Grade 8

ENGLISH
QUARTER 2 – MODULE 6
Recognizing Positive
and Negative Messages
Conveyed in a Text

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 What I Know
The quotations below are all from people with significant achievements
and influences. Read them one by one and tell if their messages are positive or
negative.

(1)
“Without MAtheMAtics,
there’s nothing you cAn “The struggle you’re in
do. Everything Around you
todAy is developing the
is mAtheMAtics.
Everything Around you is strength you
numbers.” need tomorrow.”
SHAkuntA LA Devi, from
--Robert Tew
IndiA, poPULArly known As Writer
“HumAn Computer”

(3)

“Tomorrow we will be
citizens of the Philippines,
whose destiny will be
beAutiful becAuse it will
be in loving hAnds . . .”

– Jose RizAl, Philippines, A

NAtioNAl hero

(4)
“The imPATient ideAlist SAys, (5)
'Give me A plAce to sTAnd
And I shAll move the eArth.'
But such A plAce does not “HArd work keeps the wrinkles
exist.
out of the mind And spirit.”
We All hAve to sTAnd on the
eArth itself And go with her
At
HelenA Rubinstein
her PAce.” AmericAn -Polish BusinesswomAn
– ChiNUA Achebe, from NigerIA,
Author of the novel Things FAll
APArt, the most widely reAd book
in modern AfricAn LiterAture
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Lesson Recognizing Positive and
1 Negative Messages Conveyed
in a Text

Every day we receive different kinds of messages. Some people express

their thoughts towards their receivers through emails, texts, chats, or letters,
while some opt to convey their messages using stories, speeches, poems, and
others to reach a bigger audience. However, these messages are written
communication, and sometimes readers fail to classify if the message they
received is positive or negative because it does not have the non-verbal cues that
we use to discern how the author or speaker felt. In this module, you would learn
how to recognize positive and negative messages conveyed in a text that you have
read to help you understand the author's purpose in writing.

What’s In
Tell whether the emojis convey positive or negative messages.

1. 😃 6. 🤩
2. 🥰 7. 😰
3. 🤬 8. 🤗
4. ☺️ 9. 🥳
5. 😔 10. 😱

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 What’s New
Read the expository text below and answer the guide questions that
follow.

TO THE FILIPINOS by Graciano Lopez Jaena

Persons with whose friendship I feel highly honored have succeeded in

overcoming my tenacious opposition to the publication of my speeches and
various articles which I consider works of passing interest, products of
improvisation, unconnected with each other, at the time of writing, lacking in
value and interest like all works written for publication in magazines and
newspapers.

I am giving you this warning, my compatriots, to whom I dedicate this modest

work: Do not look in it for literary gems which it does not have; or profound and
luminous thoughts, or ingenious and sublime concepts, or even coherent ideas,
because such conceptions cannot sprout from a dwarfish intellect like mine.

Though the work suffers from these defects, yet you will discover in it, you will
note throbbing on all its pages three sublime aspirations, for in this respect I
yield to no one, which are--

1. A stainless patriotism, an immense love of the Philippines; the

Philippines, constant love of my heart, my perennial illusion!
2. My aim, my vehement desire to improve her lot, to see the sun of progress,
liberty, and law shine over her horizons;
3. My earnest desire to unmask her oppressors, those responsible for her
immense misfortunes.

It is said that in certain towns in India are found trees called manzanillos whose
shade brings death to those who unfortunately seek shelter under their leafy but
poisonous bowers.

"Voila l'ennemi", said Gambetta; see there the enemy, we say: The friars are the
human manzanillos, more poisonous than those trees, under whose "protective"
shade Philippine towns languishing and agonizing.

Having pointed out the evil, the "tree" being known, it only remains for us all in
solidum to pull it up by the roots and thereby render an immense service to our
Motherland the Philippines and to all humanity.

Barcelona, 1891

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Guide Questions:

1. To whom was the letter written? Who wrote it?

2. What are his sentiments towards them? Explain.
3. Was the message positive or negative? Explain.
4. What is the purpose of the sender in writing the letter?

