Senior High School

English for Academic

and Professional Purposes
Quarter 1 - Module 1
Reading and Writing Academic Text
 COPYRIGHT 2020

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 Senior High School

English for Academic

and Professional Purposes
Quarter 1 - Module 1
Reading and Writing Academic Text

ii
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:
Welcome to the English For Academic and Professional Purposes Self-
Learning Module on Reading and Writing Academic Text.
This module was collaboratively designed, developed and reviewed by
educators both from public and private institutions to assist you, the teacher or
facilitator in helping the learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Curriculum
while overcoming their personal, social, and economic constraints in schooling.
This learning resource hopes to engage the learners into guided and
independent learning activities at their own pace and time. Furthermore, this also aims
to help learners acquire the needed 21st century skills while taking into consideration
their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the body
of the module:

Notes to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies that will help

you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this
module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to
manage their own learning. Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist
the learners as they do the tasks included in the module.
For the learner:

Welcome to the English For Academic and Professional Purposes Self-

Learning Module on Reading and Writing Academic Text.
This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful opportunities
for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You will be enabled
to process the contents of the learning resource while being an active learner.

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This module has the following parts:

Activity : This will bring understanding to what you already know

and experience to what you should learn further.

Analysis : In this phase, you will process and classify what is valid
and not for a more in-depth understanding.

Abstraction : This part leads you in reinforcing what you know and
should know more. Exercises are presented for
independent practice to solidify your understanding and
skills of the topic.

Application : This stage brings you to a more practical way that you are
going to use what you have learned and think new ways
on how it can be improved further.

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 CONTENTS OF THE MODULE
Page
Content Standard 1
Performance Standard 1
Learning Competency 1
Learning Objectives 1

DAILY LEARNING TASKS:

Day Learning Task

1 Introduction 1-7
Pre-Test
Review of the Prerequisite Knowledge
Presentation of the New Module
2 Activity 8
3 Analysis 9-21
Abstraction
4 Application 21-22
5 Enrichment 23-26
Post-Test
References 27

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 Difference Between Academic Texts
and Non-Academic Texts
CONTENT STANDARD
The learners acquire knowledge of appropriate reading strategies for a better
understanding of academic texts.

PERFORMANCE STANDARD
The learners shall be able to produces a detailed abstract of information
gathered from the various academic texts read.

LEARNING COMPETENCY
L.O.1.1 Differentiates language used in academic texts from
various disciplines (CS_EN11/12A-EAPP-Ia-c-2)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this learning module the learner should be able to:
• Define Academic Text and differentiate academic text from nonacademic
texts
• Write a short reflection about what you learned from the difference between
Academic Text & Non-Academic Texts.
• Read sample text and Identify the purpose, language and style of the texts
read.

INTRODUCTION

This module aims to help you identify and differentiate Academic texts and Non-
academics texts. In other words, differentiating what we read about a certain subject,
course and field and the texts we read for fun. Some of these Academic texts may
include Articles, Conference papers, reviews, and Thesis which are based on a subject
and field of study. To makes things familiar texts you read in your text books are
examples of Academic texts, but text you read for leisure like comics, graphic novels,
Wattpad etc. are examples of Nonacademic Text. That is why this module will guide
you how to identify how to differentiate Academic text and Non-academics texts based
on the language, structure, and style the authors used. Reading can be challenging
especially when it comes to heavy topics but keep in mind that reading Academic text
even though tiresome it can help you upgrade your skills in the field or discipline you
want to pursue.

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 HOW TO LEARN FROM THIS MODULE
In order for you to be able to finished and grasped the lesson in this module
please be guided with the following:
1. Start your day with a Positive Attitude
2. Make sure to plan how to do each of the activities.
3. Read carefully the directions and texts in the activities
4. If you have questions please your teacher for help.
5. Lastly Do your best in every module you do.

PRE-TEST

Name: __________________________________ Score: ______

Direction: Read and understand each statement and write the letter of the correct
answer on a separate sheet of paper.

____1. What do you call texts that are written by professionals in a given field
that use formal language and terms specific on the field?
A. Literary Text
B. Academic Text
C. Professional Text
D. Non-Academic Text

____2. What do you call texts that are written for the mass public, use informal
language and can be written by anyone?
A. Literary Text
B. Academic Text
C. Professional Text
D. Non-Academic Text

____3. Which of the following is an Academic Text?

A. Novels
B. Poetry
C. Play Script
D. Project Proposa

____4. Which is NOT an example of an Academic Text?

A. Essays
B. Research Paper
C. Superhero Comics
D. Conference Papers

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____5. What type of academic text offer results of research and development that
either impact the academic community?
A. Articles
B. Reviews
C. Conference Papers
D. Theses, Dissertations

____6. Which texts are personal researches written by a candidate for a

college or university degree?
A. Articles
B. Reviews
C. Conference Papers
D. Theses, Dissertations

____7. Which texts provide evaluation of works published in scholarly

journals?
A. Articles
B. Reviews
C. Conference Papers
D. Theses, Dissertations

____8. Which of the following is an example of Non-Academic texts?

A. Abstract
B. Position papers
C. Concept papers
D. Letters for an editor

____9. Which of the following is another example of Non-Academic texts?

A. Articles
B. Reviews
C. Magazines
D. Position Papers

____10. Why do we need to read Academic Text?

A. to enjoy ourselves
B. to copy details from the text
C. We read because we are required
D. We read because we need information on a subject.

