightly. “This is the best gift I
have received in my whole life. I have prayed and longed to own one and my prayer has been
answered.”
“I am very glad about that,” Father said putting his arms around his son. “I waited for your
graduation to buy one.”
“I am not very happy about the bicycle,” put in Mother. “I hope it will not be a source of
trouble.”
“You don’t know it, Mother, but I have been riding Rene’s bike every now and then,” said Jun. “I
can ride very well now.”
One afternoon as Mother was tending her garden, she saw Jun passed by on his bicycle.
Suddenly there was a crash! People were looking at the direction where Jun has turned on a curb.
1. What do you think happened?
a. Jun jumped out of his bicycle.
b. Jun made fancy driving on his bicycle.
c. The bicycle bumped against something.
2. What made Jun happy on his graduation day?
a. his graduation
b. his Mother’s advice to him
c. the bicycle his father gave him
3. What do you think happened to Jun’s bicycle?
a. It had a flat tire.
b. It became twisted.
c. The bicycle had some scratches.
Exercise 5
NOEL’S PET BIRD
Noel’s pet bird was free to fly around the house. But its frequent visits were made in the kitchen
much to the annoyance of their helper. It would fly straight to the table where it would pick something
to eat.
One warm day, the bird was attached by sticky flypaper spread on the kitchen. It pecked at a still
struggling fly on the flypaper. The paper of course got stuck to its bill. The bird raised one foot to let
itself loose, but its foot got stuck, too. Soon both its feet were stuck tight on the flypaper. No amount of
pulling, struggling and bird noise helped the bird in its misfortune. It flew to a brook nearby the flypaper
dangling from its feet.
1. Since when do you think, was the bird been Noel’s pet?
a. just a few days ago
b. about a month ago
c. since the bird was a birdling
2. What do you think did the bird want to do when it flew to a brook nearby?
a. It wanted to look for Noel.
b. It wanted to call its mother.
c. It wanted to dip its body in the water, hoping to remove the paper from its feet.
3. Do you think the bird was finally able to remove the sticky paper from its feet?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
Exercise 6
BOUND FOR A NEW HOUSE
As the Bicol Express sped on its way from the Paco Station, Raul peeped out of the train
window.
“Look! Mother,” Raul called to his mother who was sitting beside him. I can see the streets and
the houses from here. I can have a good view of Makati now.”
“Yes,” answered a woman who was sitting across them. “Almost all of the squatters’ shanties
have been demolished by the government men.”
“That is for the good of squatters themselves,” put in an old woman. “They were relocated and
given lands on which to build their houses. Many of them were sent to their own provinces with a little
money for transportation and for their basic needs.”
Raul’s mother sighed as she looked at the bundle of clothes under their seat, their only
possession. Were she and her son not among those that these people were talking about? Could they
really have a home of their own now?
1. What is the living standard of the mother and her child?
a. They belonged to a rich family.
b. They belonged to a very poor family.
c. They belonged to a middle class family.
2. Where do you think did Raul and his mother come from?
a. the province
b. the Tutuban Station
c. a squatter’s area
3. Where do you think were Raul and his mother going?
a. to the province
b. to a squatter’s area
c. to the Tutuban Station
Exercise 7
WELL-EARNED MONEY
Mang Jose was helping the driver load baskets of fruits and vegetables in a jeep. His neighbor,
Mang Ambo, approached and admiringly remarked:
“That’s money again.”
Mang Jose laughed and looked at Mang Ambo. “That’s true, Ambo,” Mang Jose answered. “But
it is well-earned money. You can see how my family and I work from morning till late in the afternoon.
Raising fruits and vegetables in not an easy work but it pay dividends. I even support our government’s
program of cultivating idle lots.”
“I understand,” Mang Ambo said nodding his head, “We are just beginning to plant now.”
“It is not yet late,” observed Mang Jose. “Six months from now you will see the fruits of your
labor.”
1. Did Mang Jose give Mang Ambo some pointers on how to raise fruits and vegetables?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
2. What do you think will happen to Mang Ambo if he continues with his project?
a. Someday he will drive a jeepney.
b. Someday he will take his daughters and sons to market.
c. Someday he will market his own fruits and vegetables.
3. Do you think Mang Ambo will also harvest plenty of fruits and vegetables?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Never
Exercise 8
WHAT HAPPENED
As dawn came, Dante felt very cold so he wrapped himself with his blanket. He could hear the
splashing of water somewhere and he thought he was dreaming. Suddenly he heard his father’s voice
shouting to his mother. “Wake Dante up!” He heard as in a dream. Then he heard tried to open his eyes
but he could not. He felt someone shaking him so he tried to sit up on his bed.
“Come, Dante,” his mother said. “Put some of your clothes in a bag. Don’t forget to include a
blanket and a sweater.” Before Dante could ask a question, he saw Father row a banca at the foot of the
stairs. Dante stared. Overnight, the fields around their house had turned into a vast sea.
1. What did Dante hear?
a. roaring waves
b. splashing of water
c. water leaking from a faucet
2. What do you think made Dante’s place flooded overnight?
a. the raging storm
b. the wind blowing
c. the leaking faucet
3. Where do you think would Dante’s father take his family?
a. to the fields
b. to the woods
c. to a higher place
Exercise 9
BIRDS OF THE SAME FEATHERS
One afternoon, Nori was waiting for Gina to pick her up. They had agreed to see a ball game.
When Gina did not arrive, Nori went to the game by herself. “I guess she forgot again to stop for me,”
Nori thought unhappily.
Nori was right when she reached the school ground she was Gina talking and laughing with Nina.
“Gina used to be my best friend but now she’d rather be with Nina. No wonder, the two of them
talk movies or parties,” she thought. “I can’t do anything if she prefers to go with Nina. After all, they are
birds of the same feathers.”
1. Who used to be the best of friends?
a. Nina and Nori
b. Gina and Nori
c. Gina and Nina
2. Why did Gina and Nori drift apart as friends?
a. They had a quarrel.
b. Nori did not like Gina anymore.
c. They did not have the same interests.
3. What do you think did Nori do?
a. She tried to find a new friend.
b. She tried to please Gina again.
c. She cried and quarreled with Nina.
Exercise 10
A CHANGE
“Why are you back so soon?” asked Mother as she saw Rex coming. “Where is your Father?”
“He is out driving his jeep, Mother,” answered Rex.
“Why would he be driving his jeep without his license?” asked Mother worriedly. “He will be
doubly fined when he gets caught. Didn’t you go out with your Father to get back his license? What
happened? Didn’t he get back his license?”
“Easy, Mother,” said Rex laughing. “It did not take Father an hour to get back his license. We
didn’t have to wait long. He had no case. That is the reason why we are back soon. The employee from
whom Father got his license attended to him at once.”
1. Why do you think did Father drive his jeepney?
a. He did not get back his license.
b. His license was not given back to him.
c. He was able to get back his license easily.
2. Was Mother right in saying that a person driving without license will be punished?
a. No
b. Maybe
c. Yes
3. Why was it easy for Father to get back his license?
a. Father had an influential man with him.
b. Father waited patiently to get his license.
c. The government employee attended to him immediately.
Exercise 11
AT PAGSANJAN FALLS
After driving for three hours, the excursionists reached Pagsanjan Falls tired and hungry but
happy. After eating under the coconut palms lining the riverbanks, they rested for a while. They saw a
woman in white bathing suit walking on the rocks by the riverbank. They also saw other excursionists
trying to balance themselves on a big rock above them. There was much shouting and giggling having a
wonderful time when they suddenly heard a scream. Then they saw something white fell from the rocks.
There was a long silence after that.
1. What do you think happened?
a. Somebody fell from the rocks.
b. A white dress fell into the water.
c. Somebody threw a white handkerchief.
2. Why was there a long silence after the screams?
a. The excursionists were tired.
b. The excursionists were happy.
c. The excursionists were shocked.
3. Why is Pagsanjan a favorite spot for excursionists?
a. because of its rapids
b. because of the big rocks
c. because of trees around the falls
Exercise 12
A BETTER DRIVER
“Your father is here now,” Mother said. “You may set the table, Sonia. He must be very hungry.”
“Father looks very happy, Mother,” observed Sonia as she saw her father park the jeep in front
of their yard.
“Maybe he has good news,” Mother answered.
“I have many passengers today,” Father said as he was coming in. “And still better news is that I
was not caught for any traffic violations.”
“That’s really good news. You have become a law abiding driver,” Mother remarked happily.
1. What happens when jeepney drivers do not follow traffic rules and regulations?
a. The drivers fight back.
b. The drivers earn more.
c. The drivers are arrested and fined.
2. Why had Sonia’s father become a better driver?
a. He repaired his jeep.
b. He earned little for many days.
c. He obeyed traffic rules and regulations.
3. Do good drivers help the community?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Never
Exercise 13
YOU AND YOUR SAFETY
Not long agoo, a group of Grade Six boys and girls kept a careful record of all cuts, bumps, falls
and other accidents that happened to them for a period of three months. A study of their accident
record showed many of the accidents took place in school. Some of these accidents occurred in the
classrooms and in the halls of school buildings. But more injuries took place in school shops and on
playgrounds.
1. What accidents are likely to occur on the playground?
a. being hit by a jeep
b. bumping against posts
c. cuts from pieces of glass, tin cans and scrap irons
2. How can you keep yourself safe from accident?
a. Obey the safety rules.
b. Ignore the safety rules.
c. Forget the safety fules.
3. Why do injuries often take place in school shops?
a. Pupils do not use their tools.
b. Pupils do not bring their tools.
c. Pupils do not keep away their tools.
Exercise 14
WAIT TILL THEY ARE BIG ENOUGH
Mike and Johnny were taking their vacation on their Uncle Joe’s farm. One morning the two
boys were sitting on the riverbank as they dipped their hook and line in the water.
“Let’s make a bet,” Mike suggested. “Let’s see who will have the first catch. Ah! I spoke too
soon, here it comes.” Mike pulled up his line. True enough there was a fish at the end of the hook.
“Ha! Ha!” laughed Johnny. “Don’t tell me you will bring home that tiny fish.”
“No, I will set it free,” Mike said. “We don’t catch little fish. Some people catch fish that are still
very small.
Just then they saw a fisherman pull up his net. It was full of fish. But they were all stll very small.
So Mike and Johnny approached him.
1. From where were Mike and Johnny?
a. from the city
b. from abroad
c. from the farm
2. What do you think did Mike and Johnny do?
a. They bought the fish.
b. They told the fisherman to set the fishes free.
c. They helped the fisherman sell the fish to the market.
3. Why do you think did Mike and Johnny want the fisherman to set the small fish free?
a. The fish did not taste good.
b. They wanted the fish to grow bigger.
c. The small fish would not get a good price.
Exercise 15
RICE
Rice is a cereal native in Asia and Africa. It is the staple food of more than half of the people in
the world.
Rice is a plant that grows the whole year round. It grows from two to four feet tall. It has round
jointed stems, long-pointed leaves and seeds borne in dense heads on separate stalks.
Brown rice with bran layer is rice in vitamin B, a cure for beriberi. Polished white rice is rich in
starch but low in protein, fat, and vitamin B. In the Orient, the fine soft straw of the rice plant is used for
weaving hats and slippers. Powdered grain is used for making laundry starch and distilled liquor.
1. What would happen if rice would suddenly disappear?
a. People would rejoice.
b. People would not mind.
c. Many people would starve.
2. What will happen to a person with beriberi if he eats brown rice with the bran layer?
a. He will get weaker.
b. He will die of beriberi.
c. He will be cured of beriberi.
3. Which do you think is more nutritious, brown rice, or white polished rice?
a. brown rice
b. neither of the two
c. white polished rice
Exercise 16
ROOTS
The root is the part of the plant that sinks into the soil it gets water and minerals from the soil
and also holds the plant in position. Roots that grow from the primary roots are called secondary roots.
Roots that are large and can be easily seen do not gather much water but are more of a support for the
plant. Water and minerals are gathered for the plant by tiny root hairs on the young root. Roots may be
fleshy as in carrots, sweet potatoes and turnips. These vegetables are rootcrops. Some are fibrous like
those of grass, corn and other cereal grains.
1. What would happen to plants it their roots were cut off?
a. They would die.
b. They would multiply.
c. They would not grow.
2. If trees had no primary roots, what would happen?
a. They would grow.
b. They would topple down.
c. They would stand straight.
3. Are some roots useful to men?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Never
Exercise 17
DEATH OF ABSALOM
Absalom was the third son of King David. Many admired him for his good looks especially the
beauty and richness of his hair. But he wanted the kingdom of his father. When he had gathered enough
men, he declared war against his father, so King David and his followers were forced to leave Jerusalem.
Barefooted and weeping, King David’s servants wanted to kill Semet but the King stopped him. “Don’t
trouble him. Perhaps the Lord will see my sorrow and turn His curses into blessings.”
Absalom pursued his father and a battle was fought. Absalom’s army was defeated so he fled to
the woods. But as his mule was passing under an oak tree, his long hair was caught in the branches. His
mule ran away, while he remained hanging on the branches.
1. Do you think David was restored to his kingdom?
a. Maybe
b. No
c. Yes
2. What do you think is the true ending of the story?
a. King David died in the hands of his son.
b. King David reigned with his son Absalom.
c. King David and his followers returned to Jerusalem.
3. Do you think God punished Absalom?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
Exercise 18
A LITTLE SEEDLING’S STORY
Once there was a little seedling seen by a farmer. He dug the little seedling and planted it in his
backyard. The soft soil held its roots firmly to the ground so that it stood erect towards the blue sky.
At sunset that day, the farmer’s wife came to look at the new plant in their backyard. “I wonder
if this little tree will bear oranges,” she said to herself.
The seedling heard her and promised to give the farmer’s wife oranges if the sun and rain would
help her. The sun and the gentle rain heard her and helped the little seedling. Soon the farmer’s wife
saw some shoots on it. “I am sure it will give me some oranges in a few years.”
“It is not old enough to bear oranges yet,” the farmer said laughing.
“You shall have some oranges after some years,” said the little seedling softly.
1. If a seedling has some shoots on it, is it sure to grow?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
2. Why do you think did the farmer’s wife wonder if the little tree would bear oranges?
a. All fruit-bearing trees bear fruits.
b. There are many fruit-bearing trees.
c. Not all fruit-bearing trees are sure to bear fruits.
3. Did the little seedling keep her promise to the farmer’s wife?
a. No
b. Yes
c. Maybe
Exercise 19
BIRDS
It was wintertime and most of the birds have migrated to warmer places. There were still a few
left behind. Some of them lived on the roof of Marissa’s house. One morning Marissa was awakened by
a noise on her window. Looking out of the window, she saw a big bird that seemed hungry. She
hurriedly went to the kitchen and got a piece and put these on her window sill. Marissa went to one
corner of her room to see if the bird would come. Soon the bird came, picked a piece with its bill and
flew away. Then it came again, got another piece and flew away with it. It returned again and again until
not a single piece was left on the window sill. Marissa placed pieces of bread on her window sill every
morning during the whole winter.
1. Why do you think did the bird not eat the pieces of bread on the window sill?
a. It was afraid.
b. It was not hungry yet.
c. It brought the pieces of bread to her baby birds.
2. What do you think will happen if birds do not migrate to warmer places during winter?
a. Many of them will die.
b. They will have no place to live in.
c. They will bury themselves in the ground.
3. When do you need to provide food for birds?
a. during winter
b. during summer
c. during autumn
Exercise 20
COURTESY PAYS
“Good morning, can I help you?” asked a policeman as he was approaching Father who had just
finished tinkering on the engine of his jeep.
“Good morning,” answered Father looking embarrassed. “I thought something was wrong with
my jeep gasoline. We came from the province and I am taking my wife and daughter downtown to shop
for our little store.”
“I will help you push your jeep to the side of the street,” volunteered the policeman. “There is a
gasoline station not far from here where you can buy gasoline. You can ask for a can where to put your
gasoline.
Father and the policemen pushed the jeep to one side of the street. “Thank you,” Father said.
The policeman smiled, “You’re welcome.”
Mother and I smiled at the policeman and thanked him, too.
1. Do you think the policeman was just doing his duty when he helped Father push the jeep?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
2. Why do you think it was necessary to push the jeep on the side of the road?
a. because it was not nice to look at
b. because it was against the law
c. so that it would not obstruct traffic
3. How should a cop behave in dealing with people?
a. A cop should always frighten people.
b. A policeman should only be ready to catch criminals.
c. A policeman should always be polite and ready to help.
Exercise 21
PATRONIZE YOU OWN
Mother was sweeping the yard when her daughter arrived almost breathless.
“You know, Mother,” Maria said, “we will not go far anymore to buy things. There is a store
being built near our place.”
“Where?” asked Mother.
“Just three houses from ours.” Digna, another daughter, explained. “It is located on the vacant
lot which was formerly a dumping ground.”
“Is Aling Petra the owner of the store?” asked Mother again.
“Yes, Mother,” said Maria, “she owns the store. Isn’t it nice, Mother? We will have a store near
our place and we can buy things much cheaper than those at Chinese stores.”
1. Which is a good ending for the selection?
a. Mother bought from Aling Petra’s store.
b. Mother bought from a Chinese store nearby.
c. Mother did not buy from any store.
2. Why do you think will the store be of great help to the people?
a. It has many things to sell.
b. Things are much cheaper there.
c. Things are much expensive there.
3. What is likely to happen if we buy from Filipino stores?
a. Nothing good will happen.
b. Filipino store owners will progress.
c. Chinese store owners will progress.
Exercise 22
BABY FISH LOOKS AT LAND
“Mother, what is a land?” Baby Fish asked Mother Fish. “May I go and find out?”
But his mother would not let him go. Baby Fish was very much disappointed. He did not like to
eat and play. Mother Fish was afraid Baby Fish might die so she allowed him to go. Baby Fish was very
happy, but his Mother was very sad. Baby Fish swam and swam. Soon he became hungry. He saw one
live shrimp. He caught the shrimp and was about to swallow it when he felt a tug in his mouth. He
tightened his bite on the shrimp. But he felt he was pulled upward and fast.
“This shrimp must be very strong,” thought Baby Fish. He was not frightened. He opened his
mouth to let the shrimp set himself free but the pull upward was strong. Then he felt himself being lifted
outside of the water and being tossed to the land.
1. What do you think happened to Baby Fish?
a. It was caught in a net.
b. It was eaten by a shark.
c. It was caught on a fishing rod.
2. Why do you think was the shrimp stuck in its mouth?
a. The shrimp was sticky.
b. The shrimp was smooth.
c. The shrimp was a bait on the hook.
3. Do you think Baby Fish enjoyed his trip to the land?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Perhaps
Exercise 23
WHY SHOULD WE PLANT VEGETABLES
There are many good reasons why we should plant and grow vegetables. Among them are:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
To provide our family with food
To provide income for the family
To have a balanced diet for the family
To have a beautiful home garden
To provide a wholesome and healthful hobby
To help or assist in the food production campaign of the government
To help our country become self-sufficient in food.
1. If all will plant vegetables in their backyards, what good will this do to all of us?
a. We will have enough food.
b. We will make ourselves beautiful.
c. We will have plenty of time to play.
2. What do you think will happen to a family with good income?
a. It will lack food.
b. It will go hungry.
c. It will have enough in life.
3. If all people eat balanced diet with plenty of vegetables, what will happen?
a. Sickness will spread.
b. People will be healthy.
c. Death rate will increase.
Exercise 24
MIKE’S LESSON
In a little village lived a boy named Mike Diaz. He was fond of setting traps for little animals that
greatly abound in the woods near his village.
One early morning, he went into the woods to look at his two traps. As he came near the first
one, he saw a squirrel had been caught. The poor frightened creature was struggling to escape.
Mike ran towards the trap. Suddenly his food slipped and was gripped with a snap. Down he
went to the ground. He knew what had happened. He was caught in the other trap. He was not
frightened at first because he thought he could set himself free but the chain would not let him go no
matter how hard he tried.
Just out of his reach lay the squirrel panting with pain and terror. For the first time in his life,
Mike understood what he was doing.
1. What do you think could Mike catch the little animals?
a. He could run fast.
b. He had good traps.
c. He had strong hands.
2. What did Mike find out?
a. the joy of trapping animals
b. the best way to trap animals
c. the pain and torture suffered by the trapped animals
3. What do you think did Mike do afterwards?
a. He stopped setting traps for animals.
b. He continued setting traps for animals.
c. He looked for another places to set his trap.
Exercise 25
THEERE ARE STILL KINDHEARTED PEOPLE
Jay woke up early and prepared a cup of hot coffee for his mother. He was going to the market
to help clean the stall of the old butcher whose helper went away.
“Be careful, Jay,” his mother advised him. “There are many dogs around and it is still dark.”
Before the butcher arrived, Jay had cleaned his stall.
“You are early, Jay,” the butcher said.
“I know you have no helper,” Jay answered. “So I cleaned your stall before the meat arrives.”
“You are a very kind boy,” the butcher said. “How would you like to go back to school?”
