Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF EDUATION
Region I
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF ILOCOS NORTE
Paoay District
SUBA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MR. JAYMAR KEVIN A. PADAYAO

Teacher III

10 1
 Graded Passages for Grade 5
Read each selection silently. Then read the questions that follow and
write the letter of the correct answer in the answer sheet:
A. The Talking Tilapia
Once upon a time in a small barangay which was surrounded by a mys-
terious lake. Tonyo and his father fed themselves by fishing from the
lake. Every morning they held their net and rode on their rakit – a small
boat made from bamboos.
One morning, Tonyo and his father went fishing. Suddenly, their net
caught a dead fish and in their net were plastics and wrappers. They
wondered why did this happened. And they saw some people throwing
their garbage off the lake. Tonyo almost cried and felt worried that
when this continues fish might die and they will not have food anymore.
But they can’t do anything but to nod and weep. So, they went back to
their home after catching a dead fish.
One night while Tonyo was staring at the stars outside their home,
he heard a cry near the lakeshore. Scarily, he go near it.
“Who is that crying? Do you mind if I can help?” said Tonyo.
“I felt sad because I lost some of my friends,” said the unusual
voice.
When Tonyo was about to reach the lakeshore, he saw a big Tilapia
looking towards him. He slipped down the mud and tried to run away.
“Don’t be afraid my friend. I will not hurt you,” said the fish.
“Yo-u are a talking Tilapia?” Tonyo asked.
“Yes, my friend. You heard me. I know you and your father. I love
watching you both while you were fishing. I know how you respect the
fish in the lake,” the fish said.
2 9
and plenty of fish were given to the people of the village. And Dyosa Ina
started to weave cotton again. Dyosa Ina became happy again with Abel.
But the rude people from the other side of the mountain were resent-
ful and came again one night. While Dyosa Ina and Abel were sleeping,
these cruel people grabbed the cloth weaved by Dyosa Ina. Suddenly,
Abel felt the threat and woke up. He tried to defend Dyosa Ina and her
fabrics. They arrested Abel and throw him in the lake. Dyosa Ina woke up
when she heard the scream of Abel. She saw the brutal people from the
other side of the mountain. She knew that they were the people who stole
her fabrics in the first place. With grief, she tried to defend herself.
But these people were unkind and started a fire in the forest. The people
down the mountain heard the cry of Dyosa Ina. They tried to stop the
fire. They tried to rescue Dyosa Ina. After several hours, the fire was
stopped. They searched for Dyosa Ina. Everyone was worried that she
may be gone and became ashes. In the middle of the forest they found a
piece of cloth. They believed that this cloth was the last piece she
weaved. They noticed that Abel’s name was decorated on the cloth.
From then on, they continued this work of Dyosa Ina –weaving cotton.
The people call this Ina- Abel as a tribute to the kindness and love from
the lost couple. As the time goes by and spread of mouth, the piece of
cloth weaved out from cotton had passed to generation by generation and
had label this as Inabel. And this goes the Legend of Inabel. This time
Inabel fabric is made of cotton and may be plain or patterned. The abel
cloth is well known and much loved for its softness, beautiful designs, and
strength.
 The Legend of Inabel “But why you are crying?” Tonyo asked.
-Jaymar Kevin Padayao
“I am worried that if people keep on throwing their garbage in the
Long ago, in Mount Pugaro, there lived a beautiful goddess name Dyosa lake, one day, all the fish in the lake may die and you will not have food to
Ina who loves weaving using cotton which she gathered from the forest. catch anymore,” said the fish.
She is wonderful and kind-hearted. The cloth she weaved were used by
the people living down the mountain. They may use these as clothes espe- “I am afraid too. But we can’t do anything to stop them,” Tonyo re-
cially during rainy season or sell them for money. People treat this lovely plied.
goddess rightfully and thanked her with these blessings.