What is It
Messages are significant political, social, or moral point delivered through a film
or text. They can be positive or negative. Study the matrix below to see how they
are different from each other.
Positive Message Negative Message

expects a positive reaction from the
reader
produces good feeling
expresses good news so receivers are
interested
uses positive tone
easy to write because the receiver is
fairly receptive of the presented
information
uses positive language, the selection of
positive words or phrases to
communicate a positive, supportive
tone to other people.
shows your trust in the receiver’s
abilities to accomplish goals
expects a negative reaction from the
reader
results to disappointment,
disapproval, and dissatisfaction
gives bad news so receivers are not
interested
has a negative tone
difficult to write because the receiver is
being told exactly what they avoid to
hear
uses negative language, the choice of
negative words even when the
statement is positive
underestimates the receiver’s
confidence by telling them what they
cannot accomplish

As mentioned, messages also use negative and positive languages.

Contrast them using the following matrix.
Negative Language Positive Language

I have observed your tardiness in I noticed that you usually arrive

our previous rehearsals. Please do after our call time. Please do your
not be late again tomorrow so we best to be early tomorrow so we can
will not start late. practice on time. See you!

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 Do not worry about our performance
tomorrow. We will not fail.
I have seen your report, and I
noticed that your references are
incorrect.
Your essay did not meet the
required number of words. Our
teacher might give you deductions
for it.
Do not feel sorry for what happened.
It is not your fault.
I am confident that we will pass our
performance tomorrow. Think
positively!
Your report is different from your
assigned topic. Please check if your
references are correct.
Your essay is shorter than the
expected output. You can add more
details to achieve a higher score.
Cheer up, it is alright!

What’s More
Text
The essay underneath discusses slavery in Africa. Take your time to read it and
answer the questions that follow.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade

By Alexander Ives Bortolot

From the seventeenth century on, slaves became the focus of trade
between Europe and Africa. Europe’s conquest and colonization of North and
South America and the Caribbean islands from the fifteenth century onward
created an insatiable demand for African laborers, who were deemed fit to work
in the tropical conditions of the New World. The numbers of slaves imported
across the Atlantic Ocean steadily increased, from approximately 5,000 slaves a
year in the sixteenth century to over 100,000 slaves a year by the end of the
eighteenth century.

Evolving political circumstances and trade alliances in Africa led to shifts

in the geographic origins of slaves throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries. Slaves were generally the unfortunate victims of territorial expansion
by imperialist African states or of raids led by predatory local strongmen, and
various populations found themselves captured and sold as different regional
powers came to prominence. Firearms, which were often exchanged for slaves,
generally increased the level of fighting by lending military strength to previously
marginal polities. A nineteenth-century tobacco pipe (1977.462.1) from the
Democratic Republic of the Congo or Angola demonstrates the degree to which
warfare, the slave trade, and elite arts were intertwined at this time. The pipe
itself was the prerogative of wealthy and powerful individuals who could afford
expensive imported tobacco, generally by trading slaves, while the rifle form

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makes clear how such slaves were acquired in the first place. Because of its

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deadly power, the rifle was added to the repertory of motifs drawn upon in many
regional depictions of rulers and culture heroes as emblematic of power along
with the leopard, elephant, and python.

The institution of slavery existed in Africa long before the arrival of

Europeans and was widespread at the period of economic contact. Private land
ownership was largely absent from pre-colonial African societies, and slaves were
one of the few forms of wealth-producing property an individual could possess.
Additionally, rulers often maintained corps of loyal, foreign-born slaves to
guarantee their political security, and would encourage political centralization by
appointing slaves from the imperial hinterlands to positions within the royal
capital. Slaves were also exported across the desert to North Africa and to
western Asia, Arabia, and India.

It would be impossible to argue, however, that transatlantic trade did not

have a major effect upon the development and scale of slavery in Africa. As the
demand for slaves increased with European colonial expansion in the New World,
rising prices made the slave trade increasingly lucrative. African states eager to
augment their treasuries in some instances even preyed upon their own peoples
by manipulating their judicial systems, condemning individuals and their
families to slavery in order to reap the rewards of their sale to European traders.
Slave exports were responsible for the emergence of a number of large and
powerful kingdoms that relied on a militaristic culture of constant warfare to
generate the great numbers of human captives required for trade with the
Europeans. The Yoruba kingdom of Oyo on the Guinea coast, founded sometime
before 1500, expanded rapidly in the eighteenth century as a result of this
commerce. Its formidable army, aided by advanced iron technology, captured
immense numbers of slaves that were profitably sold to traders. In the
nineteenth century, the aggressive pursuit of slaves through warfare and raiding
led to the ascent of the kingdom of Dahomey, in what is now the Republic of
Benin, and prompted the emergence of the Chokwe chiefdoms from under the
shadow of their Lunda overlords in present-day Angola and Democratic Republic
of the Congo. The Asante kingdom on the Gold Coast of West Africa also became
a major slave exporter in the eighteenth century.

