READING AND WRITING SKILLS

For Sections: Amethyst, Emerald, Edison, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Thales

Discussion:

DEFINING CRITICAL READING

Whenever you read something and you evaluate claims, seek definitions, judge information, demand
proof, and question assumptions, you are thinking critically. This type of reading goes beyond passively
understanding a text, because you process the author's words and make judgments after carefully
considering the reading's message.

But why should you read critically? Reading critically means you are thinking critically.
This shows that you do not simply accept the message on the page. You bring to your reading your
own experience and perspective, and use these to separate yourself from the text and judge for yourself
what you consider important, logical, or right.

This interaction between the text and the reader is necessary because reading results from a
negotiation of meaning between the text and the reader, by reading critically, you find out the author's
views on something, ask questions, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the author's argument,
and decide to agree or disagree with it. Thus, critical reading allows you to enter into a dialogue with
the author — and this deepens your understanding of the issue or topic discussed. Therefore, to arrive
at a sufficient interpretation of the text, you need to become a critical and active reader.

APPLYING CRITICAL READING STRATEGIES

To show how some critical reading strategies are used, let us first read the following excerpt
from the presidential address of Manuel L. Quezon delivered to students and teachers on August 19,
1938:

The Policies and Achievements of the Government and Regeneration of the Filipino
Excerpt
by Manuel L. Quezon

National strength can only be built on character. A nation is nothing more nor less than its
citizenry. It is the people that make up the nation and, therefore, it cannot be stronger than its
component parts. Their weakness is its failings, their strength its power. Show me a people composed
of vigorous, sturdy individuals, of men and women healthy in mind and body; courteous, brave,
industrious, self-reliant; purposeful in thought as well as in action; imbued with sound patriotism and a
profound sense of righteousness; with high social ideals and a strong moral fiber; and i will show you
a great nation, a nation that will not be submerged, a nation that will emerge victorious from the trials
and bitter strifes of a distracted world, a nation that will live forever, sharing the common task of
advancing the welfare and promoting the happiness of mankind.

We are engaged in the epic task of building our nation, to live and flourish, not for a day but for
all time. We must find the flaws, if there be any, in our concept of individual and community life, as well
as in our character, and proceed at once to remedy them.

I have an abiding faith in our people. I know that they have all the faculties needed to become a
powerful and enlightened nation. The Filipino is not inferior to any man of any race. His physical,
intellectual, and moral qualities are as excellent as those of the proudest stock of mankind. But some
of these qualities, i am constrained to admit, have become dormant in recent years. If we compare our
individual and civic traits with those that adorned our forefathers, we will find, i fear, that we, the Filipinos
of today, have lost much of the moral strength and power for growth of our ancestors. They were strong-
willed, earnest, adventurous people. They had traditions potent in influence in their lives, individually
and collectively. They had the courage to be pioneers, to brave the seas, clear the forest and erect
towns and cities upon the wilderness. They led a life of toil and communal service. Each one considered
himself an active part of the body politic. But those traditions are either lost or forgotten. They exist only
as a hazy-mist in our distant past. We must revive them, for we need the anchorage of these traditions
to guide and sustain us in the proper discharge of our political and social obligations.

The Filipino of today is soft, easy-going. His tendency is towards parasitism. He is uninclined to
sustained strenuous effort! He lacks earnestness. Face-saving is the dominant note in the confused
symphony of his existence. His sense of righteousness is often dulled by the desire of personal gain.
His norm of conduct is generally prompted by expediency rather than by principle. He shows a failing
in that superb courage which impels action because it is right, even at the cost of self-sacrifice. His
greatest fear is not to do wrong, but of being caught doing wrong. He is frivolous in his view of life. His
conception of virtue is many times conventional. He takes his religion lightly. He thinks that lip-service
and profession are equivalent to deep and abiding faith. He is inconstant; he lacks perseverance; the
first obstacles baffle him, and he easily admits defeat. The patriotism of many Filipinos of today is skin-
deep, incapable of inspiring heroic deeds. There are those who are apt to compromise with ethical
principles and to regard truth as not incompatible with misrepresentation or self-deceit.

