Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
National Capital Region
DIVISION OF CITY SCHOOLS – MANILA
Manila Education Center Arroceros Forest Park
Antonio J. Villegas St. Ermita, Manila

ENGLISH 8

Valuing One’s Existence

Quarter 1 Week 3 Module 3

Most Essential Learning Competency:

Determine the meaning of words and

expressions that reflect the local culture by
noting context clues
HOW TO USE THIS MODULE

Before you start answering the module, I want you to set aside other tasks
that will distract you while enjoying the lessons. Read the simple instructions below
to successfully enjoy the objectives of this kit. Have fun!
1. Follow carefully all the contents and instructions indicated in every page of
this module.
2. Write on your notebook or any writing pad the concepts about the lessons.
Writing enhances learning, which is important to develop and keep in mind.
3. Perform all the provided activities in the module.
4. Let your facilitator/guardian assess your answers.
5. Analyze conceptually the posttest and apply what you have learned.
6. Enjoy studying!

PP

PARTS OF THE MODULE

• Expectations - These are what you will be able to know after completing
the lessons in the module.
• Pre-test - This will measure your prior knowledge and the concepts to be
mastered throughout the lesson.
• Looking Back - This section will measure what learnings and skills that
you understand from the previous lesson.
• Brief Introduction- This section will give you an overview of the lesson.
• Activities - These are activities designed to develop critical thinking and
other competencies. This can be done with or without a partner depending
on the nature of the activity.
• Remember - This section summarizes the concepts and applications of
the lessons.
• Checking your Understanding - It will verify how you learned from the
lesson.
• Post-test - This will measure how much you have learned from the entire
module
Lesson 1-Appreciating Modern Africa

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

A. Determine the meaning of vocabulary words expressing local culture through
context clues,
B. Use information in the selection to infer, evaluate, and react to critical ideas,
C. Express agreement or disagreement with the ideas presented in the selection,
and;
D. Interpret symbolisms.

Directions: Underline the nine (9) words or expressions that express local color in the
passage below that is taken from Caren Guerrero-Nakpil’s essay titled Where’s the
Patis?

At that precise moment the Pinoy is overcome with a yearning for a

mound of white rice, a bowl of sinigang and a little saucer of patis. What
would happen, he asked himself, if I shouted for sinigang na bangus? The
thought that perishes as he catches sight of the world-weary hauteur on the
face of the waiter. With a sigh, he applies himself to the foreign delicacies.
The herring, after a few mouthfuls tastes almost like tinapa. The shrimp
would be excellent if he had some white sukang lloko to soak it in but the
melon is never half as good as the ones his wife buys from her suki in San
Andres.

The following sentences are taken from the story that you are about to read.
Applying what you learned from our previous lesson on modals, box the modal verb
and underline the modal adverb in the following sentences. There are hints inside the
parentheses on what you need to find in each sentence.

1. "I shall never do anything to annoy you." (modal verb and modal adverb)
2. Even more frequently she would resort to physical punishment. (modal verb and
modal adverb)
3. …we did not find it as totally sweet and unclouded as we had presumed. (modal
adverb)
4. Today you truly begin life. (modal adverb)
5. I would turn toward her from time to time, as though appealing for help.(modal
verb)

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Understanding Local Color

Local color is defined as the use of regional detail in a literary or an artistic

work.

For example, in the play that you read in Grade 7, I Shall Have Other
Birthdays, the author made use of words like dulang, paminggalan,
kundiman, buyo, Ale, and expressions such as Tao po! and Pueh! These are
not English words but the author, in his creativity, deliberately chose to use
them instead of their English translation in order to display an authentic
Filipino culture in his masterpiece.

In the scenes in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 2, Mark Twain (the author)
purposely misspelled most of Jim’s lines in order for the readers to
“hear” his authentic African dialect. Here’s one of Jim’s lines in the novel.

