Setting, characters, plot, exposition, climax, complication, falling rising action, resolution, intonation, shift, idiomatic expression

The setting is the location of the action. An author should describe the environment or surroundings of the story in such detail that the reader feels that he or she can picture the scene. Unusual settings (such as a fantasy world) can be interesting, but everyday settings can help a reader to better visualize the story and feel connected to the plot!

The characters are the individuals that the story is about. The author should introduce the characters in the story with enough information that the reader can visualize each person.  This is achieved by providing detailed descriptions of a character’s physical attributes and personality traits.

The plot is the actual story around which the entire book is based. A plot should have a very clear beginning, middle, and end—with all the necessary descriptions and suspense, called exposition—so that the reader can make sense of the action and follow along from start to finish.

An exposition is where everything is introduced. The characters, the setting, the time, the place, the problem, etc.

The climax! When you finally take a breath after holding it in in suspense. This is the most emotional part of the book.  For example, when Harry faces Voldemort in the end of any Harry Potter book.

Complication - Every story has a conflict to solve. The plot is centered on this conflict and the ways in which the characters attempt to resolve the problem. When the story’s action becomes most exciting, right before the resolution, it is called the climax.

Falling Action is when everything tends to slow down. The climax is over. Relating back to my Harry Potter example, this would be after Harry faced Voldemort, and he is in the hospital wing recovering.

The resolution. The conclusion. The end. Whatever you want to call it. But this is the final part of the story when everything is wrapped up. Sometimes the story is finished off completely, answering every reader's question. Sometimes authors leave mysterious, to intrigue the reader. Or sometimes authors leave hints of a sequel.

Resolution -  The solution to the problem is the way the action is resolved. For example, Katie often resolves a conflict by fi nding a compromise for two fighting characters or helping fix any mistakes she made while switcherooed into someone else.  It is important that the resolution fit the rest of the story in tone and creativity and solve all parts of the conflict.

Intonation : The rise and fall of the voice in speaking

Stress : give particular emphasis or importance to (a point, statement, or idea) made in speech or writing.

The rising action is when things begin to escalate. It takes the reader from the exposition and leads them towards the climax. This part tends to be dramatic and suspenseful.

Shift : move or cause to move from one place to another, especially over a small distance.

Idiomatic expressions are a type of informal English that have a meaning different from the meaning of the words in the expression.

Gitgit, Kalutang, Agung, Iraya, Tagbanua, Tultol, Igway,Tikog, Capiz, Puso, Hurdling, Athlon

Gitgit :  n. jostle; crowding; elbowing one's way through.   adj. 1. marked because of tightly tied cord, etc.; 2. cut by sawing motion using dull tool

Kalutang :  Classification: Percussion bars.  Description: A pair of percussion bars which are struck against each other at specific angles to produce a pitch.  These sticks are a part of an entire ensemble of kalutang which when playing together produce melodies.

Agung :  is a set of two wide-rimmed, vertically suspended gongs used by the Maguindanao, Maranao, Sama-Bajau and Tausug people of the Philippines as a supportive instrument in kulintang ensembles.

Iraya  : a tribe of mangyan people inhabiting the mountainous interior of northern Mindoro in the Philippines

Tagbanwa or Tagbanua : one of the oldest ethnic groups in the Philippines, can be mainly found in the central and northern Palawan. Research has shown that the Tagbanwa are possible descendants of the Tabon Man; thus, making them one of the original inhabitants of the Philippines.

Onomatopoeia :  (adjectival form: "onomatopoeic" or "onomatopoetic")  is a word that phonetically imitates, resembles or suggests the source of the sound that it describes. Onomatopoeia (as an uncountable noun) refers to the property of such words. Common occurrences of onomatopoeias include animal noises such as "oink", "miaow" (or "meow"), "roar" or "chirp".

tultol [tul.tul.] :                 direct (v.); guide (v.); lead (v.); usher (v.) command with authority.   intend (something) to move towards a certain goal.   organize or be responsible for.

Igway is the music from the Mangyan province in the Philippines; it is the word for "song." Their music ranges from legends, poems, talking to spirits, to expressing fears.

Visayas. Vi·sa·yas. group of islands in the central Philippines, including Cebu, Leyte, Negros, Panay, Samar, & many smaller islands. also called Visayan Islands.

