Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
DIVISION PRE-ASSESSMENT
Grade 12- 21st Century Literature

Directions: Read and understand the questions. Write the letter of the correct answer on your
answer sheet.

1. Who is the National Artist in Literature who wrote the short story “Summer Solstice?
A. Jose Lopez
B. Nick Joaquin
C. F. Sionil Jose
D. NVM Gonzales

2. What characteristics of poetry is referred to by the line “It must be slender as a bell” in Villa’s
Sonnet 1?
A. imagery
B. form and structure
C. rhyme and rhythm
D. figurative language

3. “A bamboo flute is heard far away. Once more we hear the turtle crying.” What sense imagery is
used in this description of the scene?
A. auditory
B. olfactory
C. tactile
D. visual

4. How long is the span of the story May Day Eve?

A. 3 years
B. overnight
C. one month
D. almost 50 years

5. “And far away in the middle of the fields a cow lowed softly in answer.” What sense is used in
this excerpt from Arguilla’s, “How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife?”
A. auditory
B. olfactory
C. tactile
D. visual

6. Which between the two poems Trees by Joyce Kelmer and Trees by J. Antonio Carpio is mainly
descriptive and which one is more or less argumentative?
A. Kelmer’s Trees is more argumentative than Carpio’s Trees.
B. Carpio’s Trees is more argumentative than Kelmer’s Trees.
C. Kelmer’s Trees is descriptive while Carpio’s Trees is argumentative.
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D. Carpio’s Trees is descriptive while Kelmer’s Trees is argumentative.

7. Which story shows the conflict of man vs man?

A. The Virgin
B. May Day Eve
C. Magnificence
D. The Visitation of the Gods

8. Which of these is NOT written by Leo Tolstoy?

A. The Cossacks
B. Anna Karenina
C. War and Peace
D. Great Expectations

9. In biographical context, what is being looked into in understanding the literary text?
A. imagery
B. language use
C. life of the author
D. culture portrayed

10. Peaceful war, is an example of what figures of speech?

A. irony
B. metaphor
C. oxymoron
D. simile

11. The speaker of the poem wishes that he or she did not have to make a choice between two
roads. What lines from the poem support this statement?
A. And sorry I could not travel both/And be one traveler, long I stood
B. And both that morning equally lay/In leaves no step had trodden black
C. In leaves no step had trodden black /Though as for that, the passing there
D. Though as for that, the passing there/Had worn them really about the same

12. If you are going to identify and create the conflict of Ernest Hemingway’s six word story- For
sale: baby shoes, never worn, which statement do you think expresses the most appropriate
conflict?
A. The main character must have died at birth.
B. The main character is accused of a crime he never does.
C. The main character plans for revenge on his mother’s death.
D. The main character is lost in the middle of the sea trying to find a land.

13. What does the story “Midsummer” effectively depict?

A. city life
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B. night life
C. rural setting
D. urban setting

14. In the story “LOVE IN THE CORNHUSK” by Aida Rivera-Ford, at what point in her life did
Tinang make a serious mistake? It was when _________.
A. she left the senora’s house
B. she ignores his marriage proposal
C. she allowed herself to fall in love with Amado
D. she married a Bagobo without waiting for Amado’s return

15. Why the story written by Aida Rivera-Ford was entitled “Love in the cornhusk”?
A. Tinang contacted her ex-boyfriend.
B. Tinang received her first love letter.
C. Tinang and Amado fell in love in the cornhusks.
D. Tinang remembered her lost love when she reads the letter amidst the cornhusks.

16. Reading between the lines of the poem, My Last Farewell, what dream does Dr. Jose Rizal
have for his country?
A. He dreams to hear cries from his country.
B. He dreams that his country will gain freedom.
C. He dreams that Philippines will eternally sleep.
D. He dreams to see his country without stains of shame.

17. Why do we need to consider the background of the author in understanding the meaning of a
literary text?
A. It may be a useful source to better understand the text.
. B. The author’s background can help shape his or her work.
C. It may help develop the meaning of another literary piece.
D. The author’s background may have influenced the literary text.

