Reading and

Writing
Quarter 4 – Module 2:
Critical Reading, Evaluative
Statements, and Textual
Evidences
Reading and Writing
Quarter 4 – Module 2: Critical Reading, Evaluative Statements, and Textual Evidences
First Edition, 2020

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 Senior High School

Reading and
Writing
Quarter 4 – Module 2:
Critical Reading, Evaluative
Statements, and Textual
Evidences
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:
As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to
use this module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress
while allowing them to manage their own learning at home.
Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist the learners as
they do the tasks included in the module.

For the learner:

As a learner, you must learn to become responsible of your own
learning. Take time to read, understand, and perform the different
activities in the module.
As you go through the different activities of this module be
reminded of the following:
1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any
part of the module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the
exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer Let Us Try before moving on to the other
activities.
3. Read the instructions carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking
your answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are done.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this
module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always
bear in mind that you are not alone. We hope that through this material,
you will experience meaningful learning and gain deep understanding
of the relevant competencies. You can do it!

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 Let Us Learn

Good day to you dear learner! Welcome to this Reading and Writing Module
2! It is the beginning of the fourth quarter and I hope that you are excited and eager
to learn our new lesson. Previously, you have learned to identify the context in which
a text was developed. This basic skill is very important for a critical reader like you.
As a student, you need to understand different viewpoints, use textual evidences and
make your own judgment based on what you have read.

In this module, you will specifically learn how to analyze an article or a

passage, formulate evaluative statements and determine textual evidences.
Mastering these skills will surely help you to become a more effective critical reader.
May you find substantial insights as you delve deeper in this intellectual journey.

There are three lessons covered by the module.

• Lesson 1- Critical Reading as Reasoning
• Lesson 2- Formulating Evaluative Statements
• Lesson 3- Determining Textual Evidence

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. write a paragraph that explains critical reading as a way of reasoning;
2. identify assertions;
3. formulate counterclaims; and
4. cite textual evidence in support of an assertion and counterclaims about
a text read.

Let Us Try
Directions: Read and understand the following questions. Write the letter
of the correct answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which of the following involves presenting a reasoned argument that evaluates

what you have read?
a. Assertion c. Counterclaims
b. Reading Skills d. Critical Reading
2. Which of the following is not a purpose of critical reading?
a. Evaluate ideas
b. Accept all information as is
c. Reveal main ideas of the text
d. Analyze and evaluate the preciseness of reasoning
3. Which of the following is the process of thinking something in a
logical way in order to form a conclusion or judgment?
a. fact c. criticism
b. value d. reasoning
4. As a critical reader, which of the following you should not reflect on?
a. What the text says c. Interpretation of the text
b. What the text describes d. Other reader’s opinion

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5. Which of the following is a statement used to express a strong
declaration, a forceful or confident, and positive statement regarding a belief or
a fact?
a. assertion c. fact
b. opinion d. affirmation
6. When is the best time to formulate literary assertion?
a. after reading
b. before writing
c. before watching a play
d. after playing online games
7. The following are types of assertion except:
a. Emphatic Assertion c. Core Assertion
b. I – Language Assertion d. Basic Assertion
8. Why is it necessary to include facts and evidences after every
assertion?
a. To let the writer directly convey his idea or feeling
b. To make a strong stand on every claimed assertion
c. To present the conclusion of the academic research
d. To let the reader understand the background of the paper
9. Read the assertions below and identify its type.
Earth is the third planet from the sun and the largest of the terrestrial
planets.
a. fact c. opinion
b. convention d. preference
10. What do you call the claims made to rebut a previous claim?
a. claims c. arguments
b. assertions d. counterclaims
11. Which piece of evidence could be used to BEST support this claim:
High school students should be required to wear uniforms.
a. School uniforms can be ordered online.
b. When adding everything up, a school uniform could end up costing more
than P500.
c. At one school that recently required students to wear uniforms, attendance
rates went up, and behavior incidents went down.
d. A student reported, "Allowing us to wear our own clothes gives us a chance
to show our unique style and independence."

For Nos. 12-15

Every day after work Paul took his muddy boots off on the steps of the
front porch. Alice would have a fit if the boots made it so far as the welcome
mat. He then took off his dusty overalls and threw them into a plastic garbage
bag; Alice left a new garbage bag tied to the porch railing for him every
morning. On his way in the house, he dropped the garbage bag off at the
washing machine and went straight up the stairs to the shower as he was
instructed. He would eat dinner with her after he was “presentable,” as Alice
had often said.

