7

ENGLISH
Quarter 4 – Module 1:
Title: Discovering through Philippine
Literature the need to work cooperatively and
responsibly in today’s global village

2
3
 Department of Education MIMAROPA REGION
English – Grade 7
Quarter 1- Module 1: Title: Discovering through Philippine Literature the need to work
cooperatively and responsibly in today’s global village
First Edition, 2020

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work
of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or
office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit.
Such agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of
royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,
trademarks, etc.) included in this book are owned by their respective copyright holders.
Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from
their respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim
ownership over them.

Published by the Department of Education

Regional Director: Dr. Benjamin D. Paragas, CESO IV
Assistant Regional Director: Atty. Suzette Gannaban-Medina
Chief, CLMD: Mariflor B. Musa

4
 Development Team of the Module

Authors:
Editor: Name
Reviewers: Joey Bool Gutierrez, Liberty R. Lacdao, Gazel Villadiego-Castillo,
Evangeline A. Raymundo, Alain G. Viduya, Ma. Katrina Sandra A.
Magcamit
Illustrators: Louie J. Cortez, Alexander P. Abeleda
Layout Artist: Name
Management Team: Name

Printed in the Philippines by ________________________

Department of Education – MIMAROPA Region

Office Address: ____________________________________________

____________________________________________
Telefax: ____________________________________________
E-mail Address: ____________________________________________

5
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) focuses on discovering through Philippine
Literature the need to work cooperatively and responsibly in today’s global village as one of
the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs) in Grade Seven English. This learning
material was patterned on Bloom’s Taxonomy Instructional Design wherein learning
activities were aligned with the identified objectives and were sequenced according to their
level of difficulty considering the learner’s needs, interest and abilities.
You need to ensure that the learner clearly understand the lesson or concepts
discussed in the module. You are also expected to guide him/her in answering the activities or
accomplishing the different learning tasks thereby enabling him/her to master the
competency.
For the learner:
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is especially made to enhance your attitude,
knowledge and skills vis-à-vis the identified learning competency. Through this module, you
will engage in fun and interesting learning activities and answer varied exercises and tasks to
help you gain mastery of the target competency which will enable you to effectively use the
English language in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Those learning activities are
appropriately selected and carefully crafted according to your needs, interests, and abilities.
To successfully achieve the objectives of this module, kindly do the following:
● Read and follow the instructions in all the learning activities and exercises
very carefully,
● Be honest in answering all the learning activities and exercises,
● Write your answers neatly and legibly in your subject notebook or on a
separate sheet of paper, and
● Seek guidance from your parents, guardians or subject teacher if you
encounter difficulty in accomplishing the learning activities.

Working on each learning activity in this module will surely enable you to learn
certain aspects of the target language in an enjoyable and meaningful way. So take good care
of this module and have fun while learning!

PRE-TEST
GRADE 7 MODULE 1/ QUARTER 4
Directions: Read the passage carefully, then answer the following questions. Choose the letter
of the correct answer.

6
1. What kind of text is “A Heritage of Smallness”?
A. essay B. novel C. poem D. short story
2. Which paragraph expresses the main point of the article? Paragraph no ____.
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4
3. According to the selection, what is society for the Filipino? It is a small _______.
A. industry B. rowboat C. stall D.town
4. Foreigners are astonished with Filipino when the latter buy _________.
A. a dozen of eggs and dairy products B. a piece of cigarette
C. cartons of milk products D. economy sizes of assorted products
4. When do Filipinos think that their country is a hard working one? It is when they ___.
A. go abroad and earn money B. risk many things just to make a living
C. sleep on weekends and holidays D. wake up early in the morning only to work
5. What is commerce for Filipino? It is a/an ________________
A. barter B. isang kahig, isang tuka C. sarisari D. tingi
6. What idea about the Filipinos can be drawn/ extracted after reading the text? Filipinos are
_________
A. belittled by foreigners for working so hard yet getting too little from their hard work
B. hardworking and are compensated accordingly
C. hardworking but not compensated with their efforts
D. not indolent but not being one isn’t enough; so there is a need to balance hard work and
productivity
7. The text tells the readers that life in the Philippines is _________
A. challenging B. easy C. informal D. stress-free

What I Need to Know

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Discover through Philippine Literature the need to work cooperatively and
responsibly in today’s global village
2. identify the distinguishing features of a poem during the Contemporary Period of
Philippine Literature

7
3. show appreciation on the Philippine culture.

