Question

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!

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ames/nombres,\
julia alvarez

identify the influence alvarez writes about in the passage. provide an answer by using the drop-down menu to complete this sentence.
in this excerpt, julia is influenced by

her neighbors
her friends
her culture and heritage
popular culture

Explanation:

Analyze the literary excerpt

The provided passage is from "Names/Nombres" by Julia Alvarez:
"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, Al-vah-rrr-es!"

This passage shows the narrator practicing the pronunciation of her family name, "Alvarez," emphasizing its Spanish phonetic elements (the open "a" sound and the trilled "r"). This action reflects a deep connection to her family's linguistic and cultural background.

Evaluate the influence

Using Literary Comprehension, we analyze what is influencing Julia in this moment:

• "her neighbors" and "her friends" are not mentioned or implied as influences on how she pronounces her own family name in private.
• "popular culture" does not dictate this traditional Spanish pronunciation.
• "her culture and heritage" directly relates to her practicing the authentic Spanish pronunciation of her family name, celebrating its unique sounds.

Using Textual Evidence Analysis, the trilling of the tongue and phonetic breakdown of "Al-vah-rrr-es" serve as direct evidence of her embracing her cultural roots.

Answer:

In this excerpt, Julia is influenced by

• her neighbors
• her friends
• her culture and heritage (Correct answer)
• popular culture