Ultimately, the international slave trade had lasting effects upon the
African cultural landscape. Areas that were hit hardest by endemic warfare and
slave raids suffered from general population decline, and it is believed that the
shortage of men in particular may have changed the structure of many societies
by thrusting women into roles previously occupied by their husbands and
brothers. Additionally, some scholars have argued that images stemming from
this era of constant violence and banditry have survived to the present day in the
form of metaphysical fears and beliefs concerning witchcraft. In many cultures of
West and Central Africa, witches are thought to kidnap solitary individuals to
enslave or consume them. Finally, the increased exchange with Europeans and
the fabulous wealth it brought enabled many states to cultivate sophisticated
artistic traditions employing expensive and luxurious materials. From the fine
silver- and gold work of Dahomey and the Asante court to the virtuoso wood

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carving of the Chokwe chiefdoms, these treasures are a vivid testimony of this
turbulent period in African history.

Guide Questions:
1. How did you feel after reading the essay?
2. What kind of language did the author use to express his message? What is the tone of th
3. Is he in favor of slavery or not? Explain.
4. What do you think is the message of the essay? Is it positive or negative? What do you th
5.
6.

What I Have Learned

Fill in the blanks with the missing words or group of words to complete
each sentence in the paragraph. Let us test how well you can recall the
discussion.

I hAve LEArned thAt messAges Are

_
And texts
Are _ .
I Also LEArned thAt there Are _ types of text. These Are
, _, And
. Texts thAt tell A story Are

, texts thAt , , And

Are expository, And those thAt Argue Are
. In writing A text, I hAve LEArned thAt I cAn choose to use
or LAngUAge And tone, but between
these two, I opt to use the LAngUAge And tone to crEAte A
feeling to my reAders And MAke them remember my messAge
longer, if not forever.

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 What I Can Do
Now that you can recognize positive and negative messages
conveyed in a text, it is time to check if you can turn negative statements into
positive ones by accomplishing the table below.

What NEGATIVE messages do NEGATIVE

How would you say
you usually say to your . . .
Messages these messages
POSITIVELY?

mother?
father?

sibling?
best friend?
classmate?
friend?
groupmate?
teacher?
neighbour?
acquaintance?

Assessment
You are going to list down three main problems in your barangay. Then, you
have to write a letter informing your barangay captain about these problems,
explaining why you think they need immediate solutions, and proposing
solutions to address the. Remember to be polite and use positive language and
tone to ensure you would not offend him. Follow the following format for
uniformity. After writing the letter, have it signed by your barangay captain. The
objective of this assessment is to check if you can positively deliver your message
even if you are presenting problems.

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 Date: _

(Name of the Barangay Captain)

Barangay Captain
(Address)

Sir/ Ma’am: (Just use what is appropriate.)

Respectfully yours,

Signature over Printed Name

Received:

Barangay Captain

Additional Activities
Think Positive!
The following sentences are negatively written because they are easier to
write. Challenge yourself to rephrase them using a positive language and find out
if the impact of these sentences to the readers is the same.
1. Do not forget to pay your bills on time.
2. You are not allowed to copy from each other.
3. Cigarettes are bad for your health.
4. Do not pick the flowers.
5. I do not eat much.

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 Answer Key
What I Know

1. Negative 4. Negative
2. Negative 5. Negative
3. Positive

What’s In

1. Narrative 6. Argumentative
2. Expository 7. Expository
3. Narrative 8. Argumentative
4. Narrative 9. Narrative
5. Expository 10. Argumentative

What’s More
Text

1. Answers may vary.

2. The author uses a negative language.
3. The tone of the essay is negative. It is because he seems angry to
the oppressors of the unfortunate Africans.
4. No, he is not. It is because his conclusion has a negative message.
5. Answers may vary.
6. Answers may vary.

What I can Do (Answers may vary.)

Additional Activities (Answers may vary.)

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