8
 1.

What I Know

Task 1 : Poetry Elements

A. Directions: Using the semantic web, list the poetry elements you already knew.

Poetry Elements

B. Identify the elements of poetry described in each statement.

1. It is a literary form simply defined as a patterned expression of ideas or
imaginative terms usually containing rhymes and meters.
A. short story B. essay C. poetry/poem D. legend
2. It is the recurrence or the repetition of similar sound in poetry.
A. rhyme B. rhythm C. theme D. stanza
3. It is a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed sounds.
A. rhyme B. rhythm C. theme D. stanza
4. It is a vivid description of things seen, heard, smelled, touched, or tasted.
A. stanza B. theme C. imagery D. symbolism
5. It is a series of lines grouped together.
A. stanza B. theme C. imagery D. symbolism
6. It is a stanza of a poem which has two (2) lines.
A. sestet B. couplet C. octave D. quatrain
7. It is an object in the poem that symbolizes a significant idea.
A. symbolism B. imagery C. theme D. rhyme
8. It is the underlying message of the poetry.
A. symbolism B. imagery C. theme D. rhyme
9. “Sally sells sea shells by the sea shore” is an example of what poetic device?
A. assonance B. hyperbole C. rhyme D. alliteration
10. What do you call a comparison that uses the words “as“ and “like”?
A. simile B. metaphor C. personification D. rhyme

Lesson Topic: Identifying the distinguishing features of selected literary

genres during the Contemporary Period

9
 Philippine Literature in Contemporary Period
The Rebirth of Freedom ( 1946 – 1970 )
The Americans returned in 1945. Filipinos rejoiced and guerillas who fled to the
mountain joined the liberating American Army. On July 4, 1946, the Philippines regained is
freedom and the Filipino flag waved joyously alone. The chains were broken.
The state of Literature during this period
The early post-liberation period was marked by a king of “struggle of mind and spirit”
posed by the sudden emancipation form the enemy, and the wild desire to see print.
Filipinos had, by this time, learned to express themselves more confidently but post-
war problems beyond language and print-like economic stability, the threat of new ideas and
mortality –had to be grappled with side by side.
There was a proliferation of newspapers like the FREE PRESS, MORNING SUN, of
Sergio Osmeña Sr., DAILY MIRROR of Joaquin Roces, EVENING NEWS of Ramon
Lopezes and the BULLETIN of Menzi. This only proved that there were more readers in
English than in any other vernaculars like Tagalog, Ilocano or Hiligaynon.
Journalists had their day. They indulged in more militant attitude in their reporting
which bordered on the libelous. Gradually, as normality was restored, the tones and themes of
the writings turned to the less pressing problems of economic survival.
Some Filipino writers who had gone abroad and had written during the interims came
back to publish their works.
Not all the books published during the period reflected the war year; some were compilations
or second editions of what have been written before.

What’s In

Directions: Read the poem then answer the questions.

Is the ant an insect to be admired or hated?

The Ant
Richard Armour

10
The ant, a prodigy of strength,
Lifts objects twice his weight and length
And never stops or sighs or glowers
Because it’s after working hours.
Though underground he bears the onus
And peril without thought of bonus;
And never once is heard to mention
Retiring on a tax-free pension
Nor does he frown or look askance
At other, lighter-burdened ants.
Not angling for a better job,
The ant has but one flaw I see,
To wit, he doesn’t work for me.
Comprehension Check
1. What makes the ant a prodigy of strength?
2. Which lines show the ant’s attitude toward work?
3. What adjectives would best describe the ant?
4. What is the only flaw that the author sees in the ant?
5. How does the author consider the ant – admirable or hateful?

What’s New

About the Author

Jose Garcia Villa was born on August 5, 1908, in
Manila's Singalong district. His parents were Simeón Villa (a
personal physician of Emilio Aguinaldo, the founding President
of the First Philippine Rf the Philippines High School in 1925.
Villa enrolled on a Pre-Medical course in the University of the
Philippines, but then switched to Pre-Law course. However, he
realized that his true passion was in the arts.