“I like it very much,” answered Jay sadly, “But Mother is sick and we have no money.”
The butcher nodded thoughtfully and then smiled at Jay. “You can go back to school if you like,”
he said.
1. Why do you think did Jay clean the butcher’s stall early?
a. The market opens early.
b. The market opens at noontime.
c. Market goers come in the afternoon.
2. What could be Jay’s reason in cleaning the butcher’s stall?
a. He wanted to earn money.
b. He wanted to see the market.
c. He wants to ask for some meat.
3. From the story, do you think Jay went back to school?
a. Yes
b. Maybe
c. No
Exercise 26
INDUSTRY AND PERSEVERANCE
Mang Toribio was very poor and had many children. One night he told his wife that his friend,
Katindig, had asked him if he wanted to join in putting up a slipper store. His wife encouraged him to do
so. With a little capital, Mang Toribio and Kantindig put up a little slipper store. At first they made a few
pairs of slippers. Then more orders came in. The two friends were very happy when the slippers sold
fast. Time came when they included shoes in their store. The store prospered until the owners became
millionaires. Mang Toribio became known as Don Toribio of Ang Tibay shoes.
1. What kind of a man was Mang Toribio?
a. kind
b. hospitable
c. industrious
2. Why do you think did the shoes sell fast?
a. They were durable.
b. They were found everywhere.
c. They were no other kinds of shoes.
3. What was another reason for the shoes to sell fast?
a. They were expensive.
b. They were nicely made.
c. They were of low quality.
Exercise 27
SELECTING SEEDS
Father woke Miguel up early so he could go to the ricefields with him.
“Why are we early, Father?” asked Miguel.
“We will select and pick rice seeds for our planting next year,” answered Father.
Miguel was happy he could help his father select the seeds. When they reached the ricefields,
Miguel asked, “How do you select the seeds, Father?”
“Pick only the biggest and fullest heads from the tallest and strongest plants. They will give the
fullest and biggest grains. Big and full seeds will give us plants that will bear big and full grains,”
explained Father. “You see, that’s why we had a good harvest last year.”
1. Why do you think did Father have a good harvest last year?
a. He planted many seeds.
b. He had many palay plants.
c. The seeds of palay he planted were selected.
2. Why do you think will Father select the seeds for next year’s planting?
a. to have a good harvest
b. to share the seeds with his friends
c. to have plenty of seeds to give away to his neighbors.
3. What kind of grains will selected seeds bear?
a. big and full grains
b. small round grains
c. long and thin grains
Exercise 28
LINO’S REWARD
One day, Lino was passing by a clump of bamboo trees on his way home from school when he
heard the meowing of a cat. He was about to walk pass but the meowing continued as if in pain. He put
his bag down and went to the bamboo clumps. He found a cat whose paw was caught between bamboo
stumps. He freed the cat, but still it lay moaning painfully. Lino tried to soothe the cat’s injured food
when all of a sudden Lino jumped and cried in pain.
1. Why do you think did Lino cry in pain?
a. The cat scratched his arm.
b. He was tickled by the cat’s hair.
c. He had a headache.
2. Why could the cat not walk?
a. It was weak.
b. Its foot was soft.
c. Its food might have been sprained.
3. Do you think Lino brought the cat home for a pet?
a. No
b. Yes
c. Perhaps
Exercise 29
PILI NUTS
Delicious pili nuts come from the Bicol Region. It tastes like almonds and is the pride of the
Bicolanos.
Among with abaca and coconut trees, the pili trees are plentiful in Bicol. They grow tall and
health due to the region’s cool and rainy climate. The Bicolanos claim that it is only in Bicol where
people take time to mind the pili trees at harvest time. Pili nut sweets are sold at a good price. The
simplest way to prepare pili nuts is to cook them in syrup.
1. Why do you think do pili nuts grow well in the Bicol region?
a. because of its people
b. because of its climate
c. because of its weather
2. Do you think pili tree farming is profitable?
a. Maybe.
b. No, it is hard to grow pili nuts.
c. Yes, it can mean more income.
3. Why do you think do the people like pili nuts?
a. They are rare.
b. They are costly.
c. They are tasty and can be prepared in many ways.
Exercise 30
TRUE TO A PROMISE
Jose Rizal stayed at the house of Governr Carnicero when he was exile to Dapitan. The governor
treated him like a guest and not like a prisoner. Jose Rizal was free to come and go and visit anybody
who needed a doctor. But Rizal wanted a home of his own. Governor Carnicero agreed to this but he
made Rizal promise not to escape. “I promise,” was Rizal’s answer to Carnicero.
One time Rizal was tempted to break his promise. Doctor Pio Valenzuela visited him in Dapitan.
He told Rizal about the revolution and how the Katipunan planned to set him free. But Rizal shook his
head. “I have promised the governor, I will not escape.”
Another chance came for Rizal to escape he was aboard a ship that brought him back to Manila.
Bonifacio had sent some men on the ship to help him escape.
1. Do you think Rizal did escape?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
2. Why do you think so?
a. He was true to his promise.
b. He was tired being a prisoner.
c. He wanted to fight against the Spaniards.
3. Had Rizal grabbed that chance to escape, what do you think would have happen?
a. He would not have been shot.
b. He would readily have joined the Katipunan.
c. He would have gone in hiding to another country.
Exercise 31
“LAND OF SMILES”
Thailand was formerly known as Siam. Thailand means “Land of the Free”. The people are called
Thais meaning “Free People”. They are calm, softspoken and peaceful. They are happy, charming and
gracious, that is why their country is called the “Land of Smiles”.
The first people of Thailand were the Negritos but they were driven into the mountains by the
Mon Aumaoms and the Lao-Thais. Thailand was conquered by Japan during World War II, but won her
freedom in 1946. Their women, like many Filipino women, occupy an important position in society.
1. Are Thais similar to the Filipinos in some ways?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Perhaps
2. Why do you think so?
a. They have the same likes and dislikes.
b. They were both conquered by Japan.
c. Both of their aborigines were called Negritos.
3. If you were to visit Thailand, do you think you would find the people warm and hospitable?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
Exercise 31
THE DESERT
You would think a desert queer if you live in a place where there are flowers, trees, and green
grass throughout the summer. Almost all the deserts found in the United States are caused by lack of
rain. In these places, there is this time, the earth seems to have been baked. Only plants like cactus can
grow on the desert. The cactus has a thick body and its leaves store moisture. These plants have painful
thorns to keep of the creatures who might rob them for their moisture, Yes, the desert is truly a queer
place.
1. Will the desert make a good place to live in?
a. No, life will be very hard there.
b. Yes, because there are few creatures there.
c. Maybe, because there is no pollution there.
2. If there were enough rain in the desert, do you think it would make any difference?
a. No, rainwater easily sinks into the sand.
b. Not much difference because we are used to a hot climate.
c. Yes, more plants will grow and more animas will thrive there.
3. Why do you think do cactus plants grow well in the desert?
a. They like the climate there.
b. They need very little water in order to live.
c. They like a place where there are no people.
Exercise 31
A GREAT PRIDE
The Nayong Pilipino was once considered as a small Philippines. It was located in a 35-hectare
lot near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. This is why the tourists from the airport, who have no
time to see the entire Philippines, could drop in there so that they could see a replica of the country in
their short visit.
Inside the Nayong Pilipino, one could see things we could be proud of like: the historical place
where the first mass in Cebu was celebrated, the ulog of the Mountain Province, the rice terraces of
Ifugaos, the famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol, the Mayon Volcato and the Cagsawa Church, the temple of
the Muslims, the uniform huts of the Badjaos and other Philippine landmarks.
The Nayong Pilipino was truly a great pride that showed a part of Philippine Culture.
1. Why do you think was the Nayong Pilipino built?
a. That was the only project the government could afford.
b. There was nothing else the government could think of putting up.
c. To enable the tourists to see the Philippines even without having to leave Manila.
2. Do you think it was built only for the foreign visitors?
a. Maybe.
b. Yes, so that they would think our country is beautiful.
c. No, it was built only for the foreign visitors as well as for Filipinos who want to see the beauty
of their country.
3. Should the Filipinos be proud of the Nayong Pilipino?
a. Yes, because it showed the rich culture of the Philippines.
b. No, because some of the views there were poorly done.
c. No, because there are so many things like it in other countries.
Exercise 34
SAVING WILD LIFE
Saving our wild plants is a great concern of the government. Some of our wild orchids and
ornamental plants are rare and command a high price. If they are properly conserved the cultivated,
they will add to our country’s wealth. Wild orchids, roses and lilies are a joy to look at. They make our
homes beautiful and help cheer us up. They make beautiful decorations. Plants take in carbon dioxide
and give off oxygen which men and animals use in order to live.
1. Do you think we really need to conserve our wild plants?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
2. Why do you think so?
a. They are useful.
b. They are of no value.
c. They make our country forested.
3. What do you think would happen if there were no plants around us?
a. No animals would live.
b. Our surroundings would be brighter.
c. Our world would even be more beautiful.
Exercise 35
PANDAY PIRA
This is the story of a Filipino who brought honor to our country. He was Panday Pira, a Muslim
from the South, who lived in Manila. He was considered the best blacksmith during the Spanish time.
Legazpi ordered Martin de Goiti to conquer Rajah Soliman, Chief of Manila, because he did not
like to pay taxes to the Spaniards. Led by Martin de Goiti, the Spaniards invade the city. Rajah Soliman
was defeated and his cannons and other arms were confiscated. Martin de Goiti admired the cannons
and sent them to Legazpi.
“These cannons are far better than the cannons coming from Spain,” Legazpi said.
Legazpi called for Panday Pira and made him official cannon-maker for the Spanish Army.
1. Why do you think were Rajah Soliman and his men defeated despite having superior arms than what
the Spaniards had?
a. They were afraid of the Spaniards.
b. They were awed by the Spaniards.
c. They were fewer in number than the Spaniards.
2. Why did Legazpi call for Panday Pira?
a. He wanted Pira to succeed Rajah Soliman.
b. He wanted Pira to surrender all the cannons.
c. He wanted Pira to make cannons for the Spanish army.
3. If you were Panday Pira, would you have accepted Legazpi’s offer?
a. Maybe, out of fear for my life.
b. Yes, I would only be too glad to work for the Spaniards.
c. No, I would not accept the offer and even if it meant my death.
Exercise 36
MORE FOOD FROM THE SEA
Our country relies mainly on fish as a source of protein. The daily diet of the Filipinos consists of
seafood with rice. It is said that fishing grounds around centers of population as Manila Bay and
Lingayen Gulf do not give fish as much as before. From 1965 to 1969, the Philippines imported no less
that 50 million pesos worth of fish and other fish products due to our increasing population. This is the
very reason for us to conserve our marine resources. Laws have been passed to prohibit the use of
dynamite to protect fry and fish eggs and to prevent exploitation of fish.
1. Why do you think are Manila Bay and Lingayen Gulf getting short of fish?
a. There are plenty of fishes.
b. Even small fishes are caught.
c. Too much fish is caught so very little fish is left.
2. Why do we have to import fish?
a. We need dollars.
b. We need plenty of fishes.
c. We lack fish for our increasing population.
3. What may happen if we don’t conserve our sea resources?
a. We may have no fish to eat.
b. We may have to eat more fish.
c. We may have to import all the fishes we want.
Exercise 37
THE ARROW AND THE SONG
I shot an arrow into the air
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.
I breathed a song into the air
It fell to earth I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong
That he can follow the flight of a song?
Long, long afterwards on an oak
I found the arrow still unbroken;
And the song from beginning to end
I found again in the heart of a friend.
Longfellow
1. What do you think was the arrow?
a. a gift
b. a debt
c. a good deed
2. What do you think was the song about?
a. kind deeds
b. kind people
c. kind words
3. How did the arrow and the song come back?
a. as bad deeds
b. as bad thoughts
c. as a reward of friendship
Exercise 38
THOMAS EDISON, THE INVENTOR
There was a time when Thomas Edison wandered in the great city of New York. He had no
friends and had very little money. His clothes were shabby and he was very hungry. For three weeks he
walked through the streets to find work.
One day he went into an office to apply for work. It so happened that the telegraph machine
was out of order. No one knew what the trouble was. Edison volunteered to make it work.
They laughed at him but they allowed him to try. After a little while, the machine worked again.
1. Do you think Edison was able to repair the machine?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
2. Do you think he was given work in that office?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
3. What kind of a worker do you think was Edison?
a. a jolly worker
b. an inventive worker
c. a destructive worker
Exercise 39
COURTESY AND NEATNESS
Just before Christmas, the Dennis Supermart advertised for a boy with bicycle to help deliver
orders for a few hours each morning. Three boys presented themselves to the manager. Nilo was neatly
dressed and well-groomed. Jun came in a bright colored shirt which matched his long hair and
mustache. When they entered the manager’s office, Nilo greeted the manager with a courteous “Good
morning,” while Jun sat astride on a chair. Arturo stood by the table smoothing his tight fitting pants.
The manager looked closely at each boy. Then he asked one of the boys to remain while he asked the
other two to leave and try again next time.
1. Who of the three boys did the manager choose?
a. Jun
b. Nilo
c. Arturo
2. Why do you think did the manager need a boy just before Christmas?
a. They were short of help.
b. They wanted to train a boy.
c. There were more shoppers during the Christmas season.
3. What was the manager’s work?
a. selling in the store
b. supervising the store
c. watchman in the store
Exercise 40
“My! What a nice car,” said Rene as he saw his Cousin Mel riding in his toy car.
“My father bought this yesterday,” answered Mel proudly. “Want to try it?”
“Why, yes, thank you,” Rene said as Mel got off his car. “It is just like a real car,” he said as he
tried the wheel. After a short drive, he stopped the car. “Your father is very good,” he observed. “He
buys you many nice things.”
“That is right,” answered Mel. “Father works hard so he can buy us things. You know very well
we have a big poultry. All of us work together to make our poultry produce more. Last week, we were
able to gather about a thousand eggs.”
1. Why do you think could Mel’s father buy nice things for the family?
a. Mel’s father was proud.
b. Mel’s father had a big salary.
c. Their poultry brought in much money.
2. Do you think one is sure to have nice things by working hard?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
3. Which of these does Mel’s father involve himself in?
a. self-help projects
b. Green Revolution
c. cottage industry
SKILL D
Exercise 1
THE EARTHWORM
Have you seen an earthworm? Children are afraid of the earthworm. It lives in moist soil. It has
no head and it breathes through its skin. If you cut an earthworm in two, the parts will still live.
The earthworm is harmless. It helps the farmers and plant growers. The earthworm bores many
holes in the soil. This way the soil becomes soft and well-mixed. Then more air goes into the soil. Soft,
well-mixed and airy soil is good for the plants. Earthworms help the plants grow well.
1. In what kind of soil does the earthworm live?
2. Does the earthworm have a head? Write Yes or No.
3. Write the word that tells where the earthworm breathes through.
4. Write the earthworm have a head? Write Yes or No.
5. Copy the correct sentence.
a. The earthworm is harmful
b. The earthworm kills the plants
c. The earthworm helps the plants
Exercise 2
RIZAL AND THE FILIPINO YOUTH
Jose Rizal loved his people especially the youth.
Jose Rizal believed in the young people of his country. He wrote a patriotic poem entitled, “To
The Filipino Youth”, dedicated to his countrymen. In this poem, he called the young Filipino the “fair
hope of his fatherland”.
Rizal also wrote “Noli Me Tangere”. In this novel, he called on the youth to serve their country.
He called on them to study harder and do the best they could to achieve peace and progress for the
Philippines.
1. Copy the name of the poem Rizal wrote.
2. To whom did he dedicate the poem?
a. to his mother
b. to his countrymen
c. to the Filipino youth
3. Write the name of the book Rizal wrote.
4. Copy the word that describes what kind of poem “To The Filipino Youth” is.
5. What was Rizal’s counsel to the youth?
a. to study hard
b. to write books
c. to take up arms
Exercise 3
CHRISTMAS EVE
It was Christmas Eve. Mr. Cruz’s family had finished their Noche Buena. “Come on children,”
Mother called. “Hang your stockings and go to bed.” Sonia hung one for her mother, one for her father
and a very small one for her baby brother. Tess put hers on one corner of her mirror. Dennis pinned his
on the curtain of his bedroom window and Edmer found a place near his Cabinet.
1. Write the name of the holiday that the children were preparing for.
2. What did the children do before going to bed? Copy the answer.
3. Copy the phrase that tells what the family would do.
a. go to bed
b. go to a party
c. go to the movies
4. Copy the sentence that is true.
a. Sonia hung one stocking for herself.
b. Sonia hung stockings for herself and her mother.
c. Sonia hung stockings for her mother, father and for her baby brother.
5. Write the name of the boy who pinned his stockings on the curtain of his bedroom.
Exercise 4
HINTS FOR KEEPING FRIENDS
To have friends, you must genuinely like people and consider their feelings. Here are some hints
for keeping friends:
Be true to your word. Get out of your way to be friendly and help others. Be a good listener.
Avoid talking about people behind their backs. Avoid laughing at the mistakes of others and going
around correcting people. Do your share of the work – don’t be lazy. Be neat and clean. Don’t insist on
having your way. Don’t feel that you are better than others, and be careful not to give that impression.
Treat others as you, yourself, would like to be treated.
1. Copy the phrase that tells what the selection is about.
a. how to be popular
b. how to make and keep friends
c. how to be at ease in a gathering
2. What should one avoid? Draw a circle around the letter of the correct answer.
a. Avoid talking to people.
b. Avoid participating in a conversation.
c. Avoid taking about people behind their backs.
3. Copy the sentence that is true.
a. Be neat
b. Talk everytime
c. Wear new clothes everytime.
4. Write the sentence that tells what you should not do.
a. Do your share of the work.
b. Be friendly and help others.
c. Laugh at mistakes of others.
5. Should you always insist on having your way? Write your answer.
a. No
b. Yes
c. Maybe
Exercise 5
WALLY’S KITE
It was Saturday morning and Wally was getting ready to fly his kite. Soon his friends Dennis and
Berto came along. Together they went to the field. They tossed their kits up to the air. The kites flew up
into the sky until they look like birds. They boys had a fine time. Suddenly the kite flew way up to the
sky. He ran fast to follow his kite. Dennis ran to follow Wally. At last Wally’s kite landed on a treetop.
Wally and Dennis reached the tree where the kite landed. Wally climbed the tree and brought his kite
down, but it could not fly anymore. Its wings and tail were broken.
1. What day was it?
2. Write the words that tell who came along while Wally was flying his kite.
3. Which of these phrases tell what the boys had. Copy the phrase.
a. had a fine time
b. had a bad time
c. had an accident
4. Draw the things that looked like birds.
5. Why could Wally’s kite not fly?
Exercise 6
NEW PRICES
Norma arrived in their house in the barrio tired but happy. She had just come from town and
her basket was full of things she bought from the market. Now, they will have enough food for one
whole week. Her father can have meat in his binalot when he goes to the field. She put out the list of
thngs she bought. Norma was sure her mother would be sad whe she shows her list. Pork meat cost her
P 110.00 a kilo; beef, P 160.00 a kilo; sugar, P 28.00 a kilo; coffee, P 40.50 for one small glass; canned
goods like milk, sausages including butter cost higher than before.
1. Write the answer that tells how much is the difference between the cost of beef and pork.
a. P 50.00
b. P 18.00
c. P 24.00
2. Copy the answer that tells how much a kilo of sugar costs.
a. P 8.35
b. P 14.00
c. P 28.00
3. Copy the answer that tells the cost of one glass of coffee.
a. P 40.50
b. P 39.00
c. P 75.00
4. Write the word that tells where Norma bought the things in her basket.
a. supermarket
b. market
c. store
5. Write the word that tells what father takes with him to the field.
Exercise 7
THE TINY PIGEON
A pretty little pigeon built her nest high in the attic of an old barn. After some days, she had five
little white eggs. How proud Mrs. Pigeon was! She kept the eggs warm under her soft wings. After about
three weeks four fuzzy young pigeons broke through their shells and peeped out to take a look at the
world. Mother Pigeon looked anxiously at one tiny egg that was still unhatched. Father pleaded for
some more days for the egg to hatch. Three days passed and Mother Pigeon heard a weak chirp from
the egg and a tiny pigeon poked its head out of the shell.
1. If the five little eggs were white, draw a circle, if not, draw a cross.
2. Copy the phrase that tells where Mother Pigeon kept her eggs warm.
3. Write the number of unhatched eggs after about three weeks.
4. Did the remaining egg stay unhatched? Answer with yes or no.
5. Copy the word that tells where Father Pigeon wanted the tiny egg to be pushed out. Choose the word
from the following and underline it.
from the attic
from the cave
from the nest
from the house
Exercise 8
HOG-RAISING
Hog-raising is profitable for the family. Hogs can be raised in your backyards. A hog 8 to 10
months old is just right to start your piggery. If you can afford it, get a mestizo breed for this grows
faster than our native breed. Select hogs that are health with long body and short legs. They grow faster
ad give more meat. A hog’s growth and health depend upon how you take care of it. So you should feed
your hog well. Hogs love to eat. To avoid spending too much on feeds, raise and fatten your hog chiefly
on surplus garden products or meal scraps.
