Republic of the Philippines

National Capital Region

Division of City Schools-Valenzuela
POLO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL-MALANDAY ANNEX
M.H. del Pilar St., Malanday Valenzuela City
DIAGNOSTIC TEST IN ENGLISH
GRADE 10

Name: ___________________________________________ Score _________________________

Grade and Section _______________________________ Teacher _______________________

I. Reading Comprehension. Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow. Write the letter
of your answer only.
Orpheus played his lyre so sweetly that he charmed all things on earth. Men and women forgot their cares when
gathered around him to listen. Wild beasts lay down as they gathered around him as if they were tame, entranced by
his soothing notes. Even rocks and trees followed him, and the rivers changed their direction to hear him play. He was
given a remarkable talent for music.

1. What sensory image does the word sweet in the first sentence appeal to?
A. Hearing B. Sight C. Taste D. Touch
2. Which of the following lines cannot happen in real life?
A. Even rocks and trees followed him, and the rivers changed their direction to hear him play.
B. He was given a remarkable talent for music.
C. Men and women forgot their cares when gathered around him to listen.
D. Orpheus played his lyre so sweetly.

All water molecules form six-sided structures as they freeze and become snow crystals. Temperature, vapor and
wind conditions in the upper atmosphere determine the shape of the crystals. Snow crystals are always symmetrical
because these conditions affect all six sides simultaneously.
3. The purpose of this passage is to present
A. a personal observation
B. a solution to a problem
C. actual information
D. opposing scientific theories
4. Which is NOT likely a cause of this situation? “I can’t turn on the lamp in the family room!”
A. The lamp isn’t plugged into an electrical outlet.
B. We just bought a new couch in a color that matches the lamp.
C. There’s a power outage in the neighborhood.
D. The light bulb in the lamp has burned out.

Today’s teenagers spend millions of dollars on clothing, cosmetics and other types of products. One reason is
that they have grown up in a time of almost constant prosperity.
5. Which answer best describes the relationship between these two statements?
A. The second statement contrasts with the first.
B. Both statements are examples of the same concept.
C. The second statement is an example of the first.
D. The second statement is a cause of the first.

Marcy’s American Lit teacher gives a quiz every Monday on the 50 pages of reading he assigns on Fridays. His
quizzes are becoming harder as the semester progresses, and Marcy hasn’t been doing very well on them.
6. What can she do to troubleshoot the problem and hopefully get better grades on the quizzes?
A. plan to get to class early on Monday to skim the pages.
 B. look for a new outfit to wear on Monday so she’ll be relaxed.
C. set aside time on Sunday to read and review the new material.
D. spend an hour on Saturday looking over what she missed on past quizzes.

No one who eats in the cafeteria likes the pizza. My boss eats in the cafeteria. Therefore, my boss does not like the
pizza.
7. What can be a possible option for my boss and the other employees?
A. plan a shorter, cheaper trip to just one country in Europe.
B. set up a website asking people to donate money to help pay for the trip.
C. eat at home instead of buying breakfast on the way to work every day and save $200 a month
D. save the money instead of buying her asthma medication.

A friend was in the hospital to give birth to her first baby. As the labor pains become more frequent and
severe, she gasped to the nurse, “Is the hard part over now?” The nurse replied, “Honey, this is the easy part. The hard
part will last for the next 18 years.”
8. Why did the mother ask the nurse if the hard part was over?
A. She was excited to see her child right away. C. She wanted to be relieved of the labor pains.
B. She wanted to know how long the process. D. She was worried about the bills if the delivery takes longer
9. What is the hard part of giving birth, according to the author?
A. Feeling the pain while giving birth. C. Paying the hospital bills for several years.
B. Nurturing the child until the age of maturity. D. Taking the baby to the hospital for several check-up.
10. Based on the selection, what general impression do you get about giving birth?
A. A mother is totally conscious while giving birth. C. It is impossible to keep talking while giving birth.
B. It is usually hard and a painful process. D. Nurses help the patient ease her labor pains

II. Read the description of each text and identify the MAIN purpose of the author. Write the letter of your
answer.
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
11. A five paragraph essay where a student argues that people should recycle and not litter.
12. A Garfield comic from the newspaper in which Garfield hates Mondays and likes lasagna.
13. The play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
14. A speech by a politician asking 90 minutes to be added to the school day.
15. The instructions for the board game, Monopoly.

III. Vocabulary. Read the sentences carefully. Then give the meaning of the underlined words. Write the letter
of your answer only.
16. Men that are overweight or sloppily dressed will be thought of as lazy or less intelligent.
A. untidy B. clean C. lazy D. careful
17. He also wants to use water to irrigate barren desert land.
A. productive B. unproductive C. lively D. fresh
18. After all the exercise, I was parched.
A. very thirsty B. very sick C very sleepy d. very happy
19. He was very rich, so he lives his life luxuriously.
A. in a happy manner C. in a creative manner
B. in a rich manner D. in a simple manner
20. Manny Pacquiao is a prominent person in the Philippines.
A. indistinct B. unpopular C. insignificant D. well-known

IV. Choose the correct word to complete the following sentences. Write your answer only.
A. Pronoun
21. The Jensons or ( they, them ) will supervise this affair.
 22. Tonia sent ( me, my ) some oranges from Florida.

23. Please teach ( us, we ) the rules of the game.

24. Lea and ( he, his ) are the most talented students in our class.
25. You and ( I, me ) should wash the dishes today.

B. Conjunctions
26. I like chicken ____ not fish.
A. and     B. since     C. but     D. for     E. or
27. ____ it rains on Sunday, I will not be able to drive.
A. And     B. Where    C. Either  D. If       E. How
28. I like both dogs ______ cats.
A. also     B. but       C. and    D. if       E. until
29. 24. The items are on sale in the local store _____ not online.
A. but     B. and      C. though     D. or    E. nor
30. Neither my mother _____ my father will be able to attend the party on Sunday.
A. or        B. but not     C. and       D. nor      E. but also

C. Modals
31. They (may, can) be away for the weekend but I’m not sure.
32. He (could, can) be French, judging but his accent.
33. They (may not, can’t) still be out!
34. They live in a very big house. They (must be, may be) rich.
35. I wonder who wrote that letter. (May , Could) Jim have written it?

D. Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns. Determine if the underline pronoun is reflexive or intensive.
Write R for reflexive and I for intensive.
36. You yourself are your own best friend up in the mountains.
37. You can protect yourself from harm by taking a few important precautions.
38. Climbers risk exposing themselves to hypothermia and altitude sickness.
39. We ourselves determine whether we are successful climbers or not.
40. Beware! An avalanche can propel itself to speeds of over 100 miles per hour.

E. Write C if the item shows APA format and D if it shows the MLA format.
41. Rowling, J.K. (2001). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. London: Bloomsburg Children’s.
42. Rothbart, Davy. “How I Caught up with Dad.” Men’s Health Oct. 2008: 108-13. Print.
43. Folger, Tim. “Higgs: What Causes the Weight of the World.” Discover Magazine n.d: n. pag. Web. 2
Jan. 2013
44. Poryorter, R. (1994). London, a social history. Retrieved from http://books.google.com. 20 mar. 2010.
45. Finney, J. (1970). Time and again. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

V. Logical Organization. Arrange the following jumbled steps in writing a research paper. Write the letters
A- F after the number.
46. Gathering the pertinent materials or data.
47. Preparing a working bibliography.
48. Organizing the data according to your outline.
49. Selecting a suitable topic for the research.
50. Writing and documenting the paper.
GOOD LUCK!