Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region VII, Central Visayas
Division of Cebu, District of San Remigio II
KINAWAHAN INTEGRATED SCHOOL
Second Semester
Mid-Term Examination
in Reading and Writing
for Grade 11

Name: __________________________________________________ Gr. & Sec. ______________ Date: _________

I. Reading Comprehension Test

Read carefully the paragraphs and answer the questions given. ENCIRCLE the letter of your answer.
For numbers 1-7
In the sixteenth century, an age of great marine and terrestrial exploration, Ferdinand Magellan led the first expedition to
sail around the world. As a young Portuguese noble, he served the king of Portugal, but he became involved in the quagmire of
political intrigue at court and lost the king's favor. After he was dismissed from service to the king of Portugal, he offered to serve
the future Emperor Charles V of Spain.
A papal decree of 1493 had assigned all land in the New World west of 50 degrees W longitude to Spain and all the land
east of that line to Portugal. Magellan offered to prove that the East Indies fell under Spanish authority. On September 20, 1519,
Magellan set sail from Spain with five ships. More than a year later, one of these ships was exploring the topography of South
America in search of a water route across the continent. This ship sank, but the remaining four ships searched along the southern
peninsula of South America. Finally they found the passage they sought near a latitude of 50 degrees S. Magellan named this
passage the Strait of All Saints, but today we know it as the Strait of Magellan.
One ship deserted while in this passage and returned to Spain, so fewer sailors were privileged to gaze at that first
panorama of the Pacific Ocean. Those who remained crossed the meridian we now call the International Date Line in the early spring
of 1521 after ninety-eight days on the Pacific Ocean. During those long days at sea, many of Magellan's men died of starvation and
disease.
Later Magellan became involved in an insular conflict in the Philippines and was killed in a tribal battle. Only one ship and
seventeen sailors under the command of the Basque navigator Elcano survived to complete the westward journey to Spain and thus
prove once and for all that the world is round, with no precipice at the edge.
1. The sixteenth century was an age of great ___exploration.
A. cosmic B. land C. mental D. common man
2. Magellan lost the favor of the king of Portugal when he became involved in a political _______________.
A. agreement B. discussion C. negotiation D. problems
3. One of Magellan's ships explored the ___ of South America for a passage across the continent.
A. coastline B. mountain range C. physical features D. islands
4. How was Magellan killed?
A. starvation B. serious illness C. tribal war D. drowning
5. At what year did Magellan and his men found the Philippines?
A. 1493 B. 1512 C. 1519 D. 1521
6. What kind of paragraph is the text that you have read?
A. descriptive B. narrative C. cause and effect D. comparison and contrast
7. Why do you say it is that kind of paragraph?
A. it describes an idea C. it tells what happened
B. it presents reasons and consequences D. it compares and contrasts two things

For numbers 8-14

Marie Curie was one of the most accomplished scientists in history. Together with her husband, Pierre, she discovered
radium, an element widely used for treating cancer, and studied uranium and other radioactive substances. Pierre and Marie's
amicable collaboration later helped to unlock the secrets of the atom.
Marie was born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, where her father was a professor of physics. At the early age, she displayed a
brilliant mind and a blithe personality. Her great exuberance for learning prompted her to continue with her studies after high
school. She became disgruntled, however, when she learned that the university in Warsaw was closed to women. Determined to
receive a higher education, she defiantly left Poland and in 1891 entered the Sorbonne, a French university, where she earned her
master's degree and doctorate in physics.
Marie was fortunate to have studied at the Sorbonne with some of the greatest scientists of her day, one of whom was
Pierre Curie. Marie and Pierre were married in 1895 and spent many productive years working together in the physics laboratory. A
short time after they discovered radium, Pierre was killed by a horse-drawn wagon in 1906. Marie was stunned by this horrible
misfortune and endured heartbreaking anguish. Despondently she recalled their close relationship and the joy that they had shared
in scientific research. The fact that she had two young daughters to raise by herself greatly increased her distress.
Curie's feeling of desolation finally began to fade when she was asked to succeed her husband as a physics professor at the
Sorbonne. She was the first woman to be given a professorship at the world-famous university. In 1911 she received the Nobel Prize
in chemistry for isolating radium. Although Marie Curie eventually suffered a fatal illness from her long exposure to radium, she
never became disillusioned about her work. Regardless of the consequences, she had dedicated herself to science and to revealing
the mysteries of the physical world.
8. The Curies’ __________________ collaboration helped to unlock the secrets of the atom.
A. harmonious B. competitive C. incompatible D. meaningless
9. Marie had a bright mind and a _____________ personality.
A. strong B. cheerful C. weird D. strange
10. When she learned that she could not attend the university in Warsaw, she felt___.
A. happy B. annoyed C. scared D. worried
11. Marie ________________ by leaving Poland and traveling to France to enter the Sorbonne.
A. challenged the government B. showed no care C. behaved D. was distressed
12. Even though she became fatally ill from working with radium, Marie Curie was never _____________.
A. hopeless B. worried C. disappointed D. sorrowful
13. What kind of paragraph is this?
A. narrative B. cause and effect C. problem-solution D. descriptive
14. What makes the discovery of radium very important?
A. the element is widely used for cancer treatment C. it revealed the importance of science
B. it was an unfinished discovery D. no one else had the same brilliance