____11. How can we know that the text we are reading is an Academic Text?
A. when its purpose is to entertain
B. when it can be written by anyone
C. when the language used is formal
D. when the language used is informal

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____12. How can we say that the text we are reading is Non-Academic?
A. It has formal language.
B. It has references attached.
C. Its written by a professional.
D. It is written for the mass public.

____ 13. Which is NOT true about writing an Academic Text?

A. Avoids being personal and subjective.
B. Provide facts and evidence from credible sources.
C. References used are excluded in the writing the text.
D. Use precise and accurate words while avoiding jargon.

_____14. Which of the following statements is based on an Academic Text?

A. Roland feels his death is near, his brain is oozing by either
ear.
B. He saw the pure crystal water from where the lass is heavenly
plunged.
C. If you establish the purpose for reading early on, you will be
able to save time and improve your comprehension.
D. Just as the sun rises and peeps from the east, and as the
roosters of the neighborhood crow, vivid came the assiduous
man.

_____15. Which of the following statements is from an Academic text?

A. For love, the leaning grasses and two lights above the sea.
B. The seeing eye, it is this that discloses the inner harmony of
things.
C. Priam dismounted and went toward the tent for Achilles. He
found Achilles alone.
D. Reading and writing are the two major activities of students
who wish to excel in their studies.

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REVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS LESSON

Name: __________________________________ Score: ______

Direction: Put a check in the column that determines how often you practice what the
following statements say. Do this Activity in a separate sheet of paper.

USUALLY SOMETIMES SELDOM NEVER

1. I can differentiate
academic text
from Non-
Academic text
2. I established my
purpose when
reading
academic texts
3. I use graphic
organizers to see
the relationship
of the ideas in the
text.
4. I read the title first
then ask myself
essential
questions about
the topic.
5. I make
inferences based
on title
6. I check the
evidence and
arguments
presented to
prove the main
idea or thesis
statement
7. I annotate a text
to identify
essential
information,
comment on the
author’s
arguments or

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 relate new ideas
to existing one.
8. I read to answer
questions posed
before reading a
text
9. I make a
summary of what
I read
10. I read and re-
read the text until
my questions
have been
answered or until
I understand its
arguments.
TOTAL
GRAND TOTAL ____ / 30

Scoring
Usually – 3 points
Sometimes – 2 points
Seldom- 1 point
Never- 0 point

SCORE LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY

28-30 ADVANCED
25-27 PROFICIENT
23-24
APPROACHING PROFICIENCY
21-22
20 AND BELOW BEGINNING PROFICIENCY

How did you find the activity? Are you surprised or kind of expecting the result?
Being able to read texts is a wonderful thing, but being able to know what and why you
are reading them is better. We all read for our own pleasure, we read comics,
magazines, novels, internet blogs, and even the comments we have in Facebook. We
do this because we are reading every day of our life and we enjoy it. But reading for
pleasure is not just what we do, we also read for information, for research, and even
react or review other written text. No matter what your result in the activity above it just
shows you what you must do as you learned from this subject. It is not your first time
to be reading Academic Text you have done it way back in your early years in school,

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that is why you can be able to improve your skills now, not just reading them but
describing them, reviewing them, writing them, develop your own style while following
the structures and guides in doing it. I know these talks about reading mean a lot of
task but always remember it’s the beginning that’s hard but when you move along the
way you will realize that it was worth it, so be patient, be supportive, just enjoy the
subject as you journey through this module and the next.

PRESENTATION OF THE NEW MODULE

Do you love reading? If you do then what are the reading materials you often
read? To put it in perspective in today’s advancements in technology most students
like you might find reading as a chore. No kidding, I find it the same myself, still we are
doing reading even if we are playing video games, surfing the net, viewing our “tiktok”
comments and views, and other things we enjoy today. When we are at school
especially in Senior High School, we have a lot of texts that we need to read in order
for us to be equip for our future jobs and careers. But are you familiar what type of
texts and reading materials you are reading? Their differences and uses? If not well
it’s your lucky day. This module will introduce to you What are Academic texts and
Non-Academic texts, their differences, purposes, language and style. You are going
to be reading sample texts and exploring through the experience of reading both an
Academic text and Non-Academic text.

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

• Define Academic Text and differentiate academic text from

nonacademic texts
• Reflect on the challenges and importance of both reading and writing
Academic text.
• Read sample text and Identify the purpose, language and style of the
texts read.

