ENGLISH 9

FINAL EXAM

Submitted By:

MOHAMAD KALID M. HAMED

 I. NARRATION

A.

One of my hardest decision to make back then was when I was a fresh
graduate from college. We got this group or student association set up when I
was still studying back then. We invited motivators, life coaches, and religious
scholar talking about life and stuff that will help us with our studies and life in
general. We were an up and coming student association. And then we got this
call that a famous scholar was interested to fly down here in Philippines from
Zimbabwe and was willing to be our main attraction for our upcoming event.
So the whole team was so excited. We got the whole team and families to
help us fund the event. We got sponsors to lease the auditorium of the
University of the Philippines (UP) and even we got sponsors for the Airfare
and accommodations for the speakers. So everything was going smooth and
the event was sold out.

Suddenly, when the event was within the week, a guy met us and told
us that the main speaker was in doubt and hesitant to fly down here due to
personal reasons. So the team was down, special me. I was the man back
then calling the shots for the event. No speakers means we got to refund all of
the tickets sold and all the sacrifices and hardships was all for nothing. So the
team set up a meeting with me and asked if we should push through with the
event. I did not know what to do. Part of me wants to just give up and call off
the event, but a part of me also wants to push through with it because all the
sacrifices of the team. So I told them to wait for a day or two and I will make a
decision.

So I was thinking so hard that night. It was really hard decision for me.
My value and ideal back then, and even now is never give up. Just do your
hardest and pray that GOD will guide you. S I made up my mind and texted
everyone that we will push through with the event. And then GODs help shun
upon us. Every invited speaker was all set and good. They were all willing to
come and set aside their personal reasons. We were so happy and excited
again.

B.

One of my personal experiences I cannot forget was when I was

reviewing for the CPA licensure exam. Back in school, I was not an achiever. I
just wanted to pass the subject and was all fun and games. Hell, I did not
even think about graduating because I was in and out of college. Fortunately,
I got to graduate and the next obstacle was the CPA board exam. My first
take was a joke between my friends, whom I was living with that time in a
condo. We tried our luck even without studying in our best. Expectedly, we
flunk our first try. We laughed it out. But at the back of my mind, I needed to
focus and try my best in my second try.

In my second review, I rented a single pad. I was so focused to study

that I did not met with any friends and family. i was so focused with the
upcoming exam that I lost sleep. I prayed a lot to God and asked that this
second try, hopefully I could pass. Then the exam came, after the whole
duration of exam I felt good and confident. I felt that this time was my time.
And then the result was out. I was so shocked and disappointed that my name
was not in the passing list. I lost. It just did not feel good. But then something
came up. One my relative that was so close to me was hospitalized. We were
in shock. We did not expect that to happen to him. The doctors told us in the
emergency room that it was a miracle that my relative was not in a critical
condition. A sigh of relief went through me. And then I realized that day, that
whenever we pray so hard, God does not let us hanging. God gives us what
we need and God always knows what’s best for us. I realized that God did not
gave me my wish, to pass the exam, but God gave us the health of our
relative. A miracle happened that day. Wouldn’t you know it, after a few
weeks, I got a message from my friend that I got a conditional status in my
last exam. I just need to get a passing score for just 3 subjects to be a CPA.
Everything just went into its places. I felt that everything happens with the
grace of God.
 III. DESCRIPTION

A. TV PERSONALITY

THE GAME I LOVE

I love basketball. Playing the game and watching the game. My

childhood days were playing with my brothers the whole day. When I was in
elementary through college, all of I can think of is how to get into the varsity
team or just the club team. It was my outlet, out of the boring classes. I loved
the game so much that I even wake up early in the morning just to watch my
favorite team in the National Basketball Association (NBA), which is televised
in the States. So we had different times here and there.

One player I really admired was Emmanuel Ginobili. Or fondly called by

team of fans, Manu. He was a player from Argentina. He was an unknown
player starting up in the NBA. The San Antonio Spurs picked him in the draft
late in the second round. Nobody really wanted him. Back then, the norm
about European or foreign players were they were soft and slow compared to
American players who were big and fast. He was neither big nor fast, but one
thing he had that most players don’t, he had the passion. I googled his career
and found out that he was a decorated player in Europe. He was a named the
most valuable player in both Italy and European league. He won
championship at any level he played at and what was elusive was an NBA
championship. He had this game that nobody had. He was electrifying when
he handles the ball down the court. He sees the pass before it happens. He
was creative. He got this one-step move that nobody has seen. He was my
present day favorite player to watch.