Panay (/pəˈnaɪ/; Tagalog: [pɐˈnaj]) is an island in the Philippines located in the western part of the Visayas. It is about 100 miles across. Politically, it is divided into four provinces: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo, all in the Western Visayas Region.

Negros  Occidental (Filipino: Kanlurang Negros; Hiligaynon: Negros Nakatundan) is a province of the Philippines located in the Negros Island Region. Its capital is Bacolod City and it occupies the northwestern half of Negros Island; Negros Oriental is at the southeastern half.

Cebu :  officially the City of Cebu (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sugbo, Filipino: Lungsod ng Cebu, Spanish: Ciudad de Cebú, Malay: Kota Sugbu), is the capital city of the province of Cebu and is the "second city" of the Philippines, being the center of Metro Cebu.   Cebu City is a significant center of commerce, trade and education in the Visayas region.

Chocolate Hills are a group of unusually shaped hills located in the middle of the island of Bohol in Philippines. This extraordinary landscape is unique to this small island.

       It is unknown how many chocolate hills there are. It is known that at the bare minimum there are 1268 hills but some estimates put this number as high as 1776.

Mal"mag  : n. [F., from native name in Madagascar.] (Zo["o]l.) The tarsius, or spectral lemur.

Tikog  : Sedge (Fimbristylis utilis) grows from 3 to 5 feet tall. a type of grass that grows wild near rice fields.

Capiz is one of the four provinces of Panay Island in Western Visayas. Located 375 miles southwest of Manila, 136 kilometers northwest of Iloilo City and 86 kilometers east of Kalibo, Aklan, once a part of the early Malay settlement known as Aklan. It is composed of 16 municipalities, 1 component city (Roxas City) and 473 barangays.

capiz (ˈkæpɪz) : n (Zoology) the bivalve shell of a mollusc (Placuna placenta) found esp in the Philippines and having a smooth translucent shiny interior: used in jewellery, ornaments, lampshades, etc.

Guimaras [ɡimaˈɾas] is a fourth class island province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Among the smallest provinces, its capital is Jordan. The island is located in the Panay Gulf, between the islands of Panay and Negros. To the northwest is the province of Iloilo and to the southeast is Negros Occidental.

Pusô : is a type of dumpling made from rice packed inside a diamond-shaped container of woven palm leaf pouch.

relay :  1. - a group of people or animals engaged in a task or activity for a fixed period of time and then replaced by a similar group.

2. - an electrical device, typically incorporating an electromagnet, that is activated by a current or signal in one circuit to open or close another circuit.

hur·dled, hur·dling, hur·dles : v.tr. 1. To leap over (a barrier) in or as if in a race. 2. To overcome or deal with successfully; surmount: hurdle a problem.   v.intr. To leap over a barrier or other obstacle.

de·cath·lon : an athletic event taking place over two days, in which each competitor takes part in the same prescribed ten events (100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1,500-meter run)

athlon  : meaning prize and competition, this 'athl' comes directly from the greek: ἀθλητής (athletes) (a competitor) and the related verb to ἀθλέω (athleo) (to compete for a prize); other derived words include athlos (competition) and athlon (prize).

ath·let·ics : physical sports and games of any kind.  The sport of competing in track and field events, including running races and various competitions in jumping and throwing.

Malmag, Tikog, Puso, Athlon, Magibut, Hardling

Malmag  : n. [F., from native name in Madagascar.] (Zo["o]l.) The tarsius, or spectral lemur.

Tikog  : Sedge (Fimbristylis utilis) grows from 3 to 5 feet tall. a type of grass that grows wild near rice fields.

Pusô : is a type of dumpling made from rice packed inside a diamond-shaped container of woven palm leaf pouch.

relay :  1. - a group of people or animals engaged in a task or activity for a fixed period of time and then replaced by a similar group.

2. - an electrical device, typically incorporating an electromagnet, that is activated by a current or signal in one circuit to open or close another circuit.

decathlon : an athletic event taking place over two days, in which each competitor takes part in the same prescribed ten events (100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1,500-meter run)

athlon  : meaning prize and competition, this 'athl' comes directly from the greek: ἀθλητής (athletes) (a competitor) and the related verb to ἀθλέω (athleo) (to compete for a prize); other derived words include athlos (competition) and athlon (prize).

ath·let·ics : physical sports and games of any kind.  The sport of competing in track and field events, including running races and various competitions in jumping and throwing.

