PLANT FOR LIFE

Nestor looked happily at his rows of

vegetable plants with their green, fresh and
healthy leaves. There were rows of lettuce,
tomatoes, eggplants and pechay. On one side of
the yard were trellises of patola, squash and
amargoso. Nestor remembered that their backyard
was once a dumping place of garbage, empty cans
and trash. Then the government launched the
“Plant for Life project”. With the help of his father,
they cleaned the backyard and dug the stumps and
roots of old trees. They cultivated the soil, got
vegetables seeds from the Bureau of Plants and
planted them in their backyard. Now all are ready
for harvest. The vegetables will be more than what
they need so Nestor will take some to the market.
That will be extra money for the family.

1. Where did Nestor plant the vegetable seeds? 7. How did Nestor feel about his
a. in the garden vegetable garden?
b. in their backyard a. He did not like it
c. in front of their house b. He was sorry about it.
c. He was happy about it
2. What made Nestor happy?
a. his rows of toys 8. Where did Nestor get his
b. his row of vegetables vegetable seeds?
c. his row of flowering plants a. from the Bureau of Plants
b. from the Bureau of Fisheries
3. Where were the climbing vegetables planted? c. from the Bureau of Industries
a. in front of the backyard
b. on one side of the yard 9. Where would Nestor bring the
c. in the middle of the yard the vegetables they do not need?
a. to his friends
4. What was Nestor’s backyard before? b. to the market
a. a storeroom c. to his relatives
b. a playground
c. a dumping place 10. What activity would increase
food production?
5. What project did the government launched? a. planting flowering trees
a. Save a Life b. planting flowering plants
b. Plant for Life c. planting vegetables
c. Help the Typhoon Victims in the backyard

6. Who help Nestor clean the backyard?

a. his sister
b. his father
c. his mother Adapted by ROSALIE B. MAGDALE from the book DEVELOPING READING POWER 6
 THE FLOWER OF LOVE
Once there lived a chieftain who had a beautiful
daughter named Liwayway. One day Liwayway went into the
woods to gather fruits and flowers but unfortunately lost her
way. She became unconscious when a wild beast ran after
her. When she came to, she saw a young man bending over
her. He was the son of another chieftain. When they parted,
each one knew they were in love with each other.
One day the young man was going away to fight the
white man who had invaded their land. The lovers promise
never to forget each other saying “sumpa kita”. But the
warrior never came back. In sorrow, the maiden killed
herself. Sometime later, shrubs with fragrant flowers grew on
her grave. People believed that Liwayway’s love grew and
bloomed. It became a custom for young lovers after that to
exchange garlands of these flowers as a token of their faithful
love. They whispered “I promise” (sumpa kita) to each other.
In time the flowers became known as sampaguita. It is
adopted as our national flower because of its fragrance and
simplicity.
1. Who was Liwayway? 6. Why do the young man live?
a. She was a mermade. a. to go with his father
b. She was a goddess of dawn. b. to fight the invaders
c. She was a daughter of a chieftain. c. to live in another land
2. Why did she go to the woods? 7. What did they promise each other?
a. To chase birds. a. to write each other
b. to take a bath b. to love each other forever
c. to gather fruits and flowers c. never to forget each other
3. What happen when a wild beast ran after her? 8. Who killed herself?
a. She played with it. a. the fairy
b. She climbed a tree. b. Liwayway
c. She became unconscious. c. the maiden
4. What did she see when she regained consciousness? 9. What grew on her grave?
a. a fairy bending over her a. shrubs with fragrant flowers
b. a wild beast bending over her b. shrubs with yellow flower
c. a young man bending over her c. shrubs with thick leaves
5. Who was the young man the maiden saw? 10. What does the sampaguita
symbolize? a. loyalty
a. a hunter b. bravery
b. a warrior c. son of another chieftain
c. honesty
Adapted by ROSALIE B. MAGDALE from the book DEVELOPING READING POWER 6
 TELL THE TRUTH

Don’t be afraid, Little Johnny, my boy,

Open the door and go in;
The longer you wait before telling your fault
The harder it is to begin.