After twenty-three years playing in the NBA, he retired. He won four

championships. Making him a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee. He played all
his season in San Antonio. Telling that he sacrificed his salary for the team
and gave emphasis on loyalty. He did not care about his salary getting
deducted, all he wanted was playing the game that he loved and it showed in
his playing style. It was a great time for basketball.

B. BEST FRIEND

HOW TO SWIM?

I got a little circle of friends that I surround myself with. And I can say
that every one of them is my best friend. But theirs this one guy back in
elementary and high school days that I will say that save my life. He is my
best friend.

His name was Arvin Casilihan. We met at Grade 4. He was this thin
brown guy. He got short curly hair and big mouth. He kinda talks a lot when I
first saw him. I was this shy guy, just transferred from another school. But this
boy seems to know everyone in our class. He was the so called famous boy in
our class. And then one day, after class, he was playing basketball. All in his
leather black shoes and crisp white uniform, he was playing like nobody
cared. And then the moment came, he saw me just sitting in the side, and
then he invited me “sali ka? Laro tayo.”, and then I nodded. From then on we
played basketball at recess, lunch, and dismissal time. We played so much
that we were inseparable. I used to sleep in his house and we would just stay
late and talk all night. We talked about everything, even of our darkest of
secrets. I realized that he was a good listener. He got all the right words. We
grew up to High school and it was all the same. We played like we were kids
in elementary.

Then a swimming party came. I went to it, knowing that I did not know
how to swim. We went all down the pool, and all of us was playing around.
Suddenly, I was pushed in the deep end of the pool. I was screaming for my
life. Nobody believed me. Everyone simply thought that I was big boy and it
was impossible I did not know how to swim. They felt I was playing around. I
was drowning. I felt that was my day. But someone grabbed my hand. I raised
my head and I saw my best friend. I thought I was saved. My best friend also
did not know how to swim. Both of us were drowning. And then everybody
helped us. We got rushed into the hospital by an ambulance. I looked at my
best friend and he was asleep. I realized that he tried to save me thinking he
did not know how to swim. He gave me that precious second to breathe in the
brink of death. I was so thankful that he was beside me. He saved me. He is
my best friend forever.
 II. EXPOSITION

A. MANNER OF COURTSHIP NOW AND THEN

Courting under Filipino tradition gives very big importance on the value
of respecting the woman and her family and strictly adhering with proper rules
set by society for pursuing a lady. This practice which dates back to the
Spanish times prohibits men to be very aggressive or becoming even when
they want the lady very much. One cannot just talk and approach a lady in the
street and ask her number or address. If a young man sees a lady he likes he
should seek out the help of a go-between, usually a common friend of both
family, to ask the permission of the girl’s father whether he can visit them in
their house. This is the gentlemanly thing to do so the parents will most likely
approve unless of course the lady is just a child. When the approval is
obtained, the suitor can then come to the house with the go-between who will
initiate the introductions to the family. The parents in turn will introduce their
daughter to the gentleman. In this stage, the suitor is expected to bring
"pasalubong" or gifts to the family and a special one to the girl he likes. This
he will have to do every time he visits the girl's house.

After the initial visit, the suitor is then expected to woo the girl by
showing up in her house more often and establish rapport with her family.
This is the stage where he does the "paninilbihan" or servitude. He serves the
girls family in any way that he can to show to them and to the girl of his
sincere intentions and love for her, be it by chopping firewood, fetching water
from the well, etc. It is a way of saying "I will do anything to prove my love for
you". At night, he will sing "harana" or love songs outside the girls house by
the window with a guitar and his friends serving as backups. They will sing
and wait until the lady finally opens the window and invites them into the
house. They will then be served with light snacks and they can talk in the
presence of the girl’s parents and the man's friends. Note that in most times,
the couple will be with either friends or families. It is considered inappropriate
to leave an unmarried couple unsupervised in those times no matter what
their ages are.

