Understanding the text

a.According to LaPena, what is the importance of the oral tradition? To what extent do you agree with his opinions and why?

According to the writer, oral tradition occupies a special place in our life. He considers its role in connection to maintaining the values of culture. Stating simply. LaPena argues that oral tradition helps to preserve and maintain the culture and values of our tradition. Cultural and traditional values play very significant roles in our lives as they reflect our culture and civilization. Hence, I agree with the author's opinions.

B Who preserve and pass on the oral tradition?

Both the elders and young people preserve and pass on the oral tradition. Putting this clearly, the former group passes it to the younger generations to be continued.

C. What is the danger of not passing on information from generation to generation?

The danger of not passing information down from generation to generation is that the culture and values of our tradition will disappear. We have to live a worthless life in the absence of culture and tradition

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d. What is the difference between oral tradition and literary tradition?

An oral tradition is a form of art in which information related to culture and values is transmitted from one generation to the next generation through oral means. One can correct mistakes orally. at any time in this tradition, unlike in the literary tradition. Moreover, the values of oral tradition are successfully transmitted from person to person. In contrast, the deviation of people's thought misinterprets real aspects of values in some cases of literary tradition.

e. How does La Pena establish a relationship between art and the oral tradition?

LaPena believes that art and oral tradition share some close bondage. Accordingly, the oral tradition is a form of art. Information related to traditional myth, ethics, social norms and values is communicated artistically through oral speech, folktales. ballads, songs, prose-verses, etc. Oral tradition is a unique art whereby the culture and values of tradition are preserved and upheld in the world.

Reference to the context

1. LaPena states that the oral tradition helps maintain the values of a culture. If you believe that the oral tradition is important, how would you maintain it?

 LaPena states that the oral tradition helps maintain the values of a culture. I would do the same by means of the following 

• Conveying information about culture, social norms and values through speeches

•  Making people aware about the importance of oral tradition. 

• Organizing a team in our locality to support oral culture.

• Listening to folklores, folk songs, ballads and verses 

• Analysing the folktales told by the elders.

• Sharing information about my family traditions with others.

b. "Not everyone is capable of fulfilling the roles of the elders." Explain this statement with reference to the essay.

The given extract is drawn out from a modern western essay entitled "Sharing Tradition" by an American essayist, lecturer and writer, Frank LaPena. This essay focuses on the importance of passing on the traditions orally and the value of keeping a culture alive. According to the writer, not everyone can fulfill the roles of the elders. Moreover, the older generation plays a prominent part in maintaining and protecting our tradition. The elders are the ones who preserved and transferred the traditions to the newer generations. The essayist thinks that performing the duties of keeping religion, culture, tradition and history alive cannot be done by immature hands. That's why it is hard to fill in the places of such ideal visionaries.

C. What is the controlling idea or thesis of this essay?

"Sharing Traditions" is a modern western essay by an American essayist, lecturer and writer, Frank LaPena. The author primarily drives our attention to the importance of tradition for the people of this world and its preservation through oral tradition. The essay discusses the process of saving tradition by oral means. It even advocates for the most suitable way of passing it from one generation to generation. Both the elders and the younger generations play their respective parts in preserving the oral tradition. In the process, both of the groups contribute in conserving the culture and values of social rules and norms.

D. How do topic sentences guide the reader through the essay? What would be lost without them?

The most important sentence of the paragraph, which usually precedes all other sentences, is called a topic sentence. Such a statement helps to organize the entire paragraph. In providing the main gist, topic sentences guide the readers through various ideas discussed in the paragraph. When it comes to LaPena's essay, these sentences have helped in portraying the importance of oral sharing tradition. They do so by keeping the audience alert on the values of the tradition. They basically teach the addresses to maintain and preserve the oral traditions. Besides, they contribute in building support to the theme of the sext. In their absence, following controlling ideas will be missed out:

• Concept of the oral tradition

•  Oral tradition and its importance.

• The role of the elderly and youth.

• Problem in the preservation and conservation of oral tradition 

• Solution for maintaining oral tradition.

E. What are the four major problems developed by LaPena with regard to maintaining the oral tradition? How are they used to structure this essay?

The four main issues developed by LaPena regarding maintaining oral tradition are:

•  Difficulty in filling the elder's niche with the problem of sharing traditions through verbal tradition.

• The influence of modern technology

• The effect of the modern educational system.

• Information sources and how to recognize and share them.

• Lack of patience on the part of the listeners

These problems are presented to strengthen the writer's major thesis: the importance of tradition for the people and its preservation through the oral tradition. LaPena uses this aspect to show that the said-conservation is not going to be easier on account of the listed dilemmas.

Reference beyond the text

a.Write a paragraph or two explaining your attitude toward the oral tradition of passing along information.

Oral tradition is one of the effective practices for sustaining and preserving the culture. It is a valuable tradition for all the people of this world. I also accept oral tradition as an art form. Both elderly and young people play vital roles in preserving and maintaining culture and traditional values by passing authentic information from generation to generation. For everyone, the practice of oral tradition is very important. We can preserve and keep our cultural and traditional values through oral continuation. We can secure our cultural and traditional identity with the help of oral transmission

b.Our culture is our identity. Write a few paragraphs explaining how you intend to preserve your culture, values and norms.

 Our identity is our culture. In our lives, culture, values, and norms play a very significant role. Needless to say, a person's whole life depends on his her culture. which is the minor to view civilization. It goes without saying that one's culture is the guiding principle of his/her life. In this regard, our lives will become meaningless if the traditions and values are ignored.

I intend to preserve my culture, values and norms by performing the following activities:

• Celebrating every ceremony linked to my culture.

• Making people aware about the significance of our culture, values and standards

•  Advertising or promoting cultural and traditional events in my society

•  Forming an organization related to cultural heritage

• Sharing culture related information and the values of my tradition.