No wonder you stand with a pitiful face

And fear the confession to make;
For you know when your naughty the worst of it all
Is making your mother’s heart ache.

Have courage, dear boy, never mind if your shoes

Are muddy and wet, and all that;
Never mind if your clothes have been terribly torn
And you have ruined your petty new hat.

Go in like a man, and tell mother the truth

Like a brave little lad, and you’ll see
How happy a boy who confesses his fault,
And is truthful and honest as can be.
Adapted
1. What was the author’s advice to 6. Will you be afraid to tell what you have
Jhonny? done if you have ruined your clothes?
a. not to play a. Yes
b. not to enter the house b. No
c. not to be afraid to confess the truth c. Maybe

2. What happen if one waits longer? 7. What does one need to tell the truth?
a. it will be hard to begin a. fear
b. it will be easy to begin b. courage
c. it will be foolish to begin c. shyness

3. How does a boy appear if he has a 8. How will one feel if he confesses the
confession to make? truth?
a. He has a pitiful face. a. happy
b. He has a brave face. b. afraid
c. He has a happy face. c. timid

4. How does a mother feel when her little 9. Is it always easy to tell the truth?
boy has been naughty? a. Yes
a. She is sad. b. No
b. She is proud. c. Maybe
c. She is very happy.
10. What is the best trait one must
posses
5. What will you do when you have to be able to confess?
something to confess? a. fear
a. Try to hide it. b. pride
b. Try to forget it c. courage
c. Face the truth like a man.
 AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN

An American soldier called General

Gregorio del Pilar was an officer and a
gentleman. Del Pilar was the youngest
general of the Philippine revolution.
When the revolution broke out he was
only seventeen. He was a brave and
gallant soldier. He was only twenty-four
years old when he died fighting at Tirad
Pass.

Gregorio del Pilar was born in Bulacan, Bulacan.

He was a nephew of Marcelo H. del Pilar. He became the
favorite of General Emilio Aguinaldo who took the very
young soldier with him wherever he went. When the
fighting between the Americans and the Filipinos
became intense, General Emilio Aguinaldo had to retreat
to the mountains. General del Pilar and his sixty men
stood at Tirad Pass to cover the retreat. The narrow
pass was in Palanan, Isabela. Three hundred American
soldiers fought against del Pilar sixty man. But del Pilar
and his men fought bravely until a bullet struck him
dead.
1. Who called General del Pilar an officer 6. Who were assigned to guard the
and a gentleman? pass where the Americans would pass?
a. the English a. General Aguinaldo’s soldiers
b. the Filipinos b. Gregorio del Pilar and his men
c. an American soldier c. Marcelo H. del Pilar and his me
2. Which word describes Gregorio del 7. How many soldiers depended Tirad
as a general? Pass with General del Pilar?
a. oldest a. sixty men
b. youngest b. three hundred
c. middle-aged c. six hundred men
3. How old was he when the revolution 8. Where was Tirad Pass?
broke out? a. in Isabela
a. nineteen b. in Nueva Ecija
b. eighteen c. in Nueva Viscaya
c. seventeen 9. What happened to Gen. del Pilar
4. How was he related to Marcelo during the battle?
H. del Pilar? a. He died.
a. He was his aid. b. He retreated.
b. He was his cousin. c. He surrendered.
c. He was his nephew. 10. How old was he when he died?
5. Where did General Aguinaldo retreat a. twenty
when the Americans pursued him? b. seventeen
a. to palanan c. twenty-four
b. to Bulacan
c. to Pangasinan
 DAPHNE
Daphne was a beautiful nymph. The sun god,
Apollo, feel in love with her but she rejected him.
Once, Apollo saw her and pursued her. Daphne
sought shelter behind a big tree. She was out of
breath from running. Now, as she leaned on the tree,
she looked back with frightened eyes. Was Apollo
still running after her? She threw herself upon her
knees and prayed to be saved from her pursuer. She
rose with outstretched arms. Then her fingers
fluttered gently, as if blown by a gentle breeze. Little
by little she was changed from a beautiful to a laurel
tree. Slowly she broke into a smile. Now, she was
safe. Apollo could not carry her away anymore.
1. Daphne sought shelter behind ______. 6. She threw herself upon her ____ .
a. a big tree a. bed
b. a Laurel tree b. knees
c. a large house c. pillow

