Pliant Like the Bamboo Past Paper PDF

by Ismael V. Mallari There is a story in Philippine folklore about a mango tree and a bamboo tree. Not being able to agree as to which was the stronger of the two, they called upon the wind to make the decision. The wind blew hardest. The mango tree stood fast. It would not yield. It knew it was s...

by Ismael V. Mallari There is a story in Philippine folklore about a mango tree and a bamboo tree. Not being able to agree as to which was the stronger of the two, they called upon the wind to make the decision. The wind blew hardest. The mango tree stood fast. It would not yield. It knew it was strong and sturdy. It would not sway. It was too proud. It was too sure of itself. But finally its root gave way, and it tumbled down. The bamboo tree was wiser. It knew it was not as robust as the mango tree. And so every time the wind blew, it bent its head gracefully. It made loud protestations, but let the wind have its way. When finally the wind got tired of blowing, the bamboo tree still stood in all its beauty and grace. What prompted the mango tree and the bamboo tree to seek a decision? A\) A disagreement on strength ✔ B\) A request from the villagers C\) A competition to grow taller D\) A challenge from the wind E\) An argument over beauty \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- How did the mango tree react when the wind blew? A\) It stood firm and would not yield ✔ B\) It swayed side to side C\) It bent gracefully D\) It danced with the wind E\) It fell easily \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What trait did the bamboo tree possess that the mango tree did not? A\) Thick trunk B\) Dense foliage C\) Flexibility ✔ D\) Height E\) Sturdiness \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What was the outcome for the mango tree when the wind blew hardest? A\) It stood taller than the bamboo tree B\) It transformed into a bamboo tree C\) It fell down after its roots gave way ✔ D\) It produced more mangoes E\) It became a symbol of strength \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What did the bamboo tree do in response to the strong wind? A\) It swayed back and forth B\) It refused to move C\) It shouted at the wind D\) It bent its head gracefully ✔ E\) It called for help \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- After the wind got tired of blowing, what remained of the bamboo tree? A\) It was lying on the ground B\) It became twisted C\) It lost all its leaves D\) It remained standing in beauty and grace ✔ E\) Nothing, it was uprooted \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What does the story suggest about pride and strength? A\) Wisdom is irrelevant in competitions B\) Strength is more important than wisdom C\) Excessive pride can lead to downfall ✔ D\) Pride always leads to victory E\) Trees should always resist the wind \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- Which tree is associated with wisdom in the story? A\) Banana tree B\) Mango tree C\) Pine tree D\) Oak tree E\) Bamboo tree ✔ \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What moral lesson can be drawn from the tale of the mango tree and the bamboo tree? A\) Trees should not compete with each other B\) Never challenge nature C\) It is better to be flexible and adaptable than rigid and proud ✔ D\) Wind is a dangerous adversary E\) Strength is always superior to flexibility \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What does the wind represent in the context of this folklore? A\) The strength of the mango tree B\) Change and challenge ✔ C\) A natural disaster D\) A villain E\) The power of nature \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- The Filipino is like the bamboo tree. He knows that he is not strong enough, to withstand the onslaught of superior forces. And so he yields. He bends his head gracefully with many loud protestations. And he has survived. The Spaniards came and dominated him for more than three hundred years. And, when the Spaniards left, the Filipinos still stood---only much richer in experience and culture. The Americans took place of the Spaniards. They used more subtle means of winning over the Filipinos to their mode of living and thinking. The Filipinos embraced the American way of life more readily than the Spaniard's vague promises hereafter. Then the Japanese came like a storm, like a plague of locusts, like a pestilence---rude, relentless, cruel. The Filipino learned to bow his head low, to "cooperate" with the Japanese in their "holy mission of establishing the Co-Prosperity Sphere." The Filipino had only hate and contempt for the Japanese, but he learned to smile sweetly at them and to thank them graciously for their "benevolence and magnanimity". What is the primary symbolism of the bamboo tree in relation to Filipino identity? A\) Stubbornness and pride B\) Strength and power C\) Resilience and adaptability ✔ D\) Fragility and weakness E\) Resistance and defiance \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- How long did the Spaniards dominate the Filipinos? A\) 200 years B\) 500 years C\) 100 years D\) 300 years ✔ E\) 400 years \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What method did the Americans use to influence the Filipinos? A\) Coercion B\) Subtle means of persuasion ✔ C\) Economic sabotage D\) Military force E\) Cultural