Cebu :  officially the City of Cebu (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sugbo, Filipino: Lungsod ng Cebu, Spanish: Ciudad de Cebú, Malay: Kota Sugbu), is the capital city of the province of Cebu and is the "second city" of the Philippines, being the center of Metro Cebu, the second most populous metropolitan area in the Philippines after Metro Manila. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 866,171 – making it the fifth most populated city in the country.  Cebu City is a significant center of commerce, trade and education in the Visayas region.

Household tools and Materials

Household tools and Materials

All-purpose cleaner — This type of cleaner works on most countertops, sinks and stovetops. If you have granite or marble countertops, purchase a product made specifically for those materials to avoid doing damage over time. The same rule applies to a glass stovetop, which requires a special glass polish.

Glass cleaner — Opt for a streak-free formula to clean your mirrors, windows and other glass with less effort.

Tile and grout cleaner — An acid-based, scrub-free solution works best on bathtub and shower tile, as well as toilets. You will want something mild for your tile floors, though, as acid can eat away at the tile itself and grout. Most tile manufacturers recommend regular removal of loose dust and dirt through damp mopping, with use of a neutral-pH cleaner only when necessary, such as to clean up spills, etc.

Wood cleaner — When cleaning wood furniture, opt for a polish made for the type of finish on your wood. Floors with a polyurethane seal need only a solution of warm water and a mild dishwashing soap to come clean after sweeping or dry mopping. In general, though, you will want to use as little water as possible when cleaning wood.

If you prefer to use eco-friendly products, all of the above are available as such. You also can make your own green cleaners at home.

Microfiber cloth — Microfibers are mostly made of polyester, and, unlike cotton, they leave no lint behind. They are usually knitted and very soft, making them generally safe for use on relatively soft surfaces such as paint or wood. Make sure the cloths haven’t latched onto a small piece of grit that could cause a scratch.

Extendible duster — No matter your height, you will be able to reach the tops of the ceiling fans in your home with one of these handy cleaning tools.

Scrubby sponges — The sponge side works well for most cleanups, while the scrubby side helps you tackle tougher jobs. These work in both the kitchen and bathroom.

Toilet brush — Having a brush that cleans your toilet, and only your toilet, helps curb the spread of germs to other surfaces.

Vacuum — Vacuums work on both hard and soft surfaces, such as carpet, floors and upholstery. Make sure the beater bar is set for the correct surface and use attachments for upholstery and hard to reach, tight spaces such as between your refrigerator and wall.

Bucket — Using a bucket, as opposed to filling a sink with cleaning, makes it much easier to tackle floors.

Microfiber mop — This tool works for many types of hard surface flooring.

Grout brush — These narrow brushes help you free grout lines of debris, resulting in longer-lasting grout.

Rubber gloves—Protect your hands while cleaning, especially when using acid-based cleaners or if you suffer from skin sensitivity.

Other specialty cleaning products and tools you might need:

Hard-water cleaner

Squeegee

Glass stovetop scraper

Pagmumuni-muni, Piping panangis, Agaw-dilim, Sumalunga, Makadurgo-puso

Pagmumuni-muni  -  pag-iisip tungkol sa isang bagay o desisyon, pag-iisip ng malalim.

Piping panangis  - tahimik na pag-iyak

Agaw-dilim - malapit na magdilim, pag-aagaw ng liwanag at dilim

Sumasalunga -  hindi sumasang-ayon, sumalubong

Makadurog-puso - nasaktan o masakit sa damdamin.

Outwitting a Crocodile

Out witting a Crocodile

A Traditional Malaysian Folktale

Sang Kancil is a clever, tricky mouse deer who is always finding himself in predicaments with animals that want to eat him or harm him, but he cleverly manages to escape each time. In this story, Sang Kancil outwits a big, bad crocodile.

The mouse deer outwits the crocodile.
Image from http://dimdima.com/khazana
He stepped on each crocodile, counting each one, and finally reached the other side of the river.