Jim shook his head and said:

"Can't, Mars Tom. Ole missis, she tole me I got to go an' git dis water an'
not stop foolin' roun' wid anybody.

Can you rewrite this line using correct English?

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Now let’s see if you could define the following words lifted from the story that
you are about to read. These words express local color. Be guided by the visual
and context clues.

1. All my clothes were new: the black shoes, the

green school uniform, and the red tarboosh.

Tarboosh is _________________________
____________________________________.
Image: publicdomainvectors.org

2. I had to cross Abu Khoda to reach my

house, but the stream of cards would
not let up.

Abu Khoda is ________________________

_____________________________________.
Image: Google Maps

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Vocabulary Development

Determine the meaning of the underline words through context clues.

Choose the letter of the word that means the same as the underlined word

3. I’m surprised that the billboards in EDSA

are still unmarred despite the strong winds a. crowd
and heavy rain. b. out of control
4. I hate throngs. I feel like I can’t breathe c. To make something
when I’m in a big gathering of people. appear by magic
5. I learned a trick from my father: conjuring d. Without damage
coin behind someone’s ears.

Meet the Author

Naguib Mahfouz, a novelist, playwright and

screenwriter, was awarded the Nobel Prize for
Literature in 1988. He was the first Arab writer to
win the prestigious award and only the second from
the African continent. Born in Cairo on December
11, 1911, Naguib was the most famous writer of
fiction in the Arab world. His works deal with some
of life's fundamental questions, including the
passage of time, society and norms, knowledge and
faith, reason and love. He often uses his hometown
of Cairo as the backdrop for his stories and some of
his early works are set in ancient Egypt. Naguib
Mahfouz' body of work comprises more than 30
novels and 350 short stories. Many of his stories
have been adapted for film.
Image: Wikipedia

How did you feel about going to school when you were younger? Were you excited?
afraid? reluctant? What was your impression of school on your first day? Did you
find school just as you had imagined?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

As a child, what was your view about your world? Were you excited to grow up?
Why or why not?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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 READING WITH PARENT

Read the story below with you parent or guardian then do the
comprehension exercises that follow.

NOTE TO PARENTS: You will find comprehension questions as you read the text.
Ask those questions to your child and process their responses.

Half a Day
by Naguid Mahfouz

I proceeded alongside my father, clutching his right hand, running to keep up

with the long strides he was taking. All my clothes were new: the black shoes, the
green school uniform, and the red tarboosh. My delight in my new clothes,
however, was not altogether unmarred, for this was no feast day but the day on
which I was to be cast into school for the first time.

My mother stood at the window watching our progress, and I would turn toward
her from time to time, as though appealing for help. We walked along a street lined
with gardens; on both sides were extensive fields planted with crops, prickly pears,
henna trees, and a few date palms.

"Why school?" I challenged my father openly. "I shall never do anything to annoy
you."

"I'm not punishing you," he said, laughing. "School's not a punishment. It's the
factory that makes useful men out of boys. Don't you want to be like your father
and brothers?"

I was not convinced. I did not believe there was really any good to be had in
tearing me away from the intimacy of my home and throwing me into this building
that stood at the end of the road like some huge, high-walled fortress, exceedingly
stem and grim.

When we arrived at the gate we could see the courtyard, vast and crammed full
of boys and girls. "Go in by yourself," said my father, "and join them. Put a smile on
your face and be a good example to others."

I hesitated and clung to his hand, but he gently pushed me from him. "Be a
man," he said. "Today you truly begin life. You will find me waiting for you when it's
time to leave."

PARENT-CHILD PROCESSING

Describe the father. How does he treat his son?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
How does the child feel about going to school?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

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 I took a few steps, then stopped and looked but saw nothing. Then the faces of
boys and girls came into view. I did not know a single one of them, and none of
them knew me. I felt I was a stranger who had lost his way. But glances of curiosity
were directed toward me, and one boy approached and asked, "Who brought you?"

