This document provides an overview of an English learning module that examines Arab and Israeli literature to understand how these cultures respond to modern challenges. The module contains 3 topics: 1) examining Saudi Arabian literature to understand Arab temperament and psyche, 2) examining Israeli literature to understand the Israeli temperament and psyche, and 3) analyzing how Arabs and Israelis respond to and overcome modern challenges as reflected in their literature. The module will use activities like analyzing texts for bias, creating word frequency lists of unknown terms, predicting conclusions using conditional sentences, and producing an e-journal of prose and poetry entries to help students achieve the learning goals.
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More Related Content
ENGLISH Grade 8 Q3 L3
1. 1
ENGLISH 8 LEARNING MODULE
QUARTER III (OVERCOMING CHALLENGES)
LESSON NO. 3 The Literature of Arabia and Israel
Strength in Facing Challenges of Modernity
INTRODUCTION AND FOCUS QUESTION(S):
Have you at a certain time asked yourself how you are able to overcome trials and solve
your personal problems? Have you ever wondered what makes other people overcome
challenges in their lives victoriously? Do you think it is possible to learn this from the literary
selections of Saudi Arabia and Israel?
In this lesson, Arabian and Israeli Literature: Strength in Facing Challenges, you will find
out how critical understanding and appreciation of Afro-Asian literary pieces can help you
recognize the temperament and psyche of your Arab and Israeli neighbors in response to the
challenges of modernity.
Remember to search for the answers to the following questions:
1. What does literature reveal about Arab and Israeli characters?
2. How do Arabs and Israelis respond to challenges of modernity as reflected in their
literary selections?
LESSONS AND COVERAGE:
In this module, you will examine these questions when you take the following lessons:
Topic 1 – The Temperaments and Psyche of the People of Arabia
1. The Literature of Saudi Arabia
2. Propaganda Devices: Examining for Bias
3. Informative Talks: Turn-Taking Strategies in Extended Conversations
Topic 2 – The Temperament and Psyche of the People of Israel
1. The Literature of Israel
2. Conditional Sentences: Prediction and Conclusion
3. Intellectual Property Rights: Writing Critical Reviews of Articles
Topic 3 – Strength in Responding to the Challenges of Modernity
1. Behaviors in Viewing and Responding to Texts
2. Complex and Compound-Complex in Communication Breakdowns
3. Bibliography and Writing Critical Reviews of Prose and Poetry
In these lessons, you will learn the following:
1. Determine the persons being addressed in an informative talk, the
objectives of the speaker and his attitudes towards issues.
2. 2
Topic 1
2. Use turn-taking strategies in extended conversations.
3. Examine bias in oral and written texts
4. Create a journal of the cultural differences between the Filipinos
and the Arabs as reflected in texts read or viewed
5. Make a frequency word list of unknown words especially some
Arabic terms.
Topic 2
1. Predict and formulate hypothesis using conditional sentences
2. Create a frequency word list of unknown words especially some
Israeli terms.
3. Show respect for intellectual property through proper use of
citations and footnotes
4. Identify temperament and psyche of the Israeli people as reflected
in their literature.
Topic 3
1. Repair breakdown in communication by using complex and
compound-complex sentences.
2. Cite appropriate behaviors in viewing and responding to different
texts.
3. Express different opinions without being difficult.
4. Produce an e-journal with Afro Asian prose and poetry entries with
emphasis on content and writing style
Domains Learning Competencies
Listening
Comprehe
nsion
Determine the persons being addressed in an informative talk, the objectives of the
speaker and his attitudes towards issues.
isten to get different sides of social, moral and economic issues affecting a
community
Speaking
(Oral
Language
and
Frequency
Use appropriate turn-taking strategies (topic nomination, topic development, topic
shift, turn-getting, etc.) in extended conversations.
Use communication strategies (e.g. paraphrase, translation and
circumlocution) to repair breakdown in communication
Vocabular
y
Developm
ent
Develop strategies for coping with unknown words and ambiguous sentence
structures and discourse.
se collocations of difficult words as aids in unlocking vocabulary
Reading
Comprehe
nsion
Utilize varied reading strategies to process information in a text.
istinguish between facts and opinions.
ote expressions that signal opinions (e.g. seems, as I see it).
Utilize varied reading strategies (covert dialogue with the writer and the sectional
approach) to process information in a text.
3. 3
Employ approaches best suited to a text.
Examine for bias.
Viewing
Comprehe
nsion
Compare and contrast one‘s own television-viewing behavior with other viewer‘s
viewing behavior
Literature
Discover Philippine and Afro Asian literature as a means of expanding experiences
and outlook and enhancing worthwhile universal human values.
dentify oneself with the people of Arabia and Israel though literature taking
note of the cultural differences so as to get the heart of problems arising
from them.
Writing
and
Compositi
on
Give and respond to feedback on one‘s paper in the revision process
se grammatical structure and vocabulary needed to effectively emphasize
particular points.
Produce an e-journal of poetry and prose entries with emphasis on content and
writing style
Show respect for intellectual property rights by acknowledging citations made in
reports and researches.
Use quotation marks or hanging indentations for direct quotes.
Use in-text citation
Arrange bibliographic entries of text cited from books and periodicals.
Grammar
Awarenes
s and
Structure
Formulate
correct complex and compound-complex sentences.
correct conditional statements.
Study
Strategies
Derive information from various text types and sources using the card catalog,
vertical file, index, microfiche(microfilm), CD ROM, Internet,etc.
Extract accurately the required information from sources read and viewed to
reject irrelevant details
Attitude Express a different opinion without being difficult
MODULE MAP:
Here is a simple map (dark blue) of the above lesson you will cover:
4. 4
UNIT ACTIVITIES MAP
ACTIVITIES FOR
ACQUIRING
KNOWLEDGE AND
SKILLS
ACTIVITIES FOR MAKING
MEANING AND
DEVELOPING
UNDERSTANDING
ACTIVITIES LEADING TO
TRANSFER
KNOW
Pre-assessment
Activity 1: Anticipation-
Reaction Guide
Agree/Disagree Chart
PROCESS
Activity 2: Post Viewing
Activity
Activity 3 It‘s Clear to Me
Activity 5A Facts and
Opinions in Informative
Writing
Activity 4: Distinguishing
Fact from Opinion Activity 7: Plot Diagram
Activity 5B Facts and
Opinions in Persuasive
Writing
Activity 6: Frequency Word
List: Burger Match!
Activity 8 Ali Baba
Characters on T-Chart
Activity 14 : In My
Opinion…
Activity 11: ―I Think;
therefore, I Am‖
Activity 9: The Way I
Understand It (A Concept
Map)
Activity 15 Writing A
Persuasive Essay: FROM
MY HEAD TO THE PEN!
Activity 16 GETTING
FOOLED OR GETTING
WISER?
Activity 10: Hear the Voice
of the Princess!
Activity 17 PERSUASION
thru TRUTH and
PROPAGANDA
Activity 20 Frequency Word
List (Arab Words)
Activity 12: ―I‘ve Got that
Feeling‖
Activity 18 Revising
Persuasive Essay
5. 5
Activity 13: Hang on a
Second…May I Speak?
Activity 19 DIFFERENT
YET WORTH
EMBRACING:
A Journal of Cultural
Differences
Activity 21 One-minute
Paper
REFLECT AND UNDERSTAND
Activity 22 Sentence
Completion (Conditional
Sentences)
Activity 25 Travelling with
Ruth (A Story Map)
Activity 24 Visiting the
Middle East
Exercise 7 Reading Text : A
TOUCH OF MODERN
ISRAEL: ―The CAT‖
Activity 26 Character
Analysis through a Venn
Diagram
Activity 28 Writing a Critical
Review: ―THROUGH MY
LENS‖
Activity 27 THE WORDS
BEYOND MY THOUGHTS
Activity 32 Monitoring My
Media Behaviors through a
graphic organizer
Activity 33 WRITING A
Blog: GETTING
CONNECTED TO ISRAEL
Activity 29 Frequency Word
List: The Frame of my
Understanding
ACTIVITY 34 : Research
Work: A GALLERY OF MY
FAVE PROSE and
POETRY
Activity 30 FROM SIMPLE
TO COMPLEX
Activity 35 Writing A
Bibliography: ―FROM
WHERE I GOT MY
FAVORITES‖
Activity 31 Repairing
Communication Breakdown
TRANSFER
Activity 38: Anticipation-
Reaction Guide
Agree/Disagree Chart
Activity 36 Review:
RESPONDING TO MY
FAVORITES
Activity 33: Lesson Closure:
REFLECTIVE LEARNING
JOURNAL
Activity 37 KEEPING MY
FAVORITES: An e-
JOURNAL
Post Assessment
EXPECTED SKILLS:
To do well in this module, you need to remember and do the following:
Listening : Listen to get different sides of social, moral and economic issues
6. 6
affecting a community
Speaking : Use communication strategies like paraphrase, translation and brevity
Vocabulary : Produce a frequency word list.
Reading : Write a list of expressions that signal opinions and biases.
Viewing : Create graphic organizers comparing one‘s own television-viewing
behavior with other viewer‘s viewing behavior.
Literature : Produce a critical review of articles with the same themes but different
genres.
Writing : Produce an e-journal of poetry and prose entries with emphasis on
content and writing style.
Grammar : Use correct complex and compound-complex sentences and correct
conditional statements in writing an e-journal.
Study
Strategies
: Extract accurately the required information from sources read and
viewed to reject irrelevant details.
7. 7
LEARNING GOALS AND TARGETS
For you to accomplish the activities in this lesson, write your goals and objectives in the scroll
provided. Let this piece of writing be your constant guide and reminder so that you can finish
this module successfully.
MODULE
LESSON NO. 3: The Literature of Arabia and Israel: Strength in Facing
Challenges
PRE-ASSESSMENT:
Let’s find out how much you already know about this module. Click on the letter that you think
best answers the question. Please answer all items. After taking this short test, you will see your
score. Take note of the items that you were not able to correctly answer and look for the right
answer as you go through this module.
Start of Lesson 1
MY GOALS IN LEARNING ARAB and
ISRAELI LITERATURE
8. 8
1. Which of the following collocations with the word ―time‖ means ―to create time in a
busy schedule‖?
