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LEARNING
MODULE in

Quarter 1 – Module 1
Week 5
Learner’s Material

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Module 1: Audacity in Rising
above Challenges
INTRODUCTION AND FOCUS QUESTIONS:
What would you do if you won a trip to Africa? How would you feel? Would you
be excited or afraid? How will you prepare? How will you try to better
understand Africa and its people before you actually get to meet them?

In this module, you will find out more about Africans and how their literary
pieces show the kind of people they are. Remember to search for the answer
to the following questions:
1. What does literature reveal about African character?
2. How do Africans respond to the challenges of modernity as revealed in
their literary pieces?

LESSONS AND COVERAGE:

In this module, you will examine this question when you
take the following lessons:

Lesson 1 – The Unknown Side of Africans

 Historical Background of African Literature
Derivation of Words
 Writer’s Devices
 Text Type
 Writing Interactive Blogs
Lesson 2 – Africans and the Modern World
 Context Clues
 African Prose and Poetry
 Parallel Structures and Cohesive
 Devices Informative Texts about Africa
 Writing and Delivering an Informative Speech

In these lessons, you will learn the following:

Lesson 1  Gather information about Africa and its literature

 Write interactive blogs

Lesson 2  Analyze African prose and poetry samples to characterize

the Africans and how they respond to challenges in the
modern world
 Write an informative speech

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EXPECTED SKILLS:
To do well in this module, you need to remember and do the following:

LESSON 1:
1. Use syntactic, lexical, and context clues to supply items not listened to
2. Use appropriate strategies in unlocking the meaning of unfamiliar words
3. Identify derivation of words
4. Scan for logical connectors to determine the text type.
5. Express appreciation for worthwhile African traditions and the
values they present
6. Organize information from a material viewed.
7. Describe the notable literary genres contributed by African writers.

LESSON 2:
1. Use the appropriate reading style (scanning, skimming, speed reading,
intensive reading etc.) for one’s purpose.
2. Use context clues from the material viewed to determine the meaning of
unfamiliar words or expressions.
3. Generate ideas and their relationships.
4. React to the devices employed by a writer to achieve his/her purpose
5. Assess the African identity as presented in African Literature and related
informative texts
6. Appreciate literature as a means of understanding the human being and the
forces he/she needs to contend with.
7. Use appropriate cohesive devices in composing an informative speech.

LESSON 1: The Unknown Side of Africans

PRE-ASSESSMENT:
Let’s find out how much you already know about this lesson. Encircle the letter that you
think best answers the question. Please answer all items. Take note of the items that you
were not able to correctly answer and look for the right answer as you go through this
module.

1. In the sentence, “The man who came to see the show that
was held in the stadium is a director of movies,” the
principal clause is
a. The man is a director of movies
b. Who came to see the show
c. That was held in the stadium
d. The man who came to see the show

2. Which of the following require you only to listen?

a. Close the window.
b. Will you close the window?
c. I want you to close the window.
d. They closed the window.

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3. What is the root word of, ambidextrous which means able to
use both hands equally?
a. Ambi c. Dex
b. Bid d. Trous
4. What makes the answer in number 1 a principal clause?
a. It does not describe anything.
b. It has a complete thought
c. It has a subject and a verb
d. It describes the subject.

5. Based from this comic strip, why do you think Rodney was crying?

a. He misunderstood the girl.

b. He was crying for joy.
c. He was afraid.
d. He was angry.

6. What supports the answer of the question above?

a.the dialogue of the girl
b.the facial expression
c.the place where they talked
d.the position of their body

7. Which of the following is correct?

a. This year I believe will be the best year yet.
b. This year, I believe will be the best year yet.
c. This year, I believe, will be the best year yet.
d. This year, I believe will be, the best year yet.

8. Which of the following is different?

a. The man, the boy, and the dog were happy and united.
b. The man, the boy and the dog were happy and a family.
c. The man, the boy and the dog were free and playful.
d. The man, the boy and the dog were happy and satisfied.

9. And so Luetsi had to lie there for hours, beneath the dead leopard. In the
distance, she could hear the roaring of the leopardess, looking for its dead
mate. The jungle was full of threatening voices. At last, she began to imagine that
the leopard on top of her was moving, as if it had come to life again. But still she

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 did not budge from the spot, so keen was she to find out how her husband
would behave. (an excerpt from The Leopard, a folklore from Africa) What
characteristic of Africans is revealed in the excerpt?

a. They are courageous.

b. They want to test their strength.
c. They are deceptive.
d. They love animals.

10. The answer above is evident because

a. It was a dangerous situation.
b. The character had a purpose
c. The animal was dead
d. The character lied beneath the animal

11. Ki, the pygmy, has married a Pygmy girl from another village. The girl was called
Luetsi and she became Ki’s wife. With them lived Ntio, Ki’s brother. After a year,
Luetsi wished to visit her mother, as was the custom. Ki agreed and gave Luetsi
a big piece of meat to take to her mother. As a big hunt was imminent, Ki could
not go with his wife, but he promised to fetch her from her mother’s house in four
weeks’ time.
Now it happened that Ki was bitten in the foot by a snake and he could not walk. So
he asked his brother to fetch his wife. Ntio did not want to go and said, “In a few
days time you will be able to walk again. It is better for you to fetch your wife
yourself.”
“No,” said Ki. “It is better not to leave Luetsi in uncertainty. She would not wait for
me but would start the journey home alone. Fetch her home for me, and I’ll give
you my best bow.” (an excerpt from The Leopard, a folklore form Central Africa)

Which of the following does the excerpt imply?

a. Africans are wild people.
b. Africans are not afraid of snakes.
c. Africans are caring people.
d. Africans are careless.

12. What action supports the answer of the question above?

a.Ki being bitten by a snake
b.Ntio fetching Ki’s wife
c.Luetsi visiting her mother
d.Ki asking his brother to fetch his wife
13. What did Nelson Mandela mean by his statement?
a. He is happy to be free.
b. He will always be a prisoner.
c. He remembers his hatred.
d. He forgave those who imprisoned him.

14. What does Nelson Mandela show about Africans?

a.They are peace loving people.
b.They hold grudges against oppressors.
c.They are easily convicted.
d.They are innocent.

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 15. You recently attended a Youth Summit on Culture and the Arts where you
learned that literary pieces are good sources of information about other people’s
culture. You wish to share what you have learned from the convention with the
young people of this generation who are exposed to social networking where
they communicate with people from other countries. What would be the best
medium to use to send your message to these techno teens?
a. Magazine c. Newspaper
b. Blog d. Book

16. Why is the answer above the best medium?

a. The audience is fond of technology
b. The goal demands that
c. The medium can be produced into many copies.
d. The situation is a formal event.

17. How will you catch the attention of the audience?

a. Make the graphics appealing.
b. Make sure there are no grammatical errors.
c. Give interesting comments.
d. Arrange the text in a unique way.

18. How will you be able to effectively convey your message?

a. Use unusual words c. Be brief
b. Give examples d. Add humor

19. Being a student, what is the best thing to do to better

understand the Africans?
a. Watch the news c. Ask your parents
b. Read African stories d. Go to Africa

20. How will you convince others that what you are saying is true?
a. Use humorous words
b. Support your opinion with facts
c. Be strong about your opinion
d. Say it in a pleasing manner

Let’s begin by having a short trip. Are you ready? But before we go, remember to be
very observant as we go through the short trip. Try to think about these questions:

1. What does it reveal about African character?

2. How do Africans respond to the challenges of modernity as
revealed in the video?

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 ACTIVITY 1. Impression Check
Now, click to this link then think of what the video shows about Africa and its people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2s5ev0i8tM

Video shows images of Africa and its people. It was published on Aug.
4, 2012.

