Question

read the passage from
ames/nombres\ by julia alvarez.

was too afraid we wouldnt be let in if i corrected the mans pronunciation, but i said our name to myself, opening my mouth wide for the organ blast of the a, trilling my tongue for the drumroll of the r, all-vah-rrr-es! how could anyone get elbures out of that orchestra of sound?

which influence does alvarez write about in this passage?

her family
her neighbors
her friends
her personal experience

Explanation:

Analyze the passage details

Using the Textual Evidence Analysis knowledge point, we examine the narrator's internal thoughts and actions. The narrator describes a moment of entering a new place where an official mispronounces her family name as "Elbures." She is "too afraid" to correct him out of fear of not being let in, but she repeats her name correctly to herself ("All-vah-rrr-es!").

Identify the core influence

Using the Names as Identity knowledge point, this passage highlights a deeply individual, internal moment of navigating her identity and pronunciation in a new environment. The interaction is a direct personal encounter with an immigration or customs officer, reflecting her own individual journey rather than the direct influence of her family, neighbors, or friends in that specific moment. Thus, she is writing about her personal experience.

Answer:

• her family
• her neighbors
• her friends
• her personal experience (Correct answer)