Source: Citing Textual Evidence

https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/57239db0fb11306722f56268/citing-textual-evidence.
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12. What type of work does Paul do?
a. a lawyer c. a garbage man
b. a doctor d. a construction worker
13. Based on the text, how do you know that Paul works in a
construction?
a. He has tools.
b. He wears a hat.
c. He goes straight up the stairs to shower.
d. His boots are muddy and his overalls are dusty.
14. What type of person is Alice?
a. sad and angry
b. messy and sloppy
c. care free and calm
d. meticulous and controlling
15. What type of relationship do Paul and Alice have?
a. They are neighbors.
b. They are colleagues.
c. They are brother and sister.
d. They are husband and wife.

How did you score so far? You may check your answers using the answer
key. Wrong answers? Don’t worry. Continue reading and you will surely have
a clearer idea of what our lesson is all about.

Lesson Critical Reading as

1 Reasoning
Critical reading skills play an important role of your success as a reader. It
helps you to figure out the meaning behind the text you are reading and to evaluate
a piece of writing. Critical reading goes further than just being satisfied with what a
text says, it also involves reflecting on what the text describes, and analyzing what
the text actually means. The more you read critically, the more your critical reading
skills will improve.

Let Us Study
Before moving on to our lesson, let us answer first the activity.
Let us distinguish how reading and critical reading differ from each other.

Activity 1 Let’s Differentiate

Directions: Complete the matrix below by citing the differences between reading
and critical reading.

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 READING CRITICAL READING

Purpose

Activity

Focus

Questions

Direction

Response

Let’s see how you fared in this activity. You may consult the
answer key for probable answers.

So, what exactly is Critical Reading?

Critical reading is a more active way of reading. It is a deeper and more

complex engagement with a text. Critical reading is a process of analyzing,
interpreting and, sometimes, evaluating. When we read critically, we use our critical
thinking skills to question both the text and our own reading of it. In the process of
reading, readers become the author of their understanding. Their understanding is
their own creation, based on the evidence they find, the knowledge they bring to their
reading, and the inferences they draw (Kurland, 2002).
Critical readers are able to interact with the texts they read through carefully
listening, writing, conversation, and questioning. They do not sit back and wait for
the meaning of a text to come to them, but work hard in order to create such
meaning. Critical readers are not made overnight. Becoming a critical reader will take
a lot of practice and patience. Depending on your current reading philosophy and
experiences with reading, becoming a critical reader may require a significant change
in your whole understanding of the reading process (Pavel, n.d.). Meanwhile,
reasoning is the process of thinking about something in a logical way in order to
form a conclusion or judgment. It is the drawing of inferences or conclusions
through the use of reason (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 2017).

When reading academic material, you will be faced with the author’s
interpretation and opinion. Different authors will, naturally, have different
slants. You should always examine what you are reading critically and look for
limitations, omissions, inconsistencies, oversights and arguments against what you
are reading (www.skillsyouneed.com).

Steps to Follow for Critical Reading

1. Self-Reflect

What experiences, assumptions, knowledge, and perspectives do you bring

to the text? What biases might you have? Are you able to keep an open
mind and consider other points of view?

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 2. Read to Understand
a. Examine the text and context: Who is the author? Who is the
publisher? Where and when was it written? What kind of text is it?
b. Skim the text: What is the topic? What are the main ideas? c. Resolve
confusion: Look up unfamiliar words or terms in dictionaries or
glossaries. Go over difficult passages to clarify them

As a critical reader you should reflect on the following:

1. What the text means
After critically reading a piece you should be able to take notes, paraphrasing
- in your own words - the key points.
2. What the text describes
You should be confident that you have understood the text sufficiently to be
able to use your own examples and compare and contrast with other writing
on the subject in hand.
3. Interpretation of the text
This means that you should be able to fully analyze the text and state a
meaning for the text as a whole.

I am sure that as a student, reading is very close to your heart. I am also certain
that you believe that critical readers are not made overnight. Tt takes a lot of practice
and patience for you to become one. However, if you have a positive attitude towards
reading and acknowledges that it enhances your understanding, becoming a critical
reader is not impossible.

Lesson Formulating
2 Evaluative Statements
Everyone has an opinion. When you read, you evaluate the text you are
reading. Then, you give your own point of view. However, it is very important to
validate your assertions and counterclaims supported with valid evidences to
produce meaningful evaluative statements.