As you watch the video, think about the kind of character the Africans possess. Think
what each scene reveal about their attitudes. Express your thoughts by doing the next
activity.

ACTIVITY 2. Anticipation/ Reaction Guide

DESCRIPTION: How did you find the short trip? Was it fun? How much have you learned
from it? Now, read the given statements in the table and write AGREE or DISAGREE in
the column before the statements. Defend your answer.

PROCESS QUESTIONS:
1. Which of the following statements do you believe to be true?

2. Why do say that these statements are true?

3. Why do you think these are not true?

Agree or Disagree Statements Realizations

1. Africans are violent
people.
2. Africans are
uneducated.
3. Africans are easily
deceived.
4. Africans do not have a
rich culture.
5. Africans do not adapt
to changes.

ACTIVITY 3. Beliefs Inventory

DESCRIPTION: You have surely discovered a lot about what others think too. Now, make
an inventory of beliefs based from what you have shared as you discussed the answers to
activity 1.

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 PROCESS QUESTIONS:
1. What do my peers believe about Africa and its people?
2. How many share the same beliefs?
3. Why do they believe in such?
4. What can I conclude?
5. How do I know that my conclusion is right?
6. How can I find out?

End of EXPLORE:

You just tried finding out what you and others think of the Africans. Let’s now find
out who they really are by doing the next part.
What you learn in the next sections will also enable you to do the final project
which involves creating a blog that will show what Africa is and who the Africans are.

ACTIVITY 4. Word Mystery

DESCRIPTION: Each sentence has context clues to help you figure out the meaning of
the highlighted word. Circle the correct meaning of each highlighted
word.

1. The long hike up to the top of the mountain was extremely

grueling.
a. loud b. tiring c. easy

2. The conspicuous man wore a purple wig and large sunglasses.

a. easily noticed b. beautiful c. sleeping

3. I was so parched. I drink an entire glass of water in one gulp.

a. hungry b. thirsty c. sleepy

4. The delightful aroma of food cooking in the kitchen made my mouth

water.
a. smell b. color c. wealth

5. The parking lot was so congested; it took half an hour to get out!
a. empty b. hot c. crowded

6. Marcia is a novice soccer player; it is her first day of practice.

a. skilled b. beginner c. professional

7. Pete was envious of his brother’s cool new bicycle.

a. jealous b. confident c. comfortable

Remember, context clues help you better understand words and the idea
presented by the writer. When the dictionary is out of reach, analyzing
words within its context and structure will greatly help in your reading.

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 Give yourself a vocabulary badge and get ready for the next activity.

ACTIVITY 5. Reading Time!

DESCRIPTION: Here is a text about African Literature. Remember to apply the skill you
learned from the previous activity. Read and reflect so that you can answer the questions
that follow.
PROCESS QUESTIONS:
1. What does literature reveal about African character?
2. How do Africans respond to the challenges of modernity as revealed in their
literary pieces?

African Literature
e in prose or in poetry. Storytellers in Africa often tell stories using the call-and-response technique. This is because an Af

“praise” singers, bards sometimes known as “griots,” tell their stories with a musical background. Also recited but most of

Click to these links for more..

http://www.unc.edu/~hhalpin/ThingsFallA
part/literature.html The site shows a
literary background of African
Literature.

http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/entertainment/a
frican-literature.html This site shows more information
about African literature.

http://www.enotes.com/topics/african-literature
This site give additional facts about African literature.

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Wasn’t it fun? Were you able to answer the questions? Now write a one-minute essay about
African Literature.

ACTIVITY 6. Attitude Analysis

DESCRIPTION: You are ready to travel farther into African Literature. Study this poem
and analyze what it wants to convey. Then, complete the attitude analysis chart based
from the literary piece.

Africa
David Diop

Africa of proud warriors in ancestral savannahs Africa

of whom my grandmother sings
On the banks of the distant river I have never known
you
But your blood flows in my veins
Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the field The
blood of your sweat
The sweat of your work The work of your slavery
Africa, tell me Africa
Is this your back that is unbent
This back that never breaks under the weight of
humiliation This back trembling with red scars
And saying no to the whip under the midday sun But a
grave voice answers me
Impetuous child that tree, young and strong That tree
over there
Splendidly alone amidst white and fade flowers That is
your Africa springing up anew Springing up patiently,
obstinately

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 Whose fruit bit by bit acquires The bitter taste of liberty.

ATTITUDE Analysis of Africans

Summary

Attitude/ Values Action/ Practices

Share your attitude analysis.. Answer the questions below. Write your answer
in the space provided.

Process Questions:
1. What does the poem reveal about African character?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. How do Africans respond to the challenges of modernity as revealed in
the poem?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Do you know who the Africans are now? Still not sure if you know them that well?
Don’t worry because we are going to get to know them more through this story.

ACTIVITY 7. Story wheel

DESCRIPTION: Here is a story that focuses on conflicts. Read the story and fill out the
story wheel after reading.

Open House
Musa Nagenda

Kabana saw his father and other elders from his village get off the red bus, take down their suitcases from the top of the
carriage, and look up at the gate. After looking at the poster with approval, they noticed the boys standing in white shirts, ties
and khaki shorts and hurried through the gate in the compound.

When the parents were seated on chairs under the trees, and the boys on the ground, the headmaster made a short speech
welcoming the parents to open day at the school. He invited the elders to have tea with him and the staff in the common
room after they examined the exhibits.

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Kabana and Yagunga ran to their fathers and elders as soon as the headmaster dismissed the meeting. They dropped to
one knee before the elders, whereas the elders placed hands on their shoulders and greeted them. Kabana remembered
the courtesy of greeting the elders first, so he came to greet his father last of all.
          “Kaije – It has been long,” his father said.
          “Ego – Yes,” Kabana answered.
          “Buhoero – It has been very long.”
          “Ego.”
          “Agandi? – What is the news?”
          “Nimarungi” – It is good, Agandi?”
          “Nimarungi” – His father said.
          “Oraiegyo sabo” – How did you spend the night?
          “Kurungi – Well.”
Mulangu smiled upon his son, but Kabana knew his father well and he looked hurriedly away, for he did not see the one
thing in his father’s eye that he looked for. He wanted his father to be proud of him, but that was the one thing missing. His
father always seemed to be saying “Prove yourself first.”

          “The people at home greet you, “ Mulangu said.

          The people at home greet you – Olewa, Rugayoe, Torsie. He could see the smiling faces of his mother, sister, and
little brother as they moved about the compound in Ruti Village. His mother was such a wonderful mother and a good cook,
and Rugaya such a beautiful and thoughtful sister that it almost broke his heart not to tell them so. But it was not the habit to
show much emotion, for life was a hard challenge every day and the thing you love so dearly today might disappoint you
tomorrow. And it seemed to him he was failing them all – especially Rugaya. Lately his father had chided him on his
softness of manner, and one day during the last holiday, Kabana forgot one basket of coffee and it remained in the coffee
field all night.

          “Why don’t you use your head for something more than stuffing it with all that book knowledge?” Mulangu had asked.

          But today was Open House of Kisumbu Secondary School. Perhaps his father had changed in his opinion of his son.

          The leaders from the different villages had lingered behind him when the other parents and visitors left the school and
went back to their villages. After the conference with the headmaster, they went outside and sat in a circle near the
compound under the jacaranda tree. They smoked their pipes, talked and nodded their heads for a while before they sent
for Kabana, Yagunga, and Biraro.