―I am gaining much weight this week,
so I need to _______ time for a regular
exercise. Maybe I can drop by a fitness
center from school.‖
a. Make*
b. Pass
c. Press
d. Stall
2. Which of the following situations uses transfer in advertising its company or
services to the public?
a. Ninety-five percent of the dentists in the Philippines recommend FLOYD‘S
chewing gum every after meal, FLOYD‘S… for fresher breath!
b. Every girl wants the best for her hair. Straight, shiny healthy hair! That‘s why girls
buy MOONSILK SHAMPOO!
c. Colon Street. Historic. The oldest street in the Philippines. A movement of
Filipinos freedom and progress … surviving the destruction of wars, colonialism
and modernity. Then and now… a part of Cebu‘s heritage. Just like the University
of San Ezekiel –Recoletos. A part of your heritage. *
d. Healthy and hearty! OMD Tuna Flakes – lavished with tender loving care to
capture all of nature‘s freshness! OMD Tuna flakes – canned right from the
ocean to keep nature‘s fresh flavor in! OMD Tuna Flakes!
3. Read below a written version of an informative talk.
As a lifeguard, I was required to become certified in CPR, and I have been certified for
four years. In an emergency, it is not your job to treat the illness, but you are to keep the
victim alive until trained medical professionals can come and take over for you. Tonight I
want to explain to you the saving process of surveying an emergency, contacting an
emergency medical service, and starting CPR if needed. Let's start with the first step of
surveying an emergency.
Source: https://mymission.lamission.edu/userdata/fup/docs/ Sample%20Informative%
20Speeches.pdf
What word in the text expresses time and links the speaker‘s thought on his professional
qualification and his purpose of delivering his speech?
a. First
b. Four
c. Start
d. Today*
9. 9
4. Now the Sultan Schahriar had a wife whom he loved more than all the world, and
his greatest happiness was to surround her with splendour, and to give her the
finest dresses and the most beautiful jewels. It was therefore with the deepest
shame and sorrow that he accidentally discovered, after several years, that she
had deceived him completely, and her whole conduct turned out to have been so
bad, that he felt himself obliged to carry out the law of the land, and order the
grand-vizir to put her to death. (excerpt from ―Arabia Nights: Prologue‖).
http://www.candlelightstories.com/2009/03/27/arabian-nights-prologue/
5. What character trait of the Arabs is best exemplified in the excerpt above?
a. ‗ird (a woman‘s honor)*
b. Hadith (Communal consensus)
c. Sabr (capacity to suffer)
d. Sharaf (a man‘s honor)
6. Which of the following describes best the temperament and psyche of the Israeli
as a people?
a. Israelis today are descendents of converts.
b. Israel has been the Middle East‘s dominant military power.
c. Israelis and the Americans are great military allies. *
d. Israelis represent the largest single group of refugees in the world
7. You are the chief editor of a local newspaper. You want to include in your special
Sunday issue an editorial article from student contributors in a nearby high school.
Which of the following criteria do you give the heaviest weight in choosing the
best write-up?
a. Grammar and structure
b. Syntax and mechanics
c. Development and quotes
d. Thesis Statement and support*
KNOW:
Let‘s begin by doing these set of activities which
will help you identify and explain the psyche and
temperaments of the Arabs and the Israelis as revealed
in the literary pieces.
10. 10
Activity 1: Anticipation-Reaction Guide Agree/Disagree Chart
Read carefully each statement related to the personalities and the literature of the Arabs and
Israelis. Evaluate the accuracy of each statement by checking either Agree or Disagree column
in the BEFORE THE LESSON box.
Agree / Disagree Chart
Before
the Lesson Statements about the Literature
of Saudi and Israel
After
the Lesson
Agree Disagree Agree Disagree
1. The period before the writing of the
Qur'an and the rise of Islam is known
to Muslims as period of ignorance.
2. The expansion of the Arab people in
the 7th and 8th century brought them
into contact with a variety of different
peoples who would affect their
culture and the most significant of
these is the ancient civilization of
Israel. change to Persia
3. The terms Israeli, Israelite, Hebrew
and Jew are synonymous and can be
interchangeably used in literature,
religion and politics.
4. Jewish writers began to write in
Hebrew in addition to their various
national languages because Hebrew
at that time was the language of holy
scripture.
5. A key ingredient of the Israeli public
persona is that Jews are tough,
emotionally hardened, and ruthless.
Questions:
1. Which statements did you agree on? Can you explain mentally
your reasons of affirming to them? What experiences or
observations do you have that make you decide on those
answers?
2. Which statements did you disagree on? What are your basis
for disagreeing on these statements? What personal
encounter –actual experience or learning insight- helped you
in forming your judgment?
Do NOT
fill this up
yet.
11. 11
End of KNOW:
PROCESS:
What are the psyche and temperaments of the Arabs as a people
and of the Israelis as a people? How are these personality traits
and characteristics revealed in their literary pieces? How strong
are these people as they face the challenges of modernity?
Let‘s verify the accuracy of your claims as we
continue with the lesson. This chart will be given back
to you at the end of this lesson so that you can confirm
or change your answers. The right column of the
Anticipation-Reaction Guide Chart will then be
answered.
As you continue, keep in mind to answer the
questions:
You gave your initial ideas on the characteristics and
the literature of the Arabs and the Israelis.
Let‘s find out how others would answer the question
and compare their ideas to our own. As you compare, you
will also learn other concepts which will help you complete
the required project. This project is about e-journal of poetry
and prose entries with emphasis on content and writing
styles.
We will start by doing the next activity.
Your goal in this section is to learn and understand key
concepts on the literature of Saudi Arabia, informative
speaking, turn-taking strategies and propaganda devices in
persuasion.
12. 12
Exercise 1: Viewing Activity: Opening Speech_” Islam Is The Solution!”
Previewing Activity:
1. You are about to view a short speech delivered by an Islam.
2. Listen very attentively to the speaker; take note of his gestures; observe the behavior of
his audience.
3. Click this link and view the short video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQNs7Fvu5_Y
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQNs7Fvu5_Y
This site contains a short opening speech of Abdur Raheem McCarthy at the
Peace Conference. McCarthy explains how Islam can be the solution for
mankind. This video runs for 8:50 minutes.
While Viewing
Take note of every important detail in the video. Make sure you are able to identify the key
points of the speech.
13. 13
Activity 2: Post Viewing Activity
Reflect your understanding of the speech by completing the activity sheet below.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Who speaks in the video? How credible is he to talk during the
Peace Conference?
2. According to the speaker, when does misery start? How can
Islam be the solution to the problems that beset the world?
3. What specific details are used by the speaker to substantiate
each of his assertions? What type of speech did the speaker
deliver, informative or persuasive? Explain your answer.
I GOT IT RIGHT!
Name _____________________________ Date _________________
Yr. & Sec . _________________________ Teacher _______________
Full Circle -
Call to Action -
Thesis Statement
14. 14
4. Why do you think the speaker insist to his audience to adapt
Islam? How do gestures or the intentional movements of the
speaker‘s body help him convey his message?
5. What countries in the world adapt Islam as a religion?
6. What are some of the nonverbal reactions of the audience?
What personality traits does Abdur Raheem possess as
reflected in his speech? What does his speech tell us of the
Arab psyche?
7. How do you evaluate the speaker‘s point of view? Was he able
to convince you? Explain your answer.
Activity 3 It’s Clear to Me
Below are statements taken from the speech of Abdur Raheem McCarthy. Identify whether the
sentence expresses a fact or an opinion. Write your answer on the second column. Include a
short explanation.
Process Questions:
PICKING IT
FROM THE SPEECH
FACT OR
OPINION WHY DID I
SAY SO
1. The Western economy is based on
rebate or interest.
2. The only way for true happiness
inside the peace in our hearts, in
our minds and in our souls is
through Islam.
3. The problem of swine flu – the
swine is one of the dirtiest animals
in the face of the earth.
4. Fifty-six percent of everybody
jailed in America today is because
of drug charges.
5. Islam is not spreading as it should
be because we are not
implementing it in its proper form.
15. 15
1. What is a fact? What are examples or sources of facts?
2. How does a fact differ from an opinion? Can an opinion be proven?
3. Is a fact the opposite of an opinion?
4. If a statement of fact is untrue or false, does it turn into an opinion? In
the same logic, if an opinion is believed by everyone, does it turn into
a fact?
Activity 4: Distinguishing Fact from Opinion
THE TWO TYPES OF STATEMENTS
Opinions cannot be proved, however they can be supported with facts and
other knowledgeable opinions. Facts can be proved with evidence, statistics,
records, photographs, data, etc.
Sometimes opinions are made to sound like facts- specifically when a
writer/speaker wants to convince his reader/listener.
Exercise further your skill in identifying facts from
opinions. You need to master this skill as you write
persuasive articles later.
Take time to answer the succeeding worksheet.
16. 16
Activity 5A Facts and Opinions in Informative Writing
STATEMENTS
FACT or
OPINION
1. Wolves are highly social animals with a pack
structure based on dominance hierarchy.
2. Wolves are an endangered or threatened
species in the lower 48 states because of
deliberate and systematic extermination by
humans.
3. Wolves and wolf hybrids are not wise choices as
family pets.
4. Many tourists have reacted positively to the
experience of seeing wolves in Yellowstone
National Park.
5. Wolves should be reintroduced on all U.S. public
lands that provide a large enough range
to support a population.
6. Captive breeding programs and Species Survival
Plans are necessary to keep the red wolf
(Canis rufus) and the Mexican wolf (a subspecies
of Canis lupis) from becoming extinct.
7. Wolves are often portrayed as villains and
savage predators in stories, myths and legends.
8. Stories, myths and legends that portray wolves in
negative ways are harmful to children.
9. Wolves sometimes kill livestock.
10. Wolves will return to their former habitats in
northeastern states on their own if they are
protected.
Source: http://www.kidsplanet.org/tt/wolf/languagearts/factopinion.PDF
Name ___________________________________
Date ____________________________________
DIRECTIONS: Read each statement. Look up words you don‘t know.
Write FACT on the left if you can prove or disprove the statement with
concrete evidence. Write OPINION if the statement is a belief or a
position. Remember: some statements are technically opinions, but
are based on such widely accepted views few people argue the issue.
17. 17
Activity 5B Facts and Opinions in Persuasive Writing
1. How important are facts in informative texts? Are opinions
necessary in this type of writing?
2. What does a persuasive text require of a writer? Why is a
blend of facts and opinions necessary in this text type?