rejection \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- How did the Filipinos react to the promises made by the Spaniards? A\) With enthusiasm B\) With acceptance C\) With indifference D\) With skepticism ✔ E\) With resentment \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What did the Japanese invasion symbolize according to the text? A\) A friendly alliance B\) Economic advantage C\) Cultural exchange D\) Hope for change E\) Destruction and cruelty ✔ \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- How did the Filipinos adapt to the presence of the Japanese? A\) They fled the country B\) They welcomed them openly C\) They revolted against them D\) They cooperated while hiding their true feelings ✔ E\) They ignored their presence \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What feeling did the Filipinos harbor towards the Japanese, despite their forced cooperation? A\) Apathy B\) Admiration C\) Trust D\) Hatred and contempt ✔ E\) Joy \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What phrase did the Filipinos use to describe their interaction with the Japanese? A\) \"Holy mission of establishing the Co-Prosperity Sphere\" ✔ B\) \"Cooperation for peace\" C\) \"Legacy of power\" D\) \"Alliance of nations\" E\) \"Holy mission of destruction\" \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- In what way did the Filipinos feel enriched after the Spanish colonization? A\) Through financial gain B\) Through military strength C\) Through cultural and experiential growth ✔ D\) Through political power E\) Through technological advancement \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- Which of the following best describes the Filipino response to colonization throughout history? A\) Open rebellion B\) Passive acceptance C\) Strategic adaptation and survival ✔ D\) Complete submission E\) Unyielding resistance \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- And now that the Americans have come back and driven away the Japanese, those Filipinos who profited most from cooperating with the Japanese have been loudest in their protestations of innocence. Everything is as if the Japanese had never been in the Philippines. For the Filipino would welcome any kind of life that the gods would offer him. That is why he is contented and happy and at peace. The sad plight of other people of the world is not his. To him, as to that ancient Oriental poet, the past is already a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision; but today, well-lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and tomorrow is a vision of hope. This may give you the idea that the Filipino is a philosopher. Well he is. He has not evolved a body of philosophical doctrines. Much less has he put them down into a book, like Kant for example, or Santayana or Confucius. But he does have a philosophical outlook on life. He has a saying that life is like a wheel. Sometimes it is up, sometimes it is down. The monsoon season comes, and he has to go undercover. But then the sun comes out again. The flowers bloom, and the birds sing in the trees. You cut off the branches of a tree, and, while the marks of the bolo\* are still upon it, it begins to shoot forth-new branches---branches that are the promise of new color, new fragrance, and new life. Everywhere about him is a lesson in patience and forbearance that he does not have to learn with difficulty. For the Filipino lives in a country on which the gods lavished their gifts aplenty. He does not have to worry about the morrow. Tomorrow will be only another day---no winter of discontent. Of he loses his possessions, there is the land and there is the sea, with all the riches that one can desire. There is plenty to spar---for friends, for neighbors and for everyone else. No wonder that the Filipino can afford to laugh. For the Filipino is endowed with saving grace of humor. This humor is earthly as befits one who has not indulged in deep contemplation. But it has enabled the Filipino to shrug his shoulders in times of adversity and say to himself "*Bahala na*"\*. What event is referenced as having recently occurred in the Philippines? A\) The return of the Americans ✔ B\) The declaration of martial law C\) The independence movement D\) The colonization by the Spanish \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- How do some Filipinos feel after the Japanese occupation, according to the passage? A\) Defiant in their protests of innocence ✔ B\) Grateful to the Japanese C\) Proud of their cooperation with the Japanese D\) Eager to forget the past \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- Which philosophical outlook is mentioned regarding the Filipino\'s approach to life? A\) Existentialism B\) Individualism C\) Contentment and peace ✔ D\) The importance of wealth \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What metaphor does the Filipino use to describe life? A\) Life is a river B\) Life is like a wheel ✔ C\) Life is a journey D\) Life is a dance \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- How does the passage describe the Filipino\'s reaction to adversity? A\) He collapses in despair B\) He laughs and shrugs it off ✔ C\) He becomes aggressive D\) He seeks revenge \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What does the Filipino believe about tomorrow? A\) It is too far away