          When the boys had taken the place offered them in the circle, the oldest elder slowly refilled his pipe and lit it. The
ebony walking stick, his rod of authority, lay across his lap. When he’d taken several puffs on his pipe, he began to speak.
He did not hurry but looked straight at the boys with deep lines of seriousness in his kind face.

          “Mwebare munenga emirime – thank you very much for the work you’re doing here,” he said. “You have made the
hearts of your forefathers happy. They and we rejoice in your success.”

          Then slowly, and with pride, he sketched a history of their tribe, telling about the hardships and demands of life in their
village, how through hard work, daring, and attention to the ways of their fathers and Ruhanga, their God, who lighted and
guarded the fires of the Omugabo and protected the drum of Banyankero, they had always triumphed. The faces of the
other elders beamed with pleasure as his words, in the Bantu language, rolled out of him in a tone and rhythm not unlike the
emotional beat of the drum.

          Yagunga, Kabana, and Biraro sat in the circle of men underneath the jacaranda tree and felt the stares of boys of
other tribes like hot sun on their necks. Kabana was ashamed. This talk was for the village and had no place here at school.
He wished the elder would hurry so they could catch the bus. If they stayed longer, they would hear some of the things
Kabana had said to the other boys, and the other boys would get a chance to see that his father couldn’t eat with a fork and
that he ate too fast.

          Still the musical voice of the elder went on, and Kabana felt compelled to listen to it although his legs cramped, for it
was a long time since he had sat on the ground.

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          “Now,” the elder went on, “you have gained a book education. We will also see that you have your tribal education.
You three boys, Yagunga, Biraro, and Kabana,” he nodded at them as he spoke, “will soon be made men. You are of age,
now.”

          “They are of age,” said another elder with enormous ears and a black beard.

          “Soon you must come home for studies and trials and you will learn everything about the joy and the dangers of living.
We shall spread your story in the village of our clansmen, and sing of it in our kraals. We greet you, we salute you, and now
as our journey is long, we take leave of you.” After a moment, all men rose together and started toward the bus, leaving the
boys sitting in the broken circle.
          When they had a short distance, Mulangu turned and called Kabana to him. As always, now, when in his father’s
company, Kabana felt a tightening in his throat. He had mixed feelings about his father. He was ashamed of his crudeness,
his inability to speak good English, his long hair, but at the same time he felt pride in his strength and his ability to take care
of his family and play a leading role in village affairs. His chest rose high. He felt proud to have a father so strong, so brave,
and so successful. He was respected by both villagers and Europeans for his bravery and his ability as a farmer and trader,
and Kabana always felt that he’d never be able to live up to his father’s expectations. Mulangu touched Kabana’s shoulder
and nodded to where Yagunga and Biraro sat in a broken circle.

          “You have done well her in your studies and in your special callings as drummer but your life is incomplete. It is like
that circle, broken because things valuable are left from it. Do you like this school?”
          Kabana nodded. “Yes, Sir” But it was the question that he knew to be coming next that he dreaded.
          “And the village, what can you say about it?”
          “It is my home, father. My mother, my brother, my sister, and my friends are there,” he tried to be tactful.
          “You love them but no longer love their way?” His father looked straight at him.
          All right he would tell the truth. “I used to love the village, but now things are different, I don’t know where I belong. Do
I belong to where I fail or where I succeed?”

          Mulangu’s face clouded. “So, this is what I sent you to school for. To forget your own people – to despise our ways.
Your failure is your own doing. With effort you could do what is expected of you.” Kabana didn’t want his father to angry, but
now he thought of old men who sat around doing nothing but drinking beer, or with doctors with rattling gourds, and poison
taken from snake heads and the dried entrails of goats. The very worst of the village flashed into his mind. His father was
talking to him. “You hate the village, don’t you?”

          “You sent me to school, father.” Before the words came from him Kabana regretted them, but still he spoke them.

          Mulangu stiffened. He almost struck Kabana, but he looked around hurriedly and saw the other elders watching the.

          “You’ll never be a man. At the initiation you will surely disgrace me. You are always acting like a baby. Night and day
your head is in your mother’s kitchen or bowed to your sister. Do you know these are not the ways of men?”

          “I shall improve,” Kabana repented.

          “You say so, but you won’t. I noticed you in the village. You no longer joke, tell stories with the other boys, or dance.
Are you a European?” Kabana bowed his head, and Mulangu felt the guilty sting of his last remark.

          “Very well, the elders think the boys here will vote to come for the I initiation but having a son like you, I doubt it. So as
soon as school is out, you come home and I shall try to do a father’s duty by you.” He looked closer at Kabana and tried to
be pleasant. “We have been both made unhappy, father and son, but this time we shall talk to each other and in our village,
we’ll laugh and be happy.”

          “Oh, that will be wonderful, father,” Kabana said, hopefully.

          ‘Don’t be late. The coffee is ripe and there many goats to herd. Osibegye omwana wangye – Goodbye, my son.”
 

                “Osibegye omukawa wanye – Goodbye, my father. Obandamukize – Greet those at home for me.”

Source: English Arts II, Textbook for Second Year

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 Fill out this story wheel with needed answers to be able to better understand
the story and appreciate the unique characters of Africans.

Source: A-Z Learning Strategies, Catholic Education (Module)

This time, analyze the character in the story by doing the next activity.

ACTIVITY 8. Character Map

DESCRIPTION: Show what kind of character is being shown in the story. Create a
character map of the main character of the story. Use the Character Map below.

Character’s Name:

What the character says and does?: What others think about character:

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 How I feel about the character?
How the character looks/feels?

Once you are done with your character map. As you do this, discuss on the following:

1. What characteristic of Africans is revealed in the story? Support your

answer with events in the story that manifest such characteristic.

2. How did they deal with the situation?

3. How do Africans respond to the challenges of modernity as revealed in

the story?

ACTIVITY 9. Facebook
If the character had a Facebook account, how would it look like? Answer the following
questions.
Questions:
1. Is the profile valid? Why?
2. What should be added or removed? Why?

End of FIRM UP:

In this section, the discussion was about the African literature and what it tells about
its people. By now, you should be able to answer these questions:
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1. What does literature reveal about African character?
2. How do Africans respond to the challenges of modernity as revealed in their
literary pieces?
 Go back to the previous section and compare your initial ideas with the discussion. How
much of your initial ideas are found in the discussion? Which ideas are different and need
revision?

Based from the readings that you have done, what new things have you discovered about
the Africans? Fill out this Anticipation Reaction Chart.

Agree or Disagree Statements Realizations

1. Africans are violent
people.
2. Africans are
uneducated.
3. Africans are easily
deceived.
4. Africans do not have a
rich culture.
5. Africans do not adapt
to changes.

Now that you know the important ideas about this topic, let’s go deeper by moving on to the
next section.

racter as revealed in the varied literatures of the African continent. How much have you gone so far? Find out some more o

You have completed this lesson. Before you go to the next lesson in this module, you
have to answer the following post-assessment.

POST-ASSESSMENT
It’s now time to evaluate your learning. Click on the letter of the answer that you think best
answers the question. Your score will only appear after you answer all items. If you do well,
you may move on to the next module. If your score is not at the expected level, you have to
go back and take the module again.

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1. Which statement is telling the listener to do an action fast?
a. STOP, a car is coming! c. Stop, a car IS coming!
b. Stop, A CAR is coming! d. Stop, a car is COMING!

2. The two friends are about to join the skating contest. One of them tells the
other, “I know you are nervous but don’t be because I believe you are good
at this. Break a leg!”
What did she mean by her last remark?
a. Have fun! c. Injure yourself!
b. Good luck! d. Break the gates!