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ACTIVITY

Name: __________________________________ Score: ______

K-W CHART

Direction: In the first column write down the things that you already “know” about
Academic Texts and in the second column write down the things that you “want to
know” Academic Texts. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper

What I Know What I Want to Know

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ANALYSIS

Name: __________________________________ Score: ______

MY EXPERIENCE IN READING & WRITING ACADEMIC TEXTS

Direction: Please answer the following questions write your answer in the space
provided and feeling free to express all your ideas on each one of them. The scoring
guide or rubrics is in the next page to help you know how you are graded. Write your
answers in a separate sheet of paper

1. A. Which of the following academic documents have you experienced writing or

reading in Junior High School? Encircle your choices. And answer question B.
A. Books and book reports
B. Translations
C. Essays
D. Research paper or research article
E. Conference paper
F. Academic journal
G. Dissertation and Thesis - These are written to obtaining an advanced
degree at a college or university.
H. Abstract - This is a short summary of a long document.
I. Explication - This is a work which explains part of a particular work.
J. Others:_____________________________________________________

B. What do you think are some problems that you and your classmates encounter
when you write or read these academic papers?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. What language do you use at home and at school? Is it English or Filipino or any
language (Sinurigaonon, Cebuano or others)? Why do you often use it?
______________________________________________________________
3. Why do you think it’s difficult to express your ideas in English when writing
academic documents?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

4. What other weaknesses aside from the difficulty in expressing ideas using the
English language do you have when it comes to writing academic documents?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

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5. What are the text/ reading materials that you read aside from the ones you to read
for school?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
6.Do you enjoy reading these reading materials? Why?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

7. Based on what you experience what do you think is the difference between the text
you read about a subject (English, Science, Math) and other academic text with the
ones you enjoy reading for leisure?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Question Exceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Progressing

Number 5 3 1

Question 1 A For Question 1 A the answer matters with what the students have read in their
JHS years, it’s fair to give them a PERFECT 5 points for this number, Think of
it as a Welcoming Bonus for the New Normal.

The Student answered and The Student answered The Student answered
Question 1 B explained his/her answers and explained his/her and explained his/her
thoroughly with no answers well with answers but needs help
grammar/spelling errors minimal errors in in improving grammar &
grammar and spelling spelling
Question 2 The Student answered and The Student answered The Student answered
explained his/her answers and explained his/her and explained his/her
thoroughly with no answers well with answers but needs help
grammar/spelling errors minimal errors in in improving grammar &
grammar and spelling spelling
Question 3 The Student answered and The Student answered The Student answered
explained his/her answers and explained his/her and explained his/her
thoroughly with no answers well with answers but needs help
grammar/spelling errors minimal errors in in improving grammar &
grammar and spelling spelling
Question 4 The Student answered and The Student answered The Student answered
explained his/her answers and explained his/her and explained his/her
thoroughly with no answers well with answers but needs help
grammar/spelling errors minimal errors in in improving grammar &
grammar and spelling spelling
Question 5 The Student answered and The Student answered The Student answered
explained his/her answers and explained his/her and explained his/her
thoroughly with no answers well with answers but needs help
grammar/spelling errors minimal errors in in improving grammar &
grammar and spelling spelling
Question 6 The Student answered and The Student answered The Student answered
explained his/her answers and explained his/her and explained his/her
answers well with answers but needs help

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 thoroughly with no minimal errors in in improving grammar &
grammar/spelling errors grammar and spelling spelling

Question 7 The Student answered and The Student answered The Student answered
explained his/her answers and explained his/her and explained his/her
thoroughly with no answers well with answers but needs help
grammar/spelling errors minimal errors in in improving grammar &
grammar and spelling spelling

ABSTRACTION

WHAT IS ACADEMIC WRITING?

Academic texts are written by professionals in a given field. They are edited
by the authors' peers and often take years to publish. Their language is formal and will
contain words and terms typical to the field. The authors name will be present, as will
their credentials. There will be a list of references that indicate where the author
obtained the information s/he is using in the article.

Academic writing is considered a formal mode of writing intended for an

educated audience. It is generally written in a third person or objective voice and tends
to depend heavily on research, factual experimentation and evidence and the opinions
of other educated scholars and researchers, rather than on the opinion of the author.
The purpose of Academic Writing is usually to inform the reader, it provides non-
biased facts and are supported by evidences.

Examples of ACADEMIC TEXTS

A. Articles- Published in scholarly journals, it offers results of research &
development that can either impact the academic community or provide
relevance to nation-building
B. Conference paper- These are papers presented in scholastic conferences,
and may be revised as articles for possible publication in scholarly journals.
C. Reviews- These provide evaluation or reviews of works.
D. Dissertation and Thesis - These are written to obtaining an advanced
degree at a college or university.
E. Abstract - This is a short summary of a long document.
F. Explication - This is a work which explains part of a particular work.
G. Books and book reports
H. Translations
I. Essays
J. Academic journal
K. Research paper or research article

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 • Academic texts are objective. This means that they are based on facts
with solid basis. The emotions of the authors cannot be felt from texts or
materials.
• Academic texts are written by professionals in any given field (e.g.
medicine, architecture, economics, etc.). These professionals include
doctors, architects, economists, among others.
• Academic texts use formal words and may contain technical terms that
are related to a certain field.
• These kinds of texts usually include a list of references where authors
based their information.

TAKE NOTE:

Academic texts include concepts and theories that are related to the specific
discipline they explore, example An Article for the WHO (World Health Organization)
about the origin and dangers of COVID 19. They also include information from credible
sources or experts, in turn, properly cited in the references.