Sang Kancil was a clever mouse deer. Whenever he was in a bad situation, he always played a clever trick to escape. In this story, Sang Kancil outwitted Sang Buaya, a big, bad crocodile, who wanted to eat him.

There were many trees whereSang Kancil's lived along the river, so he never had trouble finding food. There were always lots of leaves. He spent his time running and jumping and looking into the river.

Sang Buaya, the big bad crocodile, lived in the river with other crocodiles. They were always waiting to catch Sang Kancil for dinner. One day when Sang Buaya was walking along the river, he saw some delicious fruit on the trees on the other side the river.

Sang Kancil wanted to taste the tasty-looking fruit because he was a little tired of eating leaves. He tried to think of a way to cross the river, but he had to be careful. He didn't want to be caught and eaten by Sang Buaya. He needed to trick Sang Buaya.

Sang Kancil suddenly had an idea He called out to the crocodile, "Sang Buaya! Sang Buaya!" Sang Buaya slowly came out of the water and asked Sang Kancil why he was shouting his name. He asked Sang Kancil, "Aren't you afraid I will eat you?" Then he opened his big mouth very wide to scare Sang Kancil.

Sang Kancil said, "Of course, I am afraid of you, but the king wants me to do something. He is having a big feast with lots of food, and he is inviting everyone, including you and all the other crocodiles. But first, I have to count all of you. He needs to know how many of you will come. Please line up across the river, so I can walk across your heads and count all of you."

Sang Buaya was excited and left to tell the other crocodiles about the feast with all the good food. Soon, they came and made a line across the river. Sang Kancil said, "Promise not to eat me because or I can't report to the king how many of you are coming. They promised not to eat him.

Sang Kancil stepped on Sang Buaya's head and counted one. Then he stepped on the next one and said, "Two." He stepped on each crocodile, counting each one, and finally reached the other side of the river. Then he said to Sang Buaya,"Thank you for helping me to cross the river to my new home."

Sang Buaya was shocked and angry. He shouted at Sang Kancil, "You tricked us! There is no feast, is there?" All of the crocodiles looked at Sang Buaya angrily. They were angry because he let Sang Kancil trick all of them.

Sang Kancil loved his new home on the other side of the river because he had a lot of tasty food to eat. Poor Sang Buaya was not so lucky. After that, none of the other crocodiles ever talked to him again.

Mockumentary (mokomentaryo)

Mockumentary (mokomentaryo)

Ang mokomentary (isang pagsasama ng mga apeto ng salitang nanunukso at dokumentaryo) ay isang uri ng palabas sa telebisyon o pelikula na kung saan ang mga di totoong pangyayari ay isinasagawa sa paraang ng documentary upang makalikha ng isang pangagaya sa nakakatawang pamamaraan.   Ang mga ganitong likha ay kadalasang ginagamit sa pagsusuri o puna sa mga kasalukuyang pangyayari o problema sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng di makatotohanang tagpo o panggagaya sa paraang dokumentaryo.  Ito ay maaaring drama o nakakatawa, bagaman ang nakakatawang mokomentaryo ay kadalasang ginagawa.  Ang dramatikong mokomentaryo (tinatawag din minsan na docufiction) ngunit hindi ito maaaring ipagkamali bilang docudrama, isang di makakatutuhanang kategorya na kung saan ang paraan ng drama ay sinasamahan ng salik na dokumentaryo upang ilarawan ang tunay na pangyayari.

Ang salitang “mockumentary”, ay nagsimula noong 1960, ito ay sumikat noong kalagitnaan ng 1980 kung saan ginamit na pagsasarawan director Bob Reiner sa kanyang pelikula ng siya ay nakapanayam.

Unang halimbawa

“All You Need is Cash”, isang mokumentaryong pelikula ng American-British director na si Eric Idle, kung saan ipinakikita ang “satirical” o di makatotohanang kasaysayan ng Beatles na “The Rutles”.

Ang mokomentaryo mula noong 1980

Simula noong 1980, ang mokomentaryo uri ay tumatankilik ng maraming pansin, lalong lalo na sa mga gawa ni Direktor Christopher Guest.   Kasama syang sumulat at sinimulan noong 1984 ang mokomentaryong pelikulang “This is Spinal Tap”, na idinerik ni Rob Reiner, na sumailalim sa marami pang hanay ng kaparehong kategorya.