3. Which of the following shows parallelism?

a. My parents are hard working and engineers.
b. They love going to the beach and watch movies.
c. They like to plant orchids and to travel around.
d. We are supportive and love them dearly.

4. Babysitting is not an easy way to earn money. For example, the little girl you’re
watching may be very cranky and cry until her parents come home. Or maybe
the family didn’t leave any snacks and you have to starve all night. Even worse,
the child could fall and get hurt. Then you have to decide whether you can take
care of her yourself or if you need to call for help. No, babysitting isn’t easy.

What is the purpose of the author of writing this paragraph?

a. To inform c. To contradict
b. To persuade d. To discourage

5. In the given paragraph above, what is the key idea?

a. Babysitting is fun c. Babysitting is a job.
b. Babysitting is necessary. d. Babysitting is not easy.

6. What connector gave the clue that the succeeding sentences are samples?
a. Then c. For example
b. Or d. Even worse

7. In the statement, How are you doing? Which part should

be stressed to mean “ how about you?”
a. How c. You
b. Are d. Doing

8. This soap can wash away blemishes and whiten your skin. It has
glutathione that can make your skin whiter and smoother! Buy now! What
is the purpose of the author in writing this?
a. To inform c. To contradict
b. To persuade d. To discourage

9. Which of the following is the best form of the excerpt from

an informative speech?
a. First of all, the speakers should show interest in each other.

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 Healthy curiosity heats up interest. When you ask questions,
you intend to be given a response that can drive the
conversation. Now, I will give you five ways to improve your
conversational techniques. Second, remember that a
conversation is a dialogue with well-balanced talking and
listening. Skilful speakers monitor themselves, taking control
over taking turns. If you get skilled in taking turns, even talking
a little, you will perfect your conversational skills. Third, give
genuine compliments for the actions the person who you are
talking to has done. This appraisal must be specific and will do
wonders if followed by a tag question. Fourth, your
paralanguage may speak louder than words. Bodily
expressions have a meaning of their own. Fifth, a skilful
speaker employs "What, where, when, who", "how", and "if"
questions.

b. Healthy curiosity heats up interest. Now, I will give you five

ways to improve your conversational techniques. First of all,
the speakers should show interest in each other. When you ask
questions, you intend to be given a response that can drive the
conversation. Second, remember that a conversation is a
dialogue with well-balanced talking and listening. Skilful
speakers monitor themselves, taking control over taking turns.
If you get skilled in taking turns, even talking a little, you will
perfect your conversational skills. Third, give genuine
compliments for the actions the person who you are talking to
has done. This appraisal must be specific and will do wonders
if followed by a tag question. Fourth, your paralanguage may
speak louder than words. Bodily expressions have a meaning
of their own. Fifth, a skilful speaker employs "What, where,
when, who", "how", and "if" questions.

c. Skilful speakers monitor themselves, taking control over taking

turns. If you get skilled in taking turns, even talking a little, you
will perfect your conversational skills. Now, I will give you five
ways to improve your conversational techniques. First of all,
the speakers should show interest in each other. Healthy
curiosity heats up interest. When you ask questions, you intend
to be given a response that can drive the conversation.
Second, remember that a conversation is a dialogue with well-
balanced talking and listening. Third, give genuine compliments
for the actions the person who you are talking to has done.
This appraisal must be specific and will do wonders if followed
by a tag question. Fourth, your paralanguage may speak
louder than words. Bodily expressions have a meaning of their
own. Fifth, a skilful speaker employs "What, where, when,
who", "how", and "if" questions.

d. Now, I will give you five ways to improve your conversational

techniques. First of all, the speakers should show interest in
each other. Healthy curiosity heats up interest. When you ask
questions, you intend to be given a response that can drive the
conversation. Second, remember that a conversation is a
dialogue with well-balanced talking and listening. Skilful
speakers monitor themselves, taking control over taking turns.

18
 If you get skilled in taking turns, even talking a little, you will
perfect your conversational skills. Third, give genuine
compliments for the actions the person who you are talking to
has done. This appraisal must be specific and will do wonders
if followed by a tag question. Fourth, your paralanguage may
speak louder than words. Bodily expressions have a meaning
of their own. Fifth, a skilful speaker employs "What, where,
when, who", "how", and "if" questions.

10. The answer above is the best form because

a. It is well-organized. c. It is long.
b. It has a lot of information d. It shows many examples.

11. How was organization of the sentences maintained?

a. Cohesive devices contributed to the organization.
b. Punctuations give clues to the relationships of the sentences.
c. Examples were given.
d. The sentences were kept short.

His brain screaming for any weapon, Kunta leaped into them clawing, butting,
kneeing, gouging – hardly feeling the club that was pounding against his back.
As three of them went down with him, sinking to the ground under their
combined weight, a knee smashed into Kunta’s lower back, rocking him with
such pain that he gasped. His open mouth meeting flesh, his teeth clamped,
cut, tore. His numb fingers finding a face he clawed deeply into an eye,
hearing its owner howl as again the heavy club met Kunta’s head.

Dazed, he heard a dog snarling, a toubob screaming, then a sudden piteous yelp.
Scrambling to his feet, wildly twisting, dodging, ducking to escape more
clubbing, with blood streaming from his split head, he saw one black cupping
his eye, a toubob holding a bloody arm, standing over the body of the dog, and
the remaining pair circling him with raised clubs. Screaming his rage, Kunta
went for the second toubob, his fists meeting and breaking the force of the
descending club. Almost choking with the awful toubob stink, he tried
desperately to wrench away the club. Why had he not heard them, sensed
them, smelled them?

12. This excerpt shows that Africans are

a. Travellers c. Brave
b. Runners d. Cowards

That tree over there

Splendidly alone amidst white and fade flowers That
is your Africa springing up anew
Springing up patiently, obstinately
Whose fruit bit by bit acquires The bitter taste of liberty.

13. These lines mean to express that

a. Africa is like a tree c. Africa will rise above
b. Africa will fade like a challenges
flower d. Africa will be free

14. Which lines tell that they using difficulties as challenge?

19
 a. Africa of proud warriors in ancestral savannahs
b. Africa of whom my grandmother sings
c. This back that never breaks under the weight of humiliation
d. This back trembling with red scars

The situation below applies to questions number 15-18.

You recently attended a National Convention on Culture and the Arts where you
learned that literary pieces are good sources of information about other people’s
culture. You wish to share what you have learned from the convention with the
young people of this generation who are exposed to social networking where
they communicate with people from other countries.

15. What would be the best medium to use to send your

message to these techno teens?
a. Magazine c. Newspaper
b. Blog d. Book

16. Why is the answer above the best medium?

a. The audience is fond of technology
b. The goal demands that
c. The medium can be produced into many copies.
d. The situation is a formal event.

17. How will you catch the attention of the audience?

a. Make the graphics appealing.
b. Make sure there are no grammatical errors.
c. Give interesting comments.
d. Arrange the text in a unique way.