In general, authors observe the following when writing academic texts:

1. They state critical questions and issues

2. They provide facts and evidence from credible sources.
3. They use precise and accurate words while avoiding jargon colloquial
expressions in other words, avoid words that are not familiar or hard
to understand especially if the reader is not oriented to them
4. They take an objective point-of-view and avoid being personal and
subjective, in other words they avoid a biased approach to the issue,
they don’t involve their personal opinion and feelings in writing.
5. They list references,
6. They use hedging or cautious language to tone down their claims,
remember when writing academic text your main purpose is to inform
not to inspire or persuade your readers so keep the tone in an
informative manner.

WHAT IS NON-ACADEMIC WRITING?

Non-Academic texts are written for the mass public. They are published
quickly and can be written by anyone. Their language is informal, casual and may
contain slang. The author may not be provided and will not have any credentials listed.
There will be no reference list. Non-Academic writing may be considered as writing
which is personal, emotional, impressionistic, or subjective in nature. Such writing is
often found in personal journal entries, reader response writing, memoirs, any kind of
autobiographical writing, and letters, and the text messages. This mode of writing is

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not directly intended for academic or scholarly audience. Non-academic writing can
be more informal in tone, and may even rely more heavily on emotional appeal or
opinions of the author. The purpose of non-academic texts may be to entertain its
audience or to persuade the reader.

• Non-academic texts are non-objective. These texts tend to be more

personal and based on opinions or one's point-of-view. Opinions are
neither correct or incorrect.
• Non-academic texts are written for the mass public. There is no specific
audience for non-academic texts.
• These are published quickly and can be written by anyone. No
specialization is needed.
• Authors of non-academic texts use casual, informal language. These
texts may also use slang.

Examples of NON-ACADEMIC TEXTS

A. Personal Opinions
B. Letters to editors
C. Memos
D. Magazines
E. Fiction or Non-fiction
F. Writing for Newspapers,
G. Digital Media

EXERCISE

Name: __________________________________ Score: ______

Read Text A and Text B and complete the Venn Diagram below. The outer circles will
be the differences between Text A and Text B, while inner circle are their similarities.
Remember this is based on your observation and understanding of both texts.
Compare and Contrast the purpose, topic, language used point of view, and style of
the texts. Do this activity in separate sheet of paper.

TEXT A TEXT B

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Scoring Rubric for Venn Diagram
Strong Grasp (5) Progressing (3) Not in Evidence (1)
Text support of All statements are Most statements are Few or none of the
comparison supported by the supported by the text statements are
statements text. supported by the
text.
Placement of All statements noting Most statements are Few statements are
statements within similarities are placed in the correct placed in the correct
the Venn diagram placed in the center circle, but student circle
circle and all mixed up a few
statements that note statements.
differences are
placed in the correct
outer circle
Number of quality Student is able to Student is able to Students make two
statements make five or more make 3–4 or fewer comparison
comparison comparison statements in each
statements in each statements in each circle
circle. circle.

TEXT A.
From Hand to Mouth
Michael C. Corballis

(1) Imagine trying to teach a child to talk without using your hands or any other means
of pointing of gesturing. The task would surely be impossible. There can be little doubt
that bodily gestures are involved in the development of language, both in the individual
and in the species. Yet, once the system is up and running, it can function entirely on
vocalizations, as when two friends chat over the phone and create in each other’s
minds a world of events far removed from the actual sounds that emerge from their
lips. My contention is that the vocal element emerged relatively late in hominid
evolution. If the modern chimpanzee is to be our guide, the common ancestor of 5 or
6 million years ago would have been utterly incapable of a telephone conversation but
would have been able to make voluntary movements of hands and face that could the
least serve as a platform upon which to build a language.

(2) Evidence suggests that the vocal machinery necessary for autonomous speech
developed quite recently in hominid evolution. Grammatical language may well have
begun to emerge around 2 million years ago but would at first have been primary
gestural, though no doubt punctuated with grunts and other vocal cries that were at
first largely involuntary and emotional. The complex adjustments necessary to produce
speech as we know it today would have taken some time to evolve, and may not have
been complete until some 170,000 years ago, or even later, when Homo sapiens
emerged to grace, but more often disgrace, the planet. These adjustments may have

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been incomplete even in our close relatives the Neanderthals; arguably, it was this
failure that contributed to their demise.

(3) The question now is what were the selective pressures that led to the eventual
dominance of speech? On the face of it, an acoustic medium seems a poor way to
convey information about the world; not for nothing is it said that a picture is worth a
thousand words. Moreover, signed language has all the lexical and grammatical
complexity of spoken language. Primate evolution is itself a testimony to the primacy
of the visual world. We share with monkeys a highly sophisticated visual system, giving
us three- dimension information in color about us, and an intricate system for exploring
that world through movement and manipulation. Further, in a hunter- gatherer
environment, where predators and prey are major concern, there are surely
advantages in silent communication since sound acts as a general alert. And yet we
came to communicate about the world in a medium that in all primates except
ourselves is primitive and stereotyped- and noisy.