Evaluative statements about a text are formulated after having read the text
carefully and critically, grasping the essence of the text and checking for possible
fallacies in the argument. The formulation of the evaluative statements is done in the
same way you do any other writing except that the statement is about your judgment
of the text’s content and property (Belino, 2017).

Identifying Assertions

When someone makes a statement investing his strong belief in it, as if it is

true though it may not be, he is making an assertion. Assertion is a stylistic
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approach or technique involving a strong declaration, a forceful or confident and
positive statement regarding a belief or a fact. Often, it is without a proof or any
support. Its purpose is to express ideas or feelings directly (Ramones, 2018).

Before writing an assertion in literature, the author must comprehensively

read or watch the literary work. He must take down the part he is for, or he is opposed
to, followed by his explanation of it. It is also best to collect evidence from the same
or other literary authors that have the same assertion as with the writer.

According to Ramones there are different types of assertion that can be used in
formal or informal writing.

Let us use the short text below in formulating different types of assertion.

Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the culture and values of the Filipinos are
still in tacked. Pre-colonial Philippines has their own form of government and social
structure. Every local community is composed of small kingdom or tribe headed by
a chieftain called the ‘rajah’ or ‘datu’. Social structure also exists and is composed
of three classes namely – the ‘maharlika’ or freeman, ‘timawa’ or the middle class
and the ‘alipin’ or the slaves. Judicial, legislative and executive systems, also known
as the branches of the government, are also present during pre-colonialism. The
‘datu’ formulates the law, ‘village elders’ help the datu in deciding and promulgating
laws and the ‘umalohokan’ or town crier is the one who disseminates new law or
ordinances. Philippines is also known as sea travelers with the use of their
‘balangay’ or Butuan boat. They also had smooth foreign relation because of the
trading of minerals and goods. Literacy rate is also high because of the existence of
the ‘baybayin’ or the ancient writing method. All of these advances were abolished
as the Spaniards fully colonized the country.

Source:www.slideshare.net/VanessaRamones/formulating-assertions-

Butuan boat. They also had smooth foreign relation because of the trading of
minerals and goods. Literacy rate is also high because of the existence of the
‘baybayin’ or the ancient writing method. All of these advances were abolished as
the Spaniards fully colonized the country.

Source:www.slideshare.net/VanessaRamones/formulating-assertions-

1. Basic Assertion
It is a statement used to express the writer's feelings, beliefs, and opinions
directly. This type of assertion is usually used in writing formal papers like
thesis and dissertation.

Example: The Philippines has an advanced civilization before the colonization

of Spain. Form and branches of government, social structure and the

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 existence of ancient writing are some of the evidence that proves the
advancement of the precolonial period.

The first sentence is considered as the basic assertion. The second sentence
contains evidence that support the assertion.

2. Emphatic Assertion
It is a statement used to express empathy or on how a person understands
the feelings and emotions of the literary author. This can be used on writing
a formal or informal paper.

It is usually composed of two parts: 1) the first part is the statement that
recognizes the situation or even the feelings of the characters on the text being
read 2) the second statement where the writer states his stand about the
situation.

Example: I know that the Philippines, before pre-Spaniard’s colonization has

their system of writing called the ‘baybayin’. This alone proves that the
Filipinos are literate as opposed to the Spaniards claim.

The first part recognizes the situation based on the text being read. The
second part contains the writer’s stand on the situation presented.

3. Language Assertion
It is a statement used to express the feeling and preference of the writer. It is
called I-Language because it focuses on the writer and is using the pronoun
‘I’. This type of assertion is recommended if the author wants to express
negative feelings and opinion. This is best used in writing a review or reflection
paper.

It is composed of three parts:

1. The first part contains the accurate information from literary work,
especially the topic the writer disagrees with (When you. . .).
2. The second part includes the effect or feeling of the writer towards the
topic (It affects/I feel...).
3. The last part includes the preference or recommendation of the writer
(Therefore, I prefer/I want...).

Example: Upon reading that the ancient Filipino civilization is divided into
three social classes namely the ‘maharlika’, ‘timawa’ and ‘alipin’, I feel proud
because of the civilization social advancement and at the same time sad
because of the promulgation of social differentiation. With this finding, I want
to do further research on the existence of these social classes’ stigma.

The example given is divided into three parts that includes the feelings and
preference of the writer.

Factors to be considered before Formulating Assertion:

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 1. Determine the type of paper you are going to write – and can either be
formal or informal paper.
2. Determine the type of literary work you are going to examine including
novel, poem, journal article or theatre play. It is best to include facts and
evidence after every assertion. This is done to make a strong stand on
every claimed assertion.