18. After understanding what context is, which of the following is NOT true about it?
A. author’s life B. concept C. language D. society

19. Which one does NOT show the importance of context?

A. gives information C. provides new concepts
B. provides words D. highlights important words

20. Based on the essay of I.V. Mallari, Pliant Like the Bamboo, which one is NOT a Filipino’s
description when it comes to romantic role?
A. soft voice

B. meaningful gift
C. slender and wiry
D. nimble and graceful in his movement
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21. Amado is reported to be missing after the plane crush. Six months had passed when his bride
decided to marry his best friend, but she asks pieces of advice from her close friends. If you
were her best friend, what is your evaluation?
A. True love can wait.
B. Patience is a virtue.
C. There are things that only our hearts can see.
D. Life is short; we need to feel good every minute.

22. In Lyric 17 of Jose Garcia-Villa, analyze the meaning of “Kneel like a rose”?
A. It indicates humility in beauty and strength.
B. Everyone looks beautiful in the eyes of the creator.
C. Beauty can be seen only in the eyes of the beholder.
D. While rose is beautiful it has unseen strength in thorns and kneeling indicates
submission.

23. Which of these expressions differ in meaning from the other terms used in the poem The Road
Not Taken by Robert Frost?
A. equally lay
B. just as fair
C. the better claim
D. about the same

24. In the poem Trees by Joyce Kelmer, what is a tree being compared to?
A. author B. books C. God D. poem

25. What is sociocultural context?

A. It is evident when literary works respond in some way to the society.
B. It emphasizes the connection between the society and the literary work.
C. It gives meaning to the society and the underlying culture of the community.
D. It may present strengths, weaknesses, and changes occurring in the society when the
text was written.

26. “For sale: baby shoes, never worn” is six-word short story written by Hemingway. What is the
best interpretation of this story?
A. The mother needs financial assistance.
B. The father is absent on the baby’s birth.
C. The baby died either before or during birth.
D. The shoes are fashionable and in demand to the market.

27. The last two lines of the poem The God Who Loves You by Carl Dennis is with a claim to
authority, the life you’ve witnessed, which for all you know is the life you’ve chosen. If you were
to interpret the line, how will you interpret it?
A. People are fated to live a predestined life.
B. It addresses the idea of accepting one’s fate.
C. People have the free will to make choices, or are they fated to live out a predestined life.
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D. It explores the consequences of human actions and addresses the idea of accepting
what is in one's life, not what could have been. 

28. “For sale: baby shoes, never worn” is six-word short story written by Hemingway. What makes
this a complete short story?
A. Its complete with all the parts.
B. The plot is well developed and evident.
C. It gives the readers the interest to read more.
D. Though most of the elements are implied, it contains all the elements of a story.

29. Evaluate what makes the feature of Latin American Literature outstanding and distinct.
A. local color C. flashback and flash forward
B. magic realism D. the stream of consciousness technique

30. If you were to interpret the meaning of the story The Tale of Tonyo, the Brave by Maria Aleah
G. Taboclaon, what is your own interpretation?
A. It is a story of supernatural or paranormal.
B. Attitude is the most difficult aspect to change.
C. Bravery is not only achieved by shedding of the blood but of self-control
D. It's also a coming-of-age story, about how a little brave boy grows up by realizing he
needs to make a sacrifice for the good of the family he loves.

31. Which of the following DOES NOT define the 21 st century literature?
A. It is gender sensitive. C. It is technologically alluding.
B. It questions conventions. D. It is culturally individualistic.

32. Which of the following is NOT true about world literature?

A. They are classic. C. They are not eternally true.
B. They are masterpieces. D. They are the widows of the world.

33. How do we analyze a text based on the author’s biographical context?

A. Identify the images used by the author.
B. Compare the literary work to other works.
C. Gather relevant facts about the author’s life.
D. Examine the styles and techniques used by the author.

34. Which refers to the author’s life and the social, political, and economic conditions that
influenced and shaped it?
A. multilingual C. biographical context
B. linguistic context D. socio-cultural context

35. Can you give the missing item? Da Vinci Code: Dan Brown; ______________J.K. Rowling.
A. Harry Potter C. The Antonement
B. The Kite Runner D. The Fault in Our Stars

36. Give the analogy: Starlight: Science Fiction; Twilight: _____________.

A. Prose C. Nonfiction
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B. Tragedy D. Fantasy Fiction