For numbers 15-20

The Trojan War is one of the most famous wars in history. It is well known for the ten-year duration, for the heroism of a
number of legendary characters, and for the Trojan horse. What may not be familiar, however, is the story of how the war began.
According to Greek myth, the strife between the Trojans and the Greeks started at the wedding of Peleus, King of Thessaly, and
Thetis, a sea nymph. All of the gods and goddesses had been invited to the wedding celebration in Troy except Eris, goddess of
discord. She had been omitted from the guest list because her presence always embroiled mortals and immortals alike in conflict.
To take revenge on those who had slighted her, Eris decided to cause a skirmish. Into the middle of the banquet hall, she
threw a golden apple marked “for the most beautiful.” All of the goddesses began to haggle over who should possess it. The gods
and goddesses reached a stalemate when the choice was narrowed to Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Someone was needed to settle
the controversy by picking a winner. The job eventually fell to Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, who was said to be a good judge of
beauty.
Paris did not have an easy job. Each goddess, eager to win the golden apple, tried aggressively to bribe him.
“I'll grant you vast kingdoms to rule, “ promised Hera. “Vast kingdoms are nothing in comparison with my gift,” contradicted
Athena. “Choose me and I'll see that you win victory and fame in war.” Aphrodite outdid her adversaries, however. She won the
golden apple by offering Helen, Zeus' daughter and the most beautiful mortal, to Paris. Paris, anxious to claim Helen, set off for
Sparta in Greece.
Although Paris learned that Helen was married, he accepted the hospitality of her husband, King Menelaus of Sparta,
anyway. Therefore, Menelaus was outraged for a number of reasons when Paris departed, taking Helen and much of the king's
wealth back to Troy. Menelaus collected his loyal forces and set sail for Troy to begin the war to reclaim Helen.
15. Eris was known for _________________ both mortals and immortals.
A. ignoring B. causing conflict to C. being friendly toward D. comforting
16. Each goddess tried ____________________ to bribe Paris.
A. boldly B. effectively C. secretly D. carefully
17. Athena _____________ Hera, promising Paris victory and fame in war.
A. disagreed with B. defended C. agreed with D. repeated with
18. How did Aphrodite win the title, The Most Beautiful Goddess, against Hera and Athena?
 A. by offering power and fame C. by giving Paris the most beautiful woman, Helen
B. by offering treasure and kingdom D. by killing Hera and Athena
19. Why did King Menelaus started a war against the people of Troy?
A. to reclaim his kingdom C. to win over the goddesses’ trust
B. to reclaim his wife and stolen wealth D. to get the land to be his own territory
20. Why did Paris travel to Sparta?
A. to steal Helen away B. to claim his kingdom C. to make a war D. to tour the place

II. Outlining
Read the paragraphs. Complete the outline given. Write your answers on the blanks provided.

The class participated in the Clean and Green Project. The teacher asked the students to keep the surroundings clean and
orderly. The children picked up the pieces of paper scattered around the classroom, corridors and playground. They put all chairs in
the classroom in straight lines. Some swept the floor, dusted the book shelves, tables, cabinets and chalkboard.
After class, the students tended the school garden. Some made plots for vegetables. Some planted seeds in pots and cans.
Others watered the plants.