Common Types of Assertion According to the Degree of Certainty

Source: www.elcomblus.com/identifying-assertions

1. Fact

This is a statement that can be proven objectively by direct experience,

testimonies of witnesses, verified observations, or the results of research.
Because statements of fact can be double-checked for accuracy, there is
general agreement about the truth they posit.

Example: The sampaguita’s roots are used for medicinal purposes, such as an
anesthetic and a sedative.

This statement is a fact because it can be directly verified by experience

or reliable research reports.

2. Convention.

A convention is a way in which something is done, similar to traditions and

norms. Conventions depend on historical precedents, laws, rules, usage, and
customs. Thus, their truthfulness is verified by how commonly held
definitions and beliefs are interpreted.

Example: The sampaguita belongs to the genus Jasminum of the family

Oleaceae.

This statement is a convention because it is based on a classification system

made up by scientists and is acceptable to the scientific community.

3. Opinion.

Opinions are based on facts, but are difficult to objectively verify because of
the uncertainty of producing satisfactory proofs of soundness. Opinions result
from ambiguities; the more ambiguous a statement, the more difficult it is to
verify. Thus, they are open to disputes.

Example: The popularity of sampaguita flowers is most evident in places of

worship.

The above statement is an opinion because it is based on an

observation that needs to be proven by studies and repeated observation;
there are too many factors involved that make explicit judgment difficult.

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 4. Preference

Preferences are based on personal choice; therefore, they are subjective and
cannot be objectively proven or logically attacked.

Example: Sampaguitas are the most beautiful and most fragrant of all flowers.

This statement is a preference because it says a lot about the type of

flowers that the writer likes, instead of objectively comparing the qualities
of sampaguitas to that of other flowers.

Formulating Counterclaims

Counterclaims provide an opposing viewpoint to the central claim.

Including a counterclaim in your writing helps you to prove that yes, your opinion is
best-substantiated/ most widely supported one. By giving the opposition a voice and
then knocking it down, the writer demonstrates a deep competence and familiarity
with the topic- provided that s/he can effectively address the counterclaim.
According to the website www.elcomblus.com, to be an effective critical thinker,
it is not enough just to be able to identify claims and assertions. The ability to analyze
an argument is essential to understanding the text more deeply, but understanding
the claim is not the only facet of the argument. You must also learn how to analyze
the counterclaims and evidence provided by the text. Being able to recognize and
formulate counterclaims in reaction to an argument is a characteristic of a good
critical reader. Counterclaims are claims made to rebut a previous claim. They
provide a contrasting perspective to the main argument.
By being able to locate and provide counterclaims to an argument, you show
a deep competence and familiarity with the writer’s topic. It shows that you are
examining different perspectives and not just passively accepting the writer’s claim.
It shows that you have thoroughly considered the topic, and are willing to engage
different viewpoints from your own, thus remaining objective. It also helps you clarify
what your personal position is on the topic.

The following questions will help you formulate a counterclaim:

• What are the major points on which you and the author can disagree?
• What is their strongest argument? What did they say to defend their
position?
• What are the merits of their view?
• What are the weaknesses or shortcomings in their argument? Are there
any hidden assumptions?
• Which lines from the text best support the counterclaim you have
formulated?

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 Introducing the Counterclaim

Start off introducing the counterclaim with phrases such as:

The opposing view is that….
Some people think…
Some may say that….
Others may believe…
After you introduce the counterclaim, you then have to discuss why the
counterclaim is incorrect.

You can start of the rebuttal in a number of ways, such as:

Despite this information….
Nevertheless…
However…
This is your opportunity to prove why the opposing viewpoint is wrong.

Example:
Some may believe that team sports could intimidate children.
Some children may be physically smaller than others. Others may not be
as athletic as other team members. When they cannot run as fast as other
team members, or are not as agile, they fear (and may receive) ridicule.
However, learning to work as part of a team is essential to success in many
other areas. Children have to learn to cooperate both at home and school.
In school, children are expected to work together without conflict. At home,
children are expected to be part of the family team and help with chores
that need to be done.
Source: www.eriesd.org

So far, we have discussed the salient features of assertion and counterclaims.

Before we proceed to the last lesson of this module, try to answer the following
activities.

Lesson Determining Textual

3 Evidence
As critical readers, it is natural for you to develop your own ideas, ask questions
and make claims about the text you have read. Likewise, it requires you also to look
back into the text to cite for evidence to support your idea, question and claim. In
formulating assertions and counterclaims, it is important that you support your
statements with textual evidence.

