Question

Read the excerpts from “Take the Tortillas Out of Your Poetry” and “Speaking Arabic.” My friend had concluded that if he took his language and culture out of his poetry, he stood a better chance of receiving a fellowship. He took out his native language, the poetic patois of our reality, the rich mixture of Spanish, English, pachuco and street talk which we know so well. In other words, he took the tortillas out of his poetry, which is to say he took the soul out of his poetry. At a neighborhood fair in Texas, somewhere between the German Oom-pah Sausage Stand and the Mexican Gorditas booth, I overheard a young man say to his friend, “I wish I had a heritage. Sometimes I feel—so lonely for one.” And the tall American trees were dangling their thick branches right down over his head. Which best states how the word choice is similar in both excerpts? Each author uses non-English words and figurative language. Each author uses technical words and neutral language. Each author uses nonsense words and invented language. Each author uses confrontational words and persuasive language.

Answer 1

Each author uses non-English words and figurative language.

The authors uses the words tortillas, pachucos, Oom-pah, and Gorditas. These are non-English words. They also use figurative language. When he says took the "tortillas out of his poetry", he is talking about how he is removing evidence of his Hispanic culture from his poetry. He thinks it will give him a better chance. In the second passage they are talking about overhearing someone who seems to wish for a heritage, not realizing that America has a heritage. The sensory detail of the American trees dangling their branches over his head is used to emphasize this.