(4) Before we consider the pressures that may have favored vocalization over
gestures, it bears repeating that the switch from hand to mouth was almost certainly
not an abrupt one. In fact, manual gestures still feature prominently in language; even
as fluent speakers gesture almost as much as they vocalize, and of course deaf
communities spontaneously develop signed language. It has also been proposed that
speech itself is in many respects better conceived as composed of gestures rather
than sequences of these elusive phantoms called phonemes. In this view, language
evolved as a system of gestures based on movements of the hands, arms and face,
including movements of the mouth, lips, and tongue. It would not have been a big
steps to add voicing to the gestural repertoire, at first as mere grunts, but later
articulated so that invisible gestures of the oral cavity could rendered accessible, but
to the ear rather than the eye. There may therefore have been continuity from the
language that was almost exclusively manual and facial, though perhaps punctuated
by involuntary grunts, to one in which the vocal component has a much more extensive
repertoire and is under voluntary control. The essential feature of modern expressive
language is not that it is purely vocal, but rather that the component can function
autonomously and provide the grammar as well as meaning of linguistics
communication.

(5) What, then, are the advantages of a language that can operate autonomously
through voice and ear, rather than hand and eye? Why speech?

Advantages of Arbitrary Symbols

(6) One possible advantage of vocal language is its arbitrariness. Except in rare cases
of onomatopoeia, spoken words cannot be iconic, and they therefore offer scope for
creating symbols that distinguish between object or actions that look alike or might
otherwise be confusable. The names of similar animals, such as cats, lions, tigers,

15
cheetahs, lynxes, and leopards are rather different. We may be confused as to which
animals is which, but at least it is clear which one we are talking about. The shortening
of words overtime also makes communication more efficient, and some of us have
been around long enough to see this happen: television has become TV or telly,
microphone has been reduced to mike (or mic), and so on. The fact that more frequent
words tends to be shorter than less frequent ones was noted by the American
philologist George Kingsley Zipf, who related it to a principle of “least effort.” So long
as signs are based on iconic resemblance, the signer has little scope for these kinds
of calibration.

(7) It may well have been very important for hunter-gatherers to identify and name a
great many similar fruits, plants, trees, animals, birds, and so on and attempts at iconic
representation would eventually only confuse. Jared Diamond observes that the
people living largely traditional lifestyle in New Guinea can name hundreds of birds,
animals, and plants, along with details about each of them. These people are illiterate,
relying on word of mouth to pass on information, not only about potential foods, but
also about how to survive dangers, such as crop failures, droughts, cyclones, and raids
from other tribes. Diamond suggests that the main repository of accumulated
information is elderly. He points out that humans are unique among primates in that
they can expect to live to a ripe old age, well beyond the age of child bearing (although
perhaps it was not always so). A slowing down of senescence may well have been
selected in evolution because the knowledge retained by the elderly enhanced the
survival of their younger relatives. An elderly, knowledgeable granny may help us all
live a little longer, and she can also look after the kids.

(8) In the naming and transmission of such detailed information, iconic representation
would almost certainly be inefficient: edible plants or berries could be confused with
poisonous ones, and animals that attack confused with those that are benign. This is
not to say that gestural signs could not to do the trick. Manual signs readily become
conventionalized and convey abstract information. Nevertheless, there may be some
advantage to using spoken words, since they have virtually no iconic content to begin
with, and so provide a ready-made system for abstraction.

(9) I would be on dangerous ground, however, if I were to insist too strongly that
speech is linguistically superior to signed language. After all, students at Gallaudet
University seem pretty unrestricted in what they can learn; signed language apparently
functions well right through to university level- and still requires students to learn lots
of vocabulary from their suitably elderly professor. It is nevertheless true that many
signs remain iconic, or at least partially so and are therefore somewhat tethered with
respect to modifications that might enhance clarity or efficiency of expression. But
there may well be a trade- off here. Signed language may easier to learn than spoken
ones. Especially in initial stages of acquisition, in which the child comes to understand
the linking of objects and the action with their linguistic representations. But spoken
languages, ones acquired, may relay messages more accurately, since spoken words

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are better calibrated to minimize confusion. Even so, the iconic component is often
important, and as I look the quadrangles outside my office I see how freely the students
there are embellishing their conversations with manual gestures.

In The Dark

(10) Another advantage of speech over gesture is obvious: we can use it in the dark!
This enables us to communicate at night, which not only extends the time available for
meaningful communications but may also have proven decisive in the competition for
space and resources. We of the gentle species Homo sapiens have a legacy of
invasion, having migrated out of Africa into territories inhabited by other hominins who
migrated earlier. Perhaps it was the newfound ability to communicate vocally, without
the need for a visual component that enabled our fore-bearers to plan, and even carry
out, invasion at night, and so vanquish the earlier migrants.

(11) It is not only a question of being able to communicate at night. We can also speak
to people when objects intervene and you can’t see them, as when you yell to your
friend in another room. All this has to do, of course, with the nature of sound itself,
which travels equally well in the dark as in the light and wiggles its way around
obstacles. The wall between you and the base drummer next door may attenuate the
sound but does not completely block it. Vision, on the other hand, depends on light
reflected from an external source, such as the sun, and is therefore ineffective when
no such source is available. And the light reflected from the surface of an object to
your eye travels in rigidly straight lines, which means that it can provide detailed
information about shape but is susceptible to occlusion and interference. In terms of
the sheer ability to reach those with whom you are trying to communicate, words speak
louder than actions.

Listen to Me!

