Notre Dame - Siena College of Polomolok
Polomolok, South Cotabato
Service Education Department
Teacher Education Program
Professional Education Program
DEVELOPMENTAL READING 1
"THE HEART OF SUMMER"
Submitted by:
Glydel E. Maquiling
1. List down at least 10 words from the selection that are new to you. Look up the meaning in a
dictionary.
Whorl - a pattern that is made by a series of circles that turn around a center point
Elfin - having an otherworldly or magical quality or charm
Spasm - a sudden uncontrolled and often painful tightening of a muscle
Lacquered - a liquid that is spread on wood or metal and that dries to form a hard and
shiny surface
Nimble - quick and light in movement
Froth - bubbles that form in or on a liquid
Gossamer - a very light or delicate material
Mesh - a material made from threads or wires with evenly spaced holes that allow air or
water to pass through.
Phosphorescent - of or relating to a type of light that glows softly in the dark and that
does not produce heat.
Beckoning - attractive or inviting
2. What is the selection about?
The selection is about a man who is secretly loving a close friend. The man was so
depressed that his love never blossomed, leading this love to an obsession with a feeling that the
girl was escaping from him.
3. Identify the elements of the selection.
Characters
- The man (main character)
- The girl he has an obsession with
- The mother of the girl
Setting
- In a movie theatre, when he sees her after so long but she ignores him.
- In the girl's house, in his dream
- In a city in a beach
Exposition
- He sees her in the theatre but gets ignored, he goes home and dreamed about the past.
Rising Action
- He sees her at the beach and runs after her, the life guard stops him but he escapes and
goes to the sea where she went.
Climax
- He got close to her in the waters as he explains to her that she knows him, but she
doesn't and wants to get away from him.
Falling action
- He went beneath the waters as she kicked him to defend herself.
Denouement
- He drowns because he could not swim, and died as he spends his last moments yelling
for her to come back.
Conflict of the story
Man vs. Man
- The conflict of the story is where the main character is madly in love with the girl who
does not love him back. He becomes insane and tries to touch her even if she told him
that she is married.
Theme
- The theme of the story is about love and obsession.
Point of view
- The point of view used in the selection is the third person.
4. How do you relate the selection to your real life experience.
I can relate to the selection in a way that sometimes I find it hard to let go of the things I
really want regardless of the consequences it can give to me. In my years of existence, I've
crossed a path where I can't let go of something to the point that I even dreamed about it. I
always thought of the possibilities if I achieved that thing, what would happen to me? Would I be
happy? Unlike the man in the selection, I eventually found out that something greater must be
destined for me and that I should let go of the things that are not meant to be in my life. If I
pursue the things that are not meant for me, I might end up just like the man in the selection, the
end could not be what I expected and could hurt me even more.
5. If you were given the opportunity, how will you end the selection?
If I were given the opportunity to end the selection, it would be a happy ending. I will let
the man live and find his true love in the future. A woman that will truly accept and will
understand him for doing what he's done in the past. Then, the man will finally realize that it is
wrong to pursue things that are not meant for him because of the woman that loved him for what
he truly is.