OWN YOUR OWN: Can you write five
fact statements about wolves? If you
were writing an informative
paragraph, your fact statement would
be the topic sentence. FACTS about Wolves
1. ______________________
2. ______________________
3. ______________________
4. ______________________
5. ______________________
Can you write three opinion statements
about wolves? If you were writing a
persuasive paragraph, your opinion
statement would be your thesis statement.
A thesis statement is an opinion boiled
down to one arguable sentence.
OPINIONS about Wolves
1. ______________________
2. ______________________
3. ______________________
4. ______________________
5. ______________________
You have just learned the difference between fact s and
opinions and their importance in writing informative and
persuasive text types.
To help you learn more the psyche of the Saudi people,
18. 18
Exercise 2: Reading Arab Literature
Ali Baba and his elder brother Cassim are the sons of a merchant. After
the death of their father, the greedy Cassim marries a wealthy woman and
19. 19
The Thieves, finding the body gone, realize that yet another person must
know their secret, and set out to track him down. One of the Thieves goes down to
the town and comes across Baba Mustafa, who mentions that he has just sewn a
dead man's body back together. Realizing that the dead man must have been the
Thieves' victim, the Thief asks Baba Mustafa to lead the way to the house where
the deed was performed. The Tailor is blindfolded again, and in this state he is able
to retrace his steps and find the house. The Thief marks the door with a symbol.
The plan is for the other thieves to come back that night and kill everyone in the
20. 20
Activity 6: Frequency Word List: Burger Match!
Let‘s find out if you have perfectly understood the selection ―Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves‖
despite the presence of seemingly difficult words. Each burger patty contains a word from the
literary selection. On the table below are the synonyms as well as antonyms of the words.
Create your own veggie burger by matching the word with its synonym and antonym. Write its
21. 21
synonym on the upper bun while the antonym on the lower bun. Work on this for three minutes.
Enjoy!
Note: The words on the table do NOT necessarily match as listed
Process Questions:
1. Were you able to finish the activity on time? If not, what stopped you from doing
such?
2. What previous knowledge or encounter helped you in deciding for the answers?
3. How many correct answers do you have?
SYNONYMS ANTONYMS
Clumsy Rich
To close Skillful
Bankrupt To open
Pharmacy To support
To stop Cemetery
1
2 3
4 5
seal
awkward
foil
apothecary impoverish
Name _____________________________
Date _____________ Score____________
22. 22
4. In what specific ways do you think you can help yourself improve your vocabulary
skills? Write your self-advice in your journal notebook.
Activity 7: Plot Diagram
Use the plot diagram below to chart the plot of the drama selection ―Ali Baba and the Forty
Thieves‖. In the spaces provided, describe briefly the exposition, conflict, to include in the rising
action, the key events that build toward the climax of the selection
Activity 8 Ali Baba Characters on T-Chart
Enumerate both the major and the minor characters in the selection. Write the name of the
character at the center. At its right, write his good qualities while at his left write his bad
qualities. Make sure to explain briefly why you consider such attributes good or bad.
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________________
_________________________
________________
________________
________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
Exposition
Conflict
Resolution
Denouement
Climax
Rising Actions Falling Actions
Name ________________________________ Date _____________Score____________
23. 23
Comprehension and Process Questions:
1. At the start of this lesson, when you know that you are to read the
selection ―Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves‖, what were your initial
feelings and ideas about the lesson? After reading the story, did you
like it? Is the story exciting, or too predictable? How do you find its
ending?
2. The magic words ―Open, Sesame‖ and ―Close,Sesame‖ that seal the
cave of treasures has become a popular expression nowadays. How
do modern people use this expression in their daily conversation?
3. How were Ali Baba‘ and Cassim‘s lives different? Which of these two
characters do you like better? Explain your answer and site instances
in the story that support your choice of character.
4. How is each of these themes – greed, loyalty and bravery shown in
the story?
5. As reflected in this story and in the speech at the start of this lesson,
what are the personality traits of Saudi Arabs as a people?
Exercise 3: Reading an Essay : A Peep of the Arab Character
Read the essay about the Arab Psyche. As you read, be able to get the meaning of difficult
word. After reading express your understanding through the graphic organizer that follows after
the reading text.
The Arab Psyche
The Arabs Before Islam
The Arabs are an ancient Semitic people of the Middle East. They are proud in
their belief that they are descended from the Prophet Noah's son Shem, and honoured
that the last of the lineage of God's prophets was from their midst, and humbled that God
enlightened mankind by revealing the Holy Word in their language.
Characters
NAMES
Bad Qualities Good Qualities
24. 24
Practical Knowledge and Science
The Arabic culture of the pre-Islamic era did not invent the sort of complex
mythologies and creation myths which characterised ancient cultures such as Greece.
The classic framework of philosophy and rhetoric which the Greeks developed was
therefore far from the more mundane considerations of the early Arabs. The tribal lack of
advanced urban centres meant that schools of specialised intellectual skills did not develop.
The pre-Islamic Arabs were either villagers, pastoralists or traders, who existed with the less
effete goal of simple physical survival.
The Need for Revenge
Pre-Islamic Arabs were adamant about the unquestionable law of revenge. In their
view, a disgrace must be avenged, no matter what the consequences. One of their poets
expressed this cultural fixation thus: I shall wash disgrace with the edge of my sword,
25. 25
Activity 9: The Way I Understand It (A Concept Map)
Reflect your understanding of the reading selection above by completing this concept map.
The Way I Understand It
Concept Map of the Arab Psyche
Name _________________________________ Date ____________________
______________
26. 26
Comprehension Questions:
1. What are the clans of the Arabic tribes? What are their
similarities and differences in terms of origin and
characteristics?
2. Explain briefly the Arab trait of the need for revenge. When
was this Arab mentality changed? How?
3. What personal and political progress did the Arabs gain after
they had embraced Islam as a religion?
4. After knowing the history and the present condition of Saudi
Arab, what insights can help you better understand them
as a people?
You have just learned the Arab psyche
though an essay. To keep make you appreciate Arab
literature better, read the poetic texts that follow.
After reading the poems, be able identify common
poetic devices used by the poets. Make sure, too, to
answer the question: ―How does poetry reveal the
Arab character?
27. 27
Exercise 4: The Sound and Turns of Arab Poetry
Read the samples of Arab poetry. Observe the harmony of sounds and turns of phrasing,
stanzaic forms, brevity and theme.
Introduction
Arabic poetry is based largely on harmonies of sound and striking turns of
phrasing. A poet's fame depended upon a few brilliant couplets rather than on
any sustained melody or long-continued flight of noble thought. One
distinguished philosophical poem of some length is the well-known "Lament of
the Vizier Abu Ismael." This we give in full at the conclusion of this section; but
mainly we must illustrate the finest flowering of Arabic verse by selecting
specimens of characteristic brevity. Many of the Arab caliphs inclined to the
gaieties of life rather than to their religious duties, and kept many poets around
them. Indeed some of the caliphs themselves were poets: The Caliph Walid
composed music as well as verse; and was hailed by his immediate companions
as a great artist. His neglect of religion, however, was so reckless as to rouse the
resentment of his people, and he lost his throne and life.
Source: http://www.thenagain.info/Classes/Sources/ArabPoetry.html
Not always wealth, not always force
A splendid destiny commands;
The lordly vulture gnaws the corpse
That rots upon yon barren sands.
Nor want, nor weakness still conspires
To bind us to a sordid state;
The fly that with a touch expires
Sips honey from the royal plate.
----The Holy Imam Shafay
On FatalismPoem 1
The russet suit of camel's hair,
With spirits light, and eye serene,
Is dearer to my bosom far
Than all the trappings of a queen.
The humble tent and murmuring breeze
That whistles thro' its fluttering wall,
My unaspiring fancy please
Better than towers and splendid halls.
Th' attendant colts that bounding fly
The Song of Maisuna
Poem 2
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Comprehension Questions:
1. What stanzaic form is used in both poems?
2. Describe the harmonies of sound and turns of phrasing.
3. What have you observed of the length of each poem?
4. Do the poems express deep philosophical beliefs or thoughts? If yes,
what are these? If no, what then does each poem express?
5. What sentiments do the two poets have in common?
6. Through a glimpse of Arabic poetry, what characteristics of Saudi
people are revealed?
Exercise 5 An Informative Talk: The Saudi Princess Fight for Women’s Rights
Visit this site http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M-etvlW83E and watch an interview of a Saudi
Princess who fights for women‘s rights in her Kingdom.
Previewing Activity:
1. You are about to view a twelve-minute interview of a Saudi Princess in a CNN Program.
2. Listen very attentively to the interviewee and the interviewer; observe turn-taking
strategies and expressions used in asking and answering questions.
3. Click this link and view the CNN interview : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M-
etvlW83E
29. 29
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M-etvlW83E
This video shows Saudi Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel interview on CNN program. The
video runs for 12 minutes. Princess Ameerah expresses her voice for female
empowerment in Saudi Arabia.
While Viewing
Jot down every important detail in the interview. Make sure you will be able to identify the key
points of the interview. List down difficult words that are uttered by both Princess Ameerah and
CNN newscaster Amanpour.
Post Viewing Activities
Activity 10: Hear the Voice of the Princess!
Go over your notes from the Saudi Princess interview by Christian Amanpour in CNN Program.
Answer the activity sheet on identifying the audience of the interview.
Name ______________________________________Date _____________
Determine the persons addressed by Saudi Princess Ameerah when she was
interviewed at CNN Program. Images of her audience are provided. Identify their
names/ positions and explain briefly the message that the princess is relaying to
them.
1.
Hear the Voice of the Princess!
Name / Position: __________________
Princess’ message : ________________
________________________________
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INFORMATIVE SPEAKING
An interview, like a panel discussion, is an example of an
informative talk. Informative speaking centers on talking about events,
process, places, people, things and concepts. When informing an
audience – whether live audience or through media like television-about
any topic without being persuasive id sometimes difficult. So analyzing the
audience is very important.
Audience analysis is the process of examining information about your listeners.
That analysis helps you to adapt your message so that your listeners will respond as you
wish.
In everyday conversations you adapt your message to your audience. For
example, if you went to a party the night before, you would explain the party differently to
your friends and family. To your best friend you might say, "We partied all night and there
were tons of people there." To your mother you might say, "Oh, I had fun with my
friends." And to your significant other you might say, "It was fun, I had a great bonding
time with my friends." In each of these situations, you are adapting your message to your
listening audience.
