TEXT A

He always thought of the sea as la mar which is what people call her in
Spanish when they love her. Sometimes those who love her say bad
things of her but they are always said as though she were a woman.
Some of the younger fisherman, those who used buoys as floats for their
lines and had motor-boats, bought when the shark livers had brought
much money, spoke of her as el mar which is masculine. They spoke of
her as a contestant or a place or even an enemy. But the old man
ALWAYS thought of her as feminine and as something that gave or
withheld great favors, and if she did wild or wicked things it was because
she could not help them. The moon affects her as it does a woman, he
thought.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

1. The narrator of the story intends to …

A. bring the readers closer to the character
B. convey the narrator’s personal view
C. recount his encounter with the old man
D. reveal the inner thoughts of the old man

2. Which of the following lines suggest a personification?

A. … she did wild or wicked things it was …
B. … spoke of her as el mar which is masculine …
C. … those who love her say bad things …
D. … the shark livers had brought much money …

3. The attitude of the old man towards the sea is …

A. complex and reverent
B. detached and formal
C. personal and gentle
D. reflective and sentimental
4. The line, the moon affects her, might reflect ….
A. a fact that moon is a special entity beyond one’s comprehension
B. a make-believe story that creates fear among the fisherman
C. an opinion that suggests the relationship of the old man with the
woman
D. a slice of reality like whenever tides occur due to moon’s gravitational
force

5. The subject of contention among the townspeople is …

A. the moon
B. the sea
C. the old man
D. the woman in general
TEXT B

I was quite happy in my new place, and if there was one thing that I
missed it must not be thought I was discontented; all who had to do with
me were good and I had a light airy stable and the best of food. What
more could I want? Why, liberty! For three years and a half of my life I
had had all the liberty I could wish for; but now, week after week, month
after month, and no doubt year after year, I must stand up in a stable
night and day except when I am wanted, and then I must be just as
steady and quiet as any old horse who has worked twenty years. Straps
here and straps there, a bit in my mouth, and blinkers over my eyes.
Now, I am not complaining, for I know it must be so. I only mean to say
that for a young horse full of strength and spirits, who has been used to
some large field or plainwhere he can fling up his head and toss up his
tail and gallop away at full speed, then round and back again with a
snort to his companions -- I say it is hard never to have a bit more liberty
to do as you like. Sometimes, when I have had less exercise than usual,
Ihave felt so full of life and spring that when John has taken me out to
exercise I really could not keep quiet; do what I would, it seemed as if I
must jump, or dance, or prance, and many a good shake I know I must
have given him, especially at the first; but he was always good and
patient.
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

6. What does the narrator wish to regain?

A. companion
B. freedom
C. old home
D. youthful days

7. How does the narrator feel about his current state?

A. confused on what is expected from him
B. contented that he works hard enough
C. nostalgic as if longing for something
D. respectful towards his comrades and master
8. Based on the elements present in the text, what text type is the
given excerpt?
A. cause-effect
B. enumeration
C. narrative
D. problem-solution

9. Which of the following statements is true based on the excerpt?

A. The character has been doing the same routine for almost twenty
years.
B. The narrator reminisces his youthful days.
C. The problem posed by the character is his suffocating relationship
with his master.
D. The setting is at the stable where the narrator’s companions reside as
well.
TEXT C

[….]
Light is the power to dispel darkness.

You have this power to move back the darkness in yourself and in
others–with the birth of light created when one mind illuminates
another, when one heart kindles another, when one man strengthens
another.

And its flame also enlarges within you as you pass on!

Throughout the history, ... Children of Darkness

have tried to smother this passage of light from man to man

Throughout the history; Dictators, large and small, have tried-

... to darken, ...to diminish, ...and to separate men by force!
But... always in the end, ... they fail!

For always somewhere in the world the Light remains!

... ready to burn its brightest where it is dark;
... a Light that began when God created the world!

[….]

The Eternal Light by Dr. Jose Rizal

10. The major aim of the poet is to ….

A. describe the contrasting power of light and darkness
B. establish that the good will always triumph over evil
C. explain the source of light
D. recount the gloomy and tragic events in the past
11. Based on the details mentioned in the poem, what would most
likely will happen to the children of darkness?

A. Although they seem weaker, they will linger.

B. They will perish and be overpowered.
C. There will come a time when they will succeed.
D. They will rule over to prove their worth.

