UNIT U

UNITY (Focus on
Culture)

LESSON 1 Unity of Tense

READING
NOOK

The Filipino Culture

A distinct mark of Philippine culture is the warm

hospitality that characterizes Filipinos. This hospitality
has led Filipinos to provide the best for their guests even if it
would be hard to do so. This Filipino trait always makes a
visitor feel welcome in any home or place.

The Filipinos are considered a simple and happy

people. This is evidenced by the fact that many Filipinos
love celebrating for any reason even with meager
resources,
D

The cheerful disposition of Filipinos may

sometimes surprise and strike a foreigner as lack of
seriousness but upon knowing more about the customs in
the Philippines, one would understand that cheerfulness is a
part of the country's culture.

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If ever there are aw insignificant,
inions and family
Family bonds are strong in the Filipinos. If eve reasons to celebrate a certain
occasion, no matter how inci Filipinos take the opportunity to have reunions a
gatherings. These celebrations include not just the immediat members, but other
relatives as well, such as uncles, aunts nephews, nieces, and grandparents.
ediate family
Beginning September, radio stations play Christmas carols, malls and department
stores offer promotional items through their "Christmas” sale, and households adorn
their homes with Christmas decorations.
is, aunts, cousins,

ferent occasions, ination of a family

Everyone looks forward to Christmas as it is a great occasion to visit family
members residing in the provinces, especially if someone spends the entire year
working in a distant city. Many companies allow their employees to go on one-week
vacation before Christmas, December 25, until the first week of January.
For example, Filipinos love to celebrate different or among which are the passing of a
state board examination of member, job promotions, “bienvenidas” or “welcom
celebrations (e.g., the arrival of someone after working sor in another country),
“despedidas” or “send-off or farewell na as when a family member would live or work
abroad, and even
well parties" town fiesta, when an entire town celebrates the feast of its o saint.
> or “welcome back* ter working some time
During the Christmas season, it is not unusual for someone to attend several
Christmas parties. There is a Christmas party with friends, another with school mates
or classmates, still another with the members of one's sports club or co-employees of
the company or members of the family or neighborhood.
Filipinos love fiestas. “Fiesta" means feast and this custom was adopted from the
Spaniards, who introduced Christianity in the Philippines. The fiesta is an occasion
to give thanks for all the blessings that a town has received.

Of course, Filipinos also love to give thanksgiving parties, such as when a family
member recovers from a long illness or simply when a family wants to thank God
for the many blessings that have been bestowed on them.
One thing a foreigner in the Philippines must not miss during the Christmas season is
attending the “misa de gallo” or dawn mass. A mass is the celebration central to
Christianity. A foreigner will definitely learn a lot from this celebration if he/she listens
closely to the things that are said during the mass. If a tourist wants to know more
about the Filipinos, it is a big help to learn about the Philippines' religious roots, which
were planted by the Spaniards.

Birthdays, anniversaries, even death anniversaries, baptism or christening,

Christmas, and Easter are a number of classic celebrations which involve the members
of the entire extended family. As a matter of fact, it won't surprise me if suddenly all my
relatives will visit me on my birthday or during the Christmas holidays.
Another fact that goes with the Filipinos' fondness for celebration is their fondness for
food. All family gatherings or celebrations are occasions for dining and thereby called
“handaan," which literally means “preparation.” However, the word “handaan” signifies
the preparation that someone makes where there is a celebration.

Christmas celebration in the Philippines is considered the . longest in the entire world.
The Christmas spirit is felt starting September, usually fills the air throughout the “ber"
months September, October, November, and December, and lasts until first few weeks
of January.
Another remarkable characteristic of the Filipinos is that they are a loving and
caring people. There was once a question addressed to Ms. Precious Lara
Quigaman, a Filipino candidate for the 2005 Miss International Pageant, during
which she was asked about her reaction toward typecasting overseas Filipinos as
nannies.
2.
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4. Why do Filipinos celebrate?
Ms. Lara's answer was “I take no offense on being as a nanny. But I do take
offense that the educated, world have somehow denigrated the true sense and me a
nanny is. Let me tell you what she is. She is someo more than what she takes. She
is someone you trust to in the very people most precious to you, your child thi yourself.
She is the one who has made a living out of no loving other people. So to those who
have typecasted us as thank you.
nbeing typecasted
ated people of the and meaning of what someone who gives
to look after vild, the elderly. ut of caring and
is as nannies,
5. From your experiences, cite instances attesting to the
loving and caring culture of the Filipinos.
loving and caring
Ms. Lara's answer is a testament to the loving and culture of the Filipinos which
should be taken by every Filipina compliment.

(Source: http://www.phil-ip-pines.com/philippine-culture.html)

COMPREHENSION CHECK SPOTS

VOCABULARY CRANNY

Answer very concisely the following comprehension questions.

Directions: Read the given words based on the pronunciation guide. Form a pair and
compose a dialogue with the given words to be presented in class.
1. Describe the Filipino hospitality.
1. meager
Pronunciation /miygər/ Part of Speech adjective Meaning
small in quantity or quality Synonyms
scanty, insufficient, measly, inadequate,
small Sentence Example | It is tough work for an often meagre
reward.
2. Illustrate the strong family bond among the Filipinos.
2. typecast
Part of Speech verb Meaning
Pronunciation /taypkæst/
to regard a person as having certain
 characteristics Synonyms categorize, label, classify, tag,
compartmentalize Sentence Example | They typecast my friend as a musician.
1
3
What occasions do we celebrate?