This appraisal of the character of our people today may sound too severe. You will realize that I
would be happier if I could only shower praise upon my countrymen. But my responsibility as head of
this Nation compels me to face and state facts, however disagreeable they may be to me or to our
people, for it is only thus that we can remedy existing evils that threaten to destroy the vitality and vigor
of the race. Because I have not lost faith that there is, within us, all the spiritual and moral forces needed
for the building of a great nation, I am ruthless in pointing out our present shortcomings. Our task—it is
a heroic task—is to awaken and apply these faculties so that our people should become what of right
they should be: morally strong, virile, hard-working, refined, enterprising, persevering, public-spirited.

I want our people to grow and be like the molave, strong and resilient, rising on the hillside,
unafraid of the raging flood, the lightning or the storm, confident of its own strength.

If we have the will to survive and the will to achieve social efficiency, we cannot delay this task
of spiritual regeneration. Let us begin to mold the typical Filipino.

To insure the accomplishment of this task of national spiritual reconstruction, we shall formulate
and adopt a social code—a code of ethics and personal conduct-that can be explained in the schools,
preached from the pulpits, and taught in the streets and plazas, and in the remotest corners of our land.
We shall indoctrinate every man, woman, and child in its precepts. By every means and power at my
command, I shall strive to enforce its principles and to require that they be so universally and constantly
observed, that our children may breathe it in the air and feel it in their very flesh. Every Filipino is a part
and an objective of this great national movement, the success of which depends upon his own success
in building up his character and developing his faculties.

This undertaking-the regeneration of the Filipino-constitutes the paramount interest of my

administration. My most cherished ambition is to see it realized. It is the greatest prize that I can crave
for my life. I call upon all the teachers, the ministers of every faith, the political and social leaders, and
particularly upon you, young men and young women, to be at the vanguard of this crusade.

We have attained our freedom, but our spirit is still bound by the shackles forged from the frailties
of our nature. We owe it to ourselves and our posterity to strike them down.

Other peoples of the world are straining themselves to attain higher levels of progress
and national security. We shall not lag behind.

The Filipino people are on the march, towards their destiny, to conquer their place in
the sun!

Activity 1. Vocabulary Check

Instructions: On the blank beside the number, write the letter of the work or phrase inside the right
column that most approximately matches the underlined word in the sentence to the left. Copy and
answer on a ½ crosswise.

_____1. The land will be inherited by his posterity. a. Supreme

_____2. Apple is considered the vanguard of smartphone b. Masculine
technology.
_____3. The speaker’s last point was of paramount relevance. c. Future generations
_____4. They admired his virile strength. d. Carefree
_____5. You should not be so frivolous during exam week e. Advantageousness
because you need to study!
_____6. They considered the expediency of appointing f. Forefront
an assistant to the manager to make work more efficient.
_____7. The Bible is the anchorage of any good Christian. g. Inactive
_____8. The presenter’s sudden clap woke up the dormant listeners. h. Inspired
_____9. My physics teacher is imbued with the philosophy i. Something that can be
of Albert Einstein. relied on.
_____10. The unfair policies of the administration impelled the k. Incite
workers to go on strike.

Activity 2. Inferring from the Text

Instructions: Answer the question below. Write your answers on a ½ crosswise. (at the back of
Activity 1)

What are some other inferences or conclusions that you can justify based on the given text?

Prepared by:

MARY QUEEN C. ESTRELLA, LPT

Subject Teacher

Checked by:

MA. KENNIA C. SEGOVIA, LPT

English Coordinator

ELLEN MAE F. FRANCO, LPT

SHS Department Head

Recommending Approval:

JUNRIK SALUTA, LPT

Academic Coordinator

BLANCA A. SOMBILON, LPT

Asst. School Principal

Approved:

HON. JULIO M. ESTOLLOSO, LPT, MPA

School Principal