1. If hogs are not profitable to raise, draw a cross. If they are, put a check after number 1.
2. How old should the hog be to start a piggery? Write the number of months.
3. Write at least two phrases that describe the hog you will choose.
4. What do hogs love to do? Copy the word.
play
work
eat
5. With what can you feed your hogs to fatten it?
Cross the phrase.
meal scraps
rice
bran
bathe
milk
Exercise 9
NILO
The bus stopped in front of the school gate. Boys and girls got off nimble and noisily. But Nilo
waited for this turn to get out. He slowly slung his bag across his shoulders and walked towards the door
of the bus. He looked to the left and to the right to see if there were vehicles coming his way. Then he
went straight to his room. After greeting his teacher he helped her put the room in order. Then he went
out to wait for the bell.
1. Write the name of the boy mentioned in the story.
2. Which of the following best describe Nilo? Underline it.
a. Lazy
b. Good
c. Bold
3. How did he cross the street? Draw a circle around the letter of the correct answer.
a. He walked very fast.
b. He ran hurriedly across the street.
c. He looked to his left and to his right.
4. Copy the words which describe how the children got off the bus.
5. Nilo went straight to the playground and played with his classmates. Answer this with true or false.
Exercise 10
WHERE WE CAN PLANT VEGETABLES
In line with the Green Revolution campaign, we can use every available space to plant
vegetables. Such places may be:
in backyards
in fronyards
in pots
on open spaces in vacant lots or on idle fields between rows of trees
on rice paddies (pilapil)
on vacant portions of land within compounds of health clinics or health centers
on unused land within school campuses
on farms for commercial scale production
Write the answers:
1. In what parts of your yard can you plant vegetables?
2. Where can you plant vegetables, if there are rows of trees planted?
3. In what part of the ricefields can you plant vegetables?
4. When there are no spaces available, where can you plant vegetables? Choose your answer.
pots
beds
chairs
boxes
5. Can you plant vegetables on the idle strips of land?
Write Yes or No, for your answer.
Exercise 11
FOOD FOR GROWTH
During your years of rapid growth, it is important that you get enough nutritious food to meet
your increasing energy needs. Besides eating some of each of the seven basic foods each day, you may
also need to eat extra amounts of energy-giving foods such as butter, baked beans, macaroni, fortified
margarine, cheese, peanut butter, ice cream and rice. However, one should remember that these
energy foods should be eaten in addition to – not in place of – such essential foods as milk, eggs, fruits,
meat, vegetables and whole grains, enriched bread or cereals.
1. Copy the names of two energy-giving foods.
2. List down three of the essential foods.
3. Is it important that you get enough nutritious food to meet your rapid growing needs? Answer with
Yes or No.
4. Write down two items in the seven basic foods.
5. If enriched bread is an essential food, put a check after the number. If it is not, put a cross.
Exercise 12
NIÑO AND THE U.S NAVY
Niño’s uncle is in the U.S. Navy. Every now and then, his uncle sends him toys, chocolates,
candies, and articles from the United States. His school bag is made in U.S.A. His jacket, wristwatch and
pencil case are also “Stateside”.
Niño proudly shows off his “belongings” to his friends. He thinks his Stateside belongings are
better than the locally produced things that his classmates are using.
Niño always speaks highly of his uncle in the U.S. Navy. When he grows up, he wants to be like
his uncle and be a member of the U.S. Navy, too.
1. Which of the following do you think best describes Niño? Box your answer.
patriotic
unpatriotic
selfish
2. Which is true about Niño? Encircle the letter of the correct answer.
a. He likes Stateside articles.
b. He is fond of locally produced articles.
c. He feels proud of his country’s products.
3. In what subject do you think could this be a lesson?
a. Mathematics
b. Communication Arts
c. Character Education
4. Write what Niño wants to be when he grows up.
5. Write T if this statement is true; F if it is falts.
All Articles that come from the U.S. are really better than our locally produced articles.
Exercise 13
ROUND TRIP BY EXPRESS LIMITED
Nori and her mother were looking at the railroad travel folder. They were looking at the
attractive pictures, maps and interesting descriptions of beauty spots in the Philippines. They decided to
go to Bicol Province to see the beautiful Mayon Volcano. They took two round trip tickets for express
Limited. By doing this, Nori and her mother could save some money. They intended to take the plant but
the railroad travel folder indicated that it’s cheaper to go by train. The Express Limitd is one of the new
models acquired by the Philippine National Railways.
1. Print the title of the story.
2. Write what Nori and her mother were looking at.
3. Write what kind of ticket they bought.
4. Write what made Nori and her mother decide to travel by train.
5. Write the place chosen by Nori and her mother to visit. Put a square around your answer.
Exercise 14
APOLINARIO MABINI
Apolinario Mabini loved his mother very much. His mother was thrifty and hardworking. She did
all the work in the house and helped her husband tend their coffee trees. Mabini’s father and mother
knew that he was an intelligent boy. It was his mother who decided to help that they had no money to
support him, they sent Mabini to Manila to study Mabini worked his way through college. How hard his
parents worked to be able send him a few pesos! Mabini’s mother wanted him to be a priest but Mabini
knew he would be a good lawyer.
1. Copy the phrase that describes Mabini’s mother.
a. Honest and kind
c. Thrifty and industrious
b. Beautiful and shy
2. Write the word that ells what kind of a boy Mabini was. Put this inside the square.
3. Write the word that tells who decided to send Mabini to Manila. Write it in capital letters.
4. Copy the word that tells what Mabini’s mother wanted him to be.
5. What did his parents do to send him a few pesos? Underline the phrase.
worked hard
gamble
sold vegetables
Exercise 15
INCOMPARABLE RIZAL
We just wonder how Rizal in his short life learned so many things. He was only thirty-five years
old when he died, but he could speak about twenty-six languages. We know he was a doctor, a write, an
artist and a scientist. When he was exiled to Dapitan, he learned to be a farmer. He was a teacher and a
businessman. He was also a good swimmer, and an expert in fencing and boxing.
1. Write what the story is about.
a. Rizal
b. A student
c. Knowledge
2. Write the number of languages Rizal learned to speak.
3. List four things that tell what Rizal was.
4. Which of these did Rizal learn in Dapitan.
farming
dentistry
teaching
5. Copy all the words that tell what other things Rizal was good in.
swimming
baseball
fencing
boxing
Exercise 16
A CONTEST
There is a contest for the cleanest and most beautiful barrio. How can our barrios be made
beautiful and clean? All the people in each barrio can help in this project. The first thing is to start with
the yard. Clean the yard and dispose the garbage properly. Fence the yard with bamboo or hedges. The
gumamela or bougainvilla can serve as fence. The backyard can be planted with vegetables. Flowering
plants can be planted in pots and placed on window sills. Keep the pigs and chicken out of the yard by
putting them in pens. There should be clean canals and good drainage to keep the surroundings clean.
1. Write the phrase that tells what the contest is about.
2. Where is the contest being held? Write the word in capital letters.
3. Write two hedges that will make good fences.
4. Write two things which should be kept out of the yard.
5. Copy the word that tells what may be planted in the backyard.
fruit tress
vegetables
flowering plants
Exercise 17
A GAME WITH WORDS
The exercises below will help you recall your knowledge of important words used in
Mathematics. These will also help you understand words you do no know.
Underline the letter of the correct answer.
1. Hectare is used when referring to _________.
a. land
b. money
c. electricity
d. coal
2. Sum is the answer to a problem in _________.
a. addition
c. subtraction
b. multiplication
d. division
3. You find the average by _________.
a. subtracting
c. multiplying and adding
b. multiplying
d. division
4. You find the average by _________.
a. money in the bank
c. money you spend
b. money you have
d. adding and dividing
5. Product is obtained in the process of _________.
a. addition
c. multiplication
b. subtraction
d. division
Exercise 18
ELECTRIC POWER
Electricity has become a servant and a messenger in the modern world. It lights homes, runs
machines in factories and makes distant people neighbors. Electricity has given us all the comforts in life
through electrical appliances used in our homes. Science has helped us in making the most out of
electricity. Work has become lighter with the advent of electricity.
1. Write two words that tell what has become of electricity.
2. Has electricity made our work lighter? Write your answer inside a circle.
3. Copy the phrase that tells what has brought comfort to our lives.
4. Which has helped people make the most out of electricity?
5. Write the title of the story.
Exercise 19
THE MAKING OF A FRIEND
It’s hard to tell what makes a friend
It isn’t looks or style
Just something that you can’t explain
That makes them seem worthwhile.
It isn’t anything they say
Or anything they do
But what it is that makes a friend
I’ve found them all in you
1. Write the number of stanzas in the poem.
2. Write what the poem tells about.
3. Is it easy to tell what makes a friend?
Answer with Yes or No.
4. Copy the line in the stanza which tells why “it’s hard to explain what makes a friend.”
5. Write the line that tells where the writer found the things that make a friend.
Exercise 20
FISH CONSERVATION
Our country’s fishing resources are fast dwindling because of dynamite fishing. Using dynamite
in fishing kills thousands of fish. It is the chief cause of the rapid disappearance of fish stocks from our
lakes, rivers and seas. A stick of dynamite thrown into school of fish kills not that they could have
spawned. The mature ones are not only the ones killed. Fish, eggs, fries, and fingerlings within close
range of the blast are also destroyed. This is why dynamite fishing is prohibited.
1. Write the title of the selection and underline it.
2. Write the cause of fish dwindling resources.
3. What can cause death to thousands of fish and the countless generations of fish? Copy the phrase.
4. List three things a blast of dynamite can destroy.
5. What step did the government take in connection with dynamite fishing?
Write your answer in one word.
Exercise 21
TAKING CARE OF DIFFERENT DOGS
Dogs like different kinds of food just as people do. A grown up dog that is at least twelve months
old should have only one full meal a day with a snack in the morning or at night. A mixture of cooked
meat, rice or dry bread crumbs is a good meal for a dog. He should never be given chicken bones for it
might do damage to his intestines. Instead, give him a large bone to gnaw. A dog should not be given
candies or highly seasoned foods. Walk or romp with your dog regularly to give him exercise.
1. What does a dog like just as people do? Draw a square around the letter of the correct answer.
a. a big house
b. lots of money
c. different kinds of food
2. Write how many times a dog should be fed in a day.
3. Write what you should avoid giving your dog.
4. Copy the phrase that tells what should always be near the dog.
5. Copy the answer that tells what should not be given to your dog.
a. rice
b. a big bone
c. seasoned foods
Exercise 22
THE EARLY FILIPINOS
When the Spaniards came to the Philippines, the Filipinos knew how to read and write. They had
their own alphabet.
They used two ways of writing. They wrote from top to bottom. They also wrote from left to
right. They wrote on bamboos, leaves of the coconut trees and barks of trees. They used pointed steel
or knife for writing.
During the early days, the Filipinos believed in Bathala as the creator of all things on Earth. They
worshipped Lalahon, the god of fire and harvest. They believed in Makaptan, god of sickness, and
Sidapa, god of death. They also believed in anitos.
1. Copy and underline the people talked about in the story
a. Japanses
b. Spaniards
c. Filipinos
2. Copy the sentence that is true about early people’s writing.
a. They wrote from top to bottom.
b. They used pointed twigs for writing.
c. They used bamboo leaves to write on.
3. Put a check after the sentence that tells what the early Filipinos believed in.
a. Sidapa is god of sickness.
b. Makaptan is god of death.
c. Bathala the creator of all things on Earth.
4. Write the phrase that tells who Lalahon was.
5. What other gods did they believe in? Write the names.
Exercise 23
OCEAN BOTTOM: A REAL PANTRY
Oceans, the Earth’s largest water reserve, occupy two-thirds of the Earth’s surface. The Earth is
air conditioned because the large amount of water cools hot air and warms u cold air. Seas and oceans
are full of mineral salts and vitamins that keep man healthy. Thousands of plants and sea animals like
fish, shellfish, mollusks and other feed us.
Under the ground beneath the ocean bottom, treasures such as oil and gas are found. Thus, the
ocean is a real pantry.
Seas and oceans that are so valuable for life on Earth are constantly mistreated by en through
pollution, thus causing the butchery of sea animals. We do not realize that if the ocean gets ill, we will,
too.
1. What is the selection about? Write the word and underline it.
2. Copy the letter of the thing ocean water does.
a. warms up cold air
c. cleans the beaches
b. water ricefields
3. What word means important in this sentence? Copy the word.
“Seas and oceans are so valuable for life.”
4. What causes the butchery or killing of sea animals?
a. resort
b. fishing
c. pollution
5. If the oceans get ill, we get ill, too. Answer this with True or False.
Exercise 24
KILLING MOSQUITOES
We can do much to destroy mosquitoes. If they happen to get caught in our mosquito net, we
can of course kill them. We can drive them away from our houses by spraying them with insecticides.
We can protect ourselves from mosquitoes at night by sleeping under a mosquito net. But this method
protects us temporarily. We can kill them while they are still in larvae stage. This is true of mosquitoes
which breed in standing water, around our houses. Mosquitoes can be kept from breeding. Do not leave
around empty cans, coconut shells, or other containers which hold water where mosquitoes can breed.
If people are careful, no mosquitoes can breed near their house.
1. Write the name of the insect in the selection.
2. Can we do much to kill adult mosquitoes? Answer with Yes or No.
3. Write the phrase that tells how we can protect ourselves temporarily from mosquitoes.
4. Draw a line under the letter of the sentence that is true.
a. Mosquitoes can be kept from breeding by sleeping under a mosquito net.
b. There is not much we can do to destroy adult mosquitoes.
c. We can kill mosquitoes while they are still larvae.
5. Which serve as breeding places of mosquitoes?
Draw a circle around the phrase
standing water
boiling water
fresh water
Exercise 25
GARBAGE DISPOSAL
It is the duty of every household to dispose of its own garbage and clean its own yard. This is a
form of community spirit. Instead of dumping garbage on the streets which become breeding places of
flies, each family’s garbage is laced in well-covered cans. The government takes charge of the collection
and disposal of garbage. Trucks collect the garbage and dump them in an area where they are burned or
reduced to fertilizers. Now that we no longer see mountains of garbage on the streets, then flies will be
much less in numbers.
1. Copy the phrase that tells what the selection is about.
Breading places
garbage disposal
dumping places
2. Underline the phrase that tells where garbage is placed.
well-covered cans
on the streets
cans
3. Copy the word that tells who takes care of garbage collection.
people
government
agents
4. What used to be unsightly on our streets? Copy the answer.
people
mountain of garbage
cans
5. What may be eradicated or lessened in the future if garbage is disposed of properly? Draw your
answer.
Exercise 26
VACATION TIME
“It is vacation now!” shouted Ben happily. “I can take a swim in the river every day.”
“I will sell newspapers every morning and shine shoes in the afternoon,” said Luis. “I need to
save money so I can go to high school next June.”
“I will help Mother do home chores,” said Gloria. “I can cook and go to market.”
“I will plant vegetables in our backyard,” said Rene.
1. What vacation is mentioned in this story? Copy the phrase:
Christmas vacation
Summer vacation
Week-end vacation
2. Who among the children in the story will spend his vacation earning money? Write his name.
3. Write the sentence that tells what Gloria will do.
4. Why is Ben happy? Draw a circle around the letter of the correct answer.
a. He can take a bath in the well.
b. He can take a bath in the river.
c. He can take a swim in the river.
5. Who will help in the food production? Write his name.
Exercise 27
OUR NATIONAL LANGUAGE
It was President Manuel L. Quezon’s idea to develop a national language.
Although there are other languages such as Ilocano, Visayan, Pampango, Bicolano, Pangasinan,
Maranao and many other dialects like the Visayan Waray, Ilongo, Cebuano or the Ibanag or Zambal
spoken in the Philippines, Quezon chose Tagalog as the basis of our national language. One of the
reasons was that there are many Filipinos who could read and write Tagalog.
Now, thanks to President Manuel L. Quezon that we have our national language which is easily
taught in schools. This is why President Quezon is called the Father of the Filipino National Language
which we call the Filipino Language.
1. Whose idea was it to develop a national language?
2. Did he choose Tagalog because many Filipinos could read write it?
Answer with Yes or No.
3. Which phrase tells us what are found in the different Philippine dialects. Copy the phrase.
Tagalog words
Bicolano words
Visayan words
4. What is known all over the islands now?
Write your answer.
President Quezon
Filipino National Language
Bicol dialect
5. How is President Quezon called? Underline your answer.
Father of Quezon Province
Father of the Poor
Father of the Filipino National Language
Exercise 28
HELP PRODUCE FOOD
The Grade Six pupils wanted to help in food production. One of their slogans was “Plant more
foodcrops”. Each of the boys cultivated home gardens in his backyard. All the boys planted vegetables
that are easy to grow. They planted fruit vegetables like patola, squash, eggplants, “sayote” and
tomatoes. Now they are looking forward to the day when they will harvest the vegetables from their
home gardens. Their products will help increase our food supply.
1. Make a list of vegetables that are easy to grow.
2. Write what the selection is all about.
a. being industrious
b. buying and selling
c. how to help produce more food
3. Copy one of the slogans. Underline it.
4. Who will help produce food?
a. Grade Six pupil
b. Community helpers
c. farmers and vendors
5. Where did they cultivate home gardens? Write the word and encircle it.
Exercise 29
ANIMAL BITES
Animal bites should not cause any alarm, but they should be treated promptly. There are safety
rules that may help.
Bites of dogs, cats, mice, rabbits and similar pets may be dangerous to human beings. Cats and
dogs, especially, are sometimes afflicted with rabbies. Their bite should not be taken for granted. The
best thing to do is to clean the wound with an anstiseptic such as a teaspoon of carbolic acid in a pint of
warm water. Cover the wound with sterile gauze and bind it carefully in order to keep it free from dust.
However, it is always advisable to see a doctor after applying the first aid treatment.
1. What disease common to cats and dogs is dangerous? Write the word in capital letters.
2. Copy the title of this selection inside a rectangle.
3. What first step should be done when bitten by a dog? Copy the letters of your answer.
a. Kill the dog immediately.
b. Clean the wound with antiseptic.
c. Apply ground guava leaves on the wound.
4. Copy the name of an antiseptic.
a. water
b. medicine
c. carbolic acid
5. Write whom you should see when bitten by a dog.
Exercise 30
TREE PLANTING
Tree planting is worthwhile. There is a wide variety of trees that are best suited for backyards,
along the streets, river banks or on open fields. Whether we use them for ornament, shelter or shade
for other plants, these trees can provide some of our daily needs. There are trees that can be used for
fuel, and when they grow older, as construction materials. Two or more of the followings trees – mango,
papaya, chico, banana, cacao, coconut, citrus trees, caimito, mabolo, orange – can be planted in our
backyards because they provide us with fruit, fuel and shade.
1. What is the selection about? Draw a circle around the letter of the correct answer.
a. tree planting
c. garden planting
b. forest planting
2. Copy these words: ornament, shelter, shade, tree. Underline the word that is another name for
decoration.
3. Write two names of fruit-bearing trees.
4. Which one is a fruit tree as well as a shade tree? Draw a circle around the word.
a. mango
b. coconut
c. orange
5. Write the title of the selection.
Exercise 31
THE ABACA PLANT
When visiting Bicol Province you cannot help but notice the attractive articles made from abaca
fiber such as placemats, handbags and floor rugs, which are especially intended for the tourist market.
In Santa Domingo, families are involved in the processing of the abaca fiber. The abaca plant resembles
a banana plant, but it bears no fruit. However, it yields the strongest and most valuable fiber for making
cords and ropes. Abaca is known also as Manila hemp which is a soft fiber and comes from the real
hemp which is a soft fiber and comes from a different plant. Abaca fiber is stripped from the outer
portion of the plant’s leaf and stem.
1. Write two attractive articles made from abaca fibers.
2. Write the part of the plant from where the fibers are taken.
3. Copy the name of the town where abaca fiber is processed.
4. What does the abaca plant resemble? Draw a square around the correct answer.
pineapple plant
banana plant
palm plant
5. Select two words that describe the fiber from which cord and rope are made. Underline the words.
beautiful
strongest
long
valuable
light
Exercise 32
LEISURE TIME
The hours after school or work are called leisure time. Most people spend their leisure time in
different kinds of recreational activities. Recreation improves one’s mind and keeps the body fit after
the day’s work. However, recreation should be chosen wisely. Profitable recreational activities should
not necessarily be expensive. They should teach good lessons, develop good habits and keep one
physically and mentally fit. Children find amusement by themselves in gardening, crocheting and
painting. Artistic activities like music and dancing are good hobbies done during leisure time.
1. What does the selection tell us? Encircle the letter of the correct answer.
a. Leisure time is idle time.
b. Leisure time keeps one physically and mentally fit.
c. Leisure time is any hour between morning and noon.