When we analyze our audience, there are three ways to do this; demographic
analysis, attitudinal analysis, and environmental analysis.
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Comprehension Questions:
1. What topics did Princess Ameerah talk about? Was she prepared for
the interview? How is her expertise on the topic shown?
2. How do Arabs respond to challenges of modernity as reflected in
their literary selections?
3. Was Ameerah able to analyze her audience? What type of
audience analysis did she consider the most in her interview?
Activity 11: “I Think; therefore, I Am”
Make a list of at least ten expressions that signal opinion and biases such as ―I think…‖ ―Many
believe that…‖ ―Probably, we could…‖
Activity 12: “I’ve Got that Feeling”
Below are some issues tackled by Saudi Princes Ameerah when she was interviewed at CNN.
Match/ connect the speaker‘s / princess‘ attitudes as represented by emoticons with the
corresponding issues. Make sure to write a short explanation of your answer.
“I’ve Got that Feeling”
ACTIVITY SHEET ON IDENTIFYING
THE SPEAKER’S ATTITUDES TOWARD ISSUES
Name __________________________________Date _______ Score _________
Issue: Poverty
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Process Questions
1. How long did it take you to accomplish activity sheet # 12?
Was the activity easy, fair or difficult?
2. What previous experiences help you finish the task?
3. Of the five social, economic and political issues mentioned in
the activity, which do you think is the most challenging for the
Arab princess to solve? Why do you say so?
4. What characteristics do most Arab women, as represented by
their Princess Ameerah, possess?
5. How do you describe the Saudi character?
TURN TAKING STRATEGIES
Conversation is a turn-taking process and it is more difficult
when there are several people in a conversation. When a conversation
is going on, speakers must have the skill of turn taking in order to let
the conversation go smoothly and appropriately among them.
Experts suggest the following strategies in taking turns :
These involve ways of entering into a conversation or taking over the role of
33. 33
Activity 13: Hang on a Second…May I Speak?
Watch the twelve-minute interview of Princess Ameerah on CNN again. Write down the turn-
taking strategies both Ameerah and Amanpour used. Explain briefly the appropriateness of the
strategy being used in that particular moment. Evaluate whether the strategy is appropriate by
checking on the column; otherwise, put an X.
Activity Sheet on Turn-Taking Strategies
Hang on a Second…May I Speak?
Name ___________________________ Date _____________ Score ______________
Interviewer
(CNN Newscaster Amanpour)
Interviewee
(Saudi Princess Ameerah)
Turn-taking
Strategy
When
used?
Appropriate
ness
Turn-taking
Strategy
When
used?
Appropriate
ness
34. 34
Process Questions:
1. What does turn in communication mean?
2. What turn-taking strategies do you usually use? Why? Do you
find them effective?
3. What happens to a conversation when a speaker does not
observe proper turn taking?
Activity 14 : In My Opinion…
Read each news headline and corresponding details very thoroughly. Express wisely your
opinions on the news/issue.
1.
Delta pact with Saudis brings calls of
bias
JERUSALEM - Jews and Israelis, or passengers
carrying any non-Islamic article of faith, will not
be able to fly code-share flights from the United
States to Saudi Arabia under Delta Air Lines' new
partnership with Saudi Arabian Airlines that is set
to begin next year.
-StarTribune-
In my opinion…
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
35. 35
2.
3.
Activity 15 Writing A Persuasive Essay: FROM MY HEAD TO THE PEN!
Write a short persuasive essay about Saudi culture. Use the opinions you wrote in the previous
activity as your arguments. Make sure to substantiate each with facts or information.
Congratulations! You have just expressed your personal
views on the customs and issues involving our brothers in Saudi
Arabia. Certainly, your opinions are supported with facts, as you
were taught in the earlier part of this lesson.
The opinions you wrote in Activity 13 maybe put together
to become a persuasive essay. Try the next activity.
PERSUASIVE ESSAY WRITING SHEET (A)
FROM MY HEAD TO THE PEN!
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PROPAGANDA DEVICES
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the
attitude of a community toward some cause or position by presenting
only one side of an argument. Propaganda is usually repeated and
dispersed over a wide variety of media in order to create the chosen
result in audience attitudes. http://en.wikipedia.org
Propaganda is intended to make us accept or approve something
without looking closely at the evidence.Most of the propaganda devices utilize
emotion and avoid critical thinking. Here are some of the common propaganda
devices:
1. Card Stacking: The strategy of showing the product‘s best features, telling
half-truths, and omitting or lying about its potential problems.
Ex. Drug manufacturers do this frequently in ads in which they skim
over the possible harmful side effects of their products. Facts are Selected and
presented which most effectively strengthen and authenticate the point of view
of the propagandist.
2. Name calling: The use of names that evoke fear or hatred in the viewer. The
name-calling technique links a person, or idea, to a negative symbol.
37. 37
Activity 16 GETTING FOOLED OR GETTING WISER?
Study the following situations. Each contains a propaganda, identify the device used. Write your
answer after each situation.
1. "Sen. Ramos is a tax and spend liberal." "Pres. Santos is an elitist who's in the pocket of
big oil companies."
2. "Secure, safe and stable. That's the advantage of a Togofa. No other car on the road is
as reliable."
3. Bar charts of differing tax programs presented side by side.
4. No true Filipino would vote to take away our rights by outlawing hunting.
5. "Don't let those bunnyhuggers take away our right to hunt."
6. If you want to spend the night at a friend's house and you tell your parents that your
friends parents will be home, that you'll be in bed by 10pm, and that your friend isn't
allowed out of the house after dark, but fail to mention that your friend is allowed to
watch "R" rated movies (if your parent's don't allow them).
7. Juan dela Cruz needs you to fight all the bullies in the world!
38. 38
8. Buy Coca cola now in new King size bottle!
9. It‘s a great honor talk to the talented students, the cream of the crop! This new batch of
graduates will definitely bring a difference in our country. Congratulations!
10. A brand of snack food is loaded with sugar (and calories). The commercial boasts that
the product is low in fat, which implies that it is also low in calories.
Activity 17 PERSUASION thru TRUTH and PROPAGANDA
Choose your most favorite product-may it be shampoo, shoes, etc. advertise it to your friends so
that they, too, will subscribe or use it. Make sure to promote it in two ways : 1. Using
propaganda device/s , and 2. Presenting the whole truth.
ADVERTISEMENT
USING PROPAGANDA TELLING THE WHOLE TRUTH
Product: Product:
Process Questions:
1. What is propaganda? Why do unscrupulous businessmen,
writers and speakers use propaganda gimmicks?
2. What responsibilities do newspapers have to their readers?
3. How do recognizing propaganda devices make you a better
consumer and student?
Activity 18 Revising Persuasive Essay
Read again your output in Activity 15. Make sure to develop credibility as a writer by eliminating
biases in your opinions. Do not hide some truths; express the whole truth as you persuade
people about your views on Saudi Arab culture. You may delete and add ideas to make your
work a n effective piece of writing. This time, add a very catchy title to your composition.
PERSUASIVE ESSAY WRITING SHEET (B)
REVISITING MY THOUGHTS
Name ____________________________ Date _____________ Score____
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Activity 19 DIFFERENT YET WORTH EMBRACING:
A Journal of Cultural Differences
Create a journal showing the cultural differences between the Filipinos and the Arabs. Base
your insights from the texts you read or viewed.
A Journal of Cultural Differences
DIFFERENT YET WORTH EMBRACING
Name ___________________________ Date __________ Score __________
Culture / practice
40. 40
.
Activity 20 Frequency Word List (Arab Words)
List down at least ten Arab words and give their meanings.
WORD MEANING
1. _____________ = __________________________________
2. _____________= __________________________________
3. _____________ = __________________________________
4. _____________ = __________________________________
5. _____________ = __________________________________
6. _____________ = __________________________________
7. _____________ = __________________________________
8. _____________ = __________________________________
9. _____________ = __________________________________
10. _____________ = __________________________________
41. 41
Activity 21 One-minute Paper
Take time to accomplish this formative check.
Most IMPORTANT
thing discussed in this
lesson
EASIEST fact or concept
to remember
Most DIFFICULT
idea to understand
End of PROCESS:
REFLECT AND UNDERSTAND:
Your goal in this section is to take a closer look at some aspects of the topic.
I In this section, the discussion was about the temperaments and
psyche of the Saudi people as reflected in their reading and viewing
texts.
Go back to the previous section and compare your initial ideas with the
discussion. How much of your initial ideas are found in the discussion? Which
ideas are different and need revision?
Now that you know the important ideas about this topic, let‘s go deeper
by moving on to the next section.
42. 42
CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
Conditional sentences play a very important role in English grammar. They
express a condition and its result. There are three types of conditional statement in English:
1. Open conditional statement - refers to a future event which is conditional on another
future event.
Ex. If you eat too much, you'll get fatter.
We won't finish in time unless everyone works fast.
This also describes one potential state of reality or circumstance which is
dependent on another.
Ex. If the temperature falls below zero, it freezes.
If it rains, everyone gets wet.
2. Open hypothetical conditional statement- refers to a possible future situation which
depends on another possible future situation.
Ex. If you ate too much, you'd (you would) get fatter.
If I went to London, I would / could visit the British Museum.
3. Unfulfilled hypothesis - refers to a situation which an event might have taken place, but
did not, because a condition was not fulfilled.
Ex. If you had eaten too much, you'd (you would) have got fatter.
If I had gone to London, I could have visited the British Museum
(but I didn't).
Source: http://linguapress.com/grammar/conditionals.htm
Activity 22 Sentence Completion (Conditional Sentences)
Visit this website
http://www.englisch- hilfen.de/en/exercises/if_clauses/type_3_mix2.htm and answer the activity.
Verify your answers after by clicking the ―check‖ button. If you find the activity quite difficult, you
may repeat until such time that you feel confident in moving further in this lesson.
(Print version)
Put the verbs in brackets into the gaps. Form a Conditional sentence - type III. Mind the
position of the if-clause.
Example: I ___________ (to bake) a cake if I _________ (to know) that they were coming.
Answer: I would have baked a cake if I had known that they were coming. or
I'd have bought a a cake if I'd known that they were coming.
43. 43
1) If it (to be) warmer, we (to go) swimming.
2) My parents (to buy) this house if the man (not/to
sell) it to someone else.
3) If he (not/to fail) his driving test, his parents (to
lend) him their car.