Title: The Busy Students

I. Participating in the Clean and Green Project

A. Keeping the surrounding clean and orderly
1.________________________________
2. ________________________________
3. ________________________________
B. Tending the school garden
1. _________________________________
2. _________________________________
3. _________________________________

Plants are important to all people and animals. Without them, we would have nothing to eat. Farmers raise crops by
spraying fertilizers. Most farmers now put chemicals on the plants they grow. They use fertilizers , pesticides and herbicides on the
plants grown commercially.
Fertilizers are chemicals that provide the nutrients that plants need to make their own food. Pesticides are chemicals that
repel or kill insects that harm the plants. Herbicides are chemicals that kill the weeds that grow with the plants.

Title: Plants

I. Raising Crops
A. spraying fertilizers
B. putting chemicals
1. __________________
2. __________________
3. __________________
II. The Uses of Chemicals
A. _________________________________
B. _________________________________
C. _________________________________
 Honeybees live together in colonies made up of hives that have many chambers and cells. Each colony has three types of
honeybee: the queen bee, the worker bees and drones. The queen lays eggs. Worker bees are females that do not lay eggs. They
build and repair the hives, gather food and defend the hive. Drones are male bees whose job is to mate with the queen.
Termites live in colonies. Each colony consists of a large nest made up of chambers and cells. Termite colonies are also of three
types. The king and queen make up one type. They mate together to produce eggs. Worker termites build and repair the nest and
take care of all other termites. Soldier termites defend the nest.

Title: Honeybees and Termites

I. Honeybee Colonies
A. made up of hives
B. __________________
1. _________________
2. _________________
3. _________________
II. Termite Colonies
A. __________________
B. Three types of colonies
1. _____________________
2. _____________________
3. _____________________

III. MATCHING TYPE. Match the definition in Column A to their correct term in Column B. Write the letter of your answer on the
blanks provided.
Column A Column B
1. a paragraph that shows the reasons of why things happen and their results_____ A. descriptive
2. a paragraph that tells about what happened _____ B. definition
3. a paragraph that describes details specifically _____ C. problem-solution
4. a paragraph that identifies problems and presents solutions _____ D. cause and effect
5. a paragraph that compares and contrasts two things ______ E. narrative
F. comparison and contrast

IV. TRANSITIONAL DEVICES. Underline the transitional devices that expresses comparison and contrast in the paragraph.

My life now and my life five years ago are similar but there are also some major differences. Five years ago, I was living in
Havre and going to high school. I didn’t have to work because my parents supported me. I went to school every day and spent time
with my friends. I babysat my nieces every day after school because both of my parents were working at the time. I had the
responsibility of feeding them and making sure nothing happened to them while I was watching them. I didn’t really have any major
goals five years ago. I wasn’t really thinking about my future quite yet. On the other hand, now I live in Great Falls and I’m not in high
school anymore. I have to work now in order to support myself. I only work twenty hours a week because I’m in school right now. I
have a lot more responsibility now than I did five years ago. I have to take responsibility for myself now and everything that I do. I
have a lot of major goals now. For instance, I want to graduate and get my two year degree. I want to come back and get a
bachelor’s degree. I have a lot of things that I want to accomplish now. Five years ago, I really wasn’t going anywhere with my life,
but now I’m starting to get my life in order and deciding what I want to do. In addition, I am still living at home with my parents and I
still go to school. I still baby sit my nieces every once in a while. I find time to spend with my family and friends. I still have some of
the same responsibilities. I help my mom take care of my oldest niece. She has always lived with us, so I’ve always helped take care
of her ever since she was a baby. Even though she is not a baby anymore, I still have to baby sit her when my parents are gone
because she is not quite old enough to stay by herself yet. I still have to depend on my parents for transportation because I don’t
have a vehicle right now. My life now has changed a lot in only five years.

-Your success depends on how much effort you have exerted with determination to continue.-