2. Write the phrase that tells how people spend their leisure time.
3. Inside a square, write the phrase that tells what you call the hours after school or work.
4. Write the word that tells how recreation should be spent.
5. Write one artistic activity.
Exercise 33
SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEF IN SERBIA
Serbia, like the Philippines, has its superstitious belief. For example, before a man builds a
house, he tries to find out whether the spot is lucky or not. There are several ways to find out. One is to
drive some sheep into the fields where the house is going to be built or make them spent the night
there. The place where the sheep choose to lie themselves in, is said to be a lucky spot. Another ways is
by putting four big stones where the four corners of the house will stand. The stones are left for the
night and the next morning each stone is turned. If there is a living insect under one of the stones, then
the spot is a lucky one to build a house on. If there were no living things found under any of the stones,
then they move to another part of the field.
1. Write the name of the country the selection tells about.
2. Which of the following are to be driven into the spot where the house is to be built?
Copy the right answer.
goat
cow
sheep
hen
3. Write the number of stones placed on the spot where the house is to be built.
4. What should be under one of the stones to show that the place is lucky?
Draw a circle under the word.
5. From the words given below, choose and copy the one that tells what the Serbians believe in:
a. folk tales
b. superstitious
c. proverbs
Exercise 34
SARDINES
There is a game called “sardines”. A player is chosen as the “It” and he hides himself in a roomy
place anywhere. Then the rest of the group search for him. When a player finds the “It”, he waits until
none of the players is watching and slips in with the “It”. This is continued until all the players are
packed like sardines in the hiding place. The first person who finds the “It” will be the one to hide next.
This is a good indoor game since it requires no running. Older children frequently play this game in the
dark in which case the player calls to each other. “Are you there, Tess?” When a child fails to answer,
the other players know he has found the “sardine” and is hidden with him.
1. Write what the game is called.
a. Sardine
b. Patintero
c. Hide and Seek
2. Copy the word that tells how the first sardine is called.
a. “It”
b. “He”
c. “She”
3. Copy these words:
packed
hides
sardines
Encircle the word which tells how the players are arranged in their hiding place.
4. Draw a circle around the place that tells where older children play:
roomy
dark
yard
house
5. Draw the canned food described in the selection
Exercise 35
THE CIRCUS
Here’s a big, big circus tent
With seats on every side
Here ponies dance and prance around
While ladies on them ride.
Elephants come walking in
And swing their trunks just so
A monkey jumps on a zebra’s back
And tries to make him go.
A whistle blows, we turn to see
The clowns come tumbling in.
Chalky faces, noses long
Some very fat, some very thin
One turns backwards, somersaults
One rides a horseback,
One runs on tiny engine
That won’t stay on the track
In the tip most of the great tent
Men swing on iron bars
And climb the ropes that stretch so high
They almost reach the stars
1. Print the title of the poem and underline it twice.
2. Write the word that tells who comes tumbling in.
3. Write Yes if the clown is funny; No, if he is not.
4. Write the underline the animals that dance.
ponies
elephants
monkeys
5. Write the word that tells who swings on iron bars.
zebras
Exercise 36
A KALINGA HOME
Kalinga houses are the largest and the cleanest in the Mountain Province. They are nicer than
most houses in the lowland barrios. The largest is octagonal in shape. All the floors of split bamboo.
Along the walls, the floor is raised half a foot, the elevated strip serving as bed. There is an open
fireplace in the center and there is a rack above on which firewood and palay are dried. Homemade
black earthenwares of various sizes are used for cooking. These are the same types of jars in which
women carry water balancing one above the other on their heads.
1. Write the name of the largest and cleanest houses in Mountain Province.
2. Draw the shape of the largest houses.
3. What materials are the floors made of? Copy the word.
wood
split bamboo
cogon
4. Write what they use for cooking. Underline it.
5. Inside a big square, draw how the women carry their jars on their heads.
Exercise 37
AWAKE
Awake! Awake!
Called the cock to the morn
The sun peeped out
A new day was born.
Awake! Awake!
Cried the sun in the sky
Every meadow flower
Opened a wonderful eye
Awake! Awake!
Chirped the birds in the tree
The tree stirred and said,
“Who’s calling me?”
Awake! Awake!
Rang the bells in the steeple
Awake! Awake!
All you sleeping people.
One by one
They yawned and arose
Thanking the good God
For the night’s repose.
1. Copy the phrase that tells a new day is born.
a. the moon shone
b. clouds gather
c. the sun peeped out
2. Copy the word that tells what the birds did.
a. fly
b. sang
c. chirped
3. Write the name of the objects that woke the people up.
a. bells
b. vestries
c. churches
4. Copy the name of the object which rings.
a. rattle
b. bell
c. engine
5. Copy the phrase which tells what the people thanked God for.
a. early morn
b. night’s repose
c. meadow flower
Exercise 38
SILVER
Slowly, silently, now the moon
Walks the night in her silver shoon;
This way, and that, she peers and sees
Silver fruits upon silver trees;
One by one, the casements catch
The beams beneath the silvery thatch;
Crouched in his kennel like a dog
With paws of silver sleeps the dog;
From their shadowy cape the white breasts peep
Of doves and a silver-feather sleep;
A harvest mouse comes scampering by;
With silver claws and silver eye;
And moveless fish in water gleam
By silver reeds and silver stream.
 By Walter de la Mare
1. Write the number of lines the poem has.
2. Which phrase in the second line tells what the moon does? Write the phrase.
3. What color does the moon cast on the fruits and trees? Copy and encircle it.
a. black
b. silver
c. white
4. Write the words that tell how the moon moves.
5. Write the animals mentioned in the order they appeared in the poem.
Exercise 39
THE RAILROAD
Everyday, trains go puffing down the long stretches of railroad tracks which crisscross in the
Philippines. These trains carry passengers and all sorts of cargoes for our daily needs. Railroads help
bring the needed products to storekeepers and to housewives. The railroads have helped make the
Philippines what it is today. With the coming of train, various towns and provinces were knitted more
closely than ever before. Large quantities of products from the Bicol provinces such as hogs, cattle, dried
fish, and vegetables are shipped to Manila through the railroad. Likewise, products come from the
Northern provinces through the railroad.
1. Write the title of the selection in capital letters. Underline it.
2. What transportation is being given importance in this selection?
Write its name and cancel its first letter.
3. Draw the things were this transportation pass through.
4. Can you go to Mindanao by means of this transportation? If your answer is “Yes”, draw a star; if “No”,
draw a quarter moon.
5. This is the safest and the fastest means of transportation. If you agree to this, write, “by all means”, if
not, write, “by no means”.
Exercise 40
LAUGHING SONG
When the green words laugh with the voice of joy
And the dimpling streams run laughing by;
When the air does laugh with our merry wit
And the green hills laugh with the noise in it.
When the painted birds laugh in the shade
When our table with cherries and nuts are spread
Come live and be merry and join me,
To sing the sweet chorus of, ha! Ha! Ha!
Adapted
1. Inside a square write the word that tells what the song is all about.
2. What runs laughing by? Copy the phrase.
dimpling streams
the air
green hills
3. which of these laugh in the shade? Copy and underline it.
a. green hills
b. people
c. painted birds
4. Write what the sweet chorus of life sang.
5. What is the poem about? Write the name of the poem.
____________ ____________ ______________
TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
___________
SPEED RATE
___________
GRADE
Exercise 1
BETHLEHEM
Since the birth of Christ, there have been a number of beautiful carols sung all over the world.
One of it is the “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and it is the best loved of all Christmas carols.
Christians know that our Lord Jesus Christ was born in the little, quiet town of Bethlehem which
is not far from the city of Jerusalem. A long street leads to the Church of the Nativity. It is believed that
Jesus was born on his very spot. Every year thousands of people all over the word visit Bethlehem,
which is considered the most sacred place in the whole word. Beautiful gifts and offering have been
given to this famous Church of the Nativity.
Today, most people who come to Bethlehem are disappointed to see that it has greatly
changed. Bethlehem today seems to have lost its solemnity.
143 WORDS
____________ ____________ ______________
TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
___________
SPEED RATE
___________
GRADE
Exercise 1
BETHLEHEM
No bird in the world has a brighter color that the birds of paradise. No one can guess from their
color that they belong to the crow family.
Most of the feathers of the birds of paradise have queer shapes. Some are used in making
beautiful plumes. The male birds have bright colored feathers while the females’ feathers are dull in
color. Some male birds of paradise do a great deal of dancing and strutting when they are courting.
There are about forty-five kinds of birds of paradise. They live mostly in the hot rainforest of the
island of New Guinea. A few kinds are found in Australia.
For a time, there was a danger that all birds of paradise would be killed for their feathers. But
now there are laws to protect them. So, we expect the species of the birds of paradise to be multiplied
in the future.
150 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 3
BIRTHSTONES
Superstitions about the precious stones originated during the early times. Anyone who wore any
of these stones was supposed to become strong and brave. There were those who believed that when
worn, these stones protect the wearer from fire and lightning. Still many believed that they were
supposed to bring good luck and good fortune.
Our present beliefs about birthstone are believed on theses old superstitions. Wearing a
birthstone is believed to bring good fortune especially when it is given by somebody as present.
Almost everybody nowadays do appreciate wearing birthstones. Although not everyone agrees
on what particular birthstone is intended for each month, there is a grouping often followed in
connection with birthstones. There are calendars that include the different birthstones for each month.
We take interest in reading the meaning of the birthstones in our horoscopes. For who would not want
to be protected and helped by his particular birthstone.
151 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 4
APPLES
Apples are valuable fruits. They provide important minerals and vitamins to people’s diet.
The first settlers in America brought apple trees with them to plant in the New World. The
United States today grows more apples than any other country in the world.
Apple Trees can be grown from seeds as Johnny Appleseed or John Chapman in real life, did
when he spread the trees across the United States in the 1800s.
Today, most apple trees are grown by budding. Buds are cut from a healthy apple tree. Then
they are inserted into a slit in the bark near the roots of another tree.
The tree grows to about 40 feet high. The fragrant, pink, and white apple blossoms appear late
in the spring. The beauty and the taste of the fruit have made the apple one of the most popular fruits.
Apples have different beautiful colors, like dark red, yellow green, and green.
154 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 5
KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE
King Arthur was a wise and good ruler. He brought together a band of brave knights who went
about correcting wrongs. In King Arthur’s castle, they sat for meals around a big round table so they
were called the Knights of the Round Table.
Lancelot was the bravest and most famous of all the Knights of the Round Table. Galahad was
the most pure in heart. The other knights were Gawaine, Tristan, Percival, Gareth, Gaheris, Bors,
Bedivere, Kay, Lamorak, and Geraint. They all fought many battles for their king and they had wonderful
adventures.
On the wall of a room in Winchester Castle in England, there hung for several hundred years the
top of the great round table. It is 18 feet in diameter and nearly 3 inches thick. On its edge are the
names of the knights of the Round Table. Their golden deeds never fail to impress people up to now.
171 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 6
THE VISIT
Juan Luna had just arrived from Paris. While he was there, he felt homesick for his native land.
He and his friends used to sing the beautiful kundiman of our country.
Not long after, he came back to the Philippines. He visited one of his lady friends and her sisters.
“I am sure you have seen all the wonderful things in Europe,” said his lady friend. “I do not know
what we can do to entertain you. Ah! I know, I will ask my sister to sing for you.”
“That will be nice,” answered Juan Luna.
“What would you like me to sing for you, Señor?” asked the woman’s sister.
“Please, sing a kundiman,” said Juan Luna.
“But Señor, I do not sing kundimans,” answered the woman’s sister. “Perhaps, if I call our
workers in the field they may sing a kundiman for you.”
“How disappointing!” Juan Luna said, “To think that I have come back from Paris to hear a
kundiman!”
Juan Luna bade them goodbye with a heavy heart.
171 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 7
ROSES
We all love roses. Roses are the best-loved and the best-known of all garden flowers. The
interesting history of roses dates back to the ancient times. It is said that dried roses had been found in
ancient tombs. They have also been mentioned in the oldest known writings and manuscripts.
Roses are grown all year long in greenhouses. There are many different varieties and colors of
roses. New shades are constantly being developed.
Bedding roses are those that are grown for display in the garden. Climbing roses include those
with big flowers and those with small flowers in clusters. Shrub roses are planted the same way as lilacs.
Their flowers may be single of double.
Roses need good soil, fresh air, regular cultivation and plenty of water. Roses are often attacked
by insects and diseases but these can be controlled by spraying and dusting the plants. The simplest way
of propagating roses is by cuttings.
Roses, they be called by any other name, are sweet smelling. There are many rose lovers all over
the world. They cultivate rose gardens and hold regular exhibits. People cannot resist the beauty of
roses.
190 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 8
SMALLPOX ALIP
Datu Pua had a little boy who he fondly called Little Alip.
When the council of Datu Pua was in session, Little Alip would come in followed by his stout
yaya.
One day, Little Alip slipped from his yaya. He went into the kitchen and got plenty of dried meat
and cakes. These he gave to the three beggars at the palace gates. The beggars were very happy. They
patted the Little Alip’s cheecks.
That night Datu Pua’s palace was in gloom. Tiny red round sores had started to appear on Little
Alip’s body. It took several weeks before Little Alip’s fever was gone. But tiny round scars were left all
over his face and body.
We call this small pox but in Datu Pua’s palace, they call it “uwaton”.
When Little Alip grew up, he made a very good ruler and his people loved him.
Much later, the people called their place Alip. Afterwards, it became known as Alipuaton.
Alipuaton, a barrio in Silay, Misamis Oriental, is now a beautiful summer resort.
The people of Silay enjoy telling the story of little Smallpox Alip to the tourists who visit their
barrio.
191 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 9
RUBBER
We have many things around us which are made of rubber. Rubber therefore, is very important.
Have you ever wondered where rubber comes from?
Rubber is the product of rubber tree. There are ten kinds of rubber trees. One of these is the
para rubber tree which grows well in our country. These rubber trees are grown in Zamboanga province,
Davao and Cotabato. A rubber tree gives about 106 kilos of rubber every year.
Let us see how this kind of rubber tree is grown. Para rubber trees are grown from seeds of
cuttings. The seed beds are placed under the sade. The seedlings are then planted after eight to fifteen
days.
Grown-up trees are tapped with downward cuts that should not be too deep. The cuttings
should stop about three feet from the ground. The sap that flows down from these cuts is made into
rubber. Some of the trees are cut down after six years. The trees that are left should be about nine
meters apart. This will enable the trees to grow bigger and give more rubber.
A rubber factory has been built by goodyear in Las Piñas, Rizal. This has made rubber-growing
industry more lucrative to our people.
203 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 10
THE CHILD AND THE SEED
One day, Mang Selo, a farmer, visited Mang Ambo, another farmer, in a nearby farm. He saw
Mang Ambo sorting out big healthy palay seeds from a big basket.
“Oh! I see you are now sorting out the big healthy palay seeds for your seedlings.” Mang Selo
said.
“Yes, Selo,” answered Mang Ambo. “This is the Masagana way of choosing seeds for planting.
Good rice stocks for good seedlings and good seedlings for good harvest. It is just like raising our
children.”
“Raising children?” Mang Selo asked. “What has that got to do with planting rice?”
“You know, Selo,” explained Mang Ambo. “”I raise my children just like the way I choose the
healthy seeds. I choose the traits such as faith in God, love for parents and fellowmen will help them to
be good citizens in the future.”
“That’s a good idea,” Mang Selo said, “because just as good seeds bring good harvest, so do
children who are raised properly grow up to be good and useful citizens.
Mang Selo believed what his friend Ambo said. Children should be trained to be good while still
young. They will carry the good training until they grow up.
208 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 11
THE STORY OF A CENTAVO COIN
To Marita and Mike, a one-centavo coin had no value.
“What can a centavo coin do?” Mike used to say whenever he and Marita saw one.
They just threw it away. Anyway they believed that a centavo coin could not buy them anything.
Ony time, Marita saw a five one-centavo coins. She showed them to Mike.
“What will you do with that?” asked Mike. “Better throw them away. Even beggars don’t want
one-centavo coins.”
So Marita followed Mike’s suggestion.
One day a salesman passed by their home. He carried a special offer of a particular brand of
soap. With a ten-peso purchase, they could have a cake of soap and an autograph album as bonus. How
happy Mike and Marita were! But their mother was not at home. Mike had nine pesos and two twentyfive-centavo pieces and Marita had a twenty-five centavo piece. They looked into their mother’s sewing
box, but found only twenty-four centavos. They looked for a one-centavo coin in all parts of the house
but they could not find one.
“Sorry,” they said, “we don’t have ten pesos.”
But a one-centavo coin was just lying in one corner. If it could only speak, it would probably say,
“A peso will not be a peso if it lacks one centavo.”
210 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 12
TIRSO’S OPINION
“Coward! Coward! Down with the coward!” the all boys yelled.
Crowded against the wall, Tirso looked helplessly at the angry boys around him. He was no
match to them. As they pounded on him, Tirso fought back trying to defend himself.
Because there were four against him, Tirso was overpowered. When he was about to pass out, a
strong arm pulled the attackers away from him. The man was tall, and in gray coat and trousers. The
attackers’ eyes widened as the man helped Tirso, for it was no other than Mr. Vic Gomez, a well-known
professor in the campus.
“You are all cowards,” shouted Mr. Gomez angrily.
“Tirso is a traitor to our cause, Mr. Gomez,” replied the boys angrily. “He does not believe in our
cause and he never joins any of our demonstrations. We don’t want him around the campus.”
“Four to one is a coward’s fight,” answered Mr. Gomez sternly. “Get going and leave him alone!”
After the boys were gone, Tirso looked at the kindly eyes of the professor. Mr. Gomez smiled at
him.
“I hope these boys will not bother you anymore,” the professor told Tirso.
“I do not join them, sir,” Tirso said, “because I don’t believe demonstrations will help solve our
present problems.”
“I appreciate your stand,” the professor said. “I hope the other boys of your age will realize that,
too.”
299 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 13
FARM LIFE
On a sunny Saturday, Lisa and her brother, Cesar, went to visit their grandfather who lived on a
farm.
They noticed how beautiful the farm was. The sky was blue, the fields were green and te rice
stalks bent with the ripening golden grains. Cows and goats were grazing on the meadow. Young boys
on carabaos’ back were racing; plenty of watermelons and cantaloupes were growing along the farm
sides.
“Ah! There is Granpa’s farm,” cried Cesar, pointing to the place to Lisa.
“Yes, there is Grandpa waiting, answered Liza.
They kissed their grandfather’s hand.
“I will take you around the farm,” said Grandfather.
First, Grandfather took them to the big pigpen. They saw a big mother pig with ten piglets. Then,
they visited the barn. There were cows and calves in there. They went to the poultry house afterwards.
There were hundreds of white leghorns and many chicks, too.
“How nice it is to live on a farm!” Liza exclaimed.
“We can have all the fresh air and fresh food on the farm,” Cesar added.
“We prefer farm life, Grandfather,” both the children said.
“You may come whenever you want,” Grandfather told the children. “I am happy to have you
both here on the farm.”
“We will come, Grandfather,” said Liza.
“We will help you feed the chickens and the cows,” said Cesar.
After two days, the children kissed their grandfather goodbye.
232 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 14
THE COW AND THE CARABAO
A muddy carabao slowly made its way to a grassy field. A cow was munching grass on a nearby
meadow.
“Look how dirty you are, friend carabao,” said the cow.
“What do you expect?” asked the carabao angrily, “Can you expect me to look clean after a
day’s work in the muddy fields? You should be ashamed of yourself instead, lazybone. While I work you
do nothing but eat and sleep the whole day. Of course, your body will not be soiled like mine.”
“You ought to be thankful for being useful on the field,” the cow said. “You will live much longer
than I.
“What do you mean by that?” asked the carabao.
“Our master wants you to live as long as possible,” explained the cow. “You are needed to plow
and harrow the fields. On the other hand, I eat and rest with little or nothing to do so I grow big and fat.
Our master will then sell me to the butcher to be slaughtered. All of us have our own destinies to fulfill.
So you see, it is useless to complain about life.”
The carabao understood what the cow said. He knew why the farmer took good care of him. He
was a great help to his work on the fields.
“Poor cow!” said the carabao. “I have always envied you for leading an easy life. Now, I do not
envy you anymore.
237 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 15
OUR COUNTRY, THE BEAUTIFUL
Our country, the Philippines, known as the Pearl of Orient Seas, is composed of small islands
which look like a string of pearls on the map.
Our forefathers lived peacefully on these beautiful isles long before the coming of the Spaniards.
They enjoyed their freedom and the wealth of our country. When the Spaniards came, our forefathers
learned better ways of living but their freedom became limited. They longed to be free once more. They
hated to be under foreign rule. They fought and died for the freedom we enjoy. We still dream the
dreams they had, that we are Filipinos and that the Philippines belongs to the Filipinos.
Although we are divided into different regions, and people in each region speak different
dialects, we are united by a common national language, the Filipino language. We have the same
dreams and hopes for our country, too.
We are a lucky people. We are blessed with a country which also has rich natural resources. We
enjoy freedom of speech and of worship.