4) If my uncle (to tell) me the way to his office,
I (not/to arrive) so late.
5) She (to be) at the airport if she (to read) the
message carefully.
6) Lucy (not/to hurt) her foot if she (not/to drop) the
old box.
7) If you (to use) a sharp knife, you (not/to
cut) yourself.
8) If Victoria (to celebrate) her birthday at home,
I (to bring) her some flowers.
9) We (to take) the train to Edinburgh if it (to run) on
time.
10) If Max (not/to forget) my schoolbag, he (to
give) you your USB flash drive.
Check Show answ er
Activity 23 Skills at Work
Complete the following sentences with an appropriate result or if-clause.
CAN YOU PREDICT MY ACTIONS?
Name ________________________ Date ________ Score _________
1. I can go shopping to the Mall of Asia this weekend if ______________.
2. If I have time _____________________________________________.
3. I could have gone to the Middle East last year if __________________.
4. If I met Jews and Arabs in the streets today, I ____________________.
5. World peace can be attained and maintained if ___________________.
44. 44
Activity 24 Visiting the Middle East
Write a paragraph describing what you can do, what you will see and what you might need if
you visit one country in the Middle East. Give your paragraph a title.
Use if-clauses and result clauses in your paragraph.
Exercise 6 Hebrew Literature: A Short Story
Bible:The Story of Ruth
The book of Ruth contains an interesting story about a Moabite woman
who was redeemed into a Hebrew family. The book may have been written by
Samuel and was probably penned during the time of David.
A Dreadful Time in a Strange Country
Because of a famine in Israel, a Hebrew family moved to Moab. This was a country not
far from Israel on the east side of the Dead Sea. The family was from the city of Bethlehem-
judah in Israel. Elimelech and his wife Naomi had two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Each of them
married a wife from Moab. In time Elimelech and his two sons died which left the three widows
in Moab.
A new beginning
After her husband‘s death, Naomi planned to return to Bethlehem-judah to be with
family. She prepared to leave her two daughters-in-law. However, they begged to be able to go
with her. She said that she had no more children and even if she were to marry again and bear
sons that the two daughters would not be able to wait for them to grow up. She planned to
return to Israel alone and empty.
True love and selfless giving
45. 45
One of the daughters-in-law, Orpah, returned to her people in Moab. The other
daughter-in-law, Ruth, said that she would stay with Naomi. It was during this conversation that
Ruth said these words which have become the basis for many Christian wedding vows: ―Intreat
me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and
where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where
thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but
death part thee and me.‖
Ruth and Naomi returned to Bethlehem-judah together. Naomi was financially and
emotionally despondent, but her family and friends accepted her with joy.
One land owner Boaz, notices Ruth and asked his workers to be kind to her and leave
plenty of grain for her and her mother-in-law.
As they had no money and no men to take care of them, Ruth went into the fields to
gather whatever grain she could. One land owner, Boaz, noticed Ruth and asked his workers to
be kind to her and leave plenty of grain for her and her mother-in-law. He did not know at the
time who Ruth was, but out of kindness he chose to care for the new stranger in their land.
Ruth returned to Naomi and told her about the generous landowner. Naomi asked about
the man and was pleased to learn that it was Boaz. Boaz was a near family member of
Elimelech, her late husband. This meant that Boaz had the opportunity to take Naomi and Ruth
into his care as well as free them from their financial debt.
A husband for Ruth
Naomi instructed Ruth on how to ask for Boaz‘s help in the matter. She approached
Boaz and asked him to become the kinsman-redeemer for them. Before Boaz could accept the
care of these two ladies he had to negotiate with another kinsman for the privilege. This other
man was closer to Elimelech and therefore had the responsibility to care for the ladies. This
man chose not to exercise his duty for their care which left Boaz with the opportunity to buy
them out of their debt and take Ruth as his wife.
Boaz and Ruth were married and became the great-grandparents of King David.
http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/ruth-bible-story-summary/
Activity 25 Travelling with Ruth (A Story Map)
Analyze the elements of the selection ―The Story of Ruth‖ by completing this Story Map.
Name _______________________________________ Date___ _____________
Title of the Story ______________________________ Author ______________
Main Character : Minor Characters:
Central Conflict
MAJOR EVENTS IN THE PLOT
Inciting action :
Setting Mood:
46. 46
Comprehension Questions
1. What does the asking off of the sandal mean for a man who refuses
to marry his relative's widow?
2. Describe the living faith that works out of love in the lives
of Ruth and Boaz.
3. At the end of the story of Ruth, it appears that Naomi owns some land
that Boaz is willing to sell for her. If she had this land all along, why
didn‘t she sell it earlier and save herself a lot of trouble?
4. What does this story reflect about the characteristics of Christians as
reflected in Hebrew literature?
Activity 26 Character Analysis through a Venn Diagram
Analyze the personality traits of Ruth and Naomi as reflected in their actions and dialogues.
Compare and contrast Naomi who left Bethlehem and was bitter and Ruth who came to
Bethlehem and reigned. Furthermore, compare Naomi as a symbol of the law and Ruth as a
symbol of grace under the new covenant. Make sure to complete the Venn Diagram below.
Common traits are written are the middle circle.
47. 47
Writing a Critical Review
Purpose of a Critical Review
The critical review is a writing task that asks you to summarise and evaluate a text. The critical
review can be of a book, a chapter, or a journal article. Writing the critical review usually
requires you to read the selected text in detail and to also read other related texts so that you
can present a fair and reasonable evaluation of the selected text.
What is meant by critical?
At university, to be critical does not mean to criticise in a negative manner. Rather it requires
you to question the information and opinions in a text and present your evaluation or judgment
of the text. To do this well, you should attempt to understand the topic from different
perspectives (i.e. read related texts) and in relation to the theories, approaches and frameworks
in your course.
What is meant by evaluation or judgement?
Here you decide the strengths and weaknesses of a text. This is usually based on specific
criteria. Evaluating requires an understanding of not just the content of the text, but also an
understanding of a text‘s purpose, the intended audience and why it is structured the way it is.
What is meant by analysis?
Analysing requires separating the content and concepts of a text into their main components
and then understanding how these interrelate, connect and possibly influence each other.
Analyzing the characters of a story is one way of
understanding the reading text better. And you have just done
it well. Good job!
Another way of understanding a story, poem, book or
journal article is to write a critical review. The purpose for
writing a critique is to evaluate somebody's work in order to
increase the reader's understanding of it. A critical analysis is
subjective writing because it expresses the writer's opinion or
evaluation of a text. And you will learn how to write one in the
succeeding part of this module.
48. 48
Structure of a Critical Review
Critical reviews, both short (one page) and long (four pages), usually have a similar structure.
Check your assignment instructions for formatting and structural specifications. Headings are
usually optional for longer reviews and can be helpful for the reader.
Introduction
The length of an introduction is usually one paragraph for a journal article review and two or
three paragraphs for a longer book review. Include a few opening sentences that announce the
author(s) and the title, and briefly explain the topic of the text. Present the aim of the text and
summarise the main finding or key argument. Conclude the introduction with a brief statement of
your evaluation of the text. This can be a positive or negative evaluation or, as is usually the
case, a mixed response.
Summary
Present a summary of the key points along with a limited number of examples. You can also
briefly explain the author‘s purpose/intentions throughout the text and you may briefly describe
how the text is organised. The summary should only make up about a third of the critical
review.
Critique
The critique should be a balanced discussion and evaluation of the strengths, weakness and
notable features of the text. Remember to base your discussion on specific criteria. Good
reviews also include other sources to support your evaluation (remember to reference).
You can choose how to sequence your critique. Here are some examples to get you started:
Most important to least important conclusions you make about the text.
If your critique is more positive than negative, then present the negative points first and
the positive last.
If your critique is more negative than positive, then present the positive points first and
the negative last.
If there are both strengths and weakness for each criterion you use, you need to decide
overall what your judgment is. For example, you may want to comment on a key idea in
the text and have both positive and negative comments. You could begin by stating what
is good about the idea and then concede and explain how it is limited in some way.
While this example shows a mixed evaluation, overall you are probably being more
negative than positive.
In long reviews, you can address each criteria you choose in a paragraph, including both
negative and positive points. For very short critical reviews (one page or less) where
your comments will be briefer, include a paragraph of positive aspects and another of
negative.
You can also include recommendations for how the text can be improved in terms of
ideas, research approach; theories or frameworks used can also be included in the
critique section.
Conclusion
This is usually a very short paragraph.
Restate your overall opinion of the text.
Briefly present recommendations.
If necessary some further qualification or explanation of your judgment can be included.
This can help your critique sound fair and reasonable.
References
If you have used other sources in you review you should also include a list of references at the
end of the review.
Source: http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/critrev.html
49. 49
Exercise 7 Reading Text : A TOUCH OF MODERN ISRAEL: “The CAT”
Read the short story about a political prisoner uses magic to escape execution. Be able to give
the meaning of difficult words and to write a critical review of the selection.
“THE CAT”
By Zygmunt Frankel
Published in "The European"
He lay on the bunk in his cell, smoking a cigarette. The day had been hot, but now,
with the dusk falling, a pleasant breeze had sprung up and was coming in from the courtyard,
along the corridor, and into his cell. The old prison was very much like the ones in cowboy
movies. The door of his cell, as well as the one at the end of the corridor were steel frames with
iron bars less than twenty centimetres apart; too close for even the thinnest man to squeeze
through, but ample for a cat. One could see through the bars, talk with the guards and the
prisoners in the other cells, and be disturbed by someone snoring at night, and the barred doors
made the prison airy.
It was much better than the foreign prisons he had read about, with solid doors,
peepholes, and electric bulbs burning the whole night long. Although the local revolution
modelled itself on the Russian one to some extent, it did not have the means to imitate
Lubyanka. The revolution was also milder in other respects. A political prisoner usually had
done something against the regime, be it only grumbling in public. The interrogations were
mostly carried out without torture. Although no public or journalists were admitted to the more
serious political trials, the prisoner had the right to defend himself, and, in case of a death
sentence - these, unfortunately, were rather common and mostly undeserved - the condemned
man had the right to appeal to the President, although in most cases it only delayed the
You have just reviewed how to write a critical review of literary
selections journal articles, paintings, songs and the like. In Module 2 of
this second quarter, you learned how to write an editorial article and an
evaluation paper. Such writing skills will be very useful as you tackle the
next portion of this lesson. You will be exposed more to reading more
sample of the literature of Israel. To have a better picture of Israel as a
state, click this link :
http://www.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student.php?id=101
So enjoy reading!