(12) Speech does have one disadvantage, though: it is generally accessible to those
around you and is therefore less convenient for sending confidential or secret
messages or for planning an attack on enemies within earshot. To some extent, we
can overcome this impediment by whispering. And sometimes, people resort to
signing. But the general alerting function of sounds also has its advantages. When
Mark Anthony cried, “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me ears.” he was trying to
attract attention as well as deliver a message.

(13) In the evolution of speech, the alerting component of language might have
consisted at first simply of grunt that accompany gestures to give emphasis to specific
actions or encourage reluctant offspring to attend while a parent lays down the law. It
is also possible that non-vocal sounds accompanied gestural communication. Russell
Gray has suggested to me that clicking one’s fingers as children often do when putting
their hands up in class to answer a question, may be a sort of “missing link” between

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gestural and vocal language. I know of no evidence that chimpanzees or other
nonhuman primates are able to click their fingers as humans can, although lip
smacking, as observed in chimpanzees, may have played a similar role. Sounds may
therefore have played a similar and largely alerting role in early evolution of language,
gradually assuming more prominence in conveying the message itself.

(14) For humans, visual signals can only attract attention if they occur within a fairly
restricted region of space, whereas the alerting power of sound is more or less
independent of where its source is located relative to listener. And sound is a better
alerting medium in other respects as well. No amount of gesticulation will wake a
sleeping person, whereas a loud yell will usually do the trick. The alerting power of
sound no doubt explains why animals have evolved vocal signals for sending
messages of alarm. Notwithstanding the peacock’s tail or parrot’s gaudy plumage,
even birds prefer to make noises to attract attention, whether in proclaiming territory
or warning of danger. Visual signals are relatively inefficient because they may elude
our gaze, and in any case, we can shut them out by closing our eyes, as we are
vulnerable to auditory assault.

(15) Speech has another, and subtler, attentional advantage. Manual gesture is much
more demanding of attention, since you must keep your eyes fixed on gesturer in order
to extract her meaning, whereas speech can be understood regardless of where you
are looking. There are a number of advantages in being able to communicate with
people without having to look at them. You can effectively divide attention, using
speech to communicate with a companion while visual attention is deployed
elsewhere, perhaps to watch a football game or to engage in some joint activity, like
building a boat. Indeed, the separation of visual and auditory attention may have been
critical in the development of pedagogy.

Three Hands Better than Two

(16) Another reason why vocal language may have arisen is that it proves an extra
medium. We have already seen that most people gesture with their hands, and indeed
their faces, while they talk. One might argue then, that the addition of vocal channel
provides additional texture and richness to the message.

(17) But perhaps it is not simply a matter of being better. Susan Golden-Meadow and
David McNeill suggest that speech may have evolved because it allows the vocal and
manual components to serve different and complimentary purposes. Speech is
perfectly adequate to convey syntax, which has no iconic or mimetic aspect, and can
relieve the hands and arms of this chore. The hands and arms, of course, well adapted
to providing the mimetic aspect of language, indicating in analogue fashion the shapes
and sizes of things, or the direction of movements, as in the gesture that might
accompany any statement “he went that a-way.” By allowing the voice to take over the

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grammatical component, the hands are given free rein, as it were, to provide the
mimetic component.

(18) But speech may have evolved, not because it gave the hands freer rein for
mimetic expression, but rather because it freed the hands to do other activities.
Charles Darwin, who seems to have thought of almost everything, wrote, “We might
have used our fingers as efficient instruments, for a person with practice can report to
a deaf man every word of a speech rapidly delivered at a public meeting, but the loss
of our hands, while thus employed, would have been a serious inconvenience.” It
would clearly be difficult to communicate manually while holding an infant, or driving a
car, or carrying a shopping, yet we can and do talk while doing these things.

(19) Speech has the advantage over manual gestures in that it can be accomplished
in parallel with manual demonstration. Demonstrations might themselves be
considered gestures, of course, but the more explanatory aspect of pedagogy,
involving grammatical structure and symbolic content, would interfere with manual
demonstration if they were too conveyed manually. Clearly, it is much easier and more
informative to talk while demonstrating than to try to mix linguistic signs in with the
demonstration. This is illustrated by a good TV cooking show, where chefs is seldom
at a lost for either word or ingredients. It may not be far fetched to suppose that the
selective advantages of vocal communication emerged when the hominins began to
develop a more advanced tool technology, and they could eventually verbally explain
what they were doing while they demonstrated tool-making techniques. Moreover, if
vocal language did not become autonomous until the emergence of Homo sapiens,
this might explain why tools manufacture did not really begin to develop true diversity
and sophistication, and indeed to rival language itself in this respect, until within the
last 100,000 years.

(20) Thus, it was not the emergence of the language itself that gave rise to the
evolutionary explosion that has made our lives so different from our near relatives, the
great apes. Rather, it was the invention of autonomous speech, freeing the hands for
more sophisticated manufacture and allowing language to disengage from other
manual activities, so that people could communicate while changing the baby’s
diapers, and even explain to a novice what they were doing. The idea that language
may have evolved relatively slow, seems much more in accord with biological reality
than the notion of linguistic “big bang” within the past 200,000 years. Language and
manufacture also allowed cultural transmission to become the dominant mode of
inheritance in human life. That ungainly bird, the jumbo jet, could not have been
created without hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years of cultural evolution, and the
brains that created it were not biologically superior to the brains that existed in 100,000
years ago in Africa. The invention of speech may have merely been the first of many
developments that have put us not only on the map, but all over it.