"My father," I whispered.

"My father's dead," he said quite simply.

I did not know what to say. The gate was closed, letting out a pitiable screech.
Some of the children burst into tears. The bell rang. A lady came along, followed by
a group of men. The men began sorting us into ranks. We were formed into an
intricate pattern in the great courtyard surrounded on three sides by high
buildings of several floors; from each floor we were overlooked by a long balcony
roofed in wood.

"This is your new home," said the woman. "Here too there are mothers and
fathers. Here there is everything that is enjoyable and beneficial to knowledge and
religion. Dry your tears and face life joyfully."

We submitted to the facts, and this submission brought a sort of contentment

Living beings were drawn to other living beings, and from the first moments my
heart made friends with such boys as were to be my friends and fell in love with
such girls, as I was to be in love with, so that it seemed my misgivings had had no
basis. I had games: swings, the vaulting horse, ball games. In the music room we
chanted our first songs. We also had our first introduction to language. We saw a
globe of the Earth, which revolved and showed the various continents and
countries. We started learning the numbers. The story of the Creator of the
universe was read to us, we were told of His present world and of His Hereafter,
and we heard examples of what He said. We ate delicious food, took a little nap,
and woke up to go on with friendship and love, play and learning.

As our path revealed itself to us, however, we did not find it as totally sweet and
unclouded as we had presumed. Dust-laden winds and unexpected accidents came
about suddenly, so we had to be watchful, at the ready, and very patient. It was not
all a matter of playing and fooling around. Rivalries could bring about pain and
hatred or give rise to fighting. And while the lady would sometimes smile, she
would often scowl and scold. Even more frequently she would resort to physical
punishment.

In addition, the time for changing one's mind was over and gone and there was
no question of ever returning to the paradise of home. Nothing lay ahead of us but
exertion, struggle, and perseverance. Those who were able took advantage of the
opportunities for success and happiness that presented themselves amid the
worries.

PARENT-CHILD PROCESSING

What is the boy’s first impression of the school? Is he favorably impressed?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

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 The bell rang announcing the passing of the day and the end of work. The
throngs of children rushed toward the gate, which was opened again. I bade
farewell to friends and sweethearts and passed through the gate. I peered around
but found no trace of my father, who had promised to be there. I stepped aside to
wait. When I had waited for a long time without avail, I decided to return home on
my own. After I had taken a few steps, a middle-aged man passed by, and 1
realized at once that 1 knew him. He came toward me, smiling, and shook me by
the hand, saying, "It's a long time since we last met—how are you?"

With a nod of my head, I agreed with him and in turn asked, “And you, how are
you?
“As you can see, not all that good, the Almighty be praised!”

Again he shook me by the hand and went off. I proceeded a few steps, then
came to a startled halt. Good Lord! Where was the street line with gardens? Where
had it disappeared to? When did all these vehicles invade it? And when did all
these hordes of humanity come to rest upon its surface? How did these hills of
refuse come to cover its sides? And where were the fields that bordered it? High
buildings had taken over, the street surged with children, and disturbing noises
shook the air. At various points stood conjures showing off their tricks and making
snakes appear from baskets. Then there was a band announcing the opening of a
circus, with clowns and weight lifters walking in front. A line of trucks carrying
central security troops crawled majestically by. The siren of a fire engine shrieked,
and it was not clear how the vehicle would cleave its way to reach the blazing fire. A
battle raged between a taxi driver and his passenger, while the passenger’s wife
called out for help and no one answered. Good God! I was in a daze. My head spun.
I almost went crazy. How could all this have happened in half a day, between early
morning and sunset? I would find the answer at home with my father. But where
was my home? I could see only tall buildings and hordes of people. I hastened on to
the crossroads between the gardens and Abu Khoda. I had to cross Abu Khoda to
reach my house, but the stream of cards would not let up. The fire engine’s siren
was shrieking at full pitch as it moved at a snail’s pace, and I said to myself, “Let
the fire take its pleasure in what in consumes.” Extremely irritated, I wondered
when I would be able to cross. I stood there a long time, until the young lad
employed at the ironing on the shop on the corner came up to me. He stretched out
his arm and said gallantly, “Grandpa, let me take you across.”