2. A she leaned on the tree, she looked 7. She was changed from a beautiful
back with ______ . nymph into a ______ .
a. round eyes a. an Oak tree
b. smiling eyes b. a Narra tree
c. frightened eyes c. a Laurel tree

3. She was out of breath from _____ . 8. Her fingers fluttered _____ .
a. talking a. slowly
b. running b. gently
c. laughing c. rapidly

4. She prayed to be save from her ____ . 9. She felt safe after she became a ____ .
a. father a. tree
b. pursuer b. nymph
c. husband c. goddess

5. Slowly she stretched out her _____ . 10. She could not be carried away
a. feet anymore by ______ .
b. arms Adapted by ROSALIE B. MAGDALE from the a. Theus
c. hands b. Midas
book DEVELOPING READING POWER 6
c. Apollo
 HOW THE ROMANS COOKED THEIR FOOD

Long ago the Romans used to cooked their food

just as the way hunters today sometimes do. They
dug out and oven in the ground, lined it with stones
and made a fire in it. When the improvised oven was
well heated, they raked out the ashes, put in the food
and covered it. We learned about this from
excavations in the city of Pompeii. Pompeii was
destroyed and buried during the eruption of a
volcano hundreds of years ago. When the city was
excavated, ovens with wood and ashes were found
among the ruins. It is believe that just as the cooks
were about to bake, the fiery volcano rained out
ashes and boiling lava and burned down the city.

1. In ancient time, how did the Romans 6. Who cooked their food in
underground
cooked their food? ovens?
a. just as the cooks do today a. the Jews
b. just as the people do today b. the Italians
c. just as some hunters do today c. the Romans

2. What did they use to line the ground 7. Who had ovens with wood ashes
in them?
where they built the ovens? a. the British
a. lime b. the Romans
b. clay c. the people of Pompeii
c. stones
8. What destroyed Pompeii?
3. What did they do with the oven before a. great fire
putting in their food? b. a terrible flood
a. They cooled it. c. a volcanic eruption
b. They heated it.
c. They poured water in it. 9. What were the cooks about to do
when the volcano erupted?
4. Where did they dig their ovens? a. eat
a. in the ground b. bake
b. in the cement c. washed dishes
c. in the tree trunk
10. What was done with the buried city?
5. What did they rake out of the oven a. rebuilt
before putting in their food? b. forgotten
a. sand c. excavated
b. ashes
c. wood Adapted by ROSALIE B. MAGDALE from the book DEVELOPING READING POWER 6
 A LETTER OF INVITATION
26 del Pilar Street
Sampaloc, Manila
March 15, 2004
Dear Nina,
My parents are going to give a party on the
evening of my graduation, March 29. It will be held
in our house on del Pilar Street. Please come and
bring along your brother Milo and your sister, Nida.
My father has prepared some very exciting parlor
games which I am sure you and your sister and
brother will enjoy. There will also be a program
prepared by my elder sister, Nora. The party starts
at six o’clock. You can go home at nine so you will
have plenty of time to enjoy the party. We are hoping
to see you all.
Your friend,
Gina
1. What kind of a letter is this? 6. Who are included in the invitation?
a. a letter of thanks a. Milo and Nida
b. a letter of invitation b. Gina and Nina c.
a letter of congratulations c. Gina’s parents
2. Who wrote the letter? 7. What did Gina’s Father prepare for
a. Gina b. Father c. Nina the children?
3. The letter is addressed to a. parlor games
a. Mother b. Gina c. Nina b. group games
4. Who is giving a party? c. outdoor games
a. Tita’s parents 8. What has been prepared by
b. Nina’s parents Gina’s sister?
c. Gina’s parents a. dances 5.
Where is the party going to be b. program
held? c. parlor games
a. in school 10. What occasion will be celebrated?
b. in Nina’s home a. Gina’s Birthday
c. in Gina’s home b. Gina’s Graduation
6. Who are expected to come? c. Gina’s House Blessing
a. Nina, Milo and Nida
b. Gina, Nina and Nina c. Nina, Gina and Nora

