Worksheet
21st Century Literature
Topic:
D I S CU SS HOW DIFFERENT C O N T E XT
ENHANCE THE T E XT ’ S MEANING AND ENRICH
THE READER’S U N D E R STA N D I N G .
Prepared by:
MARY GRACE M. BACAR
KASSANDRA P. ALCALDEZA
PIA L AUREN D. CABESA
STEPHEN M. FALL ARCUNA
worksheet
Name Date
BIOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT TASK
Objective:
Given the poem “My Islands” by N.V.M. Gonzales and a short author biography, the learner will
write a five-sentence paragraph explaining how the author's background shaped the poem.
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
At least 4 out of 5 sentences must include relevant, accurate connections
between the author's life and the poem’s content.
Direction: Examine the corresponding poem to develop a clearer and better
understanding of biographical contexts. Using a five-sentence paragraph and a brief
summary of N.V.M. Gonzales's background, explain the biographical context of the poem
"My Island". Write your answer on a sheet of paper.
My Islands
N.V.M. Gonzales
Even as the bough breaks
from the sheer weight of song
so does my heart break with love,
so will my rivers flow
to kiss the sea's warm eternal breast,
so will my islands poise their hills
against the sun.
My heart is proud
of this dream and prouder yet my rivers
of the fate that keeps the pace
of tides and moons, and prouder
still my islands of their hills.
worksheet
Name Date
LINGUISTIC CONTEXT TASK
Objective:
After reading “Palindrome” by Nick Joaquin, the learner will answer 3 questions about the
poem’s word choices, line breaks, and poetic devices
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
At least 2 out of 3 responses must clearly demonstrate correct identification and
thoughtful explanation of literary elements.
Direction: Read the poetry that follows and give your thoughts and analysis in
response to the following questions. Write your answer on a sheet of paper.
Palindrome
By Nick Joaquin
People say that the world is crooked,
Crooked in a sense that it makes everything feel so surreal,
Surreal for someone who was swept up in the waves of time,
Time wherein we started out as mere acquaintances in the most peculiar way
possible,
Possible only through the thing we insistently called 'love'
Love which was just an abstract word,
Word that came to life when I knew you,
You showed me what love truly means,
Means to make someone feel more than special,
Special in a way that entices you to always treasure moments,
Moments when you know that you found 'the one' in the endless sea of people,
QUESTIONS:
1. What are some of the most interesting words in the poem?
2. How many important points does the song make?
How did the lines get made? Did the line breaks help get the point of the
poem across?
4. Does it rhyme? Is there a particular beat? How do rhyme and rhythm
help the text get its point across?
5. What images did the poet use?
worksheet
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SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT TASK
Objective:
After reading an excerpt from “The God Stealer” by F. Sionil Jose, the learner will identify one
social issue and explain how cultural identity is portrayed in the story.
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
Each answer must be at least 2 sentences long and offer a clear, relevant analysis
of the text in context.
To better understand on how socio-cultural context. Analyze the excerpt from the God
Stealer by Fransico Sionil Jose. Answer the following question. Write your answer on
your notebook.
An excerpt from The God Stealer by Fransico Sionil Jose
“That is to be expected,” the official whom Sam replaced explained “because Philip is
Ifugao and you don’t know patience until you have seen the rice terraces his
ancestors built.” “You will find,” Sam Christie was also told, “that the Igorots, like the
Ilocanos, no matter how urbanized they already are, entertain a sense of inferiority.
Not Philip. He is proud of his being Ifugao. He talks about it the first chance he gets.”
Now, on this December dawn, Sam Christie was on his way to Ifugao with his native
assistant. It was last month in the Philippines and in a matter of days he would return
to Boston for that leave which he had not had in years. The bus station was actually a
narrow sidestreet which sloped down to a deserted plaza, one of the many in the
summer capital. Sam could make out the shapes of the stone buildings huddled, it
seemed, in the cold, their narrow windows shuttered and the frames advertising Coca
– Cola above their doorways indistinct in the dark.
QUESTIONS:
1. What Sam said about Philip?
2. What social problem from the past or present is shown in the story?
3. How do people in the Philippines feel about this issue? Is it something
that most people do and agree with?
4. What do you think about the subject?
worksheet
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CREATIVE REFLECTION TASK
Objective:
Based on the poem “Servant” by Bienvenido Lumbera, the learner will write a paragraph in
the voice of the author, reflecting on their life as expressed in the poem.
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
The paragraph must include at least one reference to a personal experience of
the author and maintain the tone or voice of the poem.
Context of a person's life in music lyrics: Gento by SB19 was an artist who are known to
putting thier own lives into thier music. Work on groups to look at the songs and talk
about how the artist's life and feelings are shown through the words. Share your
thoughts in class after your brainstorming. Write your answer on a sheet of paper.