PARENT-CHILD PROCESSING

What did the boy notice as he walked home?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Why did the young lad call him “grandpa?”
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

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Exercise 1

Decide whether each statement is true, false, or the text does not say
anything about it. Write T, F, or DNS.

_____1. The boy comes from a poor family and is afraid of being looked down
upon by other kids in school.
_____2. The boy’s father takes his son’s education very seriously.
_____3. The boy is favorably impressed by the big gates, high walls and tall
buildings of the school.
_____4. The boy has many misgivings about school and they all turn out to
be true.
_____5. The lady appears to be kind, but she can be tough and severe too.
_____6. The boy seems particularly interested in such subjects as music,
geography, language, mathematics, and natural science.
_____7. The boy’s father does not come to take him home as he has
promised because the narrator now is no longer the little boy so
many years ago.
_____8. The narrator has mixed up the present with the past. He is now
actually a very old man.

Exercise 2

React to the following statements directly and indirectly stated in the text.
Which one do you agree or disagree with? Put or  then explain your answer.

or  Statements Reason

9. School is a place that
makes useful men out of
boys (and girls).

10. “Don’t you want to be

useful like your brother?”
- the boy’s father

11. School is like a new home,

and everything enjoyable
and beneficial is available
there for us.

12. Nothing lies ahead of

students but exertion,
struggle and perseverance.

13. Only those who are able to

take advantage of the

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 opportunities for success
and happiness that can
succeed.
14. Life begins at school.

Exercise 3
What is the symbolic meaning of the following images based on how they are
used in the story? Circle the letter of your answer.

1. Garden a. beauty b. innocence c. femininity

2. School a. students b. memories c. training and nurturing
3. Fire a. danger b. summer time c. heat
4. Circus a. fun b. dream c. things out of control
5. Buildings a. wealth b. modernization c. barriers

Exercise 4
What changes took place in the story in just “half a day” before and after the
narrator went to school? Get answers from the choices.
CHOICES
BEFORE SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL • Streets were lined
Within the Narrator with gardens.
• A young boy
6. 7.
• The streets are
surged with children.
• Noisy and crowded
Neighborhood
• On both sides were
fields filled with trees
8. 10.
and plants.
9. 11. • An old man

Exercise 5
Deepen your understanding of the story by answering the following
questions.

12. Could the story really have happened in “half a day?” What does the title imply?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

13.How does the narrator perceive the world at the modern time?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

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14. What did the story teach you about your time on earth and what
characteristics should you develop in order to cope with it?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Recall the elements of the story Half a Day using the short story report
template on the next page.

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USING LOCAL COLOR IN STORY TELLING
Share your personal story of a memorable first-day-of-school experience. Use
terms, words, or expressions unique to your culture for a more creative way of
writing.
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 The following sentences are taken from Alice Walker’s novel, The Color
Purple, which depicts the lives of African American women in early 20th century
rural Georgia.

Directions: Determine the meaning of the underlined words/expressions that

reflect local color.

For example: She say It too soon, Fonso, I ain’t well.

Answer: am not

1. He never had a kine word to say to me.

_____________________________________________________
2. By time I git back from the well, the weather be warm.
_____________________________________________________
3. She ast me bout the first one. Whose it is?
_____________________________________________________
4. She like she gon cry.
_____________________________________________________
5. It not! It not! Naw, I say It not!
_____________________________________________________
6. He say, Look like you done got yourself in trouble.
Naw Suh, she say. I ain’t in no trouble.
_____________________________________________________
7. He run his hand over his slicked back hair and try to feel if there’s
a bugga in his nose.
_____________________________________________________
8. One reason is she say whatever come to mind, forgit about polite.
_____________________________________________________

9-10. She (the baby) was about two month old . I embroder the name
Olivia in the seat of all her daidies.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

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Let your teacher know your overall experience in finishing this lesson. Share your
answer by completing the chart below.