Adapted by ROSALIE B. MAGDALE from the book DEVELOPING READING POWER 6

THE LEGEND OF LAKE BUHI

Grandmother was relating the story of Lake Buhi to

her grandchildern. According to her, Buhi was a town at
the bottom of the lake. Once upon a time the people of
this enchanted town lived in abundance. But as the
people became wealthy they forgot all about God and so
God punished them. Their town sank beneath the earth
overnight and in this place there rose a beautiful lake.
When the weather was warm and clear and the
surface of the lake is as clear as the mirror, it is said that
one can look down into the bottom of the lake. The
people can be seen doing their everyday tasks. Some are
cultivating their lands, others are building houses and
smoke can be seen coming from the kitchen as women
cook the family meals.
It is also said that the tiniest fish in the world,
found in Lake Buhi, are trimmings of abaca fiber as the
people in the lake continue to make hats out of abaca
for which the town was once famous.

1. What is the selection about? 6. What appeared in place of their town?

a. a sea a. a city
b. a lake b. a lake
c. a stream c. a forest

2. What type of literature is the 7. What kind of fish is found in Lake Buhi?
selection? a. the tiniest fish in the world

a. fable b. legend
b. the wildest fish in the world
c. fairy tale c. the most beautiful fish in the
world
3. What was Buhi before? 8. What was believed to be seen down
a. lake the lake when the weather was clear?
b. town a. ruins of buildings and houses
c. people b. people doing their everyday tasks
c. schools of fishes converging on the weather

4. How does the surface of the lake look when c. schools of fishes converging on the the weather
is calm and clear? lake floor
a. muddy 9. What do people say about the fish found
b. gloomy in Lake Buhi?
c. clear as a mirror a. They are pieces of thread.
5. Why did God punish the people? b. They are trimmings of abaca fiber.
a. They were lazy. c. They are roots of plants under the la
b. They forgot God. 10. What do people believe about the lake?
c. They were selfish. a. It is big. b.It is beautiful. c.It is enchanted

Adapted by ROSALIE B. MAGDALE from the book DEVELOPING READING POWER 6

BEING ON TIME

Arturo was the president of the Grade Six class

organization. They agreed to celebrate Arbor Day with a
program and mass planting of fruit trees.
 “At what time will the program start?” asked Miss
Diaz, their teacher. ”It will start at 7:00 o’clock in the
morning, Miss Diaz,” answered Arturo. “That’s good,”
observed Miss Diaz. “It will not be too hot for the
planting of trees. I only hope it will begin on schedule.”
“That’s sure, Miss Diaz,” Arturo said. “It will be a
new Filipino time concept.”
“I admire you Arturo, for saying ‘Filipino time,’
which means on time,” said Miss Diaz laughing.
“It is really time for us to observe punctuality,”
explained Arturo. “So instead of saying being on time is
American time,’ we shall call it ‘Filipino time’.”

1. What position did Arturo have in the class 6. What do we usually say when
organization? punctuality is observed in any activity?
a. secretary b. treasurer c. president a. Filipino time
b. Spanish time
2. What did the class organization decide to c. American time
celebrate?
a. Arbor Day b. Town Fiesta 7. How did Arturo call punctuality?
c. Parent’s Day a. Filipino time
b. Spanish time
3. Aside from the program, what other activity c. American time
was scheduled?
a. planting of shrubs 8. What did Arturo’s class agree on?
b. planting of fruit trees a. starting late
c. planting of flowering trees b. adopting American time
c. changing the concept of Filipino time
4. At what time the program supposed
to start? 9. Did Arturo’s class agree with it?
a. 8:00 o’clock in the morning a. yes b. no c. maybe
b. 7:00 o’clock in the morning
c. 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon 10. Who admired Arturo’s leadership?
a. The teacher
5. Who was in doubt whether it would start b. The parents
on time? c. The principal
a. Arturo’s mother
b. Arturo’s teacher c. Arturo’s classmate
Adapted by ROSALIE B. MAGDALE from the book DEVELOPING READING POWER 6