Textual evidence uses information from an originating source or other texts to

support an argument. It deals with facts in writing and the strategies used to figure

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out whether or not the information is factual. Textual evidence comes into play when
an author presents a position or thesis and uses evidence to support the
claims. Think of textual evidence as the driving force behind debates. Debates take
a position and then use facts as supporting evidence. You can take any debate
position you want, but without facts to back up your argument, you can’t prove your
point. When evaluating textual evidence, it should be precise, descriptive and factual.

Clues to Look for When Analyzing Textual Evidence

Data that includes the source information
Data are the strongest available pieces of evidence because statistics use
analysis to reach strong, accurate conclusions.
Example:
In Philippines, from Jan 3 to 4:50pm CET, 26 January 2021, there have
been 514,996 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 10,292 deaths.
Testimony
Experts give testimony in a number of areas. Testimony doesn’t just mean in
the legal sense, like when someone takes the stand in a court case. Testimony also
means providing a set of facts based on expertise. An experienced and trained car
mechanic can provide testimony on the workings of an engine. A doctor, with years
of specialized training, can testify about treatment options for patients. A pilot, with
thousands of hours of flight time, can testify about the control panel on a jumbo jet.
They all have expertise backed by verifiable factual information. Authors use
testimonial information to make their argument in an attempt to sway their audience.
Statistics and expert testimony are the most reliable ways to analyze textual
evidence.

Anecdotal evidence
Anecdotal evidence can be tricky since anecdotes are personal observations
that may or may not be factual. The anecdote, on its own, isn’t really sufficient to
persuade the audience. But anecdotes can serve a valuable literary purpose by
keeping the audience engaged and leading them to the facts.
Analogy

“My house is as hot as the sun” is an example of an analogy. But in textual evidence,
analogies prove useful when there’s little available research on a specific topic. Cutting-
edge topics have little data because researchers are in the beginning stages of
gathering information.

Here are two examples of analogical evidence:

1. Based on how the audience uses mobile phones, we believe this is the
right screen size for tablet computers.
2. I saw a boring film that has a similar plot to this movie, so therefore,
the movie must be boring.

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 In analogical evidence, the author tries to show a parallel, but you can see the
problems, especially in the movie analogy. Just because one film is boring doesn’t
mean a similar movie will also be. That’s why analogical evidence is the weakest form
of evidence.

How to Cite Textual Evidence

1. State your idea. State the idea you had about the text (if you are responding
to a specific question, be sure your idea restates the question).
2. Cite what in the text led you to the idea. Give supporting evidence from the
text (by paraphrasing or directly quoting from a text, you must use quotation
marks. Use textual evidence suggested sentence starters such as: In the first
paragraph, the author says…, the text states…, the text describes…, for
example…, the author explains …etc.
3. Explain the evidence. Explain how the quote (s) or paraphrase you pointed out
supports your idea. Sentence starters: This shows…, This means…, This
reveal…, This illustrates…, This highlights the difference between…

Example:
Question: What was the author’s purpose in writing this text?

Cats kill between 1.4 billion and 3.7 billion birds every year in the United
States alone, a new report concludes. That’s nearly a billion more birds-at least-
than estimated by some previous studies, Peter Marra told Science News. This
research scientist, who works at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
led the new study. Any long- term solution will be controversial.

Some people propose catching wild cats and neutering them, which means
performing minor surgery to make them unable to reproduce. That won’t make
them kill fewer animals. But will slow down the increase in number of these
natural-born killers. Other people have proposed catching and killing feral cats.

Source: Gabelo, Nerissa C. (2016). Reading-Writing: The Effective Connection for Senior
High School. First Edition. Mutya Publishing House, Inc.

Sample Answer
The author’s purpose in writing the text was to make people aware that cats
killing birds has become a problem and that any solution to the problem will be
controversial. (Here, the writer answers the question about the text.) In the first
paragraph, the author points out that “cats kill between 1.4 billion and 3.7 billion
birds every year.” (Here, the writer includes direct quote from the text as
evidence.) The author’s use of that statistics really catches a reader’s eye because
they are such big numbers. This shows just how big the problem is. (Here, the writer
comments on how the quote that was cited as evidence helped form the text
that was stated to answer the question.) Then, in the second paragraph, the author
says that there are two controversial ways to solve the problem, by either catching
wild cats and performing surgery on them so they can’t reproduce or catching and
killing them. (Here, the writer paraphrases from the text a second piece of
evidence.) The author was demonstrating that the possible solutions are
14
controversial because most people probably would not like the idea of cats being
caught in order to either operate on them or kill them. (Here, the writer comments
on how the paraphrased text helped form the idea that stated to answer the
question.)