Modern Filipino courtship revolves more on the liberalism of Filipino

youth. If Filipinos of opposite sex were not allowed to mingle in public in the
old days, it is possible now a day. These have allowed courtship to be a little
more lenient on youngsters. You can now meet a girl you like through a
common friend, on a party, or through online social media and very oftentimes
on a street as the same is still regarded as inappropriate. Some modern and
liberal-minded Filipinas don't do this anymore and prefers to meet up
somewhere else instead, a clear disregard of tradition and parental respect.
Modern courtship does not really have a pattern. It could start from a group
date where friends would pair friends up and tease them. Friends could play
cupid and set a couple up and leave them on their own to talk then before you
know it they are going out on a date. With the influence of western television,
modern courtship these days is going fast although it doesn't necessarily have
the emotional baggage attached with immediately going to bed. It would take
a lot longer time for Filipinos to trust each other to get to that point. It stems on
the virtues rooted from the olden days. Modern Filipina ladies are also
decisive on their choices. Those who do not really want their suitors would not
hesitate on letting them know of this fact. A refused suitor is called "basted".
These modern Filipinas are only a tip of the iceberg as most Filipinas
especially the ones in the province still adheres to the traditional way of
courtship. Most families still observes the rituals connected to panliligaw,
pamamanhikan or paghingi ng kamay, dowry etc. Gone were the days of
paninilbihan and haranas. These days, it is enough that a man shows up in a
lady's house and bonds with the woman's family. He is not expected to chop
wood or fetch water but at least show the girl's family that he is worthy enough
of her love.

B. FORMS OF GOVERNMENT

Government comprises the set of legal and political institutions that

regulate the relationships among members of a society and between the
society and outsiders. These institutions have the authority to make decisions
for the society on policies affecting the maintenance of order and the
achievement of certain societal goals. Aristotle distinguished three principal
kinds of government: monarchy, aristocracy, and polity (a kind of enlightened
democracy). The differences among them chiefly concerned whether power
were held by one, by a few, or by many.

The most common form of government from ancient times to the early
part of the 20th century was monarchy, or rule by a hereditary king or queen.
Monarchy passed through three basic stages, varying according to the nation
and the political and economic climate. The first stage was that of the
absolute monarch. Limited monarchy was the second stage. The third stage
was the constitutional monarchy. Today most governments derive their
legitimacy from national constitutions that provide a legal framework for their
rule and specify how power is to be exercised and controlled. Even one-party
states, such as the traditional Communist countries and other nations in
Africa, Asia, and South America, have found it necessary to establish formal
constitutions. In democratic countries the constitution can be amended or
replaced by popular vote, either directly or through a system of elected
representatives. Democratic governments vary in structure. Two common
forms are the parliamentary and the presidential. In the parliamentary form of
government, as in Australia, Britain, Canada, or India, all political power is
concentrated in the parliament or legislature. In the presidential form of
government, as in France and the United States, the voters elect a powerful
chief executive who is independent of the legislature but whose actions are
delimited by constitutional and other legal restraints. As a form of government,
dictatorship is principally a 20th-century phenomenon. The dictator, often a
military leader, concentrates political power in himself and his clique. There is
no effective rule of law. The regime may or may not have a distinctive political
ideology and may or may not allow token opposition. The main function of a
dictatorship is to maintain control of all governmental operations. Effective
government in any form requires a workable method for distributing authority
within the country. The larger and more diverse the jurisdiction of the
government, the stronger the tendency toward a federal system in which
authority is "layered" or distributed among different levels. In countries with a
relatively homogeneous population and with a common tradition, language,
and sense of national history, the central governments may not be federal but
unitary — that is, they may retain most of the administrative power at the
center. Federal systems also include autonomous local governments such as
county governments and municipal governments — in cities, boroughs,
townships, and villages local governments may stand in a relationship to their
state governments that correspond to that of state governments with the
national government. The citizens in each jurisdiction elect many of the public
officials. In addition, certain special districts exist with a single function, such
as education or sanitation, and have their own elected officials. In unitary
states the national government performs all the governmental functions.
Subnational national units administer matters within their jurisdiction, but their
powers are set and delegated by the national authority. The national
government retains the police power — the inherent power to provide for the
health, safety, and welfare of its citizens. Taxation and major law making
powers also rest almost entirely with the national government. Confederation
produces the weakest central government. Member states in a confederation
retain their sovereignty, delegating to the central government only those
powers that are essential for its maintenance. The individual states jealously
guard their power to tax and to make their own laws.
 IV. PERSUASION

A. DIVORCE, NOT A SOLUTION.

Divorce is not a solution. It gives much more problem than helping. You
have a family. It is of course better for everyone involved to maintain an intact
family, If you are able to find a way to work through your issues and set a
good example for your children of what a healthy relationship can look like, it
would be better for the family.