18. How will you be able to effectively convey your message?

a. Use unusual words c. Be brief
b. Give examples d. Add humor

19. What is the best thing to do to better understand the

Africans without spending much money?
a. Watch the news c. Ask your parents
b. Read African stories d. Go to Africa

20. How will you convince others that what you are saying is true?
a. Use humorous words
b. Support your opinion with facts
c. Be strong about your opinion
d. Say it in a pleasing manner

20
GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN THIS LESSON:

Beliefs – something held to be true or factual

Gourds – the fruit of any various plants having
hard durable shells Humiliation – to lower the
pride or self-esteem of
Initiation – the rites admitting one to some position,
society, knowledge Khaki – a color ranging from light
sand to medium brown
Liberty – freedom from oppression, tyranny or the domination of
a government not freely chosen
Literature – written works collectively esp. those of
enduring importance Obstinately – stubbornly
Offsprings – descendant
Savannah – a tract of low level land covered with low vegetation

REFERENCES AND WEBSITE LINKS USED IN THIS LESSON:

http://www.vocabulary.co.il/context-and-definitions/middle-school/call-
of-the-wild- context-match/
The site contains a game where you match the correct
word to use in the sentence.

http://www.vocabulary.co.il/root-words/middle-school/dividing-the-
root-words/ The site contains a game where you divide the word
into different parts to get the root word

21
http://www.brighthubeducation.com/esl-lesson-plans/59338-word-
back-formation- list/
The site gives an explanation of word formation:derivation and back - formation

http://www.unc.edu/~hhalpin/ThingsFallApart/literature.html The site shows a literary

background of African Literature.

http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/entertainment/african-literature.html This site

shows more information about African literature.

http://www.enotes.com/topics/african-literature
This site give additional facts about African literature.

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-
interactives/story- 30008.html
This web2.0 will let you create a character map online.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_writers_device
This site shows answers to the question “What is a writer’s device?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNdjcFOoVi8
In this video, Nigerian author Chinua Achebe talks about slavery, colonialism, Africa
and the African diaspora.

LESSON 2: Africans and the Modern World

PRE-ASSESSMENT
Let’s begin this lesson with what you already know about the literary and language
foci in this lesson. Answer the pre-assessment by encircle the letter of your answer.

1. Using context clues, what is the meaning of the highlighted word in the
sentence below?

One brother is an erudite professor; the other brother, however, has never
shown any interest in books or learning.
A. old; elderly C. snobbish; stuck up
B. well-educated; well-read D. frightening looking

2. "Jonathan was like an eager puppy — always willing to have fun and make
people smile." This sentence includes an example of a .
A. metaphor C. personification
B. satire D. simile

3. The doctor advised him to give up smoking. , he recommended

him to eat much less and take plenty of exercise. Which of the following
cohesive devices will complete the sentence appropriately?
A. Similarly C. Instead
B. However D. Therefore

4. Which of the following sentences is parallel?

A. The apartment was filled with old newspapers, broken bottles, and the

22
 ashtrays were overflowing.
B. The dog was excited: running, barking, and he chased after the boys.
C. She likes listening to music and reading the latest novels.
D. He spent his time studying Spanish. working at the convenience store, and
he jogged every afternoon.

5. Which is the best revision of the unparalleled sentence below?

He watched the latest version of King Lear, studied for his

math test, and was talking on the phone.
A. He watched the latest version of King Lear, studied for his math test, and
was talked on the phone.
B. He watched the latest version of King Lear, studied for his math test, and
talked on the phone.
C. He watching the latest version of King Lear, studied for his math test, and
was talking on the phone.
D. He watched the latest version of King Lear, studying for his math test, and
was talking on the phone.

6. Read the passage below and look at the outline that follows it.

1. The English Lab, housed in the Administration building, consists of

and to the local intranet, each computer in the lab contains a word processor, a web browser, telnet and hundreds of commercial and

I. English Lab
A. Physical Plant
1. in Administration building
2. two adjoining rooms
B. Resources
1. computers
2. video stations

In the above outline, which is the most important idea?

A. English Lab
B. computers
C. Physical Plant
D. Resources

7. I am an African child
Born with a skin the colour of chocolate Bright,

23
 brilliant and articulate
Strong and bold; I’m gifted
Talented enough to be the best I am an African
child
http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/archives/11296#sthash.NffjXfRL.dpuf

What does the above poem excerpt reveal about

the true identity of Africans?
A. They are afraid to try new things to improve themselves.
B. They have low self-esteem because of their culture and history.
C. They are proud of their race and they are
confident of their skills and abilities.
D. They are indignant of how other people think of them.

8. Read the following informative text and answer the question found after it.

Modern African Literature has gained recognition worldwide with such classics as
Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Ngugiwa Thiongo’s Weep Not Child, and Wole
Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman. This recognition was reinforced by
Soyinka’s winning of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. Modern African
Literature is written in indigenous African languages and in European languages
used in Africa.
uid=3738824&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21104357114387

Which of the following statements is true of the article above?

A. In the past, African Literature earned the world’s respect as the writers have
used European languages.
B. Modern African Literature became better known across continents when the
most coveted award in the literary world was bestowed upon one of its
authors.
C. The modern African writers promoted the use of indigenous African
languages to instill in their people the uniqueness of their culture.
D. Prose works such as short stories and novels dominate Modern African
literary forms.

Read the poem by Maya Angelou and answer the questions that follow.

Africa
Thus she had lain churched her with Jesus
sugarcane sweet bled her with guns.
deserts her hair
golden her feet Thus she has lain.
mountains her breasts Now she is rising
two Niles her tears remember her pain
Thus she has lain remember her losses
her screams loud and vain
remember her riches
Over the white seas her history slain
rime white and cold now she is striding
brigands ungentled although she has lain.
icicle bold
took her young daughters
sold her strong sons

24
 Language in Literature Afro-Asian Literature by Ribo, Lourdes, et al. (2012),
Vibal Publishing House, Inc.

9. Which idea is reflected or expressed dramatically in the poem?

A. As a continent, Africa remained free from any foreign invasion.
B. Africa enjoyed democracy at its best due to colonization.
C. Africa struggled against suppression of the invaders
who abused her people.
D. Africa can boast of its natural treasures,
especially its rivers and mountains.

10. How does repetition in the poem above aid in determining its theme?
A. It emphasizes a call to action to give tribute to the struggles of Africa.
B. It creates a rhythmic sound that makes it danceable.
C. It reminds the reader to take into consideration the
many achievements of Africa in the world.
D. It provides a basis of understanding the real meaning of the poem.

11. How does the poem create an impression of the character traits of the African
people?
A. It implies that Africans can endure sufferings or pains but may tend to rise
above those sufferings and pains.
B. It gives an impression that Africans are passive and undisturbed by the
events in their life.
C. It hints that Africans are revolutionary and indifferent to those who conquer
them.
D. It reflects the idea that Africans are happy-go-lucky people even if others
take advantage of them.

12. According to the poem, what forces did Africans have to

contend with in life?
A. internal conflict such as not able to face realities in life
B. external conflict brought about by oppressive people
C. external conflict as a result of natural disasters and calamities
D. internal conflict because they were not able to defeat their conquerors

13. Which of the following statements best captures the idea of appreciating
literature among students?
A. Reading literary works with an awareness of the background of the author
leads students to appreciate literature better.
B. A certain amount of practice and experience is indispensable to understand
some of the tougher pieces, so that age is necessarily an important factor.
C. Students need to understand the different literary types and their
descriptions before they can appreciate literature.
D. By exploring the techniques that authors use to convey messages and
evoke responses, students connect literature to their own lives and daily

25
 experiences.

14. How can one appreciate literature as a means of understanding the human
being and the forces he/she needs to contend with?
A. Literature provides images of people who are either good or bad.
B. Literature reflects events in the life of humanity through which one can learn
valuable insights about how others live.
C. It is through literature that the many experiences of people are highlighted
so that readers can appreciate literature.
D. It is in literature that man finds an expression of his problems, aspirations,
dreams, sufferings, and conflicts in life.

Arrange the following steps in writing an informative speech, and then answer
the questions that follow.