A popular tourist spot, the Philippines takes pride in her beautiful women. Our women, some of
whom are international beauty title holders, fashion models, Bayanihan, Barangay and Filipinescas
dancers, are touring the different parts of the world, promoting the rich curtural heritage of our country.
Do we in our own little way strive to make the Philippines known? We must, for the sake of our country,
the beautiful Pearl of Orient.
245 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 16
THE GREAT IMITATOR
Rene and Lisa hurried home after classes. They knew that their beloved Jo was waiting.
When they reached home, they were surprised because there was no Jo to meet them. They
looked around and found him on a corner with his hand covering his face.
“What happened to Jo, Mother?” asked the children.
“I filled the pan with water and poured powdered soap in it. Somebody called me in the living
room. I was not gone long. When I came back, Jo had dumped all the clean clothes from the wash basket
into the pan full of soapsuds. There were soapsuds all over the kitchen. I was about to beat him when he
ran away.”
Just then Father entered the kitchen.
“What is the trouble?” he asked.
Mother related what Jo did with the clean clothes and soapsuds.
“Jo may be lots of fun,” Father said, “but we have to send him away if he causes more trouble.”
“But we all love him, Father,” said Rene as he placed Jo on his shoulder.
Father did not say anything but Rene and Lisa knew that Father meant what he said.
Since then, they saw to it that Jo did not come into any trouble. When they were in school, they
tied Jo to a branch of the mango tree where they played hide and seek. It broke their hearts to see Jo
chained to the tree but that was better than see him being sent away.
246 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 17
GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES
Ching and Lu were brothers. They lived in a four-story building with many other families.
One early dawn in August 1968, the brothers were fast asleep in their room. Suddenly, they
were awakened by the strong shaking of the building. Both brothers knew instantly that there was a
strong earthquake. In a second, they found themselves buried under tons of bricks, cement and wood.
Ching and Lu could hardly move. “Come, Lu,” Ching said. “Let us try to get out.”
“How can I when I can hardly move?” whispered Lu.
“Try, dear brother, and pray,” Ching said.
But Lu did not move. On the other hand, Ching tried to get out of the mounds of rocks and
wood. He prayed to God for help. Later he touched the side of a wall. He got a piece of rock and tried to
pound on it with all his might.
“A miracle!” cried Ching as he heard someone pounding outside the wall. “They heard me at
last! I’ll be saved.”
After a long hourse of waiting, Ching saw a hole on the wall. Soon he felt strong hands drawing
him out of the wall. Ching was saved. But Lu could not be saved anymore. Help came to late for Lu. He
died along with hundreds of people who were buried in the building by the strong quake that August
dawn. Many people were saved. Like Ching, they believed that God would not forsake them if they
helped themselves. God helped them indeed.
249 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 18
A MASTERPIECE IN NATIONALISM
Young as he was, Francisco Balagtas knew that his countrymen were unhappy. This was so
because they were oppressed by their enemy in their own native land. His young mind could not fully
understand why this was so.
Years later, he came to understand the injustices suffered by his countrymen when he was
imprisoned by his rich rival. The injustices he saw served as his inspiration in writing his poems, the most
noted of which is “Florante at Laura”. Most of the scenes in this epic poem were pictures of sufferings of
his countrymen which were true not only during his time but for generations more to come. An example
of this was Balagtas’ portrayal of Florante’s sufferings in the wilderness of Albania as the injustice
suffered by his countrymen in the hands of the enemy. He projected, too, the feelings of his countrymen
through the principal characters.
During Balagtas’ time, it was considered treason to criticize the government. Freedom was
unknown, but Balagtas succeeded in his mission by making Albania the setting of his poem. He also used
foreign names for his characters who in reality were his own countrymen. This is why “Florante at
Laura” is considered a masterpiece in nationalism.
Every stanza is a figure of speech. “Florante at Laura” had been translated into different
languages. Translation had been done in English, in French, and in German. It is read by people almost
all over the world. It is considered one of the best epic poems ever written.
252 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 19
THE FATHER OF OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM
Before the declaration of Philippine Independence on June 12, 11898 in Kawit, Cavite, General
Emilio Aguinaldo said:
“We must have a national anthem to express the feelings of the Filipino people.”
A young man approached General Emilio Aguinaldo. He had a letter for the General from
General Mariano Trias.
“The bearer of this letter is a very young composer,” the letter said.
The young man brought the letter was Julian Felipe who also brought with him the musical
march piece he had composed.
“We want to hear your march piece,” the general and his companions told Julian Felipe.
Julian Felipe played the march selection on the piano. He played it many times. When he had
finished playing, the General and his companions clapped their hands.
“The melody inspires one to serve his country,” said one.
“It also arouses love for one’s country,” said another.
They agreed to call the march, the National Anthem.
When General Aguinaldo declared the Independence of the Philippines on June 12, 1898 in
Kawit, Cavite, the National Antem of Julian Felipe was played for the first time. The anthem was played
while the Filipino flag was being raised. Later, Jose Palma wrote the lyrics for the march.
Since then our National Anthem is sung whenever our flag is being raised. It is also sang and
played in most opening ceremonies. Filipinos going to foreign lands are required to know how to sing
our National Anthem. People sing it with feeling and ardor for truly, our National Anthem is a great and
beautiful musical masterpiece.
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GRADE
Exercise 20
MOTHER GOAT’S KID
There was once a white mother goat who was lost from her herd. She became a wild goat. She
roamed around the forests. Then, one summer, she gave birth to a tiny brown kid. Mother goat was
proud of her kid and took care of it lovingly. Often she would hide it behind a big rock while she grazed
in a nearby patch of grass.
One evening, as she was about to get the kid from the big rock, a big black dog came speeding
towards them. With a fierce snort, the goat charged at the big dog to prevent it from going to her kid’s
hiding place. Mother goat and the dog began a savage battle that went into the night.
The big dog tried to attack Mother Goat with its sharp teeth, but Mother Goat gored it with her
horns. Mother goat, afraid for her young kid, tried all she could do to defend her young. Finally her
sharp horns pierced the ribs of the dog and the dog lay dead on the rocks.
Mother goat took her kid away from that place. She patiently and gently led her kid with her
horns. They continued on their journey resting only when she fed her kid.
They crossed forests, hills and mountains. The places they passed were open and dangerous for
her kid. The kid was tired but Mother Goat prodded it to go on. Finally, they found a small cave whose
mouth was covered with tall cogon grass. Mother Goat was sure that the cave would be safe for her kid
so she made it their home.
270 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 21
ASHU
Ashu was thirteen-year-old daughter of the Jukons, once a mighty tribe of warriors and priests
in West Africa. Ashu was very proud of her nation and tribe.
Like all Jukon houses, Ashu’s house had a walled compound or yard. Around her house were a
number of small mud-walled and grass-thatched houses. There was also an entrance hut which was the
only way out from the compound to the street.
Ashu stood in her little mud hut with a tiny mirror on her hand. She was trying to see her whole
face on it. But she could only see a part of her face at a time. She felt disappointed because she wanted
to imagine how she would look with an orange headcloth tied around her head like a turban. She made
faces before the mirror.
Ashu, daughter of the Jukons, longed for a silk headcloth. She had seen a silk headcloth hanging
on one side of a trader’s store in the marketplace. She even looked at it with longing yesterday and the
day before that. It was a rich, tangerine, brocade – truly wonderful for a headcloth – which cost ten
shillings. However, she did not have the amount.
Ashu could not forget the silk headcloth. She was sure she would look beautiful in it. It would be
something to see n her mirror. But where could she get the ten shillings? Could she ask her father?
Could she have the courage to do so? Oh! How she longed for the silk headcloth. So she went to the
marketplace where the orange scurf hung. At least she could have the satisfaction of looking at it.
274 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 22
LADY WITH THE LAMP
Do you know what served as an inspiration to the founder of the Red Cross Society?
Florence Nightingale, the founder, was born in Florence, Italy in 1820. She was raised by her
parents in an English countryside. While still a little girl, Florence showed her love for nursing by caring
for her dolls and sick animals. One time she saved the life of a dog named Cap. The dog happened to
have an infected paw and Florence treated the wound until it was cured.
She was presented to Queen Victoria when she was eighteen. He parents wanted her to lead a
gay and sociable life and to marry a well-to-do fellow. But Florence against her parents’ wishes trained
as a nurse.
People despised nursing during that time. But when the war broke out between Britain and
Russia, Florence, for the first time in history, took with her a staff of nurses to take care of the wounded
in the battlefields. After six months of heroic work, the rate of wounded soldiers dropped from 420 per
thousand to 20 per thousand.
Even during the night, Florence carrying a lamp, would go around visiting the wounded soldiers.
Thus, Florence Nightingale was known as the Lady with the Lamp. She probably saved more lives during
her lifetime than any woman in the history ever did.
There are now Red Cross Societies established all over the world through the inspiration of
Florence Nightingale. They do wonderful jobs in the battlefields. They help people who are victims of
fire, floods, earthquakes and other natural calamities. They also have blood banks for those who need
blood. All these we owe to Florence Nightingale.
276 WORDS
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GRADE
Exercise 23
THE FIRST FIRECRACKER
In ancient times, the Chinese believed that there was a little demon that they called Shan-Shao.
The ancient Chinese feared this demon very much for they believed that any man attacked by him
would suffer fits of high fever and chill.
So they invented crackling bamboos in the fire to drive out the little demon. Later, whole groves
of bamboos were set on fire and bamboos exploded merrily like a string of firecrackers.
Then a Chinese discovered that mixing saltpeter, sulphur and pine charcoal produced
gunpowder.
During the Sung Dynasty, a man named Li Tien god the idea of exploding gunpowder instead of
crackling bamboos. He said, “If I can make the sound ten times the sound of exploding bamboos, this
will surely drive the little demon away.”
He carefully rolled a few pieces of paper around a pinch of gunpowder. He tied the two ends
tightly with strings. He attached a fuse on one end and lighted it. Lo! There was a great blast. This was
the beginning of the firecracker.
Do you know that what the Chinese believed to be a little demon and which they feared, was a
disease we now called malaria? The setting of bamboo groves afire drove the malaria-carrying
mosquitoes away from the place.
Firecrackers are now widely used during town fiestas and merry-making. The production of
firecrackers has greatly improved through the years. Fireworks which are wonderful to watch especially
at night are produced.
However, firecrackers can be very dangerous. Every year, on New Year’s Eve, hundreds are hurt
by exploding firecrackers. Laws had been passed prohibiting the exploding of bomb firecrackers, but
many people have not learned their lessons yet.
279 WORDS
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 24
LAN YING’S “GOOD RIVER”
All her life, Lan Ying had lived with her father and three younger brothers near a river. Because
the river helped them in many ways, they called it “The Good River” although its real name was
“Yangtze River”.
Lan Ying would often wonder as to the source of the Good River as she sat watching her father’s
fishnet. It seemed impossible for her to believe that it was a small stream somewhere tumbling down a
rocky cliff, for the river ran so wide, deep, and yellow at her feet below the great net spreading out in
the bamboo poles.
Almost throughout the day, Lan Ying would sit by the riverside, which it had come to have a
special meaning for her. Lan Ying’s father was a farmer. He planted rice and wheat on his land along the
riverbanks. The farm covers almost an acre and winds up where Lan Ying’s hamlet was. Lan Ying and her
family lived here with half dozen or so families.
The heads of the families were farmers like Lan Ying’s father. The children tended nets, and the
grandfathers, too, for they were too old to work on the fields. The fish they caught brought them extra
pennies. They used these for the holidays to buy incense to be burnt before their gods and to buy new
clothes.
At night, the families gathered by the bank of Lan Ying’s Good River. The grandfathers took turns
in telling stories about the “Good River”, which the children enjoyed very much. Sometimes the young
boys strung their bamboo instruments while the girls sang Chinese songs. Lan Ying’s family, with their
half dozen neighbors, lived simply but happily by the bank of their “Good River”.
286 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 25
THE BELOVED OUTLAW
During the olden days in merry England, there lived a man named Robin Hood. He was an
outlaw by the king’s order. There was a price on his head because he had killed the king’s deer.
Although Robin Hood was an outlaw, he was loved by all England. Everyone who asked his help
got it. His mottoe was “Rob the rich and help the needy.” Poor men passing through Sherwood Forest
often found their pockets filled with gold which had been from a merchant’s purse.
Robin Hood had a hand of men who were ready to serve him even at the cost of their lives. They
vowed to do what Robin Hood bade then and to answer promptly the call of his hunting horn. They
were all dressed in green suits and each carried a stout bow. They were all excellent archers but Robin
Hood was the most skillful of them all.
The plowman, tinker, minstrel or yeoman traveled safely in Sherwood Forest. But rich men and
merchants with money bags trembled in fear when travelling near the outlaw’s domain.
One time, the king called him and offered him freedom provided he joined the king’s army. But
nothing of what the king said or did tempted Robin Hood. He lived in Greenwood for twenty-two years.
He was ever a faithful friend and was always kind to the poor.
Many more stories had been written about the heroic adventures of Robin Hood and his merry
men in Sherwood Forest. But whatever adventures he might have had, they prove to be interesting
readings to both adults and children. The name Robin Hood cannot fail to arouse the interest of the
readers. He has endeared himself to the hearts of the people.
289 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 26
THE SICK LION
All the animals in the forest were happy because they heard that their cruel king was sick. The
lion did not come out of his cave as he usually did. He sent out a message to his subjects that he wanted
to bid them goodbye before he died.
“What does he want to see us for?” asked the deer. Maybe he will give each of us a share of his
wealth.”
All the animals went to see their King Lion except the fox. He sat on a tree and watched the
animals go inside the cave. He waited for them to come out, but no one did. Later that afternoon, the
King Lion appeared at the entrance of the cave. When he saw the fox, he said, “Why did you not come
to see me? Don’t you want to share with the other animals what I have given them?”
“I really want to visit you, my King,” said the fox. “But I am sure your home is crowded now. All
the animals have gone inside your cave and no one has come out yet.”
“Ha! Ha! Laughed the King Lion. “They all wanted to stay inside the cave. You will be staying
there for a long time, if you will wait for them to come out.”
“Never mind, my King,” said the fox. “I am a very patient animal after all.”
He went away happily because he was still well and alive. He knew well why not a single animal
came out of the cave. “Our King Lion thinks he is wise but he cannot deceive me with his tricks. He will
never catch me alive.”
The fox went away as fast as he could from the lion’s cave with the decision never to come back.
296 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 27
RICE
Rice is a cereal which serves as the staple food in many parts of Asia including the Philippines.
This kind of cereal is native to Asia and Africa. Rice serves as the staple food of more than half of
the peoples of the world. The long-grained kind of rice found in America comes from Asiatic species.
The rice plant grows up to four feet tall. It has long jointed leaves and seeds with dense heads
on separate stalks. It needs more water than other types of grains in order to grow properly. This is the
reason for having irrigation pumps near ricefields.
Threshing rice in the Orient is done by flailing, treading or pounding the grains in a mortar. But
in Western countries, cutting and threshing are done by machinery. The threshed rice is covered with a
brown hull which is removed before marketing rice.
Brown rice with the bran layer has much food value while white polished rice is rich in starch
and low in protein and fat. In the Orient, the fine soft straw of the rice plant is used for weaving hats
while the broken grain is used in preparing distilled liquor such as sake or rice wine.
There is a kind of wild rice growing in Canada which is called Indian rice. It is found around the
lakes in Canada and the northwestern areas of the United States. This rice is different from the oriental
rice and is not cultivated.
In the Philippines, there is a National Rice Research Center located in Los Baños, Laguna. It has
discovered the so-called “miracle rice” which has helped increase rice production. However, just
recently a new variety has been discovered. This variety like the miracle rice will increase the yield per
hectare that is cultivated. This “miracle” variety has boosted our rice production.
305 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 28
THE LITTLE HERDSBOY
There once lived a little herdsboy, named Ticoy in a barrio two kilometers away from town. One
morning as he was tending his carabaos near a ricefield, a car stopped near the road. The man in the car
steeped out and approached Ticoy.
“How far is the town from here?” asked the man.
“It’s about two kilometers, Sir,” answered Ticoy politely.
“Will you ride with me to town?” asked the man. I’m in a hurry and I can’t afford to lost my way.
I’ll pay you well, my boy.”
“I’m sorry, Sir,” said Ticoy. “But I cannot leave my carabaos. I’m responsible to my father for
these carabaos.”
“Then get someone to guide me to town,” said the man. “I’ll look after the carabaos for you.”
But Ticoy shood his head.
“Don’t you trust me, boy?” asked the man.
“How do I know that you will keep your word, Sir?”
Ticoy asked. “Didn’t you try to make me break my word to my father?”
The man laughed. Just then two men riding in a jeep came.
“There you are, Sir,” they said. “We thought you were lost.”
The man was a government official.
After some years, a man came to see Ticoy. He asked Ticoy to go with him. The government
official had sent for Ticoy. He offered Ticoy a job because he knew Ticoy could be trusted.
Ticoy worked for the man and was happy in his job. Never for once did he forget what he
believed in since he was still a little herdsboy of his father’s carabaos. He was always honest in whatever
he did and his employer trusted him.
Not long after, Ticoy was promoted as manager of the company he worked in. But he remained
trustworthy even when he already occupied a high position. This was the legacy he left to his children
when he was gone.
312 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 29
THE STORY OF ST. VALENTINE
There once lived in Rome, during the time of Emperor Claudius, a Christian bishop named
Valentine. Many people loved him because Bishop Valentine was kind, loving, thoughtful, and generous.
He loved flowers and was especially fond of roses he tended in his garden. He sent some of his roses to
children who in turn placed them on their altars. On weddings in the villages, Valentine sends roses to
the brides. Likewise, he sent roses when somebody died in the neighborhood. He also sent little gifts to
children on their birthdays. Valentine also loved the poor and the sick. He gave cheer to people who
were unhappy. Because he was affectionate by nature, even the animals loved him.
Emperor Claudius was wicked as well as ambitious. To make the able-bodied men stay in his
army, he prohibited them from getting married.
Valentine believed that this was against God’s laws so he married couples secretly. When the
Emperor learned about this, he had Valentine arrested. Even in prison, Valentine never failed to send
letters to the poor and the sick whom he cheered and comforted. Children and animals flocked near his
prison cell to get a glimpse of their beloved bishop.
Valentine would ask them to pray with him and they would all kneel to follow their dear bishop.
He would advise them to be good, to pray every day and to help the poor and the needy whenever they
had a chance to do so. He taught them to be pure in heart and to spread love and cheer.
The children and adults as well never grew tired of listening to his words of love and wisdom.
Years later, Valentine died on February 14. However, his memory lives up to now for on the day
of his death, love message are exchanged to the world over to honor a man who was dedicated to love.
He was St. Valentine.
317 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 30
MANMADE RAIN
Do you know that man can cause rain to fall on regions where it is urgently needed?
Today, scientists can cause rain to fall on regions needing moisture by a process called
rainmaking. Rainmaking is important for agriculture.
Primitive people believed that dances and other rituals could bring the needed rain. But we
know that dances or rituals cannot cause rain to fall. Rain is a physical process determined by natural
factors.
There must be water in gaseous form or water vapor present in the area over which rain is to
fall. It should be in sufficient quantity so that it can be condensed from the atmosphere as rain.
There are several methods to bring about condensation and the following precipitation. One
method that can be used is when there are great active masses of cumulus clouds. Large drops of water
are dropped into the clouds by a plane. The small droplets of water in the clouds will collect into larger
heavier drops and then fall as rain.
Another method is introduced dry ice or solid carbon dioxide into region of clouds. This causes
the formation of snow. The snow falls and when it reaches lower altitudes it becomes rain. Dry ice is
sown into the clouds by airplanes flying over the area where rain is needed.
Rainmaking has been successful; but it is not always possible to pinpoint the proper area where
rainmaking can take place. First, there must be humidity in the target area. Wind currents and changes
in temperature may affect the possibility of manmade rain.
Studies are now going to improve the rain-making process. The Weather Bureau, with its
experts, is busy with its experiments in trying to find ways and means of improving manmade rain. In the
future, it is hoped that areas which receive little rain will be greatly helped by the so-called manmade
rain. If this be made possible, rain may be caused to fall anytime and anywhere it is desired.
330 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 31
WHERE GREATNESS LIES
The story of our country may well be told in the glorious lives of our famous men who have
contributed much to the birth of democracy in our country. To this long list of glorious names may be
added the names of our great Filipino women.
To mention only a few, we have Melchora Aquino, whom we know very well as Tandang Sora.
She helped the Katipuneros in their battle against the Spaniards. She was called the “Grand Old Lady of
the Katipunan”. Gabriela Silang took up the fight for our country’s freedom from her fallen husband,
Diego Silang. Teodora Alonzo was a gentle, loving and intelligent mother of our national hero Dr. Jose
Rizal. Margarita Roxas de Ayala did what many rich Filipinos would not think of doing, that of giving
away her riches to the poor.