11
On February 5, 1997, at the age of 88, José was found in a coma in his New York apartment
and was rushed to St. Vincent Hospital in the Greenwich Village area. His death two days
later, February 7, was attributed to "cerebral stroke and multilobar pneumonia". He was
buried on February 10 in St. John's Cemetery in New York, wearing a Barong Tagalog.
Jose Garcia Villa stands out as a multi-awarded Filipino write of his generation. His two
books on poetry, Many Voices, which won in the 1940 Commonwealth Literary Contest in
Poetry; and Poems, (written under the pseudonym, Doveglion) established Villa as a poet
who possessed “one of the purest and most natural gifts discovered anywhere in
contemporary poetry.” He was the recipient of the Pro Patria Award for Literature (1961), the
Republic Cultural Heritage Award for Literature (1962), and the National Artist Award for
Literature on June 12, 1972. Through his achievements, he placed the Philippines on the
literary map with the publication of his books in the United States.

Task 1: Words Enrichment

Directions: Study the word definitions below. In the puzzle, look for the words which you
think suit the definitions.

DEFINITION BANK
1. possessing outstanding
qualities
2. existing since or belonging to
earlier times
3. the soft parts of the body of
an animal
4. avoiding extremes of
behavior or expression
5. furiously active or aggressive
in temperament
6. a strong liking or desire
7. records of activities

12
 What Is It

Jose Garcia Villa wrote poems on a variety of subjects in everyday life. One of his
poems that show social consciousness is “Be Beautiful, Noble, like the Antique Ant.” Read the
poem below and find out what you can learn form the ant. Answer the questions ask.

"Be Beautiful, Noble, Like the Antique Ant"

by Jose Garcia Villa

Be beautiful, noble, like the antique ant,

Who bore the storms as he bore the sun,
Wearing neither gown nor helmet,
though he was archbishop and soldier:
Wore only his own flesh.

Salute characters with gracious dignity:

Though what these are is left to
Your own terms. Exact: the universe is
Not so small but these will be found
Somewhere. Exact: they will be found

Speak with great moderation: but think

With great fierceness, burning passion:
Though what the ant thought
No annals reveal, nor his descendants
Break the seal.

Trace the tracelessness of the ant,

Every ant has reached this perfection.
As he comes, so he goes,
Flowing as water flows,
Essential but secret like a rose.

What’s More

13
Task 1 : Comprehension Check
Write on your answer sheet your reactions, views, or opinions on the following points.
1. The title of the poem is the same as the first line. What effect does it have on you?
2. To whom is the poet speaking? What do you think is the author’s purpose in
addressing the poem to the readers? To the people?
3. Which lines describes the ants as “beautiful” and “noble”? How do these words and
phrases that describe the ant physically appeal to you?
a. antique ant
b. wearing neither gown nor helmet
c. wore only his own flesh
4. did you ever think that the ant has thoughts and feelings too? Give adjectives to
describe the ant
a. “who bore the storms
as he bore the sun” ____________________________________
b. “…characters with gracious dignity:” ____________________
“…what the ant thought
No annals reveal, nor his descendants
Break the seal.” ________________________________________
5. What characteristics does the ant possess that the poet suggest man to emulate?
6. Explain in your own words the meaning of the last stanza. Do you think that man will
reach his “perfection” like the ant?

Task 2: Literary Appreciation

Thinking about the elements of the poem:
“Be Beautiful, Noble, like the Antique
Answers
Ant”
Use the guide questions
a. Describe Its Form
Would you consider it a poem in free
verse? ____________________________________
Does the poem follow the traditional,
conventional stanzas with regular
line, length and meter?
b. Listening to the Sounds
What sound devices are used?
(rhyme, rhythm) ____________________________________
Find repetitions of sounds/words.
c. Understanding the Language
Is the language simple/ plain? ____________________________________
Does it use figures of speech? (simile,
metaphor, apostrophe, etc.) Does it
create sensory images? Cite
lines/phrases
d. Stating the Theme
What is the central idea, theme,
message of the poem? Restate it in
your own words.
e. Type of Poem
Is it a narrative or lyric?