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TEXT B.
People Change and So Do Feelings
Ryan James A. Salalima
Jess: Hi
Me: Hellow, kinsa ni?
Jess: Si jess ni hehe, musta yan?
Me: Okay lang, ikaw? By the way aha nimu nakuha akong number?
Jess: Dugay raman ko naay number nimu kay wala man jud nako g.delete imung
number. Namasin lang ko ug text kong mao pa ba jyapon nga number imung
g.gamit.
Me: Okay abi nako imu na g.delete akong number kay pila napud ta ka years walay
communication and wala nsad ta nagkita.
Jess: Lage taod-taod najud ta wala nagkita. Vacant ka this Wednesday?
Me: Oo why?
Jess: Makipag dungan unta ko ug lunch saimu hehe
Me: Sige pero sa friday nalang ta dungan ug lunch.
Jess: Sige text lang.

I decided that we will lunch together on Friday because that day is a valentine’s
day. It would be the perfect day for us to meet once again after four years of no
communicating and seeing each other. I wonder what she looks like right now.
Thousands of questions are running in my mind and thought that if she grows tall even
a little. I feel so excited for I will finally see her once again. Friday comes and it’s the
day that we will meet. After my class ended, I went out from the school campus and
saw lot of vendors who are selling red roses. I didn’t mind buying it because it’s not
part of my plan but I was tempted to buy because it is perfect to give flower to someone
on this day. I also bought chocolates and after that I went to Ketkai, it’s the place where
we agreed to meet. As I saw her, I gave right away the red rose and chocolates to her.
She smiled at me and said thank you! We bought food and ate our lunch. Both of us
were not able to eat well because we talked most of the time. We kept on talking and
unaware that it was almost one pm so we decide to go because she has a class at
one pm.

I had no class in that time so I decided to ride a jeepney and go home. I

intentionally bought that red rose and chocolate to compliment her. I am glad that it is
not impossible for a past lover to become friends. Yes, jess was my former girlfriend.
Jess was a short girl with the height of 4.8 feet. She had also an appealing appearance
and with that I found her adorable because I found short women very attractive. I also
found her “ulitan and maldita” funny because she got easily pissed. Although she is
like that, that had never been the reason to love her less. We’re always been together
every week days because I used to accompany her when she will go home. That was
my weekdays routine since that was the only time we saw each other. On week days
that is the time that we would be texting. Every time we text, she often got angry at me
even though I did no wrong. I think she had little kind of bipolar attitude but still I did

20
try my best to understand her. There was a time while we are texting, she got mad at
me because I used to tease her. She declared cool off and I insisted not to but that
what she wants so I had nothing do about it where in fact she already did it to me many
times. I thought everything will be alright but as time passes by our relationship went
worst. I can’t deny the fact that I am also pissed by her bipolar attitude but I didn’t show
it to her. I pretend that I could still manage to prolong my patience towards her. Time
came she wanted break up with me, I insisted not to and convince her the best way
that I can but I failed.

I don’t want to end our relationship but I realized that in the end I am the one
who will suffer. I did fight a hard decision in letting her go even though I still want her.
Weeks later, she asked a favor from me not to text her anymore because what is done
is done. All I want is communication but she insisted to cut it off so I had no choice but
to cut it off. It’s so hard to let free the person who you loved most. I’ve been drinking
liquor for a month like most of the guys do every time they are heartbroken. I thought
that is mature and best way of moving but it’s not. It’s just a waste of time and money.

A month after there was a massive rain that I hurriedly go home. Luckily, I got
an umbrella and before I reached home, I drop to her school. I keep searching on her
because I want to give the umbrella that I am bringing but I failed yet fortunate enough
that I found one of her friends. I gave the umbrella to her friend and said “Paki hatag
ko kang jes ha? Igna i.kept nalang daun niya ang payong kay iyaha na na”. I feel happy
at that time because I was able to let her feel how much I loved her even though we’re
not in a relationship anymore. Suddenly I realize that the rain hasn’t stop yet so I bare
the consequence of getting wet. I got sick because of the foolish act that I made but
still I am happy for what I’ve done for her. Weeks later, the person whom I gave the
umbrella said to me that “Naligo man c jess ug ulan ato nga time so wala jyapon niya
na gamit ang payong”. After hearing that information, I don’t know what exactly how I
feel and I simply said to her that “okay, ipa kept lang jyapon saiya ang payong iya
nako”. That was the first and the last thing that I did for her and after that I focused
more on my studies. I solemnly devote my time in my studies for me to ease the pain.
She was the woman that I loved most but probably not the last. As I opened my eyes,
I started to ask myself “is that the person I cried over and over again? Is that the person
I loved so much four years ago?” I want to win her back but I realized the burning
desires between love and lust had already faded. It’s so ironic how I beg not to break
with her and cried over my pillow late at night because I can’t accept the fact that we’re
over. She has a boyfriend right now but I didn’t feel jealous. Truly I can say that I’ve
moved on and grown. People change and so does the feeling.

