Read the short story below and answer

the questions that follow.

Long ago, the sea water was

not salty. It was just like fresh water
from a spring. People had to cross
the sea in bancas to get salt from
the land beyond the water. Near
their community, lived a giant named
Ang – ngalo who was friendly but
afraid of ants. The people asked him
to stretch his legs, so they could just
walk across the sea to get salt. And
he did. While the people walked on
his legs with their bags of salt, the
ants bit him. He suddenly pulled up
his legs and the people fell into the
sea with their bags of salt.
And that is why the sea is now
sa lty.

1. Where did the people get salt?

2. Who was the friendly giant?
3. What was he afraid of?
 4. What did he do to help the
people?
5. What happened to the people
when the ants bit his legs?
Read the short story below and answer
the questions that follow.

A long time ago, in Italy, there

lived a woodcarver named Gepetto.
Gepetto carved a puppet and named
him Pinocchio. The puppet came to
life, but he behaved badly. He was
careless with money, and he played
hooky. Worst of all, Pinocchio lied. A
fairy caught him telling lies and
punished him. Each time he lied, his
nose grew longer.

1. What is the name of the woodcarver?

2. What did Gepetto carved?
3. What is the name of the puppet?
4. Who behaved badly?
5. Who caught him telling lies?
6. What is the punishment to Pinocchio
each time he lied?
Read the paragraph and answer the
questions that follow.

I live in the zoo. My home

is a comfortable place for a
lion. There is even a living
room with an outdoor balcony.
Eating here is easier that it
was in Africa. Thee, I had to
run out in the middle of the
night to look for food. This is
an animal’s world.

1. Who is talking in the paragraph?

2. Where the lion do came from?
3. What did it do in the middle of the
night?
4. What is the paragraph about?
Read this paragraph written by a known
writer. Then answer the following
questions.

Spring had come. The

warm winds smelled exciting
and all outdoors were large
and bright and sweet. Big,
white, shining clouds floated
high up in clear space. Their
shadows floated over the
prairie.
- Laura Ingalls
Wilder –
 1. What does the paragraph
describe?
2. Which sentence tells about a
smell?
3. What adjectives describe the
clouds?
4. Who is the writer of the
paragraph?

Read the paragraph and answer the

questions that follow.
My Hobby
My hobby is gardening because I
enjoy planting very much. I plant lots
of green leafy vegetables and
flowering plants. I get up early in the
morning to water my plants. I
protect my plants from their enemies
by removing the worms and insects I
find. How I love to watch the green
things growing and the flowers
blooming! I love my plants so much
that I never like picking their fruits,
flowers and leaves. My brother
enjoys eating vegetables but he is
too lazy to plant them. And my sister
enjoys admiring the pretty flowers
from my garden.
1. What is the paragraph all about?
2. What is the hobby of the boy in
the paragraph?
3. What does he do in the garden?
4. Who enjoys eating vegetables
but is too lazy to plant them?
5. Who enjoys picking the pretty
flowers from the garden?
Read the following selection then answer the questions
that follow.

Long ago, as the birds flew over the

world, they saw that people owned a
beautiful thing. People cooked their food
with it and sat beside it or around it to
keep them warm.
The birds thought that life would be
better if they could have this thing. So they
decided to send the chicken as a
messenger to the people to ask for a little
piece of it. The chicken flew over the forest
until he came to the town. It walked around
and learned that the blazing thing was
called “fire”.
 It didn’t ask for a piece of fire to take
back to the birds right away because there
was so much food lying around dooryards
that it started pecking and eating and
forgot its mission.
People liked the chicken because it
crowed at daybreak and woke them up.
They let it run around their dooryards and
threw it scraps.
So the chicken stayed with
humankind. It never went back to the birds.
It even forgot how to fly.
1. What the birds saw as they flew over the world?
2. What birds thought if they could have this thing?
3. Who is the messenger send by the birds to the people to
ask for a little piece of it?
4. How does the chicken go to the town?
5. Why did the chicken live with the people?

Read the following story and answer the questions below.

It was the end of the semester. The teacher gave

a long examination. The next day she called to boys. “Who
copied from whom?” asked the teacher.
“Not I”, said Jose Maria.
“Not I”, said Ramonchito.
“All right, if you don’t tell me the truth, I’ll mark
your both test papers zero. Then I will recommend that
you both get a one week suspension.”
A third pupil, Gregorio, felt very disturbed. He
had seen how Ramonchito had copied Jose Maria’s
answers when Jose went to the comfort room.
Gregorio considered what to do since both were
his friends. Besides, Ramonchito’s father was also their
teacher in one subject. But Gregorio take the risk rather
than allow an innocent person to be punished.
So he hurriedly wrote a note and gave it to their
teacher. It read:”May I see you after class with
Ramonchito and Jose Maria?”
The teacher asked the three boys to stay.
Gregorio then faced Ramonchito with earnest eyes.
“Ramonchito, you’re my friend,” he said, “but I
cannot just keep silent and let Jose Maria be punished. I
saw you get his test paper and copy his answer.”
Ramonchito cried angrily, “You nosy fool. I’m
going to tell my father about this!”
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” said Gregorio, “but
we must always tell the truth and set the innocent free.
(Note: This is a true account about Gregorio Araneta,
founder of Araneta College Foundation.)

