Read 'em and Weep

"What do they want to exit? That we don't need no education?
Anyway, because of this, where will be our grade school pupils picked?" Oh, it's raining outside aren't we? He-he

Confused? Read on...

‘Drowned in mystery’ and other boo-boos
By Antonio Calipjo Go
Philippine Daily Inquirer


MANILA, Philippines—The following are among the more than 500 items of a similar nature that may be found in the just-released public school textbook (copyright 2008) in Reading for Grade 6 titled “English For You and Me,” written by Elodie A. Cada, published by Book Wise Publishing House Inc., and printed in Bangkok, Thailand:

• The airport is open to passengers only.

• Humans may turn blue when they cry.

• The engine of the tractor is sleeping now.

• Ms. Vera, please entertain this computer.

• Vietnam Nurse Contacts Bird Flu.

• To Heal Earth Yourself, Start with Your Cat.

• She lives in a place that is drowned in mystery.

• I got a butterfly with flower-designed wings.

• The Doña Aurora tree had yellowish-white flowers which were as wide as an open hand, and smelled fragrant as her mother’s perfume.

• Can we take care of the bird at home? Just like in a rehabilitation center!

• These pants didn’t cost much because they are uneven.

• Comfortable means having the comfort.

• The cat’s whiskers make it different from other animals.

• I trust you so much. I even told you not to enter my room.

• Propped: it stuck and supported very well.

• Delicately: done with fragility.

• Propped: sticked.

• They were discussing what will happen if the moon bounced back to the earth.

• Heroes helped in the forming of our nation.


Tausugs, Badjaos

• The Tausugs, who live in Jolo, are described as warlike people but most are friendly, peaceful and hospitable. They are completely attired only when they sport weapons around their waists. They believe in black magic, sorcery, voodoo and love potions. The Koran, their Bible, forbids the eating of dead meat.

• The Badjaos are mostly found along the Coast of Jolo, Subuti, Sitangkal, Tawi-Tawi islands in Mindanao. They are regarded as cultured because they are hardworking and peace-loving.

• People are active individuals. Sometimes, even while sleeping, they make actions through dreams. Cartoon characters are taken from dreams of the cartoonists. Dreaming is a mysterious act. Dreams may be a source of income. Some dreams make the world go round, open the realities of life or transmit the problems of people.

• The show’s plot and the characters’ acting prowess are spontaneous in giving us a distinct TV program.

• Next week, he’ll be out in the hospital. Bobby felt happy with magical feeling.

• The grass seems to wink at me. The leaves bow down their heads.

• The baby’s existence added to the full essence of their lives’ happiness.

• Do you feel like you’re a newborn today? The earth has come of age giving us time to be born.

• He’s or she’s worried about his/her future. He’s or she’s not sure about the meaning of his/her life.

Life as a game

• Hold and behold the essence of bright days. Everybody must be ready to live every day. Everybody sees life as a game.

• Still, life is going on. You continue to breathe and sigh. You keep on walking and living. You think and sleep for days.

• Yet life will continue to pour the best. There are people who stare.

• Compose your own prayer, patterned after the flow of your life.

• Oh God, guide me to take risks in order to live by your example.

• The students busied themselves drinking thirstily.

• Copy the sentences that denote the events happened in the story.

• Their neighbors muttered out loud how lucky their parents were.

Chief of the rafts

• A ferryman worked hard as the transport chief of the rafts.

• My grandfather is tall for a Korean and my mother got her almost perfect stature from him.

• The people observed keenly the pulsating chest of the animal hiding in the bushes.

• There are animals that sacrifice their lives for people, bring peace to the world or create color and harmony to humankind. You can hear animals talk like, “Don’t get our furs, please!” People cried out loud to stop hurting the animals.

• Execute a debate regarding “Should people use animal skins?”

• Cathy is the richest among the whole sixth grade—she’s been saving since she’s three.

• My folks are believed to be the genius of the century. Their peculiarity made them the most popular people on earth.

• They voted our Math teacher as the most desirable.

• The authorities were intimately bonded with the constituents because of the humanitarian project.

• Conscience (sense of right and wrong, sense of belongingness, being troubled).


Warning to security

• The coming plague of locusts was a warning to people’s security.

• He lifted his soul because of loneliness.

• Choose a partner as well as the kind of music you feel comfortable with to move in rhythm with, and presto! you are now dancing. Dancing in groups is a kind of bonding among the dancers.

• If you were to assess your family’s assets, how much do you think would your worth be?

• Did you explain the conflict in a very understandable way? Did you write in the first person using point of view using the pronouns I and We?

• At my age, swooning to Martin Nievera is far from my age level.

• A stain-smooth piece of driftwood.

• The janitress tried to clean the spume of the water underneath the tree.

• There are times that there are invisible elements in the air.


Atmosphere in poem

• Put a check before the sentence with details that tell the atmosphere in the poem is truly very silent.

• Invisible like butterflies.

• What does “The gentle drop of rain on the ground” mean? Explain.

• Give importance of a person’s right to choose one’s profession.

• Create an atmosphere of family solidarity to the readers.

• “He’s not here!” Miss Racelis told at them. She told them to go out the room.

• He should be given total attention from everybody to make him feel important.

• What use is medicine when it’s but for the rich … sell, sell, sell. What is the use of discoveries if one engorges in its success … full of greed and the kind?

• The agreement to cease the war was followed.

• Media people are afraid that information may be churned by the leftists.

• How does light come at dawn? Do we appreciate the coming of the dawn? Why?

• The world crumbles when poverty and hunger are felt by the people.


Child for once

• “Join other children. You’ll only be a child for once.” At the end, he realized the joy of playing with his classmates.

• They submitted the partial results of the survey in the community. They sent the partial result and the rest will follow.

• Using the Venn diagram, compare the character traits of Rolly with other children.

• “Abracadabra, sssh! Boom! Make some magic for me! Abracadabra, sssh! Boom!” Bobby shouted. He ran to his uncle. “Looked here, Uncle,” he said. His uncle looked like an invisible man.

• Some patients wiggle their heads to signal that they feel something.

• “Will you work abroad, Kuya?” asked Henry with tears suddenly swelling in his eyes. “Where are you going? Why did I feel lonely at once, Kuya?” Henry sat with his hands on his jaws.

• Mr. Reyes carried his suitcase together with his son who was holding onto his neck tightly.

• The turtles squirm independently.

• “Okay, you want always to be alone; that’s bad. Learn to talk to us. You’re like a mute person!”

• Even the birds laughed at him!


NOTE: The said textbook was evaluated and approved by academicians from the Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, University of Asia and the Pacific, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Philippine Normal University.

Read the article here.


Quo vadis DepEd????