14
 What I Have Learned

Jose Garcia Villa is considered the foremost Filipino poet in English. He was the
most widely-acclaimed Filipino poet in America. He was one of the well-known writers
during the Contemporary Period in Philippine Literature. The theme of most poems during
this period dealt with the usual love of nature, and of social and political problems. In his
poem “Be Beautiful, Noble like an Antique Ant, the author shows a good comparison of
an ant and human. Even if an ant is a small creature, they still manage to help each other
and look food for their own. The author wants to suggest something about the human
character.

What I Can Do

Observe the characteristics of other living things – trees, plants, animals

or insects – like the following:

narra acacia dog eagle

carabao dove sunflower butterfly

What traits or qualities do you think they possesses that may well be emulated
by human beings? You can describe your answer through a following:
● A drawing
● A short paragraph
● A song
● A short poem

15
What I Can Do On My Own

Choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. Is the Filipino poet and short story writer who wrote the poem “Be
Beautiful, Noble, Like the Antique Ant”?
A. Jose Rizal B. Ismael Mallari
C. N.V.M. Gonzales D. Jose Garcia Villa
2. Who is the addressee of the poem?
A. ant B. human C. author D. plants
3. Who is the persona in the poem “Be Beautiful, Noble, Like an Antique
Ant”?
A. author B. reader C. ant D. poem
4. What does the author of the poem tell the addressee?
A. be glad like the ant B. be beautiful and noble like the ant
C. be clever like the ant D. be an ant
5. What figure of speech used in the first line of the poem?
A. simile B. metaphor C. hyperbole D. personification
6. What human qualities or traits are given to the ant?
A. be humble B. be kind C. be beautiful and noble
7. “Who bore the storms as he bore the sun” What do storm symbolized?
A. trials B. prize C. happiness D. love
8. What is the literal meaning of the following lines in the poem?
Be beautiful, noble, like the antique ant,
Who bore the storms as he bore the sun,
Wearing neither gown nor helmet,
though he was archbishop and soldier:
Wore only his own flesh.
A. human is ants’ food B. ant can live under the son only
C. ant is fighting for food with no protection
D. ant never eat food
9. In the poem, what do ant symbolizes?

16
 A. humanity B. sun C. food D. life
10. It is the underlying message of a poetry?
A. stanza B. symbolism C. theme D. rhyme
11. Why does the author remind the addressee to “speak with great
moderation but think with great fierceness”?
A. because we should think before we speak
B. because ant can be talkative
C. human talk less
D. human have good speaking ability
12. What is the poem all about?
A. the comparison wof ant characteristics into human
B. the relationship of ant and human
C. reminders of human to ant
D. live like human
13. What is the message of the poem?
A. be kind to others
B. even the ants is a small creature they still even manage to help each other
C. treat others like an ant
D. be humble
14. What figurative device does the poet use in the line “Be beautiful, noble
like the antique ant”?
A. simile B. hyperbole C. metaphor D. alliteration
15. How does the poet feel about the ants?
A. he loved the ant B. he imitated the ant
C. he admired the ant D. he felt like an ant

What I Can Do More

Then and Now

17
Draw an illustration of two to three things you knew that belong to the past and things that
are present nowadays. Provide explanation for your answer. Your description may vary
depending on your talents and interest.

Answer Key

What I Know
Poetry Elements
Stanza 1. Poetry/poem
Rhyme 2. rhyme
Rhythm 3. rhythm
Meter 18 4. imagery
Symbolism 5. stanza
Imagery 6. couplet
Tone 7. symbolism
 References
http://pgrnair.blogspot.com/2015/06/be-beautiful-noble-like-antique-ant.html
https://www.academia.edu/34960820/THE_ELEMENTS_OF_POETRY
http://reegiibear.blogspot.com/2012/09/historical-background-of-philippine.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Garc%C3%ADa_Villa
Teresa G. Panelo and Susana T. Alabastro, Bridges to Better Communication Textbook I (J.C.
Palabay Enterprises, Inc. Revised Edition 2003) 173 – 174
Soccorro R. Villamejor and Cleofe C. Mendinueto, English for Culturla Literacy I (FNB Educational
Inc. 2012) 298 – 300
English Learner’s Material

19
For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education, MIMAROPA Region – (CLMD)

Meralco Avenue corner St. Paul Road, Pasig City

Telephone Nos.: (02) 631-40-70; (02) 637-3093

Email Address: clmd@depedro4b.gov.ph

20