Aside from weaving, Dyosa Ina had been so helpful to the people of
“You can do something. You and you’re father can do something. Tell
Mount Pugaro. One time, the child of a farmer got sick. She went down
these people the effect of what they are doing. Make them realized that
from the mountain and see the girl. Using her cloth, she wiped her and
throwing garbage might kill the fish in the water. I am begging you, To-
suddenly, the girl woke up with a glaze in her face. She even gave bounti-
nyo,” the fish pled.
ful harvest to the farmers and many fish for the fisherman. Many had
been admiring her kindness. After that night with the talking Tilapia, Tonyo ran to their house and
told everything to his father. The next day, Tonyo and his father went to
But one night, some people came to the place where Dyosa Ina was
the barangay hall and told the officials about the effects of throwing
resting. These people came from the other side of the mountain. Cruelly,
garbage to the lake. The officials started to clean up the lakeshore and
they robbed all the cloths they see in the mountain. They left nothing for
asked the people around the lake to stop throwing their garbage any-
Dyosa Ina. The next morning, Dyosa Ina woke up and noticed that her
where. People had started to make their own compost pits and weekly
fabrics were gone and nothing left for her. She weep and thought that
there is a garbage collector roaming around the barangay.
the robbery was done by the people down the mountain. She thought that
the people whom she helped were greedy and betrayed her so she prom- One morning, Tonyo and his father went fishing. While they are in the
ised to herself that she will not help them anymore. middle of the lake, something jumped above the lake. And that was the
talking Tilapia, happily with his friends. Tonyo enjoyed watching them.
The people noticed that their harvest became insufficient. There
aren’t fish from the lake anymore. Whenever there are sick and seek for # of words: 478
her help, Dyosa Ina didn’t mind and never opened her door for them. The
forest became dull and the village felt hunger.
One fearless man named Abel went to the forest where Dyosa Ina
lived. He brought with him a bunch of flowers to offer. He sat down in
the middle of the forest. He was pleading to Dyosa Ina and asking her to
show up. Dyosa Ina heard the cry of Abel. She took a peak and saw this
handsome man. She fell in love with this man. They started to become
close to each other. Every Sunday, this man managed to visit her with
bunch of flowers. The village became as it was before. Bountiful harvest

8 3
Comprehension Skill:
1. Who are going to the lake every morning?
a. Tonyo and his father
b. Tonyo and his friends
c. Father and mother
2. Based on the story, what is a rakit?
a. a small boat made from wood
b. a small boat made from bamboos
c. a small boat made from plastic bottles
3. What did Tonyo and his father noticed while fishing?
a. The lake was so clear and clean.
b. There are many fish to be caught.
c. They caught a dead fish and plastics in their net.
4. Why did Tonyo felt worried after fishing?
a. They might have no food if all of the fish will die.
b. They might have no clean and clear lake anymore.
c. They might have caught many plastics and wrappers.
5. How did Tonyo help the talking fish?
a. He talked to the barangay officials to clean the lake.
b. He caught the fish and put it in a safer water.
c. He asked his father to stop fishing.
6. Which of the following best describes Tonyo?
a. He is caring.
b. He is greedy.
c. He is selfish.
7. At the end of the story, how did the talking fish feel?
a. lonely b. afraid c. joyful
4 7
Sussie and her family had a good life selling the product and the peo-
ple in their barangay thanked Sussie for giving job for them.
# of words: 803
Questions:
1. At the beginning of the story, what was the work of Susie and her fam-
ily?
a. Susie’s parents are fisherman and she sells them to their barangay.
b. Susie’s parents have a buy and sell business and she is the seller.
c. Susie’s parents were OFWs and she has a small online business.
2. Why Susie is earning?
a. Susie is earning for the wedding anniversary of her parents.
b. Susie kept on earning for her next birthday celebration.
c. Susie wanted to buy a cellphone for her online class.
3. After the worse situation happened in the family of Susie, how did she
cope up?
a. She still manage to have a positive mind.
b. She walked out and went to a better place.
c. She felt disappointed of the situation.
4. What do you think is the attitude of Susie when she bought the items
of the old lady in the market?
a. She has a grateful heart.
b. She is compassionate.
c. She is greedy.
5. What did Susie do when there are more excess of the Sisiaw she
bought?
a. She used them to feed her dogs.
b. She distributed it to her neighbors.
c. She washed them, soak in soy sauce with garlic and dried them un-
der the sun.