Believe it or not, divorce has health implications. Since stress plays a

role in illness, it would only make sense that splitting up would cause or
exacerbate symptoms of an underlying illness. The financial burden of
supporting your own household may not be a reality. While it may not seem
like a great reason, a romantic reason, or even a good reason, many couples
find a way to work things out because they cannot financially swing things on
their own. They need to put the interests of all parties involved into
consideration, and decide on a quality of life and standard of living. There are
good characteristics of the other person that caused you to fall in love with
them in the first place. If you think it is possible to tap into those thoughts and
feelings again, it is worth exploring and doing the work.

Being husband and wife involves a give and take relationship. It

supposed to be hard, but it supposed to be happy too. One needs to realize
that it is not always lovey dovey in marriage. It requires time and sacrifices for
things to work out. Divorce is not always an answer. Married couple should
always work things through out for the sake of the family.

B. OBJECTIVE TYPE OF EXAMINATION DOES TEST KNOWLEDGE.

Examinations are a very common assessment and evaluation tool in

universities and there are many types of examination questions. Objective
tests are appropriate when: a.) the group to be tested is large and the test
may be reused; b.) highly reliable scores must be obtained as efficiently as
possible; and c.) impartiality of evaluation, fairness, and free from possible
test scoring influences are essential. Objective tests can be used to measure
almost any important educational achievement a written test can measure,
test understanding and ability to apply principles, test ability to think critically
and test ability to solve problems. The capacity of objective tests to assess a
wide range of learning is often underestimated. Objective tests are very good
at examining recall of facts, knowledge and application of terms, and
questions that require short text or numerical responses. They can, for
example, significantly reduce marking time and analysis of individual
questions is more feasible. This allows teachers/tutors to quickly identify
areas where only a few candidates respond correctly or where most
candidates choose the same incorrect option and try to correct any
misconceptions. Also questions can be more easily pre-tested in order to
evaluate their effectiveness and level of difficulty.
 C. SAME SEX MARRIAGE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE
PHILIPPINES.

Same-sex marriage should not be legalized due to its harmful effects

on societal order, the Constitution, and traditional religious values. Many
people think that variety is the spice of life, but that is not always necessarily
true. In a recent study, the assessment of populations of adults, both who
lived in a home with heterosexual parents, and those who lived in a home
where either one or both of the parents had been in a same-sex relationship
in their lifetime. The results were astounding. A higher percentage of children
who had parents with a past same-sex relationship used marijuana, smoked,
were arrested and convicted for non-minor offenses, and thought about
suicide. Also as a direct result of same-sex parents, children are deprived of
either one or the other of their natural parents. When children are raised in a
home without a father, the odds of an unhappy life go up. The same goes for
a mother’s absence. The Philippines is principally a Christian country,
particularly a Roman Catholic nation. Although there is a separation of the
church and the state, the lawmakers of the Philippines consider morals
derived from the Bible in legislating laws. If the Philippine government will
legalize same-sex marriage, it would violate the religious freedom and the
long-held morals of the majority. Homosexuality is considered a sin according
to the Holy Bible as said in Leviticus 18:22 which says “Thou shalt not lie with
mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination”. This would mean that gay
marriage is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. It goes against His
intended design for us, for a man and a woman to be united in holy
matrimony. This is according to Mark 10: 6-9 which says “But at the beginning
of creation God made them male and female. For this reason, a man will
leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become
one flesh so they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has
joined together, let no one separate”. What God’s will is, let no one go
against. Homosexual couples are same-sex; therefore if a gay or lesbian
couple would decide to have a child, they could opt for in vitro fertilization or
hire a “baby-maker”. This would render their children lacking a mother or a
father as the parents would be either both male or female. This is harmful for
a growing child because naturally and biologically, children long for both.