12. The light described in this poem refers to ….

A. the power of the people to overthrow tyrant

B. the divine light that became the source of life
C. one’s intellectual capacity that can enlighten the lost and
confused
D. unmasking of the injustice and corruption of dictators

13. What does the author wish to convey to his readers?

A. inform his readers about the power struggle between light

and darkness
B. compel his readers to believe on what they can do to end the
darkness
C. warn his readers about the looming darkness
D. inspire his readers to make the right choice
TEXT D

First, a poem must be magical

Then musical as a seagull.
It must be a brightness moving
And hold secret a bird’s flowering
It must be slender as a bell,
And it must hold fire as well.
It must have the wisdom of bows
And it must kneel like a rose.
It must be able to hear
The luminance of dove and deer.
It must be able to hide
What it seeks, like a bride.
And over all I would like to hover
God, smiling from the poem’s cover

A Poem Must Be Magical by Jose Garcia Villa

14. The words magical, musical and moving describe what a poem
should be. What sound device is used in the given words?
A. assonance
B. alliteration
C. consonance
D. onomatopoeia

15. What does the persona speak about?

A. the essential characteristics of a poem
B. the reason why poem is difficult to develop
C. the resemblance of a poem to nature
D. the uniqueness of his poem from other poems
16. All of the following are comparisons used by the poet to express
his message except …
A. bell
B. God
C. seagull
D. rose

17. What might be the reason that a poem must be musical?

A. Some poems have meter and rhyme.
B. Poems are originally intended to be sung.
C. The persona dedicates the poem to his bride.
D. Poem has stronger impact when created with melody.
TEXT E
It was very warm. The sun, up above a sky that was all blue and
tremendous and beckoning to birds ever on the wing, shone bright as if
determined to scorch everything under heaven, even the low, square nipa
house that stood in unashamed relief against the gray green haze of grass
and leaves.

It was a lonely dwelling, located far from its neighbors, which were huddled
close to one another as if for mutual comfort. It was flanked on both sides
by tan, slender bamboo trees which rustled plaintively under a gentle wind.

‘The Small Key’ by Paz Latorena

18. Where might this story have happened?

A. Beside the ocean

B. In the middle of the city
C. In a field
D. Along the road

19. What might be the season of the year when this story took
place?
A. Rainy
B. Summer
C. Cold
D. Spring
20. Which of the following lines uses alliteration that evokes a clear
image?

A. … a lonely dwelling, located far from its neighbors …

B. … against the gray green haze of grass and leaves …
C. …huddled close to one another as if for mutual comfort …
D. … tremendous and beckoning to birds ever on the wing …

21. What emotional effect does the passage create to the readers?

A. calm and peaceful

B. gloomy and mysterious
C. confining and tense
D. dreamy and satisfied
TEXT F

Travel has become the great Filipino dream. In the same way that an
American dream of becoming a millionaire or an English boy dreams of going
to one of the great universities, the Filipino dreams of going abroad. His most
constant vision is that of himself as tourist.

To visit Hongkong, Tokyo and other cities of Asia, perchance, to catch a

glimpse of Rome, Paris or London and to go to America (even if only for a
week in a fly-specked motel in California) is the sum of all delights.

Consider the Pinoy abroad. He has discarded barong tagalong or "polo" for
a sleek, dark Western suit. He takes to the habiliments from Hongkong,
Brooks Brothers or Savile Row with the greatest of ease. He has also shed
the casual informality of manner that is characteristically Filipino. He gives
himself the airs of a cosmopolite to the credit-card born. He is extravagantly
courteous (specially in a borrowed language) and has taken to hand-kissing
and to plenty of American "D'you minds?"

[…]
After a few days of these debacles, the Pinoy, sick with longing, decides to
comb the strange city for a Chinese restaurant, the closest thing to the
beloved gastronomic county. There, in the company of other Asian exiles, he
will put his nose finally in a bowl of rice and find it more fragrant than an
English rose garden, more exciting than a castle on the Rhine and more
delicious than pink champagne.

Where’s the Patis by Carmen Guerrero Nakpil

22. What reality is described in the given excerpt?

A. Filipinos love to travel around the globe.

B. There are many Filipinos working abroad.
C. The best thing in life is becoming a tourist.
D. There are more beautiful places abroad than Philippines.
23. Considering the subject of the essay, what type of text is
developed by the author?

A. Compare and contrast

B. Descriptive
C. Narrative
D. Problem-solution

24. Which of the following is the significant point of view expressed

by the author about the Filipino?

A. Chinese culture is closely linked with the Filipino culture.

B. Filipinos like Americans share the same travel goals.
C. Since Filipinos can adapt easily, they tend to forget their culture.
D. In spite of the delightful experience abroad, Filipinos still miss the
cuisine from their native land.

25. What does the title of the essay signify?

A. Filipinos miss the delicacy and culture of their country.

B. Filipino dish is incomplete without the common condiment, patis.
C. Filipinos can speak English better than other Asian countries.
D. Regardless of whereabouts, Filipino’s culture is dominant and
unique compared to others.