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APPLICATION

Name: __________________________________ Score: ______

Direction: Below is a table that will help you identify what makes academic text
different from other text. Refer to TEXT A & TEXT B from the previous activity and fill
out this table based on your evaluation of the texts. Do this activity in a separate sheet
of paper.

TEXT A TEXT B
What is the text about?
(subject/focus)

What is the writer’s goal in writing

the text?
(purpose)

Who is the target reader of the

text? (audience)

What is the point of view in the

text?
(first person, second person, third
person)
How much does the writer know of
the subject?
(Writer’s Knowledge)

How did writer organize the text? .

(style)

Did the writer write in a formal or

informal manner? (tone)
Was the language formal, informal,
or casual?

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ENRICHMENT
Name: __________________________________ Score: ______

Based on what you found out after reading and comparing TEXT A and B, what have
you learned about Academic Texts and NON- Academic Texts? Write a short reflection
about it in a separate sheet of paper.

POST-TEST

Name: __________________________________ Score: ______

Direction: Read and understand each statement and write the letter of the correct
answer on a separate sheet of paper.

____1. Which of the following is an Academic Text?

A. Novels
B. Poetry
C. Play Script
D. Project Proposal

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____2. Which is NOT an example of an Academic Text?
A. Essays
B. Research Papers
C. Superhero Comics
D. Conference Papers

____3. What do you call texts that are written by professionals in a given field that
use formal language and terms specific on the field?
A. Literary Text
B. Academic Text
C. Professional Text
D. Non-Academic Text

____4. What do you call texts that are written for the mass public, use informal
language and can be written by anyone?
A. Literary Text
B. Academic Text
C. Professional Text
D. Non-Academic Text

____5. What type of academic texts offer results of research and development that
either impact the academic community?
A. Articles
B. Reviews
C. Conference Papers
D. Theses, Dissertations

____6. Which texts are personal researches written by a candidate for a college or
university degree?
A. Articles
B. Reviews
C. Conference Papers
D. Theses, Dissertations

____7. Which of the following is another example of Non-Academic texts?

A. Articles
B. Reviews
C. Magazines
D. Position Papers

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____8. Which of the following is an example of Non-Academic texts?
A. Abstract
B. Position papers
C. Concept papers
D. Letters for an editor

____9. Which texts provide evaluation of works published in scholarly journals?

A. Articles
B. Reviews
C. Conference Papers
D. Theses, Dissertations

____10. How can we know that the text we are reading is an Academic Text?
A. when its purpose is to entertain
B. when it can be written by anyone
C. when the language used is formal
D. when the language used is informal

____11. How can we say that the text we are reading is Non-Academic?
A. It has formal language.
B. It has references attached.
C. Its written by a professional.
D. It is written for the mass public.

____ 12. Which is NOT true about writing an Academic Text?

A. Avoids being personal and subjective.
B. Provide facts and evidence from credible sources.
C. References used are excluded in the writing the text.
D. Use precise and accurate words while avoiding jargon.

____13. Why do we need to read Academic Text?

A. to enjoy ourselves
B. to copy details from the text
C. We read because we are required.
D. We read because we need information on a subject.

_____14. Which of the following statements is from an Academic text?

A. For love, the leaning grasses and two lights above the sea.
B. The seeing eye, it is this that discloses the inner harmony of things.
C. Priam dismounted and went toward the tent for Achilles. He found
Achilles alone.
D. Reading and writing are the two major activities of students who
wish to excel in their studies.

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_____15. Which of the following statements is based on an Academic Text?
A. Roland feels his death is near, his brain is oozing by either ear.
B. He saw the pure crystal water from where the lass is heavenly
plunged.
C. If you establish the purpose for reading early on, you will be able to
save time and improve your comprehension.
D. Just as the sun rises and peeps from the east, and as the roosters
of the neighborhood crow, vivid came the assiduous man.

26
REFERENCES

Books & Reading Materials

1. Barrot, Jessie Saraza, Ph.D. and Philippe John Fresnillo Sipacio.
Communication Today, English for Academic & Professional Purposes for
Senior High School, 2016. pp 3-5. C & E Publishing, Inc. 2016

2. Saqueton, Grace M. and Marikit Tara A. Uychoco English for Academic and
Professional Purposes, 2016. pp 3-11. REX Book Store, 2016

3. Laurel, Ma. Milagros C. PhD, et al English for Academic and RPfessional

Purposes Reader, Department of Education, 2016

Online Sources:
1. Academic vs Non Academic Articles ,Midmich.edu, Mid Michigan College,
2020, https://www.midmich.edu/student-resources/lls/library/find-
articles/academic-articles
2. Solangi, Sohail Ahmed, Academic and Non Academic Writing. Slideshare.net
Aug.5, 2017, https://www.slideshare.net/sohailahmedsolangi/academic-and-
non-academic-writing-by-sohail-ahmed-solangi
3. Daintyexlibris.Ambitious, Academic Texts and Non Academic Texts.
https://brainly.ph/question/605380
4. Salalima, Ryan James A. People Change so do Feelings, October 12, 2013,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/359872477469498/

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For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – Schools Division of Surigao del Norte

Peñaranda St., Surigao City
Surigao del Norte, Philippines 8400
Tel. No: (086) 826-8216
Email Address: [email protected]

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