50. 50
execution by a few days.
The prisoner finished his cigarette, put it out in an empty sardine tin which served him
as ashtray, sat on his bed, and looked at the door again. The spaces between the bars were
fine, even for the largest cat to pass through, and the door at the end of the corridor was the
same. In the small rectangular cobbled courtyard where they took their daily walks and where
they shot condemned prisoners at dawn, a couple of skinny young trees, hardly more than
saplings, grew by the wall on the right, a few of the thin branches reaching the top of the wall;
nothing to support a man, but good enough for a cat. It was not the wall where they shot people;
that one was opposite it, at right angle to the door. On days following an execution, of which
they had heard every word and shot through the barred doors, walking in a circle during their
daily exercise, they would look furtively for traces of blood on the cobblestones or bullet marks
on the wall, but there weren't any; the courtyard would be thoroughly hosed down as soon as
the body was taken away, and the holes in the wall plastered over and whitewashed. The
prisoner, himself a likely candidate for an execution, thought calmly that an old mattress or two
propped against the wall would spare them the need for constant repairs, but in a backward
country one could not expect a revolution to bring instant efficiency.
His decision to change into a cat rather than some other small creature in case an
escape became necessary due to a death sentence or a long prison term was reached after
considerable reflection. A mouse or a rat would run too great a risk in a town with a lot of cats,
and even if it got out of the town safely, the distance to the border - some twenty kilometres -
might be too much for it, and the danger still there: wild cats, foxes, coyotes, snakes, hawks by
day and owls by night. As a cat, he would only need a couple of days to reach and cross the
border and change back into man, and it was just as well. The Indian witch-doctor had warned
him that if it took too long, the animal body would start taking over the human mind; he would
find it increasingly difficult and finally impossible to change back, and spend the rest of his life
as an animal with an animal's mind. When he died, his body would also remain that of an
animal, which would not be the case if he died shortly after the metamorphosis.
It would be fastest and easiest to cross the border as a bird, preferably of prey so as to be safe
of predators; but, apart from the fact that farmers sometimes shot at birds of prey, he wasn't
sure about flying. On both previous occasions, the first under the witch-doctor's guidance and,
after his return from the expedition, on his own, he changed into mammals, a monkey and a fox.
This time, with so much at stake, he didn't want to introduce new and unknown factors.
A dog would not be able to get over the wall, and might be shot on suspicion of
hydrophobia. A cat was best.
Behind the wall with the two trees was a large garden which he knew well. It surrounded
the now confiscated villa of his friend the judge who had placed most of his money in a Swiss
bank before escaping to Miami when the revolution broke out. The judge had had problems with
old regime as well by always trying to be just and fair, but he knew it wouldn't help him with the
new one. The judge had tried to talk him into leaving together, keeping a seat for him on the
little chartered plane until the last moment, but he decided to stay, see what would happen, and
even offer his services to the revolution if it turned out well. It showed signs of doing so for a
while and then degenerated into a dictatorship backed by terror, and he had just about decided
to follow his friend the judge into exile when he was arrested. They did not have anything
against him as an anthropologist but he had also been a friend of the judge and that was
enough nowadays. But there were fascinating things to be still discovered in anthropology and
primitive magic, and he already knew enough not to let himself be shot in the prime of life.
Something the witch-doctor once told him stirred uneasily in his memory. It was right
after his first, successful, change into a monkey and back. He was bubbling with enthusiasm
about the possibilities, and the old witch-doctor, his face lined and wise, listened to him quietly
and then said:
"Well, not quite. The possibilities are indeed great but not unlimited; no magic can change one's
51. 51
destiny beyond a certain extent. A warrior who is to be killed in battle will not escape his fate by
changing into an animal; he will still be killed by an arrow, and the hunter might even turn out to
be the same man who was supposed to kill him in battle." But the prisoner dismissed the
unease without much difficulty. He was a Westerner, and destiny to him was not all that rigid;
one could shape it to a much greater extent than the primitive fatalistic tribes imagined.
There were steps in the corridor and the sergeant, accompanied by a soldier with a
rifle, stopped by his door and unlocked it.
"The captain wants to see you in his office," he said.
"Is it the sentence already?" the prisoner thought as he walked between the two soldiers. It was
quite possible. His interrogation ended almost two weeks before, and the military courts worked
fast.
The captain got up from behind his desk when the prisoner was brought in. There
was another man there, a civilian in a sober grey suit, standing, with his hands behind his back,
a little to one side of the captain's desk. He looked like an official visitor, probably of a high
rank.
The captain took from the desk a document with a large seal and several signatures
and began to read it aloud. It was the death sentence. The prisoner has been found guilty of
cooperation with the old reactionary regime, of anti-revolutionary propaganda, and of failing to
prevent the escape of one of the oppressors of the people (his friend the judge). He had three
days in which to submit an appeal to the President of the Republic if he so wished.
He signed a statement that the sentence has been announced to him and that he
understood it. He said that yes, he would like to avail himself of the opportunity to appeal to the
President, in the hope that the President's generosity and kindness would make him reduce the
sentence. By all means, the captain said kindly; he would have paper and pen delivered to his
cell that very evening.
Back in his cell, the prisoner began to prepare for the metamorphosis. It was mainly mental. He
had to bring himself - this would take two or three days - into the state of absolute belief that at
the end of that period he would change into a cat. Very few people could do it, and it was only
after he had been with the tribe for some weeks that the witch-doctor began to suspect that this
white man who came from a different world to learn their customs might be one of them. The
physical part of the preparation was easy - actually easier in prison than outside. It consisted
mainly of eating very little, practically fasting towards the end, and of not doing anything to
distract the mind from its task. The final part - the silent incantations, the spells, the names of
gods - were merely means to finally plunge the mind so deeply into the conviction that the body
followed suit.
When the block of writing paper, the fountain pen, a candle, and an extra packet of
cigarettes were brought to him with his supper, he thanked the guard and asked whether he
could have just plain bread, preferably dry, and weak tea, or even just water, for the next couple
of days, explaining that his stomach was upset and that diet was the best thing for it. The guard
asked whether he would like to see the doctor. No, he said, it was nothing; he's always had a
nervous, sensitive stomach, and today, what with the death sentence, it was quite entitled to act
up a little. But the whole thing was a misunderstanding and he was confident that the President,
who was a just and wise ruler, would put it right as soon as he has read his appeal.
He finished the appeal the same evening, leaving the couple of corrected drafts in the
writing block to show how hard he had worked on it, and gave the final copy, together with the
writing block, the pen, and the remainder of the candle to the sergeant, who promised to give
the petition to the captain first thing in the morning. He estimated that he now had at least four
days at his disposal - two for the letter to reach the president and two more for the rejection to
arrive - and four days were more than enough.
He went to bed early and before falling asleep lay there for a long time with his eyes
closed imagining himself as a cat: passing through the iron bars, climbing a tree, crossing the
52. 52
garden, travelling through fields and woods, perhaps catching a bird or a mouse if hungry, and
drinking from streams. When he finally fell asleep he managed to get a lot of this into his
dreams as well. In the morning he was already feeling light-headed, in a sort of trance, already
beginning to feel and think like a cat. A couple of times he even stretched and yawned like one.
It was a familiar feeling. His second metamorphosis had been easier than the first - the witch-
doctor told him that one improved with practice - and he felt that this one was going to be a
success too.
On the third night he was ready. He had slept through most of the afternoon and
awoke at dusk feeling fresh and strong. The prison was slowly settling for the night. Someone
was snoring lightly in one of the cells. The guard on duty was seated behind the table at the end
of the corridor, reading a paper and smoking a cigarette. He sat sideways to the corridor,
glancing at it only from time to time. Even if he noticed a cat slinking along the corridor towards
the courtyard door he might wonder what it was looking for, but it was extremely unlikely that he
would fire at it, and if he did, even less likely that he would hit it.
The prisoner undressed except for his underwear and, once under the blanket, removed his
vest and underpants as well. The blanket was coarse and not very clean, and it was a little chilly
to lie there naked, but he did not want to have to disengage himself from the underwear
afterwards.
The prison was silent now, with the snores from a cell at the end of the corridor barely
audible.
He pulled the blanket over his head and closed his eyes. In the double darkness, of
the cell and the blanket, silent incantations began to flow. To their rhythm, his mind gradually
reduced everything to the world of a small, four-legged animal. Time was passing but he didn't
know how much. He became dizzy for a while, with strange but well-remembered sensations
passing through his body. Then the flow of incantations and trance gradually slowed down,
stopped, settled. His skin did not feel the coarseness of the blanket any more. He was also
warmer. He moved his limbs cautiously. His claws bit into the blanket and he retracted them.
He crawled slowly towards the edge of the blanket, peered out, and listened. The
prison was dark and quiet. The cell now loomed large and tall, and the bed was high above the
floor. He could see much better in the dark than he did before. He listened a little longer, then
jumped down and hid under the bed. He noticed the colour of his fur: it was grey, with dark
stripes, and a light, almost white belly.
The bars of the cell would now let him through without any difficulty. He peered into
the corridor. The guard, in profile, was nodding over his paper.
Silently, he passed through the bars of the door, glided along the corridor, passed between bars
again, turned right, out of sight, and crouched under the wall. There was a full moon shining
onto the deserted courtyard. His sight was very keen. He moved along the wall and climbed the
first of the two trees. A branch took him right to the top of the wall. He looked at the garden on
the other side of the wall for a while. It was as he remembered it except that it was rather
neglected. He wondered whether anyone lived in the villa now - perhaps one of the new officials
- or whether it was still unoccupied. He jumped into the garden.
Now the most difficult part was behind him. He moved among some trees, then began to cross
a large moonlit stretch of the lawn towards some bushes at the back of the garden where there
was a low easily passable slat fence, behind which the countryside was practically beginning.
He did not see the large tall shape of the dog detach itself from the shadow of the
villa; noticed it only after it had covered half the distance between them, loping fast and silently,
trying to cut him off from the fence. He hissed and took off. The dog chasing him was a large
hound, obviously trained not to growl or bark while attending to business. Their paths were
converging. He saw that he might have difficulty reaching the fence before the dog caught up
with him, but any change of direction might waste precious moments. If the worst came to the
worst he could turn around and counterattack, using his teeth, claws, screech, and spittle to
53. 53
confuse the dog and reach the fence.