An excerpt lyric from “Gento by SB19”
I want some I get some no later
I woke up and baked that potato
Got carbed to shape me for major
But I stay me not mediocre
Look at me tell me what you see all gucci but the
real question is who's really me
A movie's definitely not my reality 'cause you see
marumi marumi marumi eww
Kadiri Yeah I'm gonna see you later (later)
Pagkatapos kong mag-shower (shower)
Medyo ramdam ko na'ng power (power)
Kulang pa sa sour mga hater kaya
Alamin ang mga bagay-bagay
'Di pwedeng anay sa'king bahay
Tahimik lang daw ang matibay
Pero 'pag tinopak talagang mag-iingay (gento)
worksheet
Name Date
CREATIVE REFLECTION TASK
Objective:
Based on the poem “Servant” by Bienvenido Lumbera, the learner will write a paragraph in
the voice of the author, reflecting on their life as expressed in the poem.
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
The paragraph must include at least one reference to a personal experience of
the author and maintain the tone or voice of the poem.
B. Promote the practice of empathizing with the perspective of a Filipino [Link]
compose a brief composition in the manner of the abovementioned author, taking
into account the potential influence of the author's biographical circumstances on
their language and narrative style. Write your answer on a sheet of paper.
Servant by Bienvenido Lumbera (Poem)
On the shut door of the mind
We knock, we of soul and body torn;
We who serve and are ignored,
Broken into pieces to be of use.
Our heads nod, our arms lift,
Our feet are quick, our faces turn:
We scatter our parts to the beck
And call of those higher than us.
Deep within, we have a name,
A story to tell. Against a harsh life
We’ve put up a fight, only
To end up with a servant’s life.
We serve the strong, we are
Feet and arms wanting to climb,
Heads and faces used to fool the law,
Will we be whole again tomorrow?
Up ahead the new day shines,
The change-of-fate we seek—
Then we shall rise again,
With our names and bodies back.
worksheet
Name Date
LINGUISTC CONTEXT
Based on the poem “Six P.M.” by Nick Joaquin, the learner will identify the meaning of
selected words using context clues and demonstrate understanding through concise, one-
sentence definitions.
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
The learner accurately defines each word in one complete sentence using context
clues from the poem.
A. Identify the meaning of the underlined words through the use of context clues.
Write your answer on your notebook.
SIX P.M.
Nick Joaquin
Trouvere at night, grammarian in the morning,
ruefully architecting syllables-- but in the
afternoon my ivory tower falls.
I take a place in the bus among people returning
to love (domesticated) and
the smell of onions burning and women reaping
the washlines as the Angelus tolls.
But I-- where am I bound?
My garden, my four walls and you project strange
shores upon my yearning:
Atlantis? the Caribbeans? Or Cathay? Conductor,
do I get off at Sinai?
Apocalypse awaits me: urgent my sorrow towards
the undiscovered world
that I from warm responding flesh for a while
shall borrow: conquistador tonight, clockouncher
tomorrow.
worksheet
Name Date
LINGUISTC CONTEXT
Based on the poem “Six P.M.” by Nick Joaquin, the learner will identify the meaning of
selected words using context clues and demonstrate understanding through concise, one-
sentence definitions.
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
The learner accurately defines each word in one complete sentence using context
clues from the poem.
B. Find the hidden words in WORD BOX then match the word to the corresponding
meaning given below. Write your answer on your notebook.
1. the soft part of the body of a person or animal that is between the
skin and the bones, or the soft inside part of a fruit or vegetable
2. a strong feeling of wishing for something, especially something that
you cannot have or get easily
3. a medieval epic poet in northern France in the 11th–14th centuries.
4. in a way that shows that you are feeling sorry and wishing that
something had not happened
5. a very serious event resulting in great destruction and change
worksheet
Name Date
SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT
The learner will analyze the excerpt from The Woman Who Had Two Navels by Nick Joaquin
through its socio-cultural context by identifying societal norms, customs, and values
reflected in the text and expressing their analysis in a well-structured paragraph.
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
The paragraph clearly explains the socio-cultural context in 3–5 sentences,
includes specific references to the excerpt, and demonstrates understanding of
the societal values or customs presented.
A. Analyze the text from the perspective of its socio-cultural context. Consider the
societal norms, customs, and values reflected in the text. Compose a paragraph to
explain your answer consist of three to five sentences. Write your answer on a sheet
of paper.
“- But they were corrupt, Father! They were human, my child. And if we
were to reject all worldly authority for that reason, we would have to
reject everything: marriage and government and society; the family,
the state, and the church. We would have to abolish the world. Is that
what you propose to do?”
worksheet
Name Date
SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT
The learner will compare and contrast the socio-cultural contexts of the excerpts “Carmen
Guerrero-Nakpil Encounters Gina Lollobrigida” and “To The Philippines” by Jose Rizal, analyzing
how these contexts influence the language and themes of each work.