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3. denigrate
Pronunciation Part of Speech Meaning
ticize somebody or
/denigreyt/ verb to disparage or criticize some something, to make something seem
unimpo belittle, malign, depreciate, dis vilify I do not denigrate the good i of those who
attempted to organiza social order even if they turned out failures.
The verbs are, is, and love are present forms, therefore indicative of the present
Likewise, the sentence “I attended the last performance which our community theater
gave” shows unity of tense because both verbs are in the past form.
seem unimportant eciate, disparage,
Synonyms

Sentence Example
the good intentions
However, unity of tense is not limited to sentences. It also applies to paragraphs and
compositions. In order to avoid confusing the reader, the writer must write in the same
tense throughout the paragraph or composition.
There are cases when the writer has to use two or more tenses. It is possible to
emply shifts in tense as long as it is done without confusing the reader. The paragraph
below proves this.
4. disposition Pronunciation /dispozišən/
Part of Speech noun Meaning
natural mental and emotional outlook
or mood, characteristic attitude Synonyms
nature, temperament, character, mood Sentence Example 1 Mario does not have a stable
emotional
disposition.
5. testament
Pronunciation Part of Speech Meaning Synonyms
/testəmənt noun proof or evidence Verification, authentication, witness, testimony The
spacious plan of the city is a testament to the foresight of its founders.
Ms. Lara's answer was “I take no offense on being typecasted as a nanny. But I do
take offense that the educated people of the world have somehow denigrated the true
sense and meaning of what a nanny is. Let me tell you what she is. She is someone
who gives more than what she takes. She is someone you trust to look after the
very people most precious to you—your child, the elderly, yourself. She is the one who
has made a living out of caring and loving other people. So to those who have
typecasted us as nannies, thank you."
Sentence Example
As can be gleaned from the above example, the paragraph started with a past form
(was) and the tense shifted to present forms (take, do take, have, and so on). Here, the
shift in tense is necessary and thus appropriate.
CENTRAL POINTS

Unity of Tense
APPLICATION SITE

Directions: Encircle the verb with the correct form.

The text above shows unity of tense as illustrated in " following sentences.
1. Filipinos (shows, show, showed) hospitality to their guests
. by making them feel welcome.
7
.
The Filipinos are considered a simple and happy peo This is evidenced by the fact that
many Filipinos lou celebrate for any reason even with meager resou
2. Christmas carols during the “ber" months (will be aired,
are aired, is aired) over the radio all over the Philippines.

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lebrations even
3. Filipinos (love, loved, loves) to organize celebrati
with meager resources.
WRITE CORNER
ocelebrated,
4. Fiestas in the Philippines (were celebrated, are c
will be celebrated) at least once a year.
iewed, is viewed,
Directions: Observing unity of tense, rewrite the following paragraph by correcting all
errors in verb forms, as well as errors in capitalization.
5. Christmas season in the Philippines (was viewed in
will be viewed) as an occasion to be with family and relatives.
Moers
Mona Lisa

Directions: Answer the following questions by completing sentences below using the
verbs enclosed in parentheses

1. How would you describe the Filipina “nanny?" (gives)

The Filipina “nanny” –
leonardo da vinci's mona lisa is the most famous portrait in the history of painting.
leonardo took four years to complete the painting: he begins work in 1503 and finish
in 1607. mona (or madonna lisagherardini) was from a noble family in naples, and
leonardo may have paint her on commission from her husband. leonardo is said to
have entertain mona lisa with six musicians. he install a musical fountain where the
water play on small glass spheres, and he give mona a puppy and a white persian
cat to play with. leonardo did what he could to keep mona smiling during the long
hours she sit for him. but it is not only mona's mysterious smile that has impress
anyone who has ever view the portrait: the background landscape is just as
mysterious and beautiful, the portrait could be seen today in the louvre museum in
paris.
2. During what occasion is a despedida celebrated hy
Filipinos? (celebrate) Filipinos

3. What do Filipinos do each time they receive blessings from

God? (thank) Filipinos

4. How do foreigners interpret the Filipinos' fondness for

cheerfulness? (amaze) The cheerful disposition of Filipinos.
-5. How did “fiesta" originate in the Philippines? (introduced)
The Spaniards

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ilipino celebration
Directions: Using the grid below, name five Filin; that you witnessed and describe them
in da
be them in paragraphs of at
of at least two
sentences.
LESSON 2 Unity of Mood
CELEBRATION
DESCRIPTION

READING NOOK
Seven Practical Ways to Spend Your Money (Excerpt from the Eleven Practical
Ways to Spend Your Money)
I know. I know. Saving and investing your money for the future is one of the most
practical things you can do. This is solid advice, but when you do decide to spend your
hard earned money. It should be spent on something practical, useful, and meaningful
to the well being of your existence. So many people either save their money or
blow it on worthless crap. Here are seven practical ways to spend your
money on something useful.
1. Educate Yourself - Use your money to purchase
educational courses or books pertaining to your career, or to a miscellaneous topic that
interests and intrigues you. Remember, knowledge is power and your brain is the
container of that knowledge. There are few options for spending money on something
more practical than the
development and faculty of your brain. 2. Add Value to Your Ilome - Your home
should be your
sanctuary, the place on this planet where you feel the most comfortable. Adding value
to your home, be it personal value or increased monetary value, is always a
practical choice for spending your money. If the additions you make increase your
level of comfort for years to come, you win. If they increase the value of the home to a
third party someday when you sell, you win. If both occur, you win
big. 3. Take a lealthy, Relaxing Vacation - A vacation revitalizes
your mind by pulling you away from the daily stress factors in your life. It can spark
creative thought by stimulating your brain with new material. And finally, a vacation
allows you to be yourself without the external influences present

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