I. Draft the essay following the outline.

II. Decide on a topic to write about.
III. Research from different sources to gather information about the topic.
IV. Make an outline to help in organizing the essay.
V. Edit and proofread for some errors on grammar, mechanics and
structures.
VI. Revise the essay to give it a second look.

15. Which should be the first thing to do in writing an essay?

A. I C. III
B. II D. IV

16. Which should be done prior to editing and proofreading of an essay?

A. II C. IV
B. III D. VI

17. In developing the introduction of an informative

speech, which of the following must be given utmost
consideration?
A. Attention-getter C. Link
B. Thesis Statement D. Beginning Sentence

18. In delivering an informative speech, the speaker must .

A. engage the audience using rhetorical devices
B. load the presentation with audio-visual aids for better effects
C. practice with a friend among the audience
D. ask the audience to provide some additional data

19. Conclude your essay by summarizing the knowledge you've shared. Don't bring up any
new information or raise too many questions. This paragraph is meant to bring closure
to the essay while maintaining your reader's interest in the topic.
What can be said about the statement above?
A. The statement above is a guideline that is good only for speech writing and
not for essay compositions.
B. The statement is incorrect because a writer may bring up any new
information or raise more questions at this point if there is a need.

26
 C. The above guideline is good for informative essay writing or any
composition.
D. The above guideline is true even for introductory and body paragraphs in
writing an essay.

20. Their round eyes, their flattened nose, their lips which are always large, their
differently shaped ears, the wool of their head, that very measure of their
intelligence, place prodigious differences between them and the other species
of men. Voltaire *Foremost intellectual of Europe*

The sentence above can be contained in which part of the

informative essay?
A. Introductory Paragraph
B. Body Paragraph
C. Concluding Paragraph
D. Elaboration Paragraph

In this lesson, you will further discover how the unit theme ‘Audacity in Rising Above
Challenges ‘applies to the African people’s collective experience in life. Be guided by
these salient questions in your quest for the right answers:
1. What does literature reveal about African character?
2. How do Africans respond to the challenges of modernity as revealed in their
literary pieces?

ACTIVITY 1. Identity Crisis: Guessing Game

27
 Read the following excerpt adapted from the essay Pliant Like a Bamboo written
by L.V. Mallari. At the end of the read, guess who is referred to in the article.

He is like a bamboo tree. He knows that he is not strong

enough to withstand the onslaughts of superior forces. And so he
yields. He bends his head gracefully with many loud protestations.

And he has survived. The Spaniards came and dominated him

for more than three hundred years. And when the Spaniards left, he
still stood—only much richer in experience and culture.

The Americans took the place of Spaniards. They used more

subtle means of meaning over him to their mode of living and thinking.
He embraced the American way of life more readily than the Spaniard’s
vague promise in the hereafter.

Then the Japanese came like a storm, like a plague of locusts,

like a pestilence—rude, relentless, cruel. He learned to bow his head
low, to “cooperate” with the Japanese, in their “holy mission of
establishing the Co-Prosperity Sphere.” He had only hate and
contempt for the Japanese, but he learned to smile sweetly at them
and thank them graciously for their “benevolence and magnanimity”.

Indeed, he is pliant like a bamboo. Who could he be? If you

do know him, write his identity in the box below.

PROCESS QUESTIONS:
1. Who was described in the essay? Why do you say so?
2. Did you find it easy to guess who was described in the essay? Why?
3. What characteristics of a person are exemplified in the essay?
4. How does the person referred to in the essay respond to
the challenges brought about by colonization?

Recall that in Lesson 1 you were introduced to the focus questions for this module. Like the
person referred to in the essay, do you think these characteristics are shared by the
people of Africa?

In this lesson you will have to read selected literary works of African writers and informative
texts related to this lesson as you search for answers to the following questions:

1. What does literature reveal about African character?

2. How do Africans respond to the challenges of modernity as revealed
in their literary pieces?

To begin with, enter your preliminary answers (Initial Answer) to these questions in the IRF
Worksheet that follows.

28
 Initial Answer

Revised
Answer

Final Answer

End of EXPLORE:

You have initially attempted to assess the African identity through the activity you just
did. Before you go any further, work on the following self-regulated learning task to
help you identify your learning goals for this lesson and find out how you can
accomplish such goals by completing the sentence starters below.

In this lesson, I want __________________________________

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

I know I have learned in this lesson if______________________

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

I can achieve my learning goals by________________________

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

In this section your goal is to examine literary and informative texts that will help you
build your ideas about what makes one a true African in this modern world. As you
proceed, keep in mind these two focus questions:

1. What does literature reveal about African character?

2. How do Africans respond to the challenges of modernity as revealed in their
literary pieces?

Before reading a poem about what people would think of Africans, consider the quotes
below, and then answer the questions that follow.

29
 Quote No. 1

Racism poisons our life conditions. It makes people hate

us before they even know us! They redefined us out of
humanity so that a person from Iceland got a concept of us
and they never saw us or interacted with us. So what
they've done has poisoned how people relate to each
other. Source: http://africanholocaust.net

MaulanaKarenga

Quote No. 2

In his book Richard B. Moore expresses: "Human

relations, cannot be peaceful, satisfactory, and happy
until placed on the basis of mutual self- respect. The
proper name for people, has thus become, in this period
of crucial change and rapid reformation on a world scale,
a vital factor in determining basic attitudes involving how,
and even whether, people will continue to live together on
this shrinking planet."

PROCESS QUESTIONS:
1. According to quote no. 1, how does racism poison people’s relationship to
each other?
2. How does the speaker feel about what a person from Iceland thought of
Africans? Why do you think so?
3. Do you agree that a person can hate another before he/she even gets to
know the other? Explain.
4. According to author Richard B. Moore, what does proper name calling of
people have to do with human relations?
5. Do you agree with him? Support your answer.
6. What do the quotes tell about the distinctive character of the African?

Do you note how the Africans would respond to challenges such as racism or
discrimination that confront them? How do the speakers sound?

ACTIVITY 2. Using Context Clues

Before you begin reading the poem that follows, unlock first some vocabulary words used in
the poem. Use context clues to determine the synonym of the underlined word in the phrase
or sentence.

1. I gobble the tourists roasted or perhaps grilled.

A. gulp B. take C. poke D. hide
2. an arable country
A. famous B. war-freak C. agricultural D. unknown
3. miserable vermin living on tourists
A. vices B. pests C. plans D. guides
4. Everyone suddenly surrounded me fettered
A. unafraid B. feeling cold C. asked D. tied

30
 5. thrown down prostrated
A. positioned B. flat C. frustrated D. fallen
6. in the peering circle
A. friendly B. in pairs C. staring D. rounded
7. rattling like the lid of a casserole
A. noisy B. fast-moving C. sounding D. covering
8. Screamed, Yelped, Open him up
A. jumped B. shouted C. run around D. cried
9. the knives being blunt
A. sharp B. shiny C. unsharpened D. smooth

Of the underlined words above, which one do you consider as the BEST word?
Use that word in your own sentence. Write your new sentence in the box provided below.
Best Word:
My own sentence:

Reading 1:

Now, read the poem written by Ouologuem Yambo from Mali, Africa. Find out how the
persona in the poem feels about his mistaken identity as an African. Then go over the
questions found after the poem.