With a dozen yards still to go, he heard the shuffle of the dog's feet right behind him and felt its
breath on his neck. He leaped and, turning around in mid-air, gave the most frightening screech
he was capable of, and struck. His claws ripped one side of the dog's face just as the dog hit
him with one shoulder, with all its weight and speed behind the impact. The cat rolled over,
regaining his footing almost at once, but for one brief moment the scruff of his neck became
exposed and he felt the teeth go in. The he was flying through the air being shaken left and right
while the teeth were going in deeper. Then, very clearly, he felt his neck snap.
The captain stood in his office, but facing the desk this time, without his pistol, and
between two soldiers. The official who had been present at the reading of the prisoner's
sentence sat behind the desk.
"I am sorry to see that the psychiatrist's report pronounces you perfectly sane, captain,"
he said. "We were very satisfied with your work to date, and saw a good career for you in the
service of the revolution. It is all the more sad having to tell you that your situation looks
hopeless. If there are two things that the president hates more than anything else it is people
taking the law into their own hands and sadism. The prisoner's naked body was found in the
garden of your villa. The wounds in the neck were inflicted with some pointed though not
particularly sharp tool like a pick or a pitchfork. Your dog can't be blamed for it because the size
of the wounds is such that an animal with teeth large enough to inflict them would have to be
larger than the victim, and we don't have any lions or tigers around here. The only logical
explanation is that you took the prisoner from his cell at night and murdered him in your garden
by repeatedly stabbing him in the neck and then breaking it."
"But the guard on duty that night..."
"Is also under arrest. He either participated, or had fallen asleep, or you drugged him
or bribed him or talked him into keeping quiet; we shall find out which. In the meantime the
president is disgusted with the whole thing and unless you can come up with some really
convincing proof of your innocence, I wouldn't like to be in your shoes, captain."
Source: http://www.zygmuntfrankel.com/zf108.html
# # #
54. 54
Activity 27 THE WORDS BEYOND MY THOUGHTS
Give the meanings of these words from the story ―The Cat‖. Make sure to give the appropriate
meaning of the word according to how it is used in the text. Then, be able to use each word in
your own sentence.
Vocabulary Development
THE WORDS BEYOND MY THOUGHTS
Word Meaning Sentence
1. grumble
2. interrogation
3. incantation
4. anthropologist
5. fatalistic
55. 55
Activity 28 Writing a Critical Review: “THROUGH MY LENS”
Write a critical review of the short story ―The Cat‖. Make sure to apply your knowledge in the
previous lesson and the review guide provided in the earlier part of this lesson. Follow the
format of the review
A Critical Review Format
“THROUGH MY LENS”
Introduction
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Summary
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Critique
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Conclusion
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Reference/s
56. 56
Activity 29 Frequency Word List: The Frame of my Understanding
Find the meaning of each word below. Write a short description beside the term. Supplement
your understanding of these terms with pictures. Cut out pictures that best Today, Israel refers to a
nation, whose culture is Jewish and its language Hebrew. Yet in biblical times, the Hebrews were a
people, Israel refers to a religious group and Jews were treated as a race represent the people/
concept and paste them in their corresponding frames.
FREQUENCY WORD LIST
THE FRAME OF MY UNDERSTANDING
Name __________________________________ Date ___________
1. Israelite _____________________________
2. Israeli __________________________________
3. Hebrew ________________________________
4. Jew ______________________________________
57. 57
Exercise 8: Israel, the Chosen Land
The State of Israel , established in 1948, is an independent nation located
between the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the head of
the Gulf of Aqaba, an arm of the Red Sea. Its official language is Hebrew.
Israeli literature is literature written in the State of Israel by Israelis. Most works classed
as Israeli literature are written in the Hebrew language, although some Israeli authors write
n Yiddish, English, Arabic and Russian. The greatest masterpiece, the Bible, has profound
influence on human development. Scholars based their teachings on the Bible. Below is a
sample poem from the Book of Psalms:
Psalm 23
A psalm of David
1
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name‘s sake.
4
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
Comprehension Check:
1. Who is the author of this psalm? What are the three main points of the
psalm?
2. How does David describe the physical and the spiritual necessities
provided by the Lord?
3. What is the author‘s purpose of writing the psalm? What is
manifested in his character as he wrote this verse? What does
this tell us of the Israeli character?
58. 58
COMPLEX AND COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCES
IN COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
Communication is a process beginning with a sender who encodes the message
and passes it through some channel to the receiver who decodes the message.
Communication is fruitful if and only if the messages sent by the sender are interpreted
with same meaning by the receiver. Communication breakdowns often occur in school
and in our personal relationships, for various reasons. And the effects of failed
communication can be very damaging. Information overload can be one of the reasons
for this problem. And using complex and compound-complex sentences can help fix the
problem.
Complex sentences combine one dependent and one independent clause through the use of
subordinating conjunctions such as because, though, as, while, if, etc these are also known as
dependent adverb clauses. Here are two complex sentences as examples to review. Notice how
the two sentences are similar in meaning to the two compound sentences.
Though it's not available, I'd like to read the book.
Janet is going to a meeting after she has visited her grandparents.
Remember that the dependent clause can be placed at the beginning or the end of the
sentence. When placing the dependent clause at the beginning of the sentence, use a comma.
Compound complex sentences are sentences that contain two independent clauses and one
or more dependent clauses.
I would like to read the book which was written by John Handy, but it's not available.
Jane is going to a meeting after she has visited her grandparents who live in Boston.
Source : http://esl.about.com/od/writingadvanced/a/Compound-Complex-Sentence-
Worksheet.htm
59. 59
Activity 30 FROM SIMPLE TO COMPLEX
Use subordinating conjunctions (though, if, when, because, etc.) to connect the sentences into
one complex sentence.
Complex Sentence Worksheet
Name ___________________________ Date _________ Score _______
1. Henry needs to learn English. I will teach him.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________
2. I really enjoyed the concert. The music was too
loud.____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
______________
3. I prefer to watch TV by streaming over the internet. It allows me to
watch what I want when I want.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________
4. The car was extremely expensive. Bob didn't have much money. He
bought the car.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________
5. Sometimes it happens that we have a lot of rain. I put the chairs on the
patio in the garage when we have rain.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
____________________
Source: http://esl.about.com/od/esl-worksheets/a/Complex-Sentence-
Worksheet.htm
60. 60
Activity 31 Repairing Communication Breakdown
Combine the sentences to make one compound complex sentence.
Compound Complex Sentence Worksheet
Name ___________________ Date ___________ Score _________
1. Susan teaches the kids who live in the neighborhood. They meet in the
evenings after she comes home from work.
__________________________________________________________
______________________________________________
2. Anthony told us about the assembly of the products. Unfortunately, he
didn't tell us about where they were made.
__________________________________________________________
______________________________________________
3. The doctor wants to prescribe physically therapy, and he asked me to
see a specialist. He recommended Dr. Smith.
__________________________________________________________
______________________________________________
4. The eagles attract many tourists. They live in the local mountain range.
Unfortunately, the politicians still refuse to protect them.
__________________________________________________________
______________________________________________
5. I don't like the food. The staff prepares the food. I also do not like their
unfriendly attitude.
__________________________________________________________
______________________________________________
Source; http://esl.about.com/od/writingadvanced/a/Compound-Complex-
Sentence-Worksheet.htm
61. 61
Exercise 9 Video Viewing: The Future Warfare Is Here
Visit this website http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDOUxtPkm5Q
and view this three-minute video about Israel‘s latest drone technology.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDOUxtPkm5Q
This site shows a three-minute CNN news report about Israel‘s latest drone
technology capable of defending and attacking enemies in air, land and water.
The video runs for 3:34 minutes.
Comprehension check
1. What is Israel‘s latest drone technology? What makes this
upgraded aircraft amazing?
2. What is the reaction of Israel‘s greatest nemesis, Iran, over
this latest Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (AUV)?
3. How do Israelis respond to challenges of modernity as
reflected in their literary selections?
4. What ideas and emotions are evoked in you while you were
watching the video? Why do you think you feel that way?
5. What are your usual television viewing behaviors?
Activity 32 Monitoring My Media Behaviors
Identify your own behaviors while watching the video on ―Israel shows off new drone
technology‖. When you watch television and other social media, what are your behaviors?
Complete this graphic organizer and compare this with your classmate. Take note of the
similarities and differences in your behaviors. Make sure to discuss with him wholesome
practices and behaviors in watching television program and movies.
62. 62
A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER ON TELEVISION VIEWING BEHAVIORS
Exercise 10: Israeli Personality Traits
Below is a blog from Gratz College. Read it very thoroughly. Be able to form your personal
unbiased comment after reading.
Source: http://israel21c.org/blog/those-walled-in/
63. 63
What makes an Israeli? A peculiar mix of joie de vivre, arrogance,
aggressiveness, fear, claustrophobia, plus a whole lot more. Living in Israel is
one continual encounter with the Israeli character, stereotypically labeled as the
―sabra,‖ the cactus that is hard and prickly on the outside, but mushy and sweet
on the inside. But the Israeli character is far more complex than the stereotype.
Arrogance, well yes, most Israelis are convinced they are the best and they aren‘t shy
about letting you know it either. Not that they brag, rather they tend to put others down, leaving
themselves in the up position. I have a friend who is an airline pilot for Southwest who
desperately wants to make aliyah – yet he can‘t get a job with El Al because even though he
has thousands of hours of experience flying airliners for major American carriers, El Al hires IDF
helicopter pilots with 1,000 hours before they hire him. Why? Because of a combination of that
arrogance, the Israeli Air Force way is clearly the best for everything, and the ―clubbishness‖
that goes with this superiority complex.
As to aggressive, well, this is a trait for which Israelis are famous. One of the challenges
of getting by in Israel is that if you are not aggressive you are perceived as a ―freier‖, which is a
Yiddish term for sucker.
The next trait on Elon‘s list, fear of another Holocaust, is also real. But remember, just
because you are paranoid, does not mean that they are NOT out to get you. Ahmadinejad may
be a nut case, but he is a nut case who is the head of state of a country.
Claustrophobia, yes, that comes with living in a very small country. Israel is more or less
the size of New Jersey. If you lived in New Jersey and on one side the borders with New York
and Connecticut were sealed, and the border with Pennsylvania was one you could technically
cross, but it didn‘t feel particularly safe to do so because people there didn‘t like you, you too
would probably feel a little claustrophobic.