Question Lesson Activity Comments

Which lesson activity
do you find easy to
answer?

Which lesson activity

do you find difficult to
answer?

Which lesson activity

someone assisted you
in answering? Who
assisted you?

Which lesson activity

do you want extra
assistance from your
teacher?

In what way this

lesson can be
applicable to you in
real life situation?

Photo credit: https://www.pngflow.com/en/free-transparent-png-mokqn/download

Gonzales, Carolina T., Nelda R. Francisco, and Estrella E. De Vera. English

for 21st Century Learning. Manila: Rex Publishing House, 2018.

“The Nobel Prize in Literature 1988.” NobelPrize.org. Accessed May 24, 2020.
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1988/mahfouz/facts/.

Naguib Mahfouz. PDF file. May 20, 2020.

http://coachcenglish.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/3/7/13371658/half_a_day.
pdf.

“Critical Analysis of Half a Day by Naguib Mahfouz's.” Campuscrosswalk, November

24, 2017. https://campuscrosswalk.org/critical-analysis-of-half-a-day-by-
naguib-mahfouzs/.

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Miranda, Mary. “Half A Day by Naguib Mahfouz.” LinkedIn SlideShare, September
1, 2014. https://www.slideshare.net/MaryMiranda/half-a-day-by-naguib-
mahfouz.

Half a Day. PDF file. May 20, 2020.

http://heep.fltrp.com/cce/images/jd2xs.pdf.

“Local Color.” Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. Accessed May 24, 2020.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/local color.

“Local Color.” Local color dictionary definition | local color defined. Accessed May
24, 2020. https://www.yourdictionary.com/local-color.

“The Use of Black English in Literature.” phoebe. Accessed June 11, 2020.
http://phoebejournal.com/the-use-of-black-english/.

Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. 1st ed. New York: Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich, Publishers, 1982.

Acknowledgements

Writer: Mary Angeline V. Garcia, MT-I

Editor: Marichu J. Hernandez, Head Teacher VI
Reviewers: Vicente M. Victorio, Jr. EPS
Management Team: Maria Magdalena M. Lim-Schools Division Superintendent
Aida H. Rondilla-Chief Education Supervisor-CID
Lucky S. Carpio-EPS
Lady Hannah C. Gillo, Librarian II-LRMS

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 13
Looking Back to your Activities 13. Exercise 4
Lesson Exercise 1 14.
1. 1. Shall, never 1. DNS 15. 6. A Young Boy
2. 2. frequently, wood 2. T 16. 7. An old man
3. 3. totally 3. DNS 17. 8. Streets were
4. 4. truly 4. DNS lined with garden
5. 5. would 18. 9. On both sides
5. T
6. were fields w/
Understanding Local 6. T
7. T trees & plants
Color
I can’t, Master Tom. Old 8. T 19. 10. Noisy &
missus told me I have to go crowded
and get this water and stop Exercise 2 20. 11. The streets are
fooling around with (answers vary) surged w/ children
anybody. 21.
Exercise 3 22. Exercise 5
7. 1. D 1. B 23. Answers vary
8. 2. A 2. C
9. 3. C 3. A
10. 4. hat worn by
4. C
Muslim men
11 5 street in Cairo 5. B
1. Post Test
2.
3. 1. kind
4. 2. get
5. 3. asked me about
6. 4. she is going to
cry
7. 5. No, I say, it’s
not!
8. 6. No, sir
9. 7. booger
10. 8. forget about
politeness / forget
about being polite
11. 9. embroidered
12. 10. diapers