When Negro Teeth Speak

Everyone thinks me a cannibal

But you know how people talk

Everyone sees my red gums but who

Has white ones
Up with tomatoes
Everyone says fewer tourists will come Now
But you know
We aren’t in America and anyway everyone Is
broke

Everyone says it’s my fault and is afraid But

look
My teeth are white not red
I haven’t eaten anyone

People are wicked and say I gobble

The tourists roasted
Or perhaps grilled
Roasted or grilled I asked them
They fell silent and looked fearfully at my gums Up
with tomatoes

31
Everyone knows an arable country has agriculture
Up with vegetables

Everyone maintain that vegetables

Don’t nourish the grower well
And that I am well-grown for an undeveloped man
Miserable vermin living on tourists
Down with my teeth

Everyone suddenly surrounded me

Fettered
Thrown down prostrated
At the feet of justice Cannibal or not cannibal Speak
up
Ah you think yourself clever
And try to look proud

Now we’ll see you get what’s coming to you

What is your last word
Poor condemned man
I shouted up with tomatoes
The men were cruel and the women curious you see
There was one in the peering circle
Who with her voice rattling like the lid of a casserole
Screamed
Yelped
Open him up
I’m sure papa is still inside

The knives being blunt

Which is understandable among vegetarians
Like the Westerners
They grabbed a Gillette blade
And patiently
Crisss
Crasss
Floccc

They opened my belly

A plantation of tomatoes was growing there
Irrigated by streams of palm wine
Up with tomatoes
http://jungleinablog.blogspot.com/2007/02/poems-from-rest-in - peace.html?
showComment=1174046220000#c1711585524

QUESTIONS to answer:
1. Did you notice the non-use of any punctuation mark all
throughout the poem? Why do you think so?
2. What idea or feeling is conveyed to you as you read the poem above?
3. Did you think of the same about the African people? Why?
4. What can you deduce about the African character from this poem?
5. What is the significance of the title of the poem?

32
 6. What is the tone of the speaker in this poem?
7. How does the speaker manifest his dislike for the
offensive treatment of other people towards the Negro
race?
8. What do you think is the purpose of the author in writing this poem?
9. Do you agree with the ideas in this poem? Support your answer.

Get to know the different literary devices that writers use in their writing. Click these links to
check on their descriptions and examples.
http://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/BOOK_20080930_1.htm
http://www.virtualsalt.com/rhetoric.htm

Based on the descriptions and examples of literary techniques or devices you learned from
the online sources, identify the literary device used by the poet in his work When Negro
Teeth Speak and write briefly your reaction to the device used as shown in the lines cited.
Write your answers in the table below.

Lines from the Poem Literary Device My Reaction to the Device Used
Used
Everyone maintain that
vegetables
Don’t nourish the grower
well
Cannibal or not cannibal
Speak up
Ah you think yourself
clever
And try to look proud
Everyone sees my red
gums but who
Has white ones
Up with
tomatoes
And that I am well-grown
for an undeveloped man
Miserable vermin living
on tourists
Down with my teeth
Or perhaps grilled
Roasted or grilled I
asked them

ACTIVITY 3. RAPS Strategy

For you to understand better the major ideas of the poem, do the RAPS strategy.
Identify and record the main points and meaning of the poem. Follow these steps:
R – Read - read the poem
A – About - what’s it about
P – Points - choose 2 important points to support the main idea
S – Summary - Summarize the poem in your own words
using no more than 20 words.

33
 About:

Point 1: Point 2:

Summary:

Reading 2:

In Reading 1 you got acquainted with an African poem which you analyzed to identify the
African character in each. The succeeding reading text introduces you to a novel by the
famous Chinua Achebe(1930-2013), a Nigerian novelist and author of Things Fall Apart, a
work that in part led to his being called the "patriarch of the African novel."

Read the story and determine what it reveals about African character and how Africans
respond to the challenges of modernity. Go to the given link below and be able to
accomplish the given Story Frame activity that follows.

http://www.gradesaver.com/things-fall-apart/study-guide/short-summary/

ACTIVITY 4. Story Frame

For you to have a better view of the story, fill out the Story Frame below. A story
frame focuses on the "elements" of story: setting, characters, plot and theme,
among others.
Use the details of your Story Frame to answer the accompanying questions.

Story Frame: Things Fall Apart

The characters in this story are

In this story, the problem starts when

34
 After that

Next

Then,

The problem is finally solved when

The story ends with

PROCESS QUESTIONS:
1. How did you feel after reading the story? Why?
2. What literary devices or techniques did the author use to convey his message
in this work? Discuss each briefly.
3. What part of the story did you find most striking? Explain your answer.
4. Which part of the story points out to the striking character among Africans?
Expound.
5. Did the story remind you of any familiar event or a similar story that you know
of? Briefly narrate that event or story and how you reacted to it.
6. Does this story convey how Africans would respond to challenges brought
about by modernity? Support your answer.
7. What do you think is the theme of this story? How can you relate it to your
personal life and what you see around you?

Your journey in this lesson is guided by the focus questions:

(1) What does literature reveal about African character?, and
(2) How do Africans respond to the challenges of modernity as revealed in their literary
pieces?

Recall the story Things Fall Apart and answer the following related questions:
What does this story reveal about Does this story reveal how Africans
the African character? respond to the challenges brought
about by events that occur in their
community or society? In what way?

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ACTIVITY 5. Things Fall Apart, Things Fall in Line
Below are sentences derived from the literary text Things Fall Apart. Read them and
answer the questions that follow.
1. Umuofia is a powerful clan, skilled in war and with a great population, with proud
traditions and advanced social institutions.
2. In prison, they are humiliated and beaten, and they are held until the clan pays a
heavy fine.
3. After a release of the men, the clan calls a meeting to decide whether they will
fight or try to live peacefully with the whites.
4. Embittered and grieving for the destruction of his people's independence, and
fearing the humiliation of dying under white law, Okonkwo returns home and
hangs himself.

What do you notice about the sentences above? How are the words in the sentences
arranged? What do the underlined parts of the sentences indicate? What transition words
are used to link the parts of the sentences together?
In this lesson, you are to learn how to use parallel structures and cohesive devices in writing
sentences and paragraphs.

To learn some basic points on using parallel structures, go to this link:

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/parallelism.htm

To help you understand better the use of cohesive devices in parallel sentence
structures, go to this link and follow the examples given.
http://home.ku.edu.tr/~doregan/Writing/Cohesion.html

Practice on identifying parallel constructions through this link:

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cgi-
shl/quiz.pl/parallelism_quiz.htm

After clicking the ‘Submit’ button, self-assess your performance in this practice
exercise. If you scored below 7/9, go back to the link on basic points on parallelism
earlier or check out the following website for more discussions and examples on
using parallel structures in powerpoint presentation or handout format.
http://chompchomp.com/presentations.htm

Then, work on the interactive Exercise 1in the following link. You must get a score
between 15 and 20 so you can proceed to the next activity.
http://chompchomp.com/structure01/structure01.htm

ACTIVITY 6. Who is the real African?

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At this point, do you think you have a good view of the African character as revealed in the
representative works dealt with earlier in this module? Based on the African literary works
you have studied in this lesson, fill out the table below to come up with a profile of the
African character and his attitude towards challenges of modernity.

Literary My view of the My thoughts about how he

Selection African character responds to challenges of
(based on the selection) modernity (inferred from the
selection)
Africa
By Maya Angelou

When Negro
Teeth Speak By
OuologuemYambo

Things Fall Apart

By Chinua Achebe

ACTIVITY 7. Compare and Contrast

At this point, do you note any changes in the way you first thought about the African
character and his approach to challenges brought about by modernity in society and the
way you see these things in the previous activities?

Compare and contrast your earlier and recent responses to the focus questions and see
changes or development in your thinking. In this process, you may also see some of your
misconceptions and errors related to who the real African is and how he faces challenges
in the modern world.

Use the template below to illustrate your answers.

Focus Question At first, I thought… At this point, I think….