6. Which of the following best describes Susie?
a.She is creative.
b. She is helpful.
c. She is flexible.
7. What was the author's purpose when she wrote the selection?
a. to inform b. to entertain c. to describe
“Oh, I want to try that dish for my family. May you give me a kilo of it, lo-
la?”
The old lady gave all the fish she had in her basin. That was more than
a kilo. Sussie went home excitedly. She prepared the ingredients for the
dish she will be cooking for dinner. But since the fish she bought were too
much for her family, she set them aside.
It was dinner time. The family enjoyed the stewed Sisiaw. But Sussie
felt worried of what she will do with the fish left. She thought of a way
to preserve the deliciousness of the Sisiaw.
“What if I will dry them tomorrow?” she asked herself. “Yes, I will
soak these Sisiaw in soy cause and garlic to taste. Then, tomorrow I will
dry them on our rooftop.”
The next morning, Sussie excitedly went out of their house carrying
the basin with soaked in soy sauce and garlic Sisiaw. She patiently lined
them up in a tray. She put the tray on their rooftop to dry the fish. Af-
ter several hours, Sussie felt asleep. And she dreamed of something.
“Lola, why are you’re here. How are you?” Sussie asked.
“Oh, darling, I am here to thank you for being so kind to me. I want to
give you these dried Sisiaw and I know this will bring you good fortune.
You will be known for this product,” the old lady said and suddenly disap-
peared.
Sussie quickly opened her eyes. “Oh, that was just a dream,” Sussie
felt relieved. “Oh, I almost forgot my dried fish on our rooftop!” Sussie
hurriedly stood up from her bed.
Excitedly, Sussie went up their rooftop and gathered the dried fish.
She tried to cook the dried Sisiaw in a small amount of oil and low heat.
As she was cooking the aroma of the dried Sisiaw spread all over the ba-
rangay. The people searched the place where they aroma came from. And
they noticed it was from the house of Sussie. They go nearer and curious-
ly asked what was she cooking.
After Sussie had cooked some of her dried Sisiaw, she gave some of
it to the people around their house. And they tasted it. The dried Sisiaw
was the best dried fish tasted by the people of Barangay Suba. It is
their first time to see and taste it. From then on, Sussie started to sell
this product which she called “Sisiaw iti Suba”. She even taught her
neighbors how to make dried Sisiaw.
6 5
B. Sisiaw in Suba
Every morning a girl named Sussie had been so helpful to her parents
who are both catching fish from the lake to sell and earn money for their
everyday living.
After the parents of Sussie caught many fish, she picked these and
weigh them. She will put these fish in her small basin and started to roam
around Barangay Suba to sell.
“Fresh fish for you!” shouted Sussie to catch attention.
After several hours she went home with a big smile for she had sold all
of her fish and of course she can have some money to put in her piggy bank.
Sussie had been so admirable for being so helpful to her parents and
thrifty for she kept on earning for her next birthday.
One morning, the parents of Sussie came home without caught fish. “We
are sorry Sussie. You don’t have fish to sell today and you will not have some
money to put in your piggy bank,” the couple said.
Sussie has an open-mind and can understand the situation of her family.
But the scenario continued for many days and the family of Sussie started
to felt hunger. Without doubt, Sussie broke her piggy bank and offered the
money she earned to her parents. She only kept few money for future pur-
poses.
Sussie went to the market to buy some items to cook for dinner. An old
lady on a corner-side of the market. She seems very tired and dismayed.
Sussie pitied the old lady.
“Hello lola. It seems you are tired now. What are you selling?” Sussie
asked.
“Oh, darling, I will never get tired. I am okay. I just need to sell these
fish so that I can now buy food for my grandchildren and go home,” the old
lady replied.
“Wow, that is so kind of you, lola. May I ask if what kind of fish you are
selling, lola?” Sussie inquired.
“We call this fish, Sisiaw. Most of the time these are small but there
are times too that fisherman caught bigger ones. These fish can be cooked
with soup or simmered in vinegar,” the old lady answered.