1. Who are the characters in the story?

2. What did the teacher give the pupils?
3. Why did the teacher call Jose Maria and Ramonchito?
4. Why did Gregorio feel disturbed?
5. How did Gregorio inform his teacher about what he saw?
6. If you were Gregorio, would you do the same? Why?
7. If you were Ramonchito would you do the same? Why?
Read the EDITORIAL.
Warning: Dengue Fever is Dangerous
Anybody – rich or poor – can be a victim of
dengue fever. This is a viral infection transmitted by
mosquitoes to man. It is common during the rainy
season. Dengue fever is characterized by recurrent
fever, swelling of the lymph nodes, bleeding, and
severe muscle aches. Prompt medical attention is
important for dengue fever can be fatal.
As in previous rainy seasons, there have been
outbreaks of dengue fever this year. The World Health
Organization (WHO) estimates that dengue fever
threatens some 2 billion people, mostly in tropical and
subtropical places. At least 10,000 Filipinos, mainly
children, fall victim to dengue fever every year. The
worst year 1998 when some 20,000 cases were
reported with 202 fatalities.
History shows that the deadliest foe of man is
not the cobra, the tarantula, or piranha, but the lowly
mosquito. The aedes aegypti mosquito – carrier of
dengue fever – caused the collapse of the Roman
Empire.
Maintaining clean surroundings is our best
weapon against Dengue Fever. Garbage and
containers that could serve as breeding places for
most mosquitoes must be properly disposed of. Good
nutrition is also vital for it enhances one’s resistance
to dengue fever.
Dengue fever is a serious threat not only to
the lives of our children but also to the future of our
country. Every child’s life is a precious resource for
the country. And the death of the child due to dengue
fever means less human resource for our country’s
growth.

Answer the following questions:

1. What is the article about?
2. Who could be a victim of dengue fever?
3. Describe a person who is suffering from dengue fever?
4. Why is prompt medical attention important?
5. What could happen to a person with dengue if he did not pay
attention to it?

Read the story then answer the questions that follow.

Last summer, Mr. Fly and his family lived on

top of the garbage at the back of Larry’s house.
They were living very happily because Larry, his
mother and father, as well as his brothers and
sisters never bothered to clean their backyard.
Every day, new young flies were born, so Mr. Fly’s
family grew bigger and bigger.
 One day, Mr. Fly noticed that many people
were on the streets. Some had stick brooms and
dust pans, some had rakes. Some had shovels. And
somebody was holding something with a nozzle.
Mr. Fly grew curious. Now the people
started to work. They stopped in front of Larry’s
house. They began sweeping and cleaning the dirt
from the canal.
Then, came Larry’s father. Mr. Fly heard
him say, “Mr. Mayor, thank you for this Cleanliness
Campaign. We will support you.”
Then, Larry’s father called his children.
“Come,” he said, “we will clean the backyard.”
“What?” Mr. Fly said. He got worried. He
must warn his children.
He had just told Mrs. Fly and a few of his
children that they would have to transfer when
they heard a buzzing sound. Then, there was
plenty of smoke.
Mr. Fly gasped for his breath. Down he fell
on the ground. Down fell the other members of the
family.
1. What is the story about?
2. Where did Mr. Fly and his family live?
3. Why were they very happy living there?
4. How did Mr. Fly warn his children?
5. How did the Cleanliness Campaign affect Mr. Fly and his
family?
6. If you were living in the community where the flies live, would
you join the Cleanliness Campaign? Why?
Read the story then answer the following questions that follow.

THE LONG AND TURBULENT MARCOS YEARS

Ferdinand Marcos was elected as the sixth

president of the Philippines in 1965. To many people he
was a bright lawyer, powerful politician and ambitious
leader. He also promised to “make the country great
again”. So he was re-elected in 1969.
Many people complained about their difficult life.
Young students joined daring writers, respected officials
and the discontented citizens in protesting against the
Marcos government. The Communist Party became
popular among farmers and laborers, teachers and
students.
Marcos declared martial law on September 21,
1972, before his second term was to end. Martial law put
him and the military in charge of the government.
The right to criticize public officials was banned
and so was the rights to rally, demonstrate, picket and
strike.
Marcos continued his programs and reforms
which benefited the country.
The patient and brave citizens, however, wanted
a better life, with a clean government, honest leaders and
more opportunities to improve themselves. And so they
acted as one, when the right moment came.
1. Who made a promise to “make the country great again”?
2. Why did Ferdinand Marcos declare martial law?
3. How did martial law affect the lives of the Filipinos?
4. If you were Marcos, would you done the same thing? Why?
5. If given a chance to be elected as president of your class, what
kind of a leader will you be? How will you handle your class?