Let Us Practice
Activity 2 Probing

A. Formulating Assertions
1. Directions. Read the paragraph below from the article, “Two Days with No
Phone”, and formulate assertions about the content and properties of the text.

Sleep Texting
Both Franchesca and Kenny told us they wake up several times during the
night to text. Kenny even sleeps with his phone beneath his pillow. Dr.
Dowdell says that it’s common for teens’ sleep to be interrupted by texts.
Sometimes teens even send texts filled with nonsense words when they don’t
wake up all the way. She has been studying this trend, which she calls “sleep
texting.” Why is sleep texting a problem? “Adolescents need a solid 8, 10, even
11 hours of sleep to really function and to think clearly,” reports Dr. Dowdell.
If they regularly lose sleep, she adds, teens may start having trouble in school.
They may become grumpy, angry, or depressed. A lack of sleep can lead to weight
gain and even obesity. That’s because many people turn to junk food for quick
energy when they are tired.

FACT:

OPINION:

CONVENTION:

B. Formulating Counterclaims
PREFERENCE:
Directions: Read the claim below and formulate your own counterclaim.

CLAIM: Life with no phone is not easy.

COUNTERCLAIM:

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C. Citing Textual Evidence
Directions: Reread the article, “Two Days with No Phone” and answer the questions
that follow. Choose the letter of the correct answer.

_____ 1. Which of the following evidences from the article supports the claim
that "sleep texting" can lead to teen weight gain?
a. A lack of sleep can cause weight gain and even obesity.
b. If they regularly lose sleep, she adds, teens may start having
trouble in school.
c. Dr. Elizabeth Dowdell is a professor at Villanova University in
Pennsylvania.
d. Adolescents need a solid 8, 10, even 11 hours of sleep to
really function and to think clearly.
_____ 2. Which of the following evidences from the article supports the claim
that the 48 hours without a phone was useful to Kenny?
a. "Wow, it was pure torture,” Kenny joked.
b. Kenny missed his friends and he was sad at times.
c. "I think I'm going to feel really isolated,” Kenny worried.
d. Instead of texting, Kenny went to the gym and caught up on
school work.
_____3. Which of the following evidences from the article supports the claim
that Franchesca did not regret giving up her phone for 48 hours?
a. I'm excited for the challenge," she said.
b. “I don’t know what’s going to happen”, she said.
c. "I think I'll be so much smarter and healthier," she explained."
d. Kenny doesn't plan to give up his phone again. But he now
knows that he can live without it.
_____4. Which of the following evidences from the article supports the fact that
Kenny and Franchesca were not allowed to post pictures online during
the challenge?
a. "It was a reality check."
b. No Twitter, no Instagram.
c. According to Dr. Dowdell, teens need to learn that they can--
and should--turn off their phones sometimes.
d. These were the rules: No phone for 48 hours. No computer or
Internet either, unless it was for schoolwork.
_____5. Which of the following evidences from the article supports the claim
that teens need more than 6 hours of sleep each night?
a. Kenny even sleeps with his phone beneath his pillow.
b. A lack of sleep can cause weight gain and even obesity.
c. Sometimes teens even send out texts filled with nonsense
words when they don't wake up all the way.
d. "Adolescents need a solid 8,10, even 11 hours of sleep to
really function and think clearly," reports Dr. Dowdell.

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 Let Us Practice More
Activity 3 Spot Me

Directions: Read the passage. Then answer the questions. Use textual
evidence to support your answers.