to consider B\) It will bring uncertainty C\) It will be another day ✔ D\) It will be filled with challenges \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- According to the passage, what can the Filipino rely on after losing possessions? A\) Government assistance B\) The support of family C\) The land and the sea ✔ D\) His own skills \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What is the nature of the Filipino humor mentioned in the text? A\) Earthy and pragmatic ✔ B\) Sarcastic and bitter C\) Cynical and dark D\) Deeply philosophical \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What lesson does the Filipino seem to learn from nature? A\) That life is unpredictable B\) That change is painful C\) That beauty is fleeting D\) That patience and forbearance are important ✔ \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- What does the phrase \"Bahala na\" signify about the Filipino\'s attitude? A\) Determination to fight back B\) Defiance against adversity C\) Fatalism and acceptance ✔ D\) A sense of abandonment \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-- The Filipino has often been accused of being indolent and of lacking initiative. And he has answered back\* that no one can help being indolent and lacking in initiative who lives under the torrid sun which saps the vitality. This seeming lack of vitality is, however, only one og his means of survival. He does not allow the world to be too much with him. Like the bamboo tree, he lets the winds of chance and circumstance blow all about him; and he is unperturbed and serene. The Filipino, in fact, has a way of escaping from the rigorous problems of life. Most of his art is escapist in nature. His forefathers wallowed in the \*moro-moro, the awit, and the kurido. They loved to identify themselves as gallant knights battling for the favors of fair ladies or the possession of hallowed place. And now he himself loves to be lost in the throes and modern romance and adventure. His gallantry towards women---especially comely women---is a manifestation of his romantic turn of mind. Consequently, in no other place in Orient are women so respected, so adulated, and so pampered. For his women have enabled the Filipinos to look upon the vicissitudes of fortune as the bamboo tree regards the angry blasts of the blustering wind. Here are 20 multiple-choice questions based on the provided content, along with the correct answers indicated: 1\. What is the common accusation against Filipinos mentioned in the text? a\) They are overly ambitious. b\) They are indolent and lack initiative. c\) They are too materialistic. d\) They are uneducated. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) They are indolent and lack initiative. 2\. How does the author describe the impact of the torrid sun on Filipinos? a\) It energizes them. b\) It has no effect on them. c\) It saps their vitality. d\) It makes them more productive. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* c) It saps their vitality. 3\. According to the text, what does the Filipino\'s seeming lack of vitality represent? a\) His laziness. b\) A means of survival. c\) A cultural deficiency. d\) Lack of education. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) A means of survival. 4\. What metaphor is used to describe the Filipino\'s resilience? a\) The oak tree. b\) The bamboo tree. c\) The palm tree. d\) The mango tree. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) The bamboo tree. 5\. What does the author suggest about the Filipino\'s approach to life\'s problems? a\) They confront them head-on. b\) They often escape from them. c\) They ignore them completely. d\) They solve them with technology. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) They often escape from them. 6\. Which traditional Filipino art forms are mentioned in the text? a\) Ballet and opera. b\) Moro-moro, awit, and kurido. c\) Painting and sculpture. d\) Modern dance and theater. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) Moro-moro, awit, and kurido. 7\. How did the forefathers of Filipinos express their gallantry? a\) By engaging in sports. b\) By battling for favors of fair ladies. c\) Through business ventures. d\) By writing poetry. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) By battling for favors of fair ladies. 8\. In the present day, what themes do Filipinos enjoy in their escapist art? a\) Historical events. b\) Modern romance and adventure. c\) Political commentary. d\) Scientific achievements. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) Modern romance and adventure. 9\. What is highlighted as a manifestation of the Filipino\'s romantic turn of mind? a\) Their artistic expressions. b\) Their gallantry towards women. c\) Their culinary traditions. d\) Their religious practices. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) Their gallantry towards women. 10\. How are women perceived in Filipino society according to the text? a\) They are seen as subservient. b\) They are respected, adulated, and pampered. c\) They are considered equals. d\) They have little influence. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) They are respected, adulated, and pampered. 11\. What does the author compare the Filipino\'s perspective on fortune to? a\) A sturdy wall. b\) The bamboo tree\'s view of the wind. c\) A river\'s flow. d\) A mountain\'s stability. