Semi-Final Exam

3. Suppose you have already discussed the poem Miniver Cheevy in your class. Construct 4 questions that would process students understanding about the theme of the poem. 20 points. 

GUIDE QUESTIONS:

1.  How will you describe Miniver Cheevy based on the poem? 

2.  What do you think is Miniver Cheevy’s dilemma in the poem? If you were on his shoes, how will you deal with it?   

3.  Why do you think Miniver Cheevy is being looked down by the people in the society?   

4.  How will you compare Miniver Cheevy from Richard Cory? 

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Semi-Final Exam

2.  Compare and contrast Miniver with Richard Cory. Miniver Cheevy is the subject of another Robinson’s poem. Limit to 200 words only.30 points.

     Both Richard and Miniver were shunned from society neither having any real friends. Though these characters have some similarities, the way in which Robinson portrays them is very different. Richard Cory is admired by his peers, whereas, Miniver Cheevy is opposite; people look down on him. One man appearing to have everything takes his own life, while the other appearing to have nothing accepts his misery. For Richard Cory, the saying money can’t buy happiness, could not be more appropriate. He is, according to the people of the town, the man with everything. Everyone wished they could be more like him, “he had everything to make us wish that we were in his place”. 

     In contrast to Miniver Cheevy, he had nothing to be admired for, he had done nothing with his life and yet he longed to have the adoration that Richard Cory had, the respect and almost kingly qualities, “he was a gentleman from sole to crown”. Miniver Cheevy wanted to be the hero that Cory was to the people on the street. “Miniver mourned the ripe renown that made so many a name so fragrant.” 

Semi-Final Exam

1. Everyone has met Richard Cory. Someone who suffers inner turmoil but appears outwardly calm. How did you deal with such personality? Write a descriptive essay about this idea.  (There is no need to mention the person's name.) Limit to 300 words only. 35 points

Problems are spices of life as they say. It makes us grow more mature and more flexible enough to face our future. These problems, which are just but natural can cause changes – whether positive or negative.  Who would love to face dilemmas most of time? Obviously, there is no one. So, one would instantly search for the solution of his every problem. In fact, some would resort to what they call an easy way out while there are also some who love to dance with their problems, take each easy step at a time until they find the panacea to their problems that they have been looking for.

I have known a person who seemed to be so free from problems, worries and who was very calm outwardly. Whenever you look at her, you would really tell yourself how lucky she was for having that kind of personality. She was well-off and she was sent to a prominent university by her parents but after she graduated, she wasn’t able to land a job due to lack of self-esteem to apply for one. But despite that, she remained to be still and steady with her life.

            One day, a great turmoil came to her life. Such turmoil caused her to feel bitter about life. She changed a lot. She began to isolate herself from her friends and never talked to anyone. She seldom went out from their house and we didn’t even hear any news about her from her family. We wondered why we no longer seeing her. Until such time that we discovered from a neighbor that this person was facing a great shame due to her wrong decisions in life. Later on, we discovered that her nude videos have been uploaded to the internet. We resented to what happened to her. So, we decided to help her by blocking the user who uploaded her videos. Now, we can no longer access her video. Thank God for the culprit was already blocked.

            After what had happened, the guilt and shame still remained to her and due to that, she tend to end her very own precious life. We were all alarmed upon hearing the news that she committed suicide. However, we proved to ourselves that God really works in ways we cannot see. God extended her life and gave her a brand new life – a life free from condemnation.

            She sought for God’s forgiveness from the mistakes that she had committed from the past as well as forgave herself to bring back her self-respect.  Today, she is serving in the church and inspiring others through her life testimony.

RETELLING A REFLECTIVE STORY: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Beauty and the Beast

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The rich merchant not only has three daughters but also three sons who have little to do with the story. All the girls are good looking, particularly the youngest who becomes known as Little Beauty. The sisters are vain and jealous of Beauty who is by contrast modest and charming and wishes to stay with her father.

All of a sudden the family loses its money and is forced into a poorer lifestyle which makes life more difficult all around and exaggerates the differences between Beauty and her sisters. Beauty and the three brothers throw themselves into working for their new life while the sisters are bored. The father takes a trip in the hopes of regaining his wealth, and the older sisters demand he bring them expensive garments. Beauty asks simply for a rose.

The father is unsuccessful in his attempt to regain his wealth and in despair, wandering in the forest, is trapped in a snow storm. He comes upon a seemingly deserted palace where he finds food and shelter for the night. In the morning he wanders into the garden where he sees the perfect rose for Beauty. Upon plucking it, a hideous Beast appears and says that for his thievery he must die. The father begs for his life and, the Beast agrees to let him go if one of his daughters will take his place. If she refuses, then he must return to die himself. The Beast gives him a chest filled with gold and sends him home. This treasure enables the older daughters to make fashionable marriages. On giving Beauty the rose, her father cannot help but tell her what happened. The brothers offer to slay the Beast but the father knows that they would die in the process. Beauty insists on taking her father’s place, and so she returns with him to the Beast’s palace where he reluctantly leaves her.

In a dream Beauty sees a beautiful lady who thanks her for her sacrifice and says that she will not go unrewarded. The Beast treats her well; all her wishes are met by magic. He visits her every evening for supper and gradually Beauty grows to look forwards to these meetings as a break to the monotony of her life. At the end of each visit the Beast asks Beauty to be his wife, which she refuses although agreeing never to leave the palace. Beauty sees in the magic mirror that her father is desperately missing her and asks that she might return to visit him. The Beast assents on the condition that she return in seven days, lest he die.

The next morning she is at home. Her father is overjoyed to see her but the sisters are once again jealous of Beauty, her newly found happiness and material comfort with the Beast. They persuade Beauty to stay longer, which she does, but on the tenth night she dreams of the Beast who is dying. Wishing herself back with him, she is transported back to the castle where she finds the Beast dying of a broken heart. She realizes that she is desperately in love with the Beast and says that she would gladly marry him. At this the Beast is transformed into a prince, the Father joins them at the palace and the sisters are turned into statues until they own up to their own faults.

The Prince and Beauty live happily ever after because their "contentment is founded on goodness."

DESCRIPTIVE PATTERN ORGANIZER