LUNETA AND MANILA BAY

 THE HOMING PIGEONS

During the first World War, both

the army and the navy felt a great need
for some way to send messages back to
their headquarters. Sometimes a torpe-
doed ship needed to send wireless
message to land. Men in a sinking ship
were lost unless a passing ship chanced
upon them. Battalions sent out on scouting trips were sometimes
gunned down by enemies. A soldier sent with a message for help was
oftentimes caught. Even messengers in airplanes were not safe. The
enemy usually shot the planes and kept the messengers as prisoners.
So, pigeons were trained as messengers. They have a strong love for
their homes. Most of the birds move from one home to another but the
pigeons have one to which they always return. Pigeons even when
taken away far from home, always fly swiftly back to their habitations.
1. Who has a strong love for their homes? 6. During the first World War, how did
a. mayas the distressed ships ask for help?
b. pigeons a. through the radio
c. love birds b. through underground channels
c. through the messenger-pigeons
2. What do they do even when taken away
away from home? 7. Who were sometimes lost and kept as
a. They are usually lost. prisoners by enemies?
b. They never come back a. battalions
c. They swiftly back home b. messenger in ships
c. messengers I planes
3. Pigeons were trained as
a. nurses 8. When is the safe delivery of messages
b. soldiers very important?
c. messengers a. during travel
b. during field trips
4. What often happened to men sent as c. during World War
as messengers in airplanes?
a. They often lost on their way. 9. What is the common characteristic of
b. They were often shot down by most birds?
enemy guns. a. They build homes.
c. They carried messages safely. b. They stay in home.
c. They move from one home to
another.
5. Who felt a great need for a way to send
messages to the headquarters? 10. Why do pigeons make good
a. the police messengers?
b. the constabulary a. They always fly steadily back home.
c. the army and the navy b. They changed their homes very often.
c. They move from one place to another.

Adapted by ROSALIE B. MAGDALE from the book DEVELOPING READING POWER 6

 1. What do animals ask in general?
a. that we make them asleep
T HE ANIMAL’S WISH b. that we be more kind to them
We beg no fancy garb c. that we ask them to dine with us
To keep us cozily warm 2. How long do animals serve us?
Nor softer bed to rest a. a few years
Though it should be less hard. b. for some time
c. as long as they live
We wish not our liberty 3. What do animals consider a silly dream?
For to serve is our fate a. to be able to talk
We live as servants forever b. to be able to hear
To work early and late. c. to be able to serve
4. What do they beg us?
To talk is a silly dream a. shelter for them
For us doomed mute to remain b. kindness to them
But we hear, see and feel c. clothing to them
Please to us be a bit kinder. 5. Which of these statements is true?
a. Giving food to dumb creatures is enough.
Be kind a little bit more
b. We need to be more kind to
And be unkind ten times less
dumbcreatures.
We are poor dumb creatures c. We must not consider dumb creatures as
And we have but few needs. our friends.
6. Are they asking their master to let them
free?
a. Yes b. No c. Maybe
7. When do animals work as their master’s
servant?
a. early and date b. non-stop
c. only at night
8. How much needs do animals have?
a. many b. none c. few
9. What are the animals doomed to remain?
a. mute b. sensitive c. untrainable
10. What three things can the animals do?
a. feel, hear, see
b. see, hear, speak
c. hear, speak, feel

Vocabulary: 1. fancy – decorated 3. cozily – pleasantly, comfortably

2. doomed – condemn to suffer a dreadful fate 4. mute – speechless, quiet

ROSALIE B. MAGDALE
Grade VI Adviser Adapted by ROSALIE B. MAGDALE from the book DEVELOPING READING POWER 6