English

for
Cultural Literacy 7

UNIT I: Expressing Attitudes Meaningfully

Exploring One’s Imagination
Vocabulary Improvement

Nomads Lush
 wanderers  abundant

Sturdy Reeds
 strong  tall grasses
LEGENDS
 Understanding Legends

Legends, together with fables,

myths, fantasy stories, and fairy
tales, fall under folk narrative,
also called folk tales.
Legends are either real or
improbable stories which explain
the origin of local phenomena which
people believe historically and
traditionally.
Not necessarily based on facts
Products of people’s imagination
Have an unknown authors
Timeless
Placeless
Circulated orally
Search Collection
of
Folk Narratives

To be submitted before the end of Unit I

Using of Personification,
Alliteration, and
Assonance
Personification

- is a figure of speech in which a

nonliving thing are given human
qualities or characteristics.
Examples:

1. “… the reeds danced gracefully.”

2. “Then a soft breeze fanned the tall, thin
grass growing beside him.”
Alliteration

- is a rhetorical device
characterized by the repetition of
the first consonant sound in
successive important words.
Examples:
1. the Golden Grains 6. some salt

2. large leaves 7. seemed to say

3. soft soil/soil softened 8. fragrant with flowers

4. the wanderer, soaked 9. seas sparkled in the

in sweat, sunlight
sat
10. from the fire
5. grass growing
Assonance

- is another rhetorical device in

which the same vowel sound is
repeated in successive important
words. Both alliteration and
assonance are utilized to add
beauty to form and expression.
Examples:
1. rich with fish 6. white rice

2. leafy trees 7. spirit that brings

3. wandered far 8. never again

4. tiny white 9. will live

5. heavenly smelling
 Vocabulary Improvement
Quietude enemies
peace and stillness
Vain
Fleet useless; put to
a number of waste
warships
Dusk
sunset/twilight
Foes
The Dictionary: An Aid to
Vocabulary Building
 Dictionary
 Is an invaluable tool in learning words in the
English language.
 It is based on a scientific study of the speaking
and writing habits or patterns of English-
speaking people throughout the world.
 Frequently kept up-to-date by the inclusion of
supplementary pages for new words and
expressions.
 Most dictionaries give the following
information about a word.
1. Spelling and capitalization
2. Pronunciation guides
3. Syllabication
4. Hyphenated words
5. Parts of speech
6. Plural forms of nouns
7. Principal parts of irregular verbs
8. Comparative and superlative forms of adjectives
9. Derivation or etymology (foreign language source)
10. Meanings
11. Synonyms and antonyms
12. Foreign words or expressions
13. Idiomatic expressions
14. Examples of how the word are used
15. Illustrations, such as maps, graphs, etc.
16. Cross reference – indicating where to find more
information
17. Abbreviations
18. Usage and subject labels
Usage labels: Colloq. (Colloquial), Slang, Archaic
Subject labels: Law, Naut. (Nautical), or Med.
(Medicine)
19. Guide words
20. Miscellaneous information about persons, places,
things, tables of weights and measures, forms of
addresses, special signs and symbols.
 RECITATION
1. What is the basis for the preparation of the
dictionary?
2. How are dictionaries updated?
3. Enumerate the kinds of information about a
word that you can get from the dictionary.
4. Why is the dictionary an aid to vocabulary
building and, in turn, to reading skills
improvement?
 Listening Comprehension
Servant: “Your highness, a fleet of invaders is nearing
the kingdom!”

Youngest Warrior: “Let us not allow the invaders to land

in our kingdom. We will meet them at sea.”

Other Warriors: “We will be united in conquering them.”

Rajah Mabuseg: While we mourn for their death, let us

remember that they not die in vain.”
 Vocabulary Improvement
vain shoots
 worthless/useless; excessive pride in one’s appearance

toppled to the ground

 fell

in peril
 danger

was limp
 Lacking strength or firmness
 Vocabulary Improvement
with remorse
 Distress arising from sense of guilt for past wrongs

from the wailing

 Prolonged cry or sound expressing grief or pain
Subject-Verb Agreement
Some guides in making verbs agree
with their subjects.
1. A singular subject uses a singular verb; a
plural subject, a plural verb.
Examples:

1. Rajah Masubeg is full of grief for the death

of his son.
2. Juan needs wood and long leaves to build
his house.
3. Several warriors are willing to save the
Kingdom.
 2. A compound subject or series of subjects
connected by and requires a plural verb.
Examples:
1. Juan and Maria dream of having a house full of
their own.

2. Rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans sparkle in the

sunlight.
If the elements of compound subject refer to one or the same
things that are closely associated, a singular verb is used.

Examples:

1. Spoon and fork is not used by most barrio

people.

2. The secretary and treasurer of our club is

Letty, my cousin.
3. Compound subjects joined by correlatives, like either – or, neither –
nor, not only – but also, require singular verbs if both subjects are
singular and plural verbs if both subjects are plural.

Examples:

1. Either the datu or the leader of the conquering

fleet expects to win.

2. Neither the invaders nor the defending men return

alive.
If the elements of the compound subject differ in number, the
verb agrees with the nearer subject.

Example:

Not only the good-looking banana shoots but also the

dark ugly shoot deserves the reward.
If the elements of the compound subject differ in person, recast the sentence in order to
avoid an awkward construction.

Example:

Awkward: Either you or the hero is applauded.

Better: Either you are applauded or the hero is.