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) The bamboo tree\'s view of the wind. 12\. What does the author imply about the nature of Filipino art? a\) It is always serious and somber. b\) It often reflects escapism. c\) It is primarily focused on realism. d\) It lacks creativity. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) It often reflects escapism. 13\. What does \"moro-moro\" refer to in Filipino culture? a\) A type of dance. b\) A form of theater. c\) A musical genre. d\) A traditional game. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) A form of theater. 14\. What is the tone of the passage regarding the Filipino\'s indolence? a\) Criticizing and negative. b\) Understanding and sympathetic. c\) Indifferent and neutral. d\) Sarcastic and mocking. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) Understanding and sympathetic. 15\. Which of the following best captures the essence of the Filipino\'s response to life\'s challenges? a\) They fight valiantly. b\) They remain calm and adaptable. c\) They seek revenge. d\) They ignore the challenges. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) They remain calm and adaptable. 16\. The term \"kurido\" is associated with which aspect of Filipino culture? a\) Traditional cuisine. b\) Poetry and storytelling. c\) Music and dance. d\) Traditional martial arts. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) Poetry and storytelling. 17\. How does the author view the relationship between Filipinos and their environment? a\) Adversarial. b\) Harmonious and adaptive. c\) Indifferent. d\) Hostile. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) Harmonious and adaptive. 18\. What role does the sun play in the Filipino\'s life according to the text? a\) It is a source of inspiration. b\) It creates hardship and fatigue. c\) It is mostly ignored. d\) It enhances productivity. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) It creates hardship and fatigue. 19\. How does the author describe the Filipino\'s emotional state in the face of adversity? a\) Frustrated and angry. b\) Unperturbed and serene. c\) Helpless and despondent. d\) Anxious and fearful. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) Unperturbed and serene. 20\. What does the author suggest about the cultural legacy of Filipinos? a\) It has been lost over time. b\) It reflects a strong sense of identity. c\) It is primarily based on Western influences. d\) It is focused on economic success. \*\*Correct Answer:\*\* b) It reflects a strong sense of identity. The Filipino is eminently suited to his romantic role. He is slender and wiry. He is nimble and graceful in his movements, his voice is soft, and h has the gift of language. In what other place in the world can you find a people who can carry on a fluent conversation in at least \*three languages? This gift is another means by which the Filipino as managed to survive. There is no insurmountable barrier between him and any of the people who have come to live with him--- Spanish, American, and Japanese. The foreigners do not have learn his language. He easily manages to master theirs. Verily, the Filipino is like the bamboo tree. In its grace, in its ability to adjust itself to the peculiar and inexplicable whims of fate, the bamboo tree is his expressive and symbolic national tree, it will have to be, not the molave or the narra, but the bamboo. \*[[bolo]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolo_knife) - a Filipino sword, usually used in cutting bamboo and trees. During the Philippine- Spanish Revolution, Bolos are used by the [[Katipuneros]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katipunan) to fight against the Spaniards. \*\"Bahala na\" - a Tagalog phrase which really means \"Bathala na\", (Bathala referring to god), which literally means \"Just leave everything to God\" or \"God will provide\" \*This phrase refers to [[Dr. Jose Rizal]\'](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Rizal)s defense on the colonial spaniard\'s accuse of the indolence of the Filipinos. It was published in La Solidaridad in Madrid. His essay written in Spanish was in English entitled \"Indolence of the Filipinos\" \*moro-moro - a play famous during the Spanish occupation in the Philippines. Its theme always depict the fight between a Christian and a Muslim who in the end, the Christian (being always depicted as the protagonists) wins the said fight. \*[[awit]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awit) - a form of Filipino poetry very popular during the Spanish occupation in the Philippines. One best example is the [[\"Florante at Laura\"]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florante_at_Laura) (Florante and Laura) by [[Francisco Baltazar]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Balagtas) \*kurido - a form of Filipino poetry very popular during the Spanish occupation in the Philippines. It comes from the word \"corrido\" in Spanish. One of the best known kurido is the story of \"[[Ibong Adarna]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibong_Adarna_%28mythology%29)\" (The Adarna Bird) \*three languages\... - it refers to Spanish, English and Filipino languages. During the time that the author is writing this piece, it is notable that Filipinos are required to study these three languages.