MODULE 1: READING COMPREHENSION

Facts and Opinions: Reality and Fantasy

FACT VS. OPINION

Fact

- A fact is a specific detailed that is true based on objective proof.

(Objective proof can be physical evidence, an eyewitness acount, or the result of an accepted scientific
method.)

- It is a true statement.

- Contain data and research, include numbers, dates and ages, and can be proved through experiment and
observation.

Examples of Facts:

1. The sun rises and sets every single day.

2. Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia are some of the countries that are part of the Southeast
Asia.

3. Mammals are warm-blooded animals.

4. In 2010, Lionel Messi was named FIFA World Footballer of the year.

5. Eyes, ears and nose are parts of the human body. Eyes are for seeing, ears are for hearing, and nose is
for smelling.

Locate a fact

• Dictionary

• Map

• Encyclopedia

• Website

• Book

Opinion

- An opinion is an enterpretation, value judgement or belief that cannot be proved or disapproved.

- It is created that tells how someone feels or thinks.

- It can often be identified because the sentence contains biased words that expresses beliefs, claim and
thoughts.

Examples of Opinion:

1. Money is the most important thing in the world.

2. The most beautiful country in Southeast Asia is the Philippines, next to Singapore and Malaysia.

3. Dogs are the best pets among all animals.

4. Every person must have a best friend.

5. I think coffee is better than tea.

SIGNAL WORDS

FACTS OPINIONS

On June 2 (specific date) I believe...

In the year... I think...

According to... I feel...

In the article, In my opinion...

The author states, In my point of view...

In the text, People should...

REALITY VS. FANTASY

Reality

- It is the state of things as they actually exist rather than they may appear or might be imagined.

- It includes everything that has existed, exists, or will exist whether or not it is observable or
comprehensible.

- It's what you see, hear, and experience.

Examples of Reality:

1. I own only a car.

2. Man can't breath underwater.

3. The snow fell until the ground was covered with several inches.

4. Andy bought four volcano books.

5. People need water and food.

Fantasy

- It is a genre of fiction that uses magic or other supernatural elements as a main plot element, theme, or
setting.

- It is an idea with no basis in reality and is basically your imagination unrestricted by reality.

- Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic and magical creatures are
common.

Examples of Fantasy:

1. I only own a space shuttle.

2. The genie flew out of a lamp.

3. The ant carried the entire hotdog away from the picnic.

4. Tooth fairies, superheroes, wizards, spell books, zombies, human with wings, fairy godmothers,
mermaids, Santa Claus and magic wands.

Summarizing text

Steps on how to summarize a story:

1. Take notes the importants point while reading the story. Look for the "who? what? when? where?
why?". It will serve as a basis in starting to summarize a story.

2. Find the main characters and figure out which characters aren't as important to the narrative. If the
story has tons of characters, note down every single character that appears.

Example: In the short story like "Little Red Riding Hood", the main characters that can be jot down are
Red Riding Hood, her grandmother, the woodcutter and the wolf (depending on the version).

3. Note down the setting. The setting is where the events take place. It can be complicated if the story
takes place in a lot different places.

Example: Continuing the story of Little Red Riding Hood, the action takes place when it is autumn in the
woods.
4. Note the story's conflict. This means whatever is the main problem that the characters are having to
overcome. In other words, it is the problem in a story.

Example: In Little Red Riding Hood, the conflict is when Red Riding Hood is going to give a basket of
food to her grandmother and there is a wolf after her and it keeps trying to eat her.

5. Note the main events. These are the most important parts of the story. It is not necessarily to note
down every single thing that a character does. Just look for the events that further the main conflict, or
help resolve it.

Example: Still in the story of Little Red Riding Hood, the important moment is when Red Riding Hood
sees all the things that are wrong with her grandmother and notices it is the wolf.

6. Note the conclusion. This is the big event, usually, that wraps up the story's conflict and resolves the
problems.

Example: For Red Riding Hood, the conclusion is the appearance of the woodcutter to save her and her
grandmother.

Figures of Speech

A figure of speech relies on such figurative language and rhetoric.

When using figures of speech the words will diverge from their literal meanings, to give a more stylized
and specialized meaning to these words.

Types of Figure of Speech

1. Simile

- A simile is a figure of speech that uses comparison.

- It mainly uses two specific words “like” and “as” to compare two unlikely things, that actually have
nothing in common. This is done to bring out the dramatic nature of the prose and invoke vivid images
and comparisons.

- It is one of the most common forms of a figure of speech and is used in everything from day-to-day talk
to poems.

Example:

“She is as brave as a lion”.

Here you will notice a girl and her bravery are being compared to a lion. this is an unusual and illogical
comparison, but it brings out the vivid imagery and lyrical quality in the sentence. The literal sentence
would have read “She is brave”, but using the simile makes it sound much better.
Other examples:

• quite like a mouse

• as tall as a mountain

• as strong as an ox

• precious like an angel

2. Metaphor

- A metaphor and a simile are quite similar actually.

- It also uses compares to things that are in no way similar. It does so to bring out the symbolism.

- It is a word or phrase used to show its similarity to another thing.

Example:

“Alex is a chicken”.

Literally, this sounds so very absurd. But this is a metaphor which suggests that Alex is a coward, or
frightened. It compares or implies that Alex is a chicken to bring out the symbolism.

Other examples:

• Love is a battlefield.

• All the world’s a stage.

• That technology is a dinosaur.

Difference of Simile and Metaphor

In a simile, the comparison happens with the help of the words “as” and “like”. A metaphor will not have
either of those two words.

3. Personification

- It personifies or represents a non-human entity as human.

-It gives an inanimate object or an intangible idea of some human qualities such as emotions, or gestures
or even speech. This is done to portray the object as alive and help the listener or reader paint a vivid
picture.

Example:

“The wind howled as the storm grew stronger”.

Here we have taken an object, the wind, and personified it as a living thing by claiming it howled.

Other examples:

• Time ran away from him.

• The boat danced in the puddle.

• The car died in the middle of the road.

4. Hyperbole

- Hyperbole in the Greek language translates to ‘excess’. And that is what it does, it exaggerates.

- It uses hyperboles to emphasize the importance or to overstate something. This exaggerates claims and
statements are never meant to be taken at their literal meaning.

- It uses to create a strong and lasting impression.

Example:

“Since he has been away from home he has gotten as thin as a toothpick”.

Obviously, he has not gotten as thin as a toothpick, It is only exaggerate to emphasize on how thin he has
become.

Other examples:

• Those shoes cost a king’s ransom.

• For the millionth time, clean the kitchen.

• His grandfather is older than the hills.