The Lost City of Atlantis

People have long wondered about the alleged “lost” city of Atlantis, but in fact
Atlantis has never been lost at all. Its story was first told in two Platonic dialogues,
the “Timaeus” and the “Critias” (330 B.C.). According to professor of archeology
Ken Feder’s book, Frauds, Myths and Mysteries, Science and Pseudoscience in
Archaeology, Plato’s Atlantis was "a technologically sophisticated but morally
bankrupt evil empire. . . Atlantis . . . attempts world domination by force. The only
thing standing in its way is a relatively small group of spiritually pure, morally
principled and incorruptible people — the ancient Athenians. Overcoming
overwhelming odds . . . the Athenians are able to defeat their far more powerful
adversary simply through the force of their spirit.” Plato’s story of Atlantis is less
about a “lost” civilization than it is about the virtue of the Athenians, and scholars
believe that Atlantis never in fact existed, but was a literary creation on the part of
Plato. Atlantis has never been mentioned in any other Greek literature that has
ever been found. In fact, for most of history people have believed that Atlantis was
a fictional place, until the late 1800s when a writer named Ignatius Donnelly
proposed that significant achievements of the ancient world, like metallurgy,
agriculture, religion and language — must have originated in Atlantis. His
argument was that the known ancient civilizations weren’t sophisticated enough
to have developed these things on their own, rather they were given to them by
some more intelligent civilization. Donnelly’s ideas captured enough of the
imaginations of others for later writers to add their own speculations. Mystics and
psychics well known at the time jumped on the bandwagon, helping to popularize
the idea of there having been a real Atlantis. Interest in Atlantis was furthered by
a book published in 1969 by Charles Berlitz called The Mystery of Atlantis because
Berlitz claimed that Atlantis was both real and the reason behind the mystery of
The Bermuda Triangle. Since then, thousands of books, magazine and websites
have been devoted to the topic of Atlantis.

Source: http://www.englishworksheetsland.com

1. Why do scholars believe that Atlantis was a fictional place created by Plato?
___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

2. If people understood that Atlantis was a fictional creation for thousands of

years, what made people start to think that it had once really existed?
___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

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3. What was the argument of Ignatius Donnelly?
___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

4. What was the role of Ignatius Donnelly in popularizing the idea of a “lost”
Atlantis?
___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

5. What was the role of Charles Berlitz in popularizing the idea of a “lost”
Atlantis?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Let Us Assess

Directions: Read each question carefully. Write the letter of your answer in your
answer sheet.
For nos. 1-4

Television violence has a considerable effect on the development of the

child is not disputed. Both Dickson (1984: 12) and Brown (1985: 176) have
shown through extensive experiments that the majority of children are affected
by television violence, Brown having extended the base of her research to
longitudinal studies which reveal that this effect is quite long-term. In the face
of such convincing evidence, the Television Broadcasting Tribunal has been
compelled to act in order to reduce the impact that increased television viewing
could have on children. The Tribunal has recommended (1982: 16) that the
number of hours per week of violent programs should be limited during
children's viewing times. In spite of these recommendations, however, there
continues to be a significant level of violence in programs which are broadcast
at prime viewing times for children.

Source: 2000 Learning Centre, University of Sydney

1. What is the writer’s assertion?

a. Television significantly affects the child’s aggressive behavior.
b. Seemingly today, violence is the common theme in our television programs.
c. Most children are subjected daily to televised violence and aggression.
d. That television violence has a considerable effect on the development of the
child is not disputed.

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2. How does the writer support his claim?
a. By giving analysis
b. By sighting evidences
c. By giving counterclaim
d. By giving personal insight

3. Which of the following is NOT evidence and does not support the writer’s
position?

a. Continued broadcasting of violent programs during prime time

b. The majority of the children are affected by television violence
c. Brown having extended the base of her research to longitudinal studies
which reveal that this effect is quite long-term
d. Television Broadcasting Tribunal has been compelled to act in order to
reduce the impact that increased television viewing could have on children.

4. Which of the following statements reflect the counterclaim of the writer?

a. Television is not as important as schools.

b. Not every country needs to have television.
c. People spend too much time watching violent TV programs.
d. In spite of these recommendations, however, there continues to be a
significant level of violence in programs which are broadcast at prime
viewing times for children.

5. What is critical reading?

a. It is merely just a reading technique.

b. It is a reading technique also known as skimming.
c. Reader read with critical attention to comment and make necesasry
changes to the text.
d. Reader applies certain processes, models, questions and theories that
result in enhanced clarity and comprehension.

6. Which of the following is an example of a counterclaim sentence starter?

a. However c. Despite that

b. Nevertheless d. Some people may say that…

7. What follows a counterclaim?

a. A claim
b. A rebuttal
c. An explanation
d. Nothing; it comes at the end of the paragraph.

8. Which of the following is an example of a rebuttal sentence starter?

a. However c. Others may feel that…
b. Some may say that… d. The opposition view is that…

9. In an argument, what do you need in addition to a counterclaim?

a. Assertion
b. Hedging

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 c. A rebuttal
d. You don’t need a counterclaim.