We have Librada Avelino, the foremost educator of our times and Sofia de Veyra, a very efficient
social worker. Little is known about Olivia Salamanca but she was the first Filipino nurse and for her
service to her country she has a place in our history.
There is Josefa Llanes Escoda. She gave everything she could afford to help the guerillas in our
war against Japan. By doing so, she was able to serve the country she loved most.
We can name more women who, in our way or another, did their best to serve our country. But
while we honor our great women who have died, we also have at present countless women who are
serving our country. We have women judges, teachers, nurses, doctors, social workers and women of
different occupations who are rendering their services and are great in their own way. They do not seek
material rewards only but they, too, have dedicated their loves to be of valuable services to their
fellowmen.
We can also be of service to our country if we want to. By being a dutiful son or daughter, and
by being good citizens we can show our greatness.
335 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 32
AUSTRALIA
Australia is the largest island in the world but it is the smallest of all the continents. Its area is
about 3,000,000 square miles or 1/6 less than that of the United States. It lies south of the equator and
south of Asia. It is completely surrounded by water being near the South Pacific Ocean and the
Southeast Indian Ocean. Australia is very far from other lands except Southeast Asia and South Pacific
Islands. Its native people or aborigines had a very primitive culture before the coming of the white man.
This is so because of the great distance between the natives and people from other continents.
Australia is a land of strange animals and plants which are not found anywhere in the world.
Example is the duckbill which is a small egg-laying aquatic mammal with a bill and webbed feet like a
duck’s, a tail like a beaver’s and fur like a mole’s. it provides its young with milk.
Australia is also best known for the kangaroo. There are many kinds of sizes of kangaroos. The
large kangaroos are found in zoos around the world.
Another animal native to Australia is the koala bear. The koala looks like a toy teddy bear given
to children in Europe and America. It grows to a height of slightly over two feet. The cub spends the first
six months of its life in its mother’s pouch. The koala eats the leaves of tender shoots of the eucalyptus
tree.
A famous tree native to Australia is the eucalyptus. It can live in dry lands where other plants
will die. The bottle tree is also unusual. Its trunk may hold up to 90 gallons of water during summer.
Australia has become a world leader in the production of raw materials. Gold, copper, zinc, oil,
lead and iron are only some of Australia’s source of wealth.
Other sources of her wealth are her sheep, cattle and farm products.
At least one-fourth of the world’s supply of wool comes from Australia. She also exports wheat
which is an important crop.
344 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 33
HERCULES
Hercules was considered the strongest man who ever lived on earth. He was the son the
Alcomena, and his father was the immortal Jupiter, husband of the goddess Hera.
When Hercules was born in the palace of his stepfather, the King of Thebes, Hera wanted to kill
him. She hated all the children of Jupiter by a mortal mother. She sent two serpents into Hercules’
cradle but baby Hercules strangled them between his two fingers until they died. Hercules grew stronger
everyday but even as a young man he did not know that he had such great strength.
Alcomena, his mother and the King of Thebes wanted Hercules to study music and sculpture.
But he liked best to learn wrestling and archery. One day, while learning to play the lyre, he plucked the
wrong string. His music teacher scolded him. Hercules was embarrassed so be banged the lyre on his
teacher’s head. This killed the man instantly. The King of Thebes was so angry that he told Alcomena
that Hercules must sent to the forest. There he could use his great strength on the wild beasts.
While in the forest of Thebes, Hercules killed the wolves and the lions that roamed on the
countryside. He went back to Thebes and the king and the people welcomed him as a hero.
He was rewarded with Princess Megara’s hand in marriage. A big wedding was held which was
attended by the shepherds he had saved from the beasts.
Princess Megara bore him two beautiful children who became the pride of their grandparents.
When Hera, the wife of Jupiter, heard about this, she became envious. She used her power to remove
Hercules’ right senses. She turned him into a madman.
While Hercules was walking in the garden, his children quarreled. He, being out of his senses,
joined the quarrel strangling his children to death. It was at this point that Hera returned his right
senses. He was aggrieved upon knowing what he had done. He asked God for forgiveness. As a
punishment, be became a slave.
344 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 34
AFRICA’S “THE GOOD ONE”
Over a hundred years ago, there was a young doctor named David Livingstone. He lived among
the savages in a South African village. He gave them medicine and preached them about God. Thus, he
gained many friends among the tribes.
David Livingstone, known as the missionary doctor toiled and traveled through thirty years in
the dark continent. When he went to Africa in 1840, the entire central portion was unknown to the
civilized world.
Livingstone had a burning desire and love for the black people of Africa. His work as a doctor
was important. He demonstrated to the blacks the use of quinine in treating malaria. He established a
mission center. With a group of native Africans, he went to the village of tribesmen who had never seen
a white man before. When he had accepted as a friend, he worked with them for weeks or even
months.
David Livingstone was married to the daughter of another English missionary. They had two
children. Because of the hardships they met in Africa, his wife and children were often plagued with
sickness. He decided to send his wife and children back to England. However, his wife returned to work
with her husband. She died on fever later on. Livingstone was heartbroken but he continued his
missionary work.
He preached the gospel in different African dialects. Although some savages did not understand
him at first, they knew he was the “Good One” and so the God he was talking about was good, too. They
believed in him. Because of his sincere efforts, the land of Africa were opened to peaceful settlement
and trade.
On May 1, 1873, Livingstone died of pneumonia. To the African natives their Good One was
gone. Thousands who believed in him paid their last respects. His body was embalmed by the tribesmen
and was sent to England for burial. But the natives removed his heart. They buried it lovingly in their
own soil where Livingstone belonged.
The great progress now seen in Africa is David Livingstone’s living monument against African
slavery and backwardness.
345 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 35
FAITHFUL FRIEND
On his tenth birthday, Bert received the most exciting gift he ever had. That morning, his father
said, “Come with me, Bert.”
Bert followed his father to the garage. There he saw a cute puppy sleeping peacefully in a
basket. Bert loved the puppy at once.
“Thank you, Father,” Bert said as he took the puppy in his arms. “I will call him Pip.”
“Be good to your puppy, Bert, and you will never be without a friend,” said his father.
Bert and his father built a house for Pip. Bert and his pet spent many happy days together. They
played and romped around and grew fond of each other. Bert taught Pip many tricks and Pip learned
quickly. He was very intelligent and never forgot what he had learned. Pip grew up to be a beautiful dog
that many admired Bert’s friend. For five years, Pip was hardly separated from his master.
One afternoon as Bert and Pip were jogging merrily along the highway, Bert was attracted by a
beautiful bird. As he ran across the highway to follow the bird, he failed to notice an approaching car.
Screech! Bert himself was shoved sharply to one side. Then he heard a moan. Bert could hardly believe
his eyes! It was Pip lying in the middle of the road, bleeding profusely. Bert took Pip in his arms and
hugged him tightly.
“Pip! Oh! Pip!” cried Bert.
Pip made a feeble sound and tried to lift one of his paws to put on Bert’s arms. Then, he looked
at Bert with happy eyes. Yes, Pip was happy to save his friend. Pip’s body gave one strong shrug and
after staring at Bert as if to say goodbye, he closed his eyes. Bert’s tears rolled down his cheeks and fell
on the body of his beloved friend who served him up to his last breath.
The story of Faithful Pip is a good reminder to all of us. This shows how well a dog can serve his
master. Pip’s devotion to his master shows that a dog can be truly man’s best friend.
353 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 36
THE CLOWN
The big tent was filled with people. Ric with his father and brother was in the crowd to see the
circus. They enjoyed watching the different animals. They loved the elephants, the tiger and the
monkey that made the people laugh and shout.
What Ric enjoyed most was the clown. He looked very funny with his baggy clothes, big, red
nose, drooping eyelids, think eyebrows and big, wide mouth. He seemed to be in every number of the
show and he made all the people in the circus laugh.
However, Ric made many funny, improper acts, just to make people laugh. He was often scolded
by his father and mother because he destroyed things in the house. He used his father’s things which he
should not touch. His teacher complained to his father and mother about their son’s dangerous tricks.
His classmates did not laugh at his jokes anymore.
Ric, the clown, was not making people happy. He made them miserable by making them victims
of his jokes.
At the close of the school year, the children would perform in an orphanage. Ric would be the
clown.
His father said, “Remember, Ric, there is a difference between making those children laugh and
making them unhappy. Laughing at others do not make everybody happy.”
Ric, danced, made faces and somersaults which the orphans enjoyed very much. He performed
one little trick. He pulled a string and out came a box full of old toys.
All the children laughed and clapped their hands. Ric handed each of them a toy. They danced
and were very happy. Ric, the clown, knew he had succeeded. He found out that there are different
kinds of clowns. Some clowns entertain people and make them really happy, yet there are also clowns
that bring unhappiness and embarrassment to people. Ric knew what kind of clown he would like to be
– a clown who would cheer up people and make them forget their problems.
362 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 37
A COLT’S LESSON
Spitfire was a handsome colt whose spotted hide looked as if red flames were sprouting all over
his body. He lived in a coral with other colts and their mothers.
The favorite sport of the colts was a kind of boxing. They would stand up on their hind legs and
would paw each other with their forefeet. This kind of play made them surefooted and trained them in
defense.
One day Spitfire and his playmate, Blackfeet, escaped from corral. They want to see what was
behind the deep valley at the back of the corral. They had not gone far when they heard Spitfire’s
mother whining warning Spitfire to come back. But the two colts galloped on. Near the bank of the river,
they heard a sound. They whirled around and to their horror they saw a big world.
The two terrified colts started back to the corral. Blackfeet was able to run fast up the hill.
Spitfire was to follow when the wolf caught his left leg. Spitfire tried to free his hindleg but failed.
Spitfire lashed at the wolf with his heels to defend himself.
Spitfire was finally able to save his legs but he was badly smashed on his sides. He tried painfully
flee towards the wolf cornered him again. Just as the wolf was to throw himself forward. Spitfire leaped
high into the air.
The wolf waited for Spitfire to return his charge. He bared his fangs to attack the fleshy part of
colt’s body but pain gave Spitfire more courage. He leaped high again and turned back. Raising his two
hindlegs, he gave the wolf a vicious kick. But the wolf was too smart to be caught. He knew the colt
would be tired soon and would not be able to plunge into him again. With two fiery eyes, he watched
every move of Spitfire.
The wolf was so busy trying to catch Spitfire offguard, that he did not hear the coming of
pounding hoofs. It was Spitfire’s mother who suddenly attacked the wolf. The angry mother sunk her
teeth on the wolf’s hide. With a quick toss of her head, she threw the wolf into a clump of sharpthorned cactus. The wolf, although badly injured, went away limping. Spitfire’s mother turned to her
trembling colt and whined.
“There, my son,” Spitfire’s mother seemed to say, “I hope you learned your lesson.”
404 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 38
THE BATTLE ROYALE
The moon was just beginning to come out when a line of brown ants filed out of their nests.
They had long spears at the tip of their bodies that could stab and poison at the same time. On both
sides of their mouths were powerful cutting tools which gave them an ugly appearance.
Each ant knew where it was going. It was not long before the ants reached an orange grove and
a beehive which the scout ant had discovered that morning. The army of ants saw a tiny crag big enough
for them to smell the honey.
The ants began scraping and chiseling the beehive with their sharp jaws. The bees inside were
asleep so soundly that they did not hear anything. And ants crept inside the beehive one after the other.
They saw the rich yellow honey. It was a delightful sight for the army of ants. But they also saw the
countless sleeping bees in the combs. The ants knew how to fight the bees. They moved forward to the
honey walls without making a sound. Closer and closer, they moved until a drone hanging outside of a
bee cluster moved in his sleep. He thought he was dreaming when he saw the dark waves of ants
moving near. He saw the feelers of the ants being thrashed into the air with great excitement.
The drone was frightened and he woke his sister up. The female bee charged at the ants and the
drone in turn flew to the top of the hive. His sister’s wings roared and her sting dripped poison but the
army of ants swarmed at her.
She kicked her enemies but they were too many for a single female bee. Soon, she was buried
under a mass of her attackers. She fell on the floor crippled and useless. Still, she kept on trumpeting to
wake the whole hive up.
The bees heard the call and rushed from every part of the beehive. They kicked and churned the
ants with their feet. But each ant that fell came up again until the bees became a struggling mass in
contrast with their enemies. The bees lost their legs and could not kick anymore. They were a mass of
living insects piled high that could neither crawl nor fly.
Hours passed. Honey dripped everywhere. The battle royale between the bees and ants raged
on. The last section of the hive was covered with ants. It was there that the queen bee lay hidden by her
ladies-in-waiting.
The ants attacked the queen bee. She, who was always well-cared for, felt her legs being ripped
from her body. A little later, no more cry for help could be heard from the queen. The bees knew their
queen was dead. One by one her sons and daughters stopped fighting, for it was only the queen who
gave them courage. The hive lay like a wrecked city after the battle. The ants could have all the honey,
and even the give. The bees no longer cared.
508 WORDS
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TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
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SPEED RATE
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GRADE
Exercise 39
A FAIRY TALE FROM JAPAN
Once upon a time there lived an old couple in one small village in Japan. They had no children so
they went from temple to temple to offer prayers to their gods so that they might be blessed with a
child. But their prayers were in vain.
One morning, after working in the garden, the couple sat down under a peach tree to rest. The
husband was telling his wife how much he wanted to have a son to help him in his garden when a very
big peach fell on his wife’s lap. She got the fruit and put it in her pocket.
After a while, they went home for breakfast. As the husband was about to cut the peach, he
heard a cry. “Let me out!” said the voice. When the wife looked into the fruit, she saw a child as big as
her little finger. The woman lifted the child and kissed him.
“I heard your prayers up there,” the child said, “So I came to be your son.”
“We will love you very much,” the couple said.
The couple called the tiny child Peaching. They devoted their time in making him happy. They
treated him like a real son. But Peaching did not grow big like other children. Yet he could help his father
plow the field by sitting on the right ear of the plow horse and directing him where to go. He could also
go marketing for his mother by carrying the coins in a small bag. He would sit in the market basket
carried by a dog.
He always did his marketing early to avoid curios people who might notice him. The couple
found a good helper in their tiny son. They loved him more each day.
One night as Peaching’s parents were sleeping, they both have similar dreams. They dreamed
that if they would dip their tiny son into the brook that was in their yard, he would grow up like other
children.
The next morning the happy parents told each other about their dreams
They tiptoed to their tiny son’s room. The husband carried the bed where their tiny son was
sleeping soundly. He immersed the bed with the tiny boy into the brook.
They were both surprised when the bed seemed to have disappeared from their hands. They
were so frightened that they began looking for it among the waterlilies near the bank of the brook.
They heard a merry laughter behind them. When they turned, the couple saw a young man
holding the tiny bed in his hands.
“Father, Mother, I am Peaching,” he said as he rushed and embraced the couple.
“A wicked fairy bewitched me and placed me inside a peach,” Peaching explained. “Because you
loved me and baptized me in this brook, the enchantment was broken. Now I will really be a son to
you.”
The more he became a great help to the couple. He loved his foster parents dearly. Not long
after, Peaching met a lass from another barrio. He fell in love with her and they were married.
The old couple lived happily with their dear son and his family ever after.
529 WORDS
____________ ____________ ______________
TIME STARTED TIME FINISHED
TIME CONSUMED
___________
SPEED RATE
___________
GRADE
Exercise 40
A DREAM COMES TRUE
One hot afternoon, young Robert Fulton went fishing with his friend, Christopher. The two
worked hard to push the long pole into the bottom of the creek. The boat was heavy and hard to steer
because of the passengers and the equipment loaded in it.
“I think an engine could be used to move the boat,” Robert said.
“That is foolish,” said Christopher’s father who was with them. “An engine would surely sink the
boat.”
After a week, Christopher’s father wanted to go fishing again but he did not find his boat on the
bank of the creek. A sound coming from the creek attracted his attention to that direction and he saw
his boat approaching. He noticed something fastened on the sides of the boat.
As it was approaching the bank, Robert said to Christopher’s father, “I invented a way to move a
boat. Turn this crank to move the two paddles on the sides which will move the boat. You can try it, Sir.”
Christopher’s father stepped onto the boat. Christopher turned the boat while Robert worked
on the crank. The boat moved slowly but steadily upstream.
Robert’s invention was a great success. All the village boys wanted a ride. Ever evening, villagers
were delighted to watch the boat go upstream with the boys cranking the paddles.
But Robert did not forget his idea of boats run by steam, although he was excited by the success
of the boat.
When Robert became seventeen, he went abroad and studied arts in England. While he was
there, he heard of steam engines. Robert then, played with the idea of steam-runned boat. While in
France, he met a man who helped him build a steam-powered boat.
It was a small boat and had a very little space for passengers. People made fun of it. However,
they were amazed to see it running without paddles for several miles.
The initial success encouraged Robert Fulton, so he decided to go to the United States to build a
steam boat and had his new boat built in New York shipyard. He ordered engines from England. When
the boat was nearly finished, people who gathered to see it, made fun of it. They called the new
steamboat “Fulton’s Foolishness”. They believed it would never work.
By late summer of 1807, the first boat was ready. Fulton invited his friends to make the first trip
with him. The boat was expected to run a distance of one hundred fifty miles.
People flocked near the river bank to watch “Fulton’s Foolishness”. When all the passengers
were on the boat, the bell rang a signal for the engine to start. But the boat did not move. How the
people laughed and shouted!
Fulton was not discouraged. Something must be done on the engine. He inspected the engine
and corrected the trouble. After a few minutes the paddle wheels began to turn and the boat started to
move. The watchers were dumbfounded. Only the chug-chug of the engine could be heard. Then shouts
of joy echoed. The men tossed their hats into the air while the women and the children danced and
clapped their hands. All the passengers on the boat could hardly believe that their boat was finally
sailing. They all rushed to shake Fulton’s hands. There was a great excitement all around.
Robert Fulton was happy. Now, people could travel safely and cheaply. Not long after, other
steamboats were built to cross the oceans. Robert Fulton’s dream of a steam engine came true.
585 WORDS
TEST QUESTIONS
Exercise 1
BETHLEHEM
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. Which of the following is true about the Christmas carol, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”?
a. It is loved by a selected few.
b. It is the best loved of all Christmas carols.
c. It is the least known of all Christmas carols.
2. Where was Jesus born?
a. Palestine
b. Jerusalem
c. Bethlehem
3. What marks now the very spot where Jesus was born?
a. a stable
b. a church
c. a museum
4. From where are the people who visited Bethlehem yearly?
a. Jerusalem
b. Bethlehem
c. all over the world
5. How do people show their reverence to Jesus’ birthplace?
a. by visiting it often
b. by living near the place
c. by bringing gifts and offerings
6. What disappoints people who visit the place nowadays?
a. its modernization
b. its austere simplicity
c. its poor accommodation
7. What could be the religion of the people who come to visit Bethlehem?
a. Hinduism
b. Christianity
c. Mohammedanism
8. What do you think do many people visit Bethlehem?
a. For no reason at all.
b. To satisfy their curiosity.
c. To show their reverence to Jesus.
9. How is Bethlehem known today? Write the phrase of your choice in capital letters.
a. the richest city
b. most modern city
c. most sacred place
10. What is the selection about?
a. Christmas all over the world
b. the birthplace of Jesus Christ
c. the life and sufferings of Jesus
Exercise 2
BIRDS OF PARADISE
Direction:
Fill in the blanks in each sentence with the correct answer.
1. The story is about __________.
a. children
b. animals
c. birds
2. They are called ___________.
a. birds of prey
b. birds of paradise
c. birds of feathers
3. They belong to the ___________ family.
a. crow
b. maya
c. owl
4. The male bird’s feathers have ___________.
a. dull colors
b. bright colors
c. green color
5. The female birds’ feathers have ___________.
a. dull colors
b. bright colors
c. green color
6. The male birds of paradise do a lot of ___________ when courting.
a. dancing and strutting
b. jumping and bending
c. kicking and prancing
7. Birds of paradise are of __________.
a. twenty kinds
b. fifteen kinds
c. forty-two kinds
8. They live mostly in the rainforest of ___________.
a. New Zealand
b. New Guinea
c. New Jersey
9. A few kinds of birds of paradise are found in ___________.
a. America
b. Australia
c. Amsterdam
10. With the passage of laws protecting birds, we can expect them to __________.
a. become household pets.
b. multiply rapidly
c. disappear in no time at all
Exercise 3
BIRTHSTONES
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. Superstitions about precious stones originated ___________.
a. a very recently
b. a long time ago
c. in the modern times
2. Wearer of these stones believed that they would ___________.
a. meet bad luck
b. meet good luck
c. have supernatural powers
3. It is believed that birthstones bring best luck when ___________.
a. they are costly
b. they are given as presents
c. they match the birth month of the wearer
4. Which of these is believed as an exemption from birthstones’ magical influence?
a. Wearer can make an enemy sick.
b. Wearer will become strong and brave.
c. Wearer will be protected from fire and lightning.
