Heritage and Multicultural American Identities: Contemporary Voices — Test
Question 1 • Literature and Composition III
Read the excerpt from Judith Ortiz Cofer’s poem “El Olvido.” a bare, cold room with no pictures on the walls, a forgetting place where she fears you will die of loneliness and exposure. Jesús, María, y José , she says, el olvido is a dangerous thing. Which strategy would be most helpful in enhancing the reader’s comprehension of the poem?
Answer
A
establishing the meaning of words in English and Spanish
B
skimming the lines for familiar words
C
breaking the lines into shorter phrases
D
rewriting each line by hand
Explanation
The excerpt includes both English and Spanish, and understanding the Spanish words helps reveal the poem’s meaning. For example, “el olvido” means “forgetfulness” or “oblivion,” while “Jesús, María, y José” means “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.” Establishing the meanings of words in both languages is therefore the most helpful strategy.
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