English Reading Passages

The Fisherman and the Mermaid

Babylyn E. Calcetas No. of Words: 297

One night, a big storm occurred while the fishermen were at the
sea, but miraculously they got home safely except for one. A week after,
the fisherman appeared by the beach like nothing happened. He claimed
he was saved by a mermaid.
According to the fisherman, there was a beautiful lady in the sea
whose body from waist downwards was covered with scales, resembling
that of a fish. Her tail fin flipped from side to side as they went through
the water together. And he pulled out from his pocket a golden comb
which he drifted into the sea and the mermaid appeared.

Barrio folks were not convinced by his words. Until one day, they
found the fisherman shouting over the rocky part of the Munting Paraiso
Beach Resort in Brgy. Angeles. He repeatedly drifted the said golden
comb which he said came from the mermaid.

Her sister Monang who is 45 years old and 6 years older than the
fisherman was bothered about the unusual behavior of her brother. She
brought the fisherman to Dona Martha District Hospital to check his
condition. Later, he was diagnosed of schizophrenia. Scientists have long
known that this kind of disease sometimes runs in families and usually
starts at age of 16 and 30.

The doctor told Monang that symptoms fall into three categories:
positive, negative, and cognitive. In the case of her brother it was
cognitive that is why he experienced hallucinations, delusions, thought
disorders and movement disorders.
Tragedy happened when intensity four earthquake hit the town. Survivors
scattered inlands towards the safety of mountains. Nothing was heard of
the young fisherman afterwards. Years later, townspeople saw a
beautiful maiden sitting sadly on top of the huge boulder by the sea
looking at the town Atimonan in Barangay Angeles.

Comprehension Check

1. Where is the fisherman at the beginning of the story?

a. fishing in the river c. inside his house
b. fishing in the sea d. at the beach

2. Where is the statue of the mermaid located?

a. Barangay Tagbakin c. Barangay Angeles
b. Barangay Caridad d. Barangay Malinao Ilaya

Division of Quezon QUELTA Secondary 2019

 English Reading Passages

3. What is schizophrenia?
a. a mental illness c. a heart disease
b. a kidney disease d. a sexually transmitted disease

4. How would you describe the fisherman when he appeared after a week?
a. scared b. relaxed c. terrified d. shocked

5. Why did Mona decide to bring her brother to the hospital?

a. because they have money to pay for hospital bill
b. because the fisherman’s condition is getting worst
c. because she knows that her brother has schizophrenia
d. because she wants to prove herself that her brother is telling a lie.

6. Why did the fisherman repeatedly drift the comb to the sea?
a. The mermaid is angry. c. The mermaid never appears at once.
b. The fisherman is impatient. d. The fisherman wants to see the mermaid.

7. How did the fisherman meet the mermaid?

a. The fisherman got the comb from the mermaid.
b. The fisherman was saved by the mermaid from the storm.
c. The fisherman jumped over the sea to look for the mermaid.
d. The fisherman saw the mermaid sitting on top of the huge boulder.

8. What does the narrator try to relate at the last part of the story?
a. The fisherman is out of nowhere.
b. The mermaid and the fisherman are lonely without having each other.
c. The mermaid is found at the Barangay Angeles Atimonan, Quezon.
d. The mermaid and the fisherman do n’t have the chance to see each other
again.

9. Do you think Monang at age 45 cannot acquire the disease since the
scientist proved that schizophrenia starts at age 16 to 30.
a. No b. Yes c. Maybe d. I don’t know

10. Which among the statements below is not good to a person suffering from
schizophrenia?
a. Talking to him/her constantly like normal people do.
b. Encouraging him/her to consult the psychiatrist
c. Giving him/her happy memories as possible.
d. Treating her/him as abnormal people.

Division of Quezon QUELTA Secondary 2019