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
The response clearly compares and contrasts the two texts, explains how socio-
cultural contexts shape language and themes, and is written in a coherent
paragraph with specific references to both works.
Literary Passage 1:: The excerpt Carmen Guerrero-Nakpil encounters Gina Lollobrigida
"The Italian pressmen at the printers also suffered from culture shock. The first day I
was there, they took turns coming up to my desk to ask questions about my
nationality. When I told them I was Filipino, they pressed:'But your father must be
Spanish." Following my reply, that I was full-blooded Filipino, they insisted, "But you
surely had a Spanish grandfather." I lost my patience. "I know what's bothering you: that
I am whiter and taller than you." And I was. They were swarthy, crusty, little men about
half my size. "But it was in our schoolbooks, that you are descended from pygmies." I
stood up and drew myself up to my full height of five-eight, dwarfing them
noticeably."Who are you calling a pygmy," I said looking down my nose. I knew it had all
come from Lollobrigida's photos of the Tasaday. If she'd had her way, all the European
readers of her books would have thought of Filipinos as stone-age pygmies. When I
think of the rank racism in that print shop in Florence in the 1970s, I dread what our
Overseas Filipino Workers must go through among the alien corn."
Literary Passage 2: To The Philippines by Jose Rizal
Warm and beautiful like a houri of yore,
as gracious and as pure as the break of dawn
when darling clouds take on a sapphire tone,
sleeps a goddess on the Indian shore.
The small waves of the sonorous sea assail
her feet with ardent, amorous kisses, while
the intellectual West adores her smile;
and the old hoary Pole, her flower veil.
My Muse, most enthusiastic and elate,
sings to her among naiads and undines;
I offer her my fortune and my fate.
With myrtle, purple roses, and flowering greens
and lilies, crown her brow immaculate,
O artists, and exalt the Philippines!
worksheet
Name Date
TEST YOUR LIMITS
The learner will read and analyze the given questions carefully, selecting the best answer
based on comprehension and critical thinking, and indicating their choice clearly on paper.
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
The learner correctly identifies and encircles the letter of the correct answer for
each question, demonstrating careful reading and understanding of the material.
Direction: Read and analyze the question carefully. Select the best
answer. Encircle the letter of the correct answer. Write your answer on a
sheet of paper.
1. What context reveals an author's life and experiences that influences
their writing?
a) Biographical b) Linguistic
c) Socio-cultural d) Historical
2. Which setting emphasizes a text's language and structure to convey
meaning?
a) Biographical context b) Linguistic context
c) Socio-cultural context d.) Geographical context
3. Which context illuminates a text's historical and cultural background?
a) Biographical b) Linguistic
c) Socio-cultural d) Political
4. What context entails assessing cultural conventions, attitudes, and
beliefs when a piece was written?
a) Biography b) Language
c) Socio-cultural d) Economy
5. What context is best for analyzing word choice, sentence structure, and
literary approaches in a text?
a) Biography b) Language
c) Socio-cultural d) Religion
worksheet
Name Date
TEST YOUR LIMITS
The learner will read and analyze the given questions carefully, selecting the best answer
based on comprehension and critical thinking, and indicating their choice clearly on paper.
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
The learner correctly identifies and encircles the letter of the correct answer for
each question, demonstrating careful reading and understanding of the material.
6. Which context will reveal the author's upbringing and personal
experiences?
a) Biographical b) Linguistic
c) Socio-cultural d) Psychological
7. What context is needed to understand 19th-century social norms and
values in a text?
a) Biography b) Language
c) Socio-cultural d) Technology
8. Which context helps you comprehend how the author's culture and
identity influence their writing?
a) Biographical context b) Linguistic context
c) Socio-cultural context d) Environmental situation
9. Which context is crucial for understanding and translating a foreign-
language text?
a) Biographical context b) linguistic context
c) socio-cultural context d) philosophical context.
10. In which context should you assess a text's depiction of gender roles
and relationships?
a) Biography b) Language
c) Socio-cultural d) Medicine
worksheet
Name Date
CREATIVE REFLECTION TASK
The learner will read and analyze the given questions carefully, selecting the best answer
based on comprehension and critical thinking, and indicating their choice clearly on paper.
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS
The learner correctly identifies and encircles the letter of the correct answer for
each question, demonstrating careful reading and understanding of the material.
Task 1: Interviews about people's lives: Choose your partner and then ask each
other about their upbringings, families, societal influences, and other important
things in your lives. After that, present the short biography of your partner to the
class, focusing on how their personal circumstances have affected on how they
use words. Write your answer on your notebook.
Task 2: How do the words that caught your attention in the poem of SIX PM by
Nick Joaquin, add to your understanding of what it means? You can talk about
your answers in a five-sentence essay, a short audio or video clip, or a short video
clip.