37
 Who is the real
African?

How does he
respond to the
challenges of
modernity?

ACTIVITY 8. Paint me in words!

With your readings about Africa and its people, you are now ready to accomplish your
culminating task in this lesson. You are to ‘paint the true African identity in words’ or write
an informative speech that aims to discuss the character traits of the African people and
their attitude towards the challenges of modern society.

Here is the G.R.A.S.P.S. for your final task in this lesson:

The 2014 World Youth Congress with the theme ‘When World’s Young
Leaders of Tomorrow Meet‘ will convene in the Philippines. As the chair of the
Philippine Commission on Youth, you have been appointed as keynote speaker in
one of the plenary sessions on the topic “The African Youth: Rising above the
Challenges of Modernity” that will be attended by youth delegates from 30
participating countries around Asia, Europe, Africa and America. Your speech must
aim to enlighten the youth delegates about the true identity of the African youth and
how they respond to the challenges of modernity. Your speech must be informative
and relevant in content, accurate in language conventions, logical in organization,
and engaging and animated in delivery.

Outstanding 4 Satisfactory 3 Developing 2 Beginning 1

Content Student clearly Student clearly Student states Student does not
states the topic of states the topic of the topic of the state the topic of
the speech in a the speech. speech, but it is the speech.
creative, informative, unclear or misleading.
innovative, or other
rhetorically interesting
way.
Organization Student uses Speech explains all the The information itself Speech has no
imagination and elements of the topic in a is clear, but needs a background information,
logical order and no conclusion. The
creativity in explaining defined structure. explanation of the
the information so that informative speech
audience members seemed to be in the wrong

38
 could fully understand it order, and/or confusing for
the audience.
Language Essay uses all Essay uses most Essay uses some Essay does not use the
Conventions conventions of conventions of language conventions of conventions of language
in the correct manner, in the correct manner.
language in a correct throughout the essay. language in the The errors make the
and vivid manner, There are no mistakes correct manner, piece difficult to
consistently throughout that interfere with throughout the understand.
the essay. There are understanding the work. essay. There are
no mistakes. some mistakes and
they may interfere
with understanding
the essay.
Delivery Student actively Student uses a story, Student attempts to Student does not use any
engages the audience hypothetical, rhetorical engage audience techniques to engage
question, or other audience interest, or the
with a well- practiced technique to attempt to interest but the effort attempt is made in an
and effortlessly sustain the interest of is incomplete, incoherent and
delivered rhetorical the audience. disorganized, or is disorganized fashion.
device negated by poor
delivery.

Your informative speech will be evaluated based on the following rubric guide:

Be guided by the writing process in accomplishing this task:

Step 1.Get started by clicking on the links below:

This site discusses tips in how to write an informative speech.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-to-write-an-informative-
speech.html

This site contains a step-by-step guide in writing an informative speech for public speaking.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4857491_write-informative-speech-
public- speaking.html

Step 2.Do a prewriting of your informative speech.

Using your acquired knowledge from your readings and the exercises you did in this
lesson, organize your ideas around the title of the informative speech ‘The African Youth:
Rising above the Challenges of Modernity”’. Highlight in your speech the true identity of the
African and his attitude towards challenges of the modern society.

Make a concept map based on the given topic for informative speech by clicking this link
below. When you finish, submit your work through Teacher’s email address.
http://www.studygs.net/mapping/exercise1.htm

Step 3.Draft your informative speech using the template below:

Title: The African Youth: Rising above the Challenges of Modernity”

Introduction (Type out the whole thing word-for-word in sentence form. Label each of the four parts.)
Attention-getter:

Link: 39

Thesis Statement:
Body (Show your key points and several details based on your concept map.)

Conclusion (Type out the whole thing word-for-word in sentence form.)

Summary:
Final Impression/Clincher:

Write your draft here:

Step 4. Revise your informative speech.

Revision is the process of rereading a text and making changes (in content, organization,
sentence structures, and word choice) to improve it.
During revision, writers may add, remove, move and substitute text (the ARMS treatment).
"[T]hey have opportunities to think about whether their text communicates effectively to an
audience, to improve the quality of their prose, and even to reconsider their content and
perspective and potentially transform their own understanding" (Charles A. MacArthur).
Source: http://grammar.about.com/od/rs/g/revisionterm.htm
In doing this step, be guided by the Revision Checklist adapted from
http://grammar.about.com/od/developingessays/a/revisecheck.htm.

Revision Checklist Yes No

1. Does your written speech have a clear and concise main
idea? Is this idea made clear to the reader in a thesis
statement early in the essay (usually in the introduction)?
2. Does your written speech have a specific purpose (such as to
inform, entertain, evaluate, or persuade)? Have you made this
purpose clear to the reader?
3. Does the introduction create interest in the topic and make your
audience want to read on?
4. Is there a clear plan and sense of organization to your written
speech? Does each paragraph develop logically from the
previous one?
5. Is each paragraph clearly related to the main idea of your
written speech? Is there enough information in your written

40
 speech to support the main idea?
6. Is the main point of each paragraph clear? Is each point
adequately and clearly defined in a topic sentence and
supported with specific details?
7. Are there clear transitions from one paragraph to the next?
Have key words and ideas been given proper emphasis in the
sentences and paragraphs?
8. Are the sentences clear and direct? Can they be understood on
the first reading? Are the sentences varied in length and
structure? Could any sentences be improved by combining or
restructuring them?
9. Are the words in your written speech clear and precise? Does
your written speech maintain a consistent tone?
10. Does your written speech have an effective conclusion--one
that emphasizes the main idea and provides a sense of
completeness?

Step 5. Edit and proofread your revised written speech.

Proofreading and editing allows you to take a closer view of your article; like using a
microscope and going through your piece line by line to make sure that each sentence,
phrase, and word is as strong as possible.

Here are some tips for editing and proofreading:

1. Allow some time to pass before you edit and proofread your work. That
way, you won’t be too tempted to rush through the process.
2. Read your work slowly.
3. Double check the spelling with a dictionary.
4. Ask someone else to read your work. A new eye catches more mistakes.
5. Proofread one last time before making a clean copy of your work.

The following Proofreading Checklist may be helpful to you in

finalizing your speech.

Proofreading Checklist Yes No

1. Have I eliminated fragments, run-ons, and non-standard
sentences?
2. Are my verb tenses used correctly and consistently?

3 Have I observed correct subject-verb agreement?

4 Have I observed correct pronoun-antecedent agreement?

5 Do all pronouns have clear antecedent?

6 Have I checked conjunctions for effectiveness and clarity?

7 Have I eliminated misplaced, dangling, and squinting

modifiers?

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 8 Have I used correct capitalization?

9 Have I used all punctuation marks correctly?

10 Is my word usage correct?

11 Have I correctly used numerals or spelled out numbers?

12 Have I spelled all words correctly?

Source: Rojas, Leopoldo A. (2012) Grammar and Writing Workbook II. Quezon City: Vibal
Publishing House, Inc.

Step 6. Publish/deliver your written informative speech.

Once you have done the final editing and proofreading, go to the link below to publish your
written informative speech.

Issuu (pronounced “issue”) is another option to upload almost any document format and
transform it into a virtual flipping book. You can share and or embed the resulting creation
on your classroom homepage or wiki.http://issuu.com/#

Likewise, upload your speech by connecting to this site: http://www.voki.com/create.php.

Create your own Voki character that delivers your informative speech. Customize his/her
appearance and what he/she says, and share with others!

To top it all, you have to deliver your informative speech in a one-on-one session with your
teacher so that your actual or authentic performance will be finally assessed.

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