5. All these good things attributed to birthstones are ___________.
a. not true
b. very true
c. somewhat true
6. People nowadays wear birthstones for ___________.
a. good luck
b. showing off
c. their beauty
7. In buying birthstones, the first thing one should consider in his __________.
a. birth month
b. favorite color
c. favorite design
8. As time goes by, do you think more and more people will believe in the good luck associated
with birthstones?
a. Yes
b. No
c. It depends
9. The birthstone for June is pearl.
Draw a ring with a single pearl.
10. This selection as a whole tells us that good luck and birthstones ___________.
a. cannot be separated
b. are closely associated
c. has nothing to do with each other
Exercise 4
APPLES
Direction:
Select the letter of your answer and write on your answer sheet.
1. Why apples are considered valuable fruits?
a. They are rare and costly.
b. They come in attractive colors.
c. They are rich in vitamins and minerals.
2. Who brought the apple trees to America?
a. the first settlers
b. the late settlers
c. the immigrants from other countries
3. How did the apple trees fare in America?
a. They grew abundantly.
b. They almost did not survive.
c. They disappeared eventually.
4. What does this show?
a. The Americans are not interested in apples.
b. The soil and climate in America is suited for apples.
c. The soil and climate in America is not suited for apples.
5. In what kind of climate do you think will apple thrive?
a. cold climate
b. warm climate
c. any kind of climate
6. How did Johnny Appleseed grow apples in America?
a. from buds
b. from seeds
c. from cuttings
7. When did Johnny Appleseed spread apples in the United States?
a. about 1600
b. about 1800
c. about 1700
8. Why do you think was Johnny called Johnny Appleseed?
a. He wanted to be called Appleseed.
b. His father’s surname was Appleseed.
c. People began calling him Appleseed because he grew apples from seeds.
9. How are most apples grown now?
a. by seeds
b. by cutting
c. by budding
10. Draw an apple. Inside your drawing, write how many feet high the apple trees grow.
Exercise 5
KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. What were the trusted men of King Arthur called?
a. knights
b. adventurers
c. cabinet members
2. Where did King Arthur and his men eat?
a. on a round table
b. in different places
c. in the castle kitchen
3. For what were his men known?
a. for bravery
b. for masculinity
c. for handsomeness
4. Who was the bravest and most famous of his knights?
a. Sir Lancelot
b. Sir Percivale
c. Sir Gawaine
5. Where did King Arthur and his men live?
a. in a castle
b. in a forest cave
c. in a secluded woods
6. What was their nationality?
a. Filipino
b. English
c. American
7. Which of these was not done by King Arthur’s men?
a. fight battles
b. collect tribute
c. correct wrongdoings
8. Why were the names and deeds of King Arthur’s men posted at the castle?
a. to serve as models
b. to serve as decoration
c. to serve as their punishment
9. What do you think will be the influences of King Arthur’s men to the youth who will read their
golden deeds?
a. They will just laugh.
b. They will just become bad.
c. They will become good.
10. “Their golden deeds never fail to impress people up to now.”
Copy the phrase from the sentence above which tells that people up to now still admire them.
Exercise 6
THE VISIT
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. Who had just arrived from Paris?
a. Juan Luna
b. Juan dela Cruz
c. Juan Sumulong
2. What did he miss most when he was abroad?
a. his son
b. his wife
c. his native land
3. What did he and his friends use to sing?
a. jazz
b. operettas
c. kundimans
4. Whom did he visit when he came back to the Philippines?
a. his lady friends
b. his son’s friends
c. his male friends
5. Whom did his woman friend request to sing?
a. her sister
b. her niece
c. her daughter
6. What did he request his lady friend’s sister sing?
a. balitao
b. a lullaby
c. a kundiman
7. Who did not know how to sing a kundiman?
a. the woman’s sister
b. the woman’s friend
c. the woman’s mother
8. How did the sister of Juan Luna’s friend regard our kundiman?
a. It’s a good song.
b. It’s a low class song.
c. It’s a hard-to-learn song.
9. What was wrong with his sister?
a. She was sick.
b. She couldn’t sing.
c. She had colonial mentality.
10. What lesson should this sister learn?
a. honesty
b. obedience
c. love of country
Exercise 7
THE ROSE
Direction:
Select and copy the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. People loved roses ___________.
a. just recently
b. in modern times
c. since the ancient times
2. The rose plant is __________.
a. a water plant
b. a delicate plant
c. a strong and hardy plant
3. The simplest way of propagating roses is by ___________.
a. cutting
b. budding
c. marcotting
4. Roses are loved for their _________.
a. medicinal value
b. sentimental value
c. fragrance and beauty
5. This selection as a whole is about __________.
a. roses
b. plants
c. flowers
6. Roses are grown best __________.
a. during summer
b. during rainy season
c. throughout the year
7. Roses being attacked by pests or diseases can be saved by __________.
a. cutting the plant
b. spraying the plant
c. talking to the plant
8. Dried roses that had been found in ancient tombs prove that roses are used as a symbol of
___________.
a. love
b. purity
c. justice
9. Draw a rose flower with two zigzag leaves. Put thorns on its stem.
10. This selection would be more appealing to __________.
a. the males
b. the females
c. both males and females
Exercise 8
SMALLPOX ALIP
Direction:
Choose the best answer and write it down on your paper.
1. Pua was a ___________.
a. king
b. datu
c. Muslim
2. He had a little boy whom he called __________.
a. Pete
b. Alip
c. Tito
3. The little boy was always followed by his __________.
a. father
b. mother
c.yaya
4. The little boy slipped into the kitchen and got __________.
a. dried fish and rice
b. dried meat and cakes
c. dried apple and prunes
5. Which of these virtues or traits did Alip possess according to the story?
a. kindness
b. truthfulness
c. obedience
6. They patted the little boy’s __________.
a. arms
b. cheeks
c. hands
7. What is true about the three beggars at the palace gates?
a. They were all healthy.
b. One or all of them had smallpox.
c. They cast a bad magic spell on Little Alip.
8. Little round scars were left on the little boy’s __________.
a. body and face
b. legs and arms
c. feet and hands
9. What proof is there which shows that people loved Alip?
a. They named their place after Alip.
b. They called Alip, Smallpox Alip or Alipuaton.
c. They did not forget to tell Alip that they loved him.
10. Write the word “Alipuaton”. Put a dash after it and then write the town and province where this
barrio can be found.
Exercise 9
RUBBER
Direction:
Select and write the letter of the best answer on your answer sheet.
1. Rubber comes from a certain kind of __________.
a. tree
b. vine
c. grass
2. This selection is purely about ___________.
a. the production of rubber
b. the different rubber products
c. the prospect of rubber industry in the Philippines
3. We grow rubber in __________.
a. Luzon
b. Visayas
c. Mindanao
4. A kind of rubber grown in our country is what we call __________.
a. carra
b. narra
c. para
5. Rubber is grown from ___________.
a. bulbs
b. shoots
c. cuttings
6. Rubber is taken from the ___________.
a. trunk
b. seeds
c. leaves
7. Goodyear has a rubber factory in ___________.
a. Las Piñas
b. Parañaque
c. Meycauayan
8. More people in Luzon will be employed as ___________.
a. drivers
b. rubber moulders
c. rubber plantation workers
9. More people in Mindanao work as ___________.
a. drivers
b. rubber moulders
c. rubber plantation workers
10. Draw a circle. Inside it, write about how many kilos of rubber can each rubber plant yield in one
year.
Exercise 10
THE CHILD AND THE SEED
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. Who is Mang Selo?
a. a farmer
b. a carpenter
c. a herdsman
2. Whom did he visit one day?
a. Mang Juan
b. Mang Kulas
c. Mang Ambo
3. Who was sorting the healthy seeds?
a. Mang Selo
b. Mang Juan
c. Mang Ambo
4. What was being sorted out?
a. healthy seeds of corn
b. healthy seeds of palay
c. healthy seeds of mango
5. Where do good rice stocks come from?
a. good palay
b. good harvest
c. good seedlings
6. To what did Mang Ambo compare the good seedlings?
a. to raising palay
b. to raising children
c. to raising chickens
7. Where did Mang Ambo live?
a. in a nearby city
b. in a nearby farm
c. in a nearby town
8. What did Mang Ambo hope for his children?
a. to study
b. to grow up
c. to be good citizen
9. What did Mang Selo think of what his friend Ambo said to him?
a. He hated him.
b. He believed him.
c. He was angry with him.
10. What happens to children who are raised properly?
a. become good citizen
b. become problem children
c. become wayward children
Exercise 11
THE STORY OF A CENTAVO COIN
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. How did Marita and Mike regard the one-centavo coin?
a. of no value
b. very important
c. fit for beggars
2. What did they do with the one-centavo coins that they chanced upon?
a. kept them
b. threw them away
c. gave them to beggars
3. What goes with the special offer of soap?
a. a tube of toothpaste
b. an autograph album
c. a sachet of shampoo
4. How much did the special offer cost?
a. P 4.95
b. P 4.99
c. P 10.00
5. How much did the children lack to buy the special offer?
a. P 0.05
b. P 0.10
c. P 0.01
6. How much was Mike’s money?
a. P 1.25
b. P 10.00
c. P 9.50
7. How much was Marita’s money?
a. P 0.25
b. P 0.50
c. P 0.75
8. How much were the children able to raise?
Write the amount in words.
9. Write how many one-centavo coins there are in one peso.
10. What lesson will Marita and Mike learn from this experience>
a. A peso will not miss a centavo.
b. One-centavo coin are no longer useful.
c. A peso will not be a peso if it lacks a centavo.
Exercise 12
TIRSO’S OPINION
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. The angry boys called Tirso a __________.
a. hero
b. coward
c. liar
2. Tirso was pinned against a __________.
a. wall
b. bed
c. chair
3. A strong arm pulled the __________ away.
a. animals
b. attackers
c. children
4. The man who rescued Tirso was ___________.
a. short
b. tall
c. medium-sized
5. The man who rescued Tirso was ___________.
a. Mr. Vic Cruz
b. Mr. Vic Diaz
c. Mr. Vic Gomez
6. He was popular with the __________.
a. students
b. athletes
c. teachers
7. Four to one is a __________ fight.
a. hero’s
b. coward’s
c. brave’s
8. Tirso __________.
a. will repent on his decision
b. can easily be swayed by a barkada
c. has a firm stand on what he thinks is right or wrong
9. Tirso and Mr. Gomez ____________.
a. have opposing opinions
b. have the same opinions
c. cannot see each other eye to eye
10. Write the activity which Tirso does not like to join. Underline it.
Exercise 13
FARM LIFE
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. From where Lisa and Cesar?
a. abroad
b. a distant farm
c. a big city nearby
2. About how old are they?
a. five and seven
b. twelve and fourteen
c. eighteen and twenty
3. What helped you guess their ages?
a. It was clearly stated in the story.
b. They could go visiting by themselves.
c. They were excited with what they saw.
4. Who took Lisa and Cesar around the farm?
a. an uncle
b. Grandfather
c. Grandmother
5. Where were the children taken?
a. barn
b. orchard
c. prawn pond
6. When did Lisa and Cesar visit grandfather?
a. one fine day
b. one rainy day
c. after a typhoon
7. How did they both feel on the farm?
a. happy
b. sad
c. afraid
8. Where do they prefer to live?
a. abroad
b. in the city
c. on the farm
9. How did Grandfather feel about the children?
a. angry
b. bothered
c. pleased
10. Write the first three letters of the day when the visit was made.
Exercise 14
THE COW AND THE CARABAO
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. A muddy carabao slowly made its way to ___________.
a. garden
b. meadow
c. grassy field
2. A cow was munching __________.
a. hay
b. vines
c. grass
3. The cow teased the carabao because it was __________.
a. clean
b. muddy
c. hardworking
4. The carabao called the cow a ___________.
a. freak
b. friend
c. lazybone
5. The carabao and the cow were ____________.
a. good friends
b. mortal enemies
c. not on speaking terms
6. The cow does nothing but ___________.
a. eat and sleep
b. drink and sleep
c. munch and walk
7. The master wants the carabao to __________.
a. drink and eat
b. grow big and fat
c. live as long as possible
8. The master will sell the cow to the __________.
a. market
b. butcher
c. slaughterhouse
9. What do you think happened after the conversation between the cow and the carabao?
a. The carabao no longer wanted to work.
b. The carabao became more hardworking.
c. The carabao and the cow became mortal enemies.
10. Which statement is true?
a. The carabao is wiser than the cow.
b. The cow is wiser than the carabao.
c. The carabao will live much longer than the cow.
Exercise 15
OUR COUNTRY, THE BEAUTIFUL
Direction:
Pick out the letter of the correct answer and write it on your answer sheet.
1. The Philippines is known as the ___________.
a. Land of the Brave
b. Pearl of the Orient Seas
c. Jewel of the Pacific Ocean
2. The Philippines is composed of ___________.
a. several coral reefs
b. big and small islands
c. a string of submerged volcanoes
3. On a map, the Philippines look like ____________.
a. Chocolate Hills
b. a string of pearls
c. scattered palay grains
4. Our forefathers ____________.
a. lived a poor oppressed life
b. enjoyed the beauty of our country
c. did not enjoy the beauty of our country
5. When the Spaniards came to our soil, ___________.
a. they bought all the products
b. they brought with them better ways of living
c. they learned many things from our forefathers
6. One bad effect of the coming of the Spaniards in the Philippines is ____________.
a. our Hispanization
b. or Christianization
c. our loss of freedom
7. Because seas separate our Islands, ___________.
a. we became seafarers
b. we became fish eaters
c. we speak different dialects
8. The Philippines is considered one of the most beautiful countries in the __________.
a. West
b. East
c. South
9. Why does our government encourage our models and dancers to tour the different parts of the
world?
a. to show off
b. for their own cultural growth
c. to promote the rice cultural heritage of our country
10. How can you, in your own little way, make the Philippines known to other countries?
a. by being a good citizen
b. by being friendly to foreigners
c. by having pen pals from abroad
Exercise 16
THE GREAT IMITATOR
Direction:
Copy the best answer on your paper.
1. Who was surely waiting for Rene and Lisa?
a. Jo
b. Father
c. Mother
2. What was Jo?
a. a bird
b. a dog
c. a monkey
3. Where did Rene and Lisa find Jo?
a. on a corner
b. under the bed
c. in the comfort room
4. What did he do that displeased Mother?
a. He destroyed all the plants.
b. He ate what Mother was cooking.
c. He scattered soapsuds all around.
5. What was Mother about to do to Jo?
a. She was about to sell him.
b. She was about to give him away.
c. She was about to hit him with a stick.
6. What would Father and Mother do with Jo if he did not behave?
a. kill him
b. sell him
c. give him away
7. Which one of these describes Jo?
a. He was always eating.
b. He keeps on destroying things.
c. He was full of tricks and foolishness.
8. How did the children solve the problem?
a. They whipped Jo.
b. They gave Jo away.
c. They tied Jo to the nearby tree.
9. How did the story end?
a. Jo died.
b. Jo was given away.
c. Jo learned to behave.
10. Draw Jo with a long tail.
Exercise 17
GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. What was the brothers’ nationality?
a. Filipino
b. Chinese
c. American
2. How did you know their nationality?
a. by their ways
b. by their looks
c. by their names
3. The brothers lived in a __________.
a. two-storey building
b. five-storey building
c. four-storey building
4. They were awakened by a __________.
a. strong rain
b. strong wind
c. strong earthquake
5. In a second, they were buried in tons of
a. leaves, trees and grass
b. bricks, cement and wood
c. stones, pebbles and rocks
6. Ching prayed to __________.
a. God
b. his father
c. his mother
7. Ching touched the side of a ___________.
a. wall
b. roof
c. kitchen
8. Ching tried to pound on the wall with a piece of __________.
a. iron
b. stick
c. rock
9. Why did Ching pound on the wall?
a. to break the wall
b. to frighten the rescuers above him
c. to let rescuers know he was underneath
10. What lesson can you get from the story?
a. You can do nothing with your destiny.
b. God helps those who help themselves.
c. It is not safe to live in four-storey apartments.
Exercise 18
A MASTERPIECE IN NATIONALISM
Direction:
Write the answer on your answer sheet.
1. Balagtas knew that his countrymen were ___________.
a. unhappy
b. happy
c. gay
2. They were oppressed by their enemy in ___________.
a. their homes
b. their own native land
c. their fields
3. Balagtas understood the injustices when he was imprisoned by his ___________.
a. friends
b. family
c. rich rival
4. The injustices he saw served as his inspiration in writing his ___________.
a. poems
b. songs
c. story
5. The most noted of his poems is ___________.
a. La Negra
b. Florante at Laura
c. To Rizal
6. Most of the scenes in his poem were pictures of the sufferings of his __________.
a. wife
b. countrymen
c. children
7. During Balagtas’ time, it was considered treason to criticize ___________.
a. his countrymen
b. any foreign government
c. the Spanish government
8. Balagtas made the setting of his poem ___________.
a. in France
b. in Spain
c. in Albania
9. Why did Balagtas use a foreign country as setting for his Florante at Laura?
a. to avoid being persecuted
b. to make the epic more interesting
c. The incidents really happened in a foreign country.
10. Florante at Laura is considered a masterpiece in ___________.
a. poetry
b. nationalism
c. heroism
Exercise 19
THE FATHER OF OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. The story tells about ___________.
a. General Aguinaldo
b. the National Anthem
c. the Father of the National Anthem
2. The declaration of Philippine Independence took place in __________.
a. Tirad Pass
b. Kawit, Cavite
c. Malolos, Bulacan
3. The general’s name was ___________.
a. Juan Luna
b. Emilio Aguinaldo
c. Andres Bonifacio
4. The bearer of the letter was ___________.
a. Julian Felipe
b. Diego Silang
c. Mariano Espeleta
5. The march piece was played on the ___________.
a. organ
b. piano
c. violin
6. The melody inspires one to serve his ___________.
a. officers
b. people
c. country
7. The musical march piece was later on called ___________.
a. “Philippines”
b. “My Country”
c. “National Anthem”
8. The Philippine Independence was declared on ____________.
a. July 4, 1946
b. June 12, 1898
c. June 19, 1898
9. The National Anthem was played for the first time in ____________.
a. Manila
b. Kawit, Cavite
c. Barasoain
10. This selection could very well be a lesson in ___________.
a. English
b. Mathematics
c. Civics and Culture
Exercise 20
MOTHER GOAT’S KID
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. The story tells about a ___________.
a. tiny brown kid
b. big, black dog
c. mother goat and her kid
2. The goat roamed around the ___________.
a. forest
b. woods
c. meadow
3. Mother Goat gave birth to a ___________.
a. white kid
b. black kid
c. brown kid
4. Mother Goat hid her kid behind a ____________.
a. tree
b. house
c. big rock
5. In the battle between the dog and the goat, the winner was ____________.
a. the dog
b. the goat
c. not any of them
6. A savage battle took place between the ____________.
a. kid and the dog
b. Mother Goat and the kid
c. Mother Goat and the dog
7. Mother Goat gored the dog with her ____________.
a. feet
b. horns
c. head
8. They story tells us of ____________.
a. mothers’ sacrifices for their young ones
b. mothers’ selfishness to their young ones
c. how mothers discipline their young ones
9. This instinct of motherhood is true to ____________.
a. goat only
b. all mothers
c. human beings only
10. This selection also tells us to ____________.
a. expect the best care from our mother
b. demand more things from our mother
c. pay greater love and respect to our mother
Exercise 21
ASHU
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct word or phrase that will best fill the blank.
1. The story tells about a Jukon girl named ___________.
a. Ashu
b. Jukon
c. Ahmed
2. The Jukons were the once mighty tribe of warriors and priests in ___________.
a. North America
b. West Africa
c. West Australia
3. Ashu lived with other Jukons in a ___________.
a. barracks
b. camp
c. compound
4. Ashu had a prized possession, a very small one on which she was looking at her face,
which was a ____________.
a. new ribbon
b. small mirror
c. red comb
5. How Ashu longed for a ____________.
a. satin skirt
b. silk blouse
c. silk headcloth
6. Her dream possession was still ___________.
a. abroad
b. in a factory
c. in the market
7. It cost about ____________.
a. 10 shillings
b. 15 shillings
c. 20 shillings
8. She went to the market to ____________.
a. see it
b. buy it
c. get it
9. She could not dare to ask money from her father because he must be ___________.
a. dead
b. strict
c. very poor
10. Which of the words below is another name for a headcloth? Copy it in print.
a. hat
b. turban
c. shawl
Exercise 22
LADY WITH THE LAMP
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. Who served as an inspiration to the founding of the Red Cross Society?
a. Tandang Sora
b. Josefa Escoda
c. Florence Nightingale
2. Where was Florence Nightingale raised?
a. in a French countryside
b. in an English countryside
c. in a German countryside
3. How did she show her love for nursing?
a. by caring for her sick friends
b. by caring for her sick mother
c. by caring for her dolls and sick animals
4. What was the name of the dog she saved?
a. Cap
b. Laddie
c. Brownie
5. What did her parents want her to do?
a. to study nursing
b. to study medicine
c. to lead a gay and social life
6. To whom was she presented when she reached the age of eighteen?
a. to Queen Anne
b. to Queen Beatrix
c. to Queen Victoria
7. In what profession is Florence Nightingale’s life possibly studied?
a. in the nursing profession
b. in medical profession
c. in the teaching profession
8. How did the people regard nursing during the nineteenth century?
a. They honored it.
b. They admired it.
c. They despised it.