In Israel we enjoy an attitude of living in a frontier. Maybe some of the arrogance comes
from living in a place that the rest of the world treats as important. There is more terrorism in Sri
Lanka, more people are dying in Kenya, human rights abuses are far worse in any country
within 300 miles, not to mention places like China, and yet we‘re on the front page of the
Western papers every day while those others places often get scant notice. Makes us feel
important. But more than that, it makes us feel like we are a part of something important.
In short, the Israeli character is complex and interesting. One of the biggest challenges
facing a new immigrant to Israel is fitting in as a part of that culture.
Comprehension Check:
1. What four major traits characterize the Israeli as a people? Explain
each briefly.
2. What is the sociological background of the arrogance of the Israelis?
3. What does ―freier‖ mean? When is one considered such?
4. Incorporating the terms, Jew, Hebrew, Israelite, describe the
Israeli psyche and temperament as reflected in their reading and
viewing texts.
5. What is the purpose of the writer for exposing his essay to the
worldwide web?
6. What does ―blog‖ mean? Why do people create blogs?
7. Is it alright to make blog or to comment on people‘s blogs?
8. What should be the appropriate behavior of a blogger so that he can
freely yet responsibly express his ideas and thoughts without being
difficult and being in trouble?
Activity 33 WRITING A Blog: GETTING CONNECTED TO ISRAEL
64. 64
Write a sensible unbiased comment on the blog above. Make sure your comment is not
offensive to any race and is a sincere expression of your desire, psyche and temperament as a
Filipino student. Visit this site and write your comments here : http://israel21c.org/blog/those-
walled-in/
Process Questions:
1. Read the blog again (on Exercise 10). Did you have positive
comments on the blog? Why or why not? Did you feel good after
writing your comment?
2. Have you visited the same site again? Were there people who also
commented on the same blog?
3. Was the blogger credible enough to claim those characteristics of the
Israelis? What makes the blog seem to influence the way we think
about the Israelis?
4. Who are being mentioned in the blog? Why are those names
mentioned?
5. Why is it important to quote persons in authorities when we write or
speak? Does the blogger show respect for intellectual property (ideas
used) of other people?
Comment here.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary
and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce.
Footnotes are a conventional way to tell your readers where you got the information
CITATIONS and FOOTNOTES
65. 65
Non-Printed Media
How to footnote a radio or television program:
6
TVNZ, "The Amazing Mollusc," 17 April 1972.
How to footnote a film:
7
Lee Tamahori, Director, Once Were Warriors, 1995.
How to footnote a recording (in this case, a song called "Blood Red River," on an album
called The Legendary Peg Leg Howell:
8
Peg Leg Howell, "Blood Red River," The Legendary Peg Leg Howell, 1943,
Testament T-2204.
66. 66
ACTIVITY 34 : Research Work: A GALLERY OF MY FAVE PROSE and POETRY
Visit your school library or surf the web to find various literary selections which are
representatives of Saudi and Israeli literature. Choose those selections or articles that speak
about how the Saudi and the Israeli respond to the challenges of modernity. Copy the full text.
Take note, also, of the author, genre and source. Gather five selections from Saudi literature
67. 67
and five from Israeli literature. Vary the genre / type. Keep a record of your research by
following this template.
Activity 35 Writing A Bibliography: “FROM WHERE I GOT MY FAVORITES”
Create a bibliography of the various sources you used when you researched your favorite Saudi
and Israeli prose and poems. Use the Chicago Manual of Style.
A GALLERY OF MY FAVE PROSE and POETRY
LITERARY ENTRY TEMPLATE
TITLE OF THE SELECTION ____________________________________________
AUTHOR ___________________________________________
TYPE/ GENRE ___________________________________________
FULL TEXT
SOURCE:
You have just learned to show respect for
intellectual property and collected Saudi and Israeli literary
selections. Your knowledge in this lesson and in the
previous lesson will help perform better the final task which
is to create an e-journal of prose and poetry. Keep the
compilation for further instruction.
68. 68
End of REFLECT AND UNDERSTAND:
TRANSFER:
Activity 36 Critical Reviews: RESPONDING TO MY FAVORITES
Go over your collection of your favorite Saudi and Israel prose and poetry. Make sure that they
all follow the theme – strength in overcoming challenges of modernity. Write a critical review of
In this section, the discussion was about Israeli
literature, turn-taking strategies, respect for intellectual
property, communication breakdowns and television viewing
behaviors.
What new realizations do you have about the topic?
What new connections have you made for yourself?
. Now that you have a deeper understanding of the
topic, you are ready to do the tasks in the next section.
Your goal in this section is apply your
learning to real life situations. You will be given a
practical task which will demonstrate your
understanding.
69. 69
each selection. Follow the format on writing reviews on Activity 28. You may also find related
reviews of your chosen selection by visiting e-journals.
Activity 37 KEEPING MY FAVORITES: An e-JOURNAL
Create an e-journal of your favorite Saudi and Israel prose and poems at any free website
provider. Post your outputs in Activity 34 (a collection of your chosen literary selections from
Saudi Arabia and Israel) with accompanying outputs in Activity 36(critical reviews of these
chosen selections). Invite your classmates to visit this site and post their comments. This can be
a good avenue for a healthy discussion on literature, culture and academics.
SCORING GUIDE FOR E-JOURNAL OF PROSE AND POETRY
Your output will be evaluated according to the
following scoring guide.
Electronic journals, also known as ejournals, e-journals,
and electronic serials, are scholarly journals or intellectual
magazines that can be accessed via electronic transmission. In
practice, this means that they are usually published on the Web. They
are a specialized form of electronic document: they have the purpose
of providing material for academic research and study, and they are
formatted approximately like journal articles in traditional printed
journals. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_journal
Performance Task
In observance of the National Book Week Celebration,
your school holds an electronic exhibit of famous literary pieces.
The activity dubbed as ―Diverse Cultures: One in Overcoming
Challenges‖ aims to promote better understanding of people with
diverse cultures and characters and deeper appreciation of
literature. As a library assistant, you are tasked to create an e-
journal featuring Saudi and Israeli prose and poetry for high
school students of English to read and comment. The e-journal
must be insightful, user friendly and efficient.
70. 70
ADVANCED
(11-15)
PROFICIENT
(6-10)
DEVELOPING
(1-5)
SCO
RE
INSIGHT-
FUL
Electronic journal
entries show in-depth
and critical analysis of
the literary selections of
Saudi Arabia and Israel.
They relate to significant
personal experiences
and social, economic
and political issues
showing how Saudi and
Israeli people overcome
challenges of modernity.
Electronic journal
entries show careful
analysis of Saudi and
Israel literary
selections. Most
selections relate to
personal experiences
and social, economic
and political issues that
the countries faced in
history while some
reflect just any topic.
Electronic journal
entries are present in
the site. All literary
selections have full
text but some lack
reviews. Literary
themes vary from
superstitions to love
of nature. Few
entries are not works
of Saudi and Israel
writers.
USER
FRIENDLY
Browse capability –
(browse and search in
the same subject and in
different publishers‘
Journals), Interaction
capability –
(collaboration between
author/ site
administrator and
reader and network
communication among
authors, editors,
teachers and users) and
search capability are
strong.
Browse capability –
(browse and search in
the same subject and in
different publishers‘
Journals), Interaction
capability –
(collaboration between
author/ site
administrator and
reader and network
communication among
authors, editors,
teachers and users) are
strong. Search
capability is weak.
Brows capability is
not reliable. browse
a topic and browse
through author‘s
name cannot be
done. Interaction
capability –
collaboration
between author/ and
reader and network
communication is
effective. Search
capability is weak.
EFFICIENT
Entries are well-
organized; presentation
is unique and artistic.
They follow a standard
style and prescribed
format (grammar,
mechanics). Access
level, related and
supplementary
information and
information services are
evident.
Entries are organized;
presentation is
attractive. Few
grammatical errors are
found in critical reviews.
Entries have varying
style and format of
presentation. Access
level is low; related and
supplementary
information is found and
information services are
not saved in designated
areas.
Entries are present
but incomplete.
Glaring grammatical
errors can be
spotted. Output fails
to follow the e-
journal entry format.
Access to full text is
denied. Related
articles and
references are
missing. Some
indicators of
information services
are deactivated.
TOTAL
Congratulations! You have just accomplished the
performance task of this module. You are able to
develop and master all the skills required of you in this
lesson.
Now get the first activity sheet ,Anticipation-
Reaction Guide Agree/Disagree Chart, that you answered at the start
of this lesson. You need to answer the last column of the sheet.
71. 71
Activity 38: Anticipation-Reaction Guide Agree/Disagree Chart
Read your initial answers to this Agree/Disagree Chart. Now that you have already
submitted yourself to discussions and activities on the temperament and psyche of the
Saudi and Israeli people, answer the same items. Then compare you initial and final
answers. Make sure to explain those items in which you change your answers after the
lesson.
Agree / Disagree Chart
Before
the Lesson Statements about Saudi and Israeli
Literature
After
the Lesson
Agree Disagree Agree Disagree
1. The period before the writing of the
Qur'an and the rise of Islam is known
to Muslims as period of ignorance.
2. The expansion of the Arab people in
the 7th and 8th century brought them
into contact with a variety of different
peoples who would affect their
culture and the most significant of
these is the ancient civilization of
Israel. change to Persia
3. The terms Israeli, Israelite, Hebrew
and Jew are synonymous and can be
interchangeably used in literature,
religion and politics.
4. Jewish writers began to write in
Hebrew in addition to their various
national languages because Hebrew
at that time was the language of holy
scripture.
5. A key ingredient of the Israeli public
persona is that Jews are tough,
emotionally hardened, and ruthless.
End of TRANSFER:
In this section, your task was to creat an e-journal of
Saudi and Israeli prose and poetry that depicts the people‘s
strength in overcoming the challenges of modernity.
How did you find the performance task? How did the task
help you see the real world use of the topic?
72. 72
Activity 33: Lesson Closure: REFLECTIVE LEARNING JOURNAL
Recording your learning insights can provide you fresh ideas. So you need to express your
inner thoughts and emotions by completing this journal below.
You have completed this lesson. Before you go to the
next lesson, you have to answer the following post-
assessment.