10. It is information that helps support the argument.

a. Evidence c. Counterclaim
b. Assertion d. Critical Reading

11. Parents should be fined when their children bully because it will send a message.
Some say it is very difficult for parents to manage their children when they leave
the house and go to school. Despite this, thirteen million kids are bullied each
year and something needs to be done. The fines will encourage parents to focus
on anti-bullying in the home. Which sentence is the counterclaim?
a. The fines will encourage parents to focus on anti-bullying in the home.
b. Parents should be fined when their children bully because it will send a
message.
c. Despite this, thirteen million kids are bullied each year and something
needs to be done.
d. Some say it is very difficult for parents to manage their children when they
leave the house and go to school.

Crack! Thunder struck and rain poured. Max stared blankly out the window,
trying to contain his emotions that raged like the weather. He was beginning to
lose it. Dropping the kite from his hand, Max broke out into full sob. His mother
comforted him, “There, there, Max. We’ll just find something else to do.” She began
to unpack the picnic basket that was on the counter and offered him a sandwich.
Max snapped, “I don’t wanna sand-mich!” A flash from the sky lit up the living
room. Boom! Mom sighed.

Source: Citing Textual Evidence

https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/57239db0fb11306722f56268/citing-textual-evidence.

For Nos. 12-15

12. Why is Max upset?

a. He is bored.
b. He is hungry.
c. He is scared of thunderstorms.
d. It is raining and he cannot go outside.
13. What line in the text tells you that Max is upset that it is raining?
a. Mom sighed.
b. Thunder struck and rain poured.
c. He says, "I don't wanna sandwich?"
d. Dropping his kite from his hand, Max broke out into a full sob.
14. What was Mom’s plan on doing today?
a. Going to the mall
b. Taking Max to the Zoo.
c. Taking Max to a movie
d. Taking Max on a picnic

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15. What line from the text supports the idea that Mom and Max were
going on a picnic?
a. His mother comforted him.
b. Mom offers Max a sandwich.
c. Max stares blankly out the window.
d. She began to unpack the picnic basket.

Let Us Enhance
A. Identifying Assertions

Directions. Identify the following sentences whether it is a statement of fact,

convention, opinion or preference.

_________ 1. Social media is defined as the Internet and mobile- based

tools and devices that facilitate the integration of technology,
telecommunications, and social interaction.
_________ 2. In 2012, there were 1.4 billion users of social media worldwide.
_________ 3. Many teenagers’ present obsession with taking selfies show they
are the most narcissistic generation.
_________ 4. Facebook is a cooler social media platform than Twitter.
_________ 5. Social networks are the most distracting websites on the Internet.
__________6. Children are learning how to operate mobile devices at
increasingly younger ages; many of them have an idea of how to
use a touchscreen tablet before they are two.
_________ 7. Roses grow best in soil made of ¾ clay and ¼ sand and loam.
_________ 8. The rose belongs to the genus Rosa of the family Rosaceae.
_________ 9. The export of cut rose can easily become one of the most lucrative
business in the Philippines.
_________ 10. Roses are more beautiful, smell sweeter and are easier to grow
than any other flower.

B. Formulating Counterclaims
Direction: Write your counterclaim based on the given claim.

Example:

Claim: Rock music is "changing" the youth and causing them to rebel
and do bad actions.

Counterclaim: Some people say that rock music contains lyrics that are both
provocative and rebellious. This point of view makes sense
because in the article it states that “one form of rock music, punk
rock, concentrates purely on antisocial subjects as a basis for its
songs”. However, rock music itself is not enough to make a
teenager rebel against society because the article also says that
the average teenager does not take it seriously and concentrates
more on the musical value of the songs rather than the inner

21
 meaning of the lyrics. Therefore, even though lyrics in rock and roll
music show hints of anarchy and social rebellion, it is not a threat to
society.

1. Claim: Bullying is a natural part of our humanity and that preventative

measures are ineffective against this element of the human
condition.

Counterclaim:

2. Claim: Every SHS graduate should go to college because it is the only

way to get a good job.

Counterclaim:

Let Us Reflect
At this point, pause a bit and reflect on what we have discussed in this
module thus far. As you read, you have to think about the information the author is
giving you. A good author will make a claim and then support the claim with reasons
and evidence to make you believe what he or she is saying. As you consider the
author’s claim, or argument, you weigh the evidence that he or she is using to
support it. Therefore, being able to identify and formulate assertions, counterclaims
and cite textual evidences, will help you develop your critical reading and
comprehension skills.

You have just completed this module. It was a pleasure working with you.
Congratulations and good luck!

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