9. In what war did Florence serve?
a. between Britain and Russia
b. between Italy and Germany
c. between France and England
10. Write down Florence Nightingale’s profession.
Underline it twice.
Exercise 23
THE FIRST FIRECRACKER
Direction:
On your answer sheet, copy the word that best completes each sentence
1. The Chinese used to believe that there was a little demon called __________.
a. Shan-Shao
b. Sio Pao
c. Sung-Sin
2. They thought that this demon gave them ___________.
a. aches and pains
b. cold and cough
c. fever and chills
3. To drive this demon away they first invented the ____________.
a. crackling bamboos
b. bamboo cannons
c. bamboo stilts
4. Sometimes they would ____________.
a. dance around the bamboo groves
b. set bamboo grove on fire
c. shoot at unseen demons
5. Later, they discovered that saltpeter, sulphur and pine charcoal mixed together produced
____________.
a. the cure for fever and chills
b. gunpowder
c. sparklers
6. Li Tien discovered gunpowder out of the necessity to ___________.
a. dirve away demons
b. earn a decent living
c. fight the country’s enemies
7. The demons whom the Chinese believed to be causing their much dreaded disease were in
reality __________.
a. flies
b. mosquitoes
c. bats
8. That much dreaded disease of fever and chills is what we now call ___________.
a. flue
b. malaria
c. tuberculosis
9. This selection tells us ____________.
a. how firecrackers came to be invented
b. how disease used to be treated
c. how the Chinese got rid of the little demon
10. Write the name of the man who invented firecrackers. Put a dash after his name and then write
his nationality.
Exercise 24
LAN YING’S “GOOD RIVER”
Direction:
Read each question carefully and copy the letter of the correct answer.
1. Where did Lan Ying live?
a. near the sea
b. near the river
c. near the mountains
2. What did Lan Ying often wonder about?
a. The farmers’ lives
b. The fishermen’s lives
c. The source of the Good River
3. What was Lan Ying’s father’s occupation?
a. farmer
b. plowman
c. fisherman
4. Why did the grandfathers tend the nets?
a. They were farmers.
b. They had nothing to do.
c. They have grown too old to work in the fields.
5. Why did Lan Ying sit by the riverside?
a. She had nothing to do.
b. She had to watch her father’s fishnets.
c. It had come to have a special meaning for her.
6. What did they get in catching fish?
a. extra fish
b. extra burden
c. extra pennies
7. For what did they use the money they earned in fishing?
a. For buying nets
b. For buying incense
c. For riding on bancas
8. In what country did Lan Ying live?
a. Spain
b. Japan
c. China
9. What is the story about?
a. Lan Ying and her father
b. Lan Ying and the farmer
c. Lan Ying and her Good River
10. Which word best describes the Good River?
a. dangerous
b. helpful
c. enchanted
Exercise 25
THE BELOVED OUTLAW
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. The story is about an ___________.
a. eagle
b. Indian
c. outlaw
2. Robin Hood was an ___________.
a. Australian
b. American
c. Englishman
3. The king offered a prize for his head because he killed the ____________.
a. King’s wife
b. King’s deer
c. King’s daughter
4. He was hated by the King but loved by ___________.
a. the poor
b. the women
c. his countrymen
5. His motto was ____________.
a. “Help the rich, rob the King.”
b. “Rob the rich, help the poor.”
c. “Rob the poor, help the rich.”
6. He and his merry men were usually in ____________.
a. the river
b. Sherwood Forest
c. the Castle of the King
7. Robin Hood and his men always had a stout bow and were all dressed in ____________.
a. red
b. blue
c. green
8. Had Robin Hood accepted the King’s offer, he would be considered ____________.
a. a pirate
b. a vagabond
c. a law abiding citizen
9. In our present society, one who is helping the poor but robbing the rich is committing a crime
and is due for ___________.
a. forgiveness
b. punishment
c. sort of reward
10. The name Robin Hood is arousing the interest of the reader because of his ____________.
a. cruelty to the rich
b. kindness to the poor
c. interesting adventures
Exercise 26
THE SICK LION
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. What made the animals in the forest happy?
a. the message that their king was sick
b. the party that will soon be held for them
c. the message that they will receive a share of the lion’s wealth
2. What message did the lion next send his subjects?
a. The lion wanted to ask for forgiveness.
b. The lion wanted to bid the goodbye.
c. The lion was fast recovering from his illness.
3. Why did the animals do whatever the lion wanted?
a. The lion was their king.
b. The lion was kind to them.
c. The lion supported them with their meals.
4. Who did not go to see the lion?
a. the fox
b. the deer
c. the rabbit
5. What prompted the animals to see the lion in his cave?
a. their love for their lion
b. their respect for their king
c. their greediness for wealth
6. Was the lion really sick?
a. No
b. Yes
c. Somewhat
7. What do you think happened to the animals that entered the lion’s cave?
a. They were imprisoned inside the cave.
b. They were all killed by the lion.
c. They were made to prepare food for the lion.
8. Which of the words below best describes the fox?
a. lazy
b. wise
c. coward
9. What is the moral lesson of the story?
a. Obey at once.
b. Don’t bite the bait.
c. Don’t think evil on your ruler.
10. Draw a small cave. At its mouth, draw a cross signifying the death of the animals in the forest.
Exercise 27
RICE
Direction:
Write the correct word or words to complete each sentence.
1. The story is mainly about ___________.
a. rice
b. wheat
c. corn
2. It is a staple food in many parts of ___________.
a. Europe
b. Asia
c. Switzerland
3. The cereal discussed originated from ____________.
a. Asia and Africa
b. Britain and Africa
c. Australia and New Zealand
4. The long-grained kind of rice found in America comes from ____________.
a. European species
b. Asiatic species
c. New Guinea species
5. In western countries, cutting and threshing are done by ___________.
a. mortar
b. treading
c. machines
6. Brown rice with the bran layer has much ____________.
a. food nutrients
b. sugar content
c. broken grains
7. White rice is rich is ____________.
a. protein
b. starch
c. fat
8. Fine soft straw of the rice plant is used for weaving ____________.
a. clothes
b. hats and bags
c. mats and hats
9. The broken grain is used in making ___________.
a. bran
b. rice wine
c. mats
10. In the Philippines, there is a Rice Research Center located in ____________.
a. Makati
b. Laguna
c. Isabela
Exercise 28
THE LITTLE HERDSBOY
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. Ticoy was the name of a ____________.
a. boy
b. river
c. barrio
2. He was known as a ____________.
a. little shepherd
b. little cowherd
c. little herdsboy
3. The barrio where he lived was ____________ kilometers away from the town.
a. five
b. two
c. three
4. He was tending ____________.
a. cows
b. goats
c. carabaos
5. One morning, a ___________ stopped near the road.
a. car
b. banca
c. motorcycle
6. Ticoy gave utmost consideration and importance to ____________.
a. the mission of the stranger
b. her responsibility to his father
c. the money which the man would give him.
7. What happened after much prodding from the man?
a. Ticoy did not leave his carabaos.
b. Ticoy left his carabaos and accompanied the man.
c. Ticoy looked for someone who would help the man.
8. Ticoy’s responses ____________.
a. pleased the man
b. angered the man
c. displeased the man
9. Ticoy’s greatest virtue was his being ____________.
a. brave and frank
b. obedient and polite
c. honest and trustworthy
10. This story could very well be a lesson in ____________.
a. English
b. Civics and Culture
c. Character Building
Exercise 29
THE STORY OF ST. VALENTINE
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. What was the name of the Christian Bishop?
a. Philip
b. Richard
c. Valentine
2. Did the people love him?
a. No
b. Yes
c. Maybe
3. What flower was he especially fond of?
a. rose
b. rosal
c. gardenia
4. How did he show his love for children?
a. sent them gifts
b. sent them cakes
c. sent them to school
5. Why did Emperor Claudius prohibit his soldiers to marry?
a. to control population growth
b. to make them stay in the army
c. as punishment for some wrongdoings
6. What did Bishop Valentine’s marrying couples secretly show in spite of the emperor’s
prohibitation?
a. disobedience
b. strong conviction
c. kindness
7. What was Bishop Valentine’s vow?
a. correct wrongdoings
b. send roses to everyone
c. spread love and good will to all
8. Whom did Valentine love?
a. the army
b. the emperor
c. the poor and the sick
9. Who flocked near the prison cell to cheer him up?
a. soldiers
b. animals
c. the emperor
10. Why is Valentine’s Day celebrated on February 14?
a. That was the wish of Bishop Valentine.
b. That was the day Bishop Valentine died
c. That was the birthday of Bishop Valentine.
Exercise 30
MANMADE RAIN
Direction:
Write the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. Man can cause rain to fall on regions needing rain because of the progress of ___________.
a. science
b. civilization
c. man
2. Rainmaking is important to ____________.
a. constructions
b. agriculture
c. fishing
3. Primitive people believed that rain could fall by ___________.
a. praying
b. killing animals
c. dancing and other rituals
4. Rain is a physical process determined by ____________.
a. man
b. natural factors
c. physical factors
5. No amount of rainmaking ca succeed without enough ____________.
a. water vapor
b. gas
c. wind
6. Large drops of water are dropped into the clouds by ____________.
a. wind
b. plane
c. hose
7. Another method of producing rain is by dropping into clouse some ____________.
a. water
b. gas
c. dry ice
8. So far, rainmaking is ____________.
a. a failure
b. very successful
c. partially successful
9. Draw some clouds. Above it, draw an airplane dropping dry ice among the clouds.
10. Once manmade rains become truly successful, the group of people who will benefit most are
the ___________.
a. scientist
b. fishermen
c. farmers
Exercise 31
WHERE GREATNESS LIES
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. The story of our country may well be told in the glorious lives of ___________.
a. our people
b. our ancestors
c. our famous men
2. This selection deals mostly about ____________.
a. great Filipino women
b. great Filipino men and women
c. the rich and educated Filipino women
3. Melchora Aquino was known as ____________.
a. Maria Clara
b. Tandang Sora
c. Lady with the Lamp
4. The brave wife of Diego Silang was ____________.
a. Josefa
b. Gabriela
c. Melchora
5. The woman who shared her riches with the poor was ____________.
a. Doña Aurora
b. Librada Avelino
c. Margarita Roxas de Ayala
6. The foremost educator of our time was ____________.
a. Sofia de Veyra
b. Gabriela Silang
c. Librada Avelino
7. The first Filipino nurse who served our country was _____________.
a. Sofie de Veyra
b. Olivia Salamanca
c. Josefa Llanes Escoda
8. The woman who was considered a very efficient social worker was ____________.
a. Sofia de Veyra
b. Gabriela Silang
c. Melchora Aquino
9. She was of much help to the guerillas during our war against Japan. She was _____________.
a. Sofia de Veyra
b. Librada Avelino
c. Josefa Llanes Escoda
10. A very important message of the selection is ____________.
a. Men alone can be great.
b. Greatness is attributed to those who died serving the country.
c. One can be great regardless of position of occupation by doing one’s best serve one’s country.
Exercise 32
AUSTRALIA
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. As a continent, Australia is the ____________.
a. largest
b. smallest
c. richest
2. As an island, it is the _____________.
a. largest
b. smallest
c. richest
3. It lies along the ____________.
a. China Sea
b. Atlantic Ocean
c. Pacific Ocean
4. Its area is about ____________.
a. 3,000,000 sq miles
b. 5,000,000 sq miles
c. 10,000,000 sq miles
5. Australia was peopled by the _____________.
a. red race
b. white race
c. black race
6. A strange plant found in Australia that can live in dry land where other plants cannot live is the
_____________.
a. cactus
b. eucalyptus
c. pine tree
7. Another strange plant that can hold up to 80 gallons of water in its trunk is the ___________.
a. bottle tree
b. pine tree
c. rubber tree
8. Australia is a great supplier of the world’s ____________.
a. staple food
b. raw materials
c. energy source
9. The fact that Australia supplies the world with raw materials indicates that she still lacks
_____________.
a. trade partner
b. other kinds of raw materials
c. the technological know-how in production
10. Invasion is quite impossible for Australia because it is located ___________ other islands.
a. near
b. very near
c. far from
Exercise 33
HERCULES
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. It is said that the strongest man that ever lived on earth was _____________.
a. Atlas
b. Hercules
c. Jupiter
2. The strongest man was the son of ____________.
a. Juno
b. Jupiter
c. Pluto
3. This strongman’s father was a god but his mother was ______________.
a. an animal
b. a goddess
c. a mortal
4. A goddess sent serpents to kill the strongman when he was still a baby but the baby killed them
by _____________.
a. strangling
b. smashing
c. poisoning
5. When Hercules was scolded by his music teacher, he ___________.
a. left him
b. killed him
c. answered him back
6. Hercules helped the country people by ____________.
a. fetching water from a nearby well
b. doing all the heavy work in the fields
c. killing the wolves and lions that roamed around
7. As a reward , he was able to marry ____________.
a. Princess Hera
b. Princess Megara
c. Princess Alcomena
8. Envious of Hercules’ good life, Hera made him ____________.
a. blind
b. insane
c. a slave
9. If justice is to be instituted in the story, the ending should be ____________.
a. Hercules was killed.
b. Hera became insane.
c. They all lived happily ever after.
10. In our present society, an insane person is not persecuted for he knows not what he is doing.
Along this line, if you think justice was done on Hercules, draw a flower, if injustice, draw a leaf.
Exercise 34
AFRICA’S “THE GOOD ONE”
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. David Livingstone was ______________.
a. American
b. African
c. English
2. By profession, he was a ______________.
a. doctor
b. teacher
c. preacher
3. Dark Continent refers to ______________.
a. Australia
b. Africa
c. America
4. David Livingstone preferred to live among the _____________.
a. elitist Americans
b. African savages
c. English prisoners
5. Quinine is a kind of medicine for treating ______________.
a. malaria
b. pneumonia
c. tuberculosis
6. David’s life was dedicated to the well-being and progress of the _____________.
a. African natives
b. Australian natives
c. American Negroes
7. David was referred to as _____________.
a. The Good
b. The Good One
c. The Strong One
8. On May 1, 1873, he died of _____________.
a. pneumonia
b. tubercolosis
c. malaria
9. In his chosen mission, David and his family had led ______________.
a. an easy life
b. a leisurely life
c. a hard life
10. The fact that he lived for many years and died in his chosen place of work showed that
____________.
a. he preferred to live there
b. he was forced to stay there
c. he was not accepted in other places
Exercise 35
FAITHFUL FRIEND
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. When did Bert receive the most exciting gift he ever had?
a. on his tenth birthday
b. on his twelfth birthday
c. on his thirteenth birthday
2. Bert like the ____________ at once.
a. doll
b. dog
c. puppy
3. Bert named him _____________.
a. Jo
b. Pip
c. Poodle
4. Bert taught him how to ______________.
a. read
b. swim
c. do many tricks
5. They played and romped together and loved each other as ____________.
a. brothers
b. friends
c. neighbors
6. People looked at Bert’s pet with _____________.
a. hatred
b. admiration
c. envy
7. Bert failed to notice an approaching _____________.
a. bus
b. truck
c. car
8. _____________ body bled profusely.
a. Pip’s
b. Bert’s
c. His father’s
9. Pip was _____________ for having saved his master’s life.
a. sad
b. sorry
c. happy
10. He stared at his master’s face as if to say _____________.
a. “Hello.”
b. “Goodbye.”
c. “How are you?”
Exercise 36
THE CLOWN
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. It is all started when father brought Ric and his brother to a _____________.
a. fair
b. circus
c. movie
2. What Ric enjoyed most was _____________.
a. the rides
b. the clown
c. his favorite actor
3. Ric started imitating the _____________.
a. actor
b. clown
c. trainer
4. Not all of Ric’s tricks were _____________.
a. funny
b. true to life
c. dangerous
5. His tricks made people _____________.
a. learn
b. happy
c. miserable
6. At the end of the year, Ric and his classmates were invited to perform tricks in ____________.
a. a hospital
b. an orphanage
c. another school
7. Finally Ric learned to make people really happy without hurtingor insulting them. Thanks to his
____________.
a. father
b. teacher
c. classmate
8. A clown is one who entertains people by making them _____________.
a. cry
b. laugh
c. shout
9. After the above performance, the possibility for Ric to be invited to perform is ___________.
a. great
b. small
c. none at all
10. Some clowns entertain and makes people really happy; others entertain and embarrass people .
if you prefer the first kind, write “Happy” on your answer sheet; if the second, write “Sad”.
Exercise 37
A COLT’S LESSON
Direction:
Write the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. The story is about ____________.
a. a mother wolf and its young
b. a mother deer and its young
c. a mother horse and its young colt
2. In this story, the young colt’s name was ____________.
a. Blackfeet
b. Spitfire
c. Swiftfeet
3. This colt was quite ____________.
a. curious
b. sickly
c. disobedient
4. Two colts faced the danger of being eaten by a _____________.
a. lion
b. tiger
c. wolf
5. One colt was able to run fast uphill and that was ____________.
a. Blackfeet
b. Spitfire
c. Swiftfeet
6. Alas, the mischievous colt was saved by his ___________.
a. father
b. master
c. mother
7. The moral lesson of this story is: ______________.
a. Always be alert.
b. It pays to be strong.
c. Always obey your mother.
8. The story once again tell of a mother ____________.
a. risking her life for her young one
b. working hard to prepare her young one
c. working hard to feed her young one
9. This story once again proved that: ___________.
a. Fathers work hard
b. Mothers know best
c. Mothers belong to the weaker sex
10. If mother horse did not come, young cold would eventually ____________.
a. win
b. escape
c. be killed
Exercise 38
BATTLE ROYALE
Direction:
Write the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. What filed out of their nests when the moon was just coming out?
a. a line of ants
b. a line of bees
c. a line of people
2. On both sides of the ant’s mouth were powerful cutting tools that gave them a ____________.
a. sweet look
b. terrible look
c. frightened look
3. The scout ant had discovered ____________ that morning.
a. an ant hill
b. a plant full of worms
c. a beehive in the orange grove
4. The ants used their ____________ for scraping and chiseling the beehive.
a. ears
b. sharp jaws
c. long spears
5. Thousands of open cells in the beehive were full of
a. bees
b. pollen
c. honey
6. The drone was so frightened that he
a. fought the ants
b. woke his sister up
c. hang himself on the tree
7. The ____________ was buried under a mass of attackers.
a. drone
b. sister bee
c. queen ant
8. The bees could not kick anymore for they have lost their ____________.
a. eyes
b. hands
c. legs
9. One by one the bees gave up their fight for they knew
a. they have lost
b. their queen was dead
c. there was no more honey
10. The hive lay like a ______________.
a. dead city
b. wrecked city
c. beautiful city
Exercise 39
A FAIRY TALE FROM JAPAN
Direction:
Write the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. The Japanese couple prayed for a ___________.
a. daughter
b. son
c. child
2. They sat down to rest under a ___________.
a. peach tree
b. orange tree
c. mango tree
3. A big peach fell on the woman’s ____________.
a. shoulder
b. head
c. lap
4. The child they saw was no bigger than the couple’s little ___________.
a. head
b. toes
c. fingers
5. They called him ____________.
a. Peaching
b. Orangeling
c. Ting-a-ling
6. The tiny boy went marketing early to avoid ____________.
a. cars
b. curious people
c. his parents
7. One night, the couple dreamed that they should dip their tiny son into a ____________.
a. river
b. well
c. brook
8. The tiny boy was bewitched by a __________.
a. fairy
b. giant
c. kapre
9. The enchantment was broken because the couple _____________ the boy.
a. hated
b. loved
c. killed
10. The old couple lived ___________ with their dear son.
a. happily
b. sadly
c. poorly.
Exercise 40
A DREAM COME TRUE
Direction:
Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.
1. The two boys worked hard pushing the pole into the bottom of the ____________.
a. creek
b. sea
c. river
2. The boat was heavy and hard to ____________.
a. life
b. steer
c. float
3. Robert Fulton thought an ____________ could be used to move the boat.
a. axle
b. engine
c. anvil
4. At first Robert invented ____________ of the boat.
a. two oars on the sides
b. two poles on the side
c. two paddles on the sides
5. While in England, Robert heard about ____________.
a. ships
b. cranks
c. steam engines
6. Robert decided to build a steamboat in ___________.
a. Italy
b. France
c. The United States
7. The people called the new steamboat ___________.
a. a great success
b. The United States
c. Fulton’s Foolishness
8. The people laughed in mockery and shouted when the boat ___________.
a. moved
b. rumbled
c. would not move
9. People on the shore shouted in triumph when the boat ____________.
a. stopped
b. sputtered
c. began to turn
10. Robert Fulton’s dream of a steam engine ____________.
a. came true
b. was not realized
c. did not come true