3. Sample Footer Text
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KEY IDEAS
Interpreting Narratives
Most Essential Learning Competency
• Recognize positive and negative message conveyed in a
text (Q2)
• Determine various social, moral and economic issues
discussed in the text listened to ( Q3) (EN8LCIII-7.4).
7. ACTIVITY 1:Questions
Q1.Knowing that The Aged Mother is a narrative like
Androcles and the Lion, what do you expect it to be
about?
Q2.Knowing that The Aged Mother is a narrative, how
do you expect it to be structured?
Q3.How would your expectations change if The Aged
Mother was a romantic comedy or a crime or a horror
film? Pick one of those types of film for this answer.
8. Component 2: Purpose of the lesson
In this lesson we are going to read a more
complex folk tale and apply our knowledge
of narratives to work out what it means and
the extent to which it conforms to the
features of narrative that we have seen in
Lessons 1 and 2.
10. Component 3: Language Practice
SHOGUN Meaning
Sentence
In the 15th century, the
shogun controlled both
the military and
finances of Japan.
a military ruler of a
part of Japan a long
time ago
11. Component 3: Language Practice
AGED Meaning
Sentence
The wine is aged in
oak barrels.
??
12. Component 3: Language Practice
WIDOWED Meaning
Sentence
She was widowed after
three years of marriage.
??
13. Component 3: Language Practice
PROVINCE Meaning
Sentence
We always have our
vacation in my father's
province.
??
14. Component 3: Language Practice
PROCLAMATION Meaning
Sentence
??
The government
restricted the use of
water
by proclamation.
15. Component 3: Language Practice
THE KINDEST
MODE OF
DEATH
Meaning
Sentence
??
Leaving his mother in the
mountains is the kindest
mode of death.
16. Component 3: Language Practice
THE SUMMIT OF
THE MOUTAIN
Meaning
Sentence
??
I want to reach the
summit of the mountain.
17. Component 3: Language Practice
THE SHOGUN
AND HIS
OFFICIALS
Meaning
Sentence
??
The shogun and his
officials roam around the
province.
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COMPONENT 4A: READING THE TEXT
The Aged Mother
A long time ago at the foot of a mountain in Japan there lived a poor farmer and his aged, widowed
mother. They owned a bit of land which supplied them with food, and they were humble, peaceful
and happy.
Unfortunately, they lived in a province ruled by a shogun who made a proclamation that all aged
people were immediately to be put to death. The farmer loved his mother but no one in this
province ever disobeyed the shogun. So he strapped his mother to his back and took her up the
mountain called Obatsuyama, the mountain where the aged were often abandoned to die. This was
considered the kindest mode of death.
There were many paths up to the summit of the mountain and it was easy to get confused.
Unknown to the farmer, his mother carefully pulled twigs from the bushes and threw them on the
ground so that her son would know the way back down. When they reached the top, he laid her
down carefully and was about to leave her when he realized he did not know the way back.
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COMPONENT 4A: READING THE TEXT
“Follow the twigs I laid down for you,” his mother said. It was then he knew that he could
not leave her there to die alone. Once again he strapped his mother to his back and
together they went back down the mountain. Once home, he decided to hide his mother
from the shogun and his officials.
One day the shogun visited the province and demanded that the people give him a rope
made out of ashes. No-one knew how to make one. However, the farmer’s mother found
the solution. “Make a rope of twisted straw,“ she said, “then stretch it out on a row of flat
stones and burn it on a windless night.”
When the shogun arrived to claim his rope of ashes, he asked who had been able to make
one. The farmer admitted that it was his aged mother.
The shogun was surprised and said, “My country needs more than just the strength of
youth. How could I have forgotten the well-known saying, ‘with the crown of snow there
comes wisdom’?” At that very hour, the cruel law was abolished.
20. Q1. What event causes the farmer to take his
mother up the mountain?
Q2.Find evidence of the mother’s love for her son.
Q3.Find evidence that the mother is very wise
despite her age.
21. Q4.What reason does the shogun have for ordering all aged
people to be killed? You will have to look very closely at the
text to find the answer.
Q5.Write the meaning of ‘with the crown of snow there
comes wisdom’ in your own words.
Q6.Your teacher has asked for your opinion about whether
or not this story should be used again next year in Year 8.
Write a short paragraph in the Workbook either justifying it
being kept OR it being dumped. Give your reasons.
