Question

quotation
alicia . . . studies for the first time at
the university. two trains and a bus,
because she doesn’t want to spend
her whole life in a factory.
but i think diseases have no eyes.
they pick with a dizzy finger anyone,
just anyone.
passing bums will ask, can i come
in? i’ll offer them the attic, ask them
to stay, because i know how it is to
be without a house.
theme
remembering where you came
from can help you relate to
others.
sometimes you have to work hard
to achieve your goals.
misfortune strikes randomly, not
just those who deserve it.
©1984 sandra cisneros
submit

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each quotation and match it to the theme:

1. Alicia’s quotation:

"Alicia... studies for the first time at the university. Two trains and a bus, because she doesn’t want to spend her whole life in a factory."
This shows Alicia working hard (studying, commuting) to achieve her goal of not being stuck in a factory. So the theme is "Sometimes you have to work hard to achieve your goals."

2. "But I think diseases have no eyes. They pick with a dizzy finger anyone, just anyone."

This means misfortune (diseases) strikes randomly, not just those who "deserve" it. So the theme is "Misfortune strikes randomly, not just those who deserve it."

3. "Passing bums will ask, Can I come in? I’ll offer them the attic, ask them to stay, because I know how it is to be without a house."

This shows empathy (offering shelter) because she remembers her own experience of being homeless. So the theme is "Remembering where you came from can help you relate to others."

Answer:

s (matching each quotation to theme):

1. Alicia’s quotation → "Sometimes you have to work hard to achieve your goals."
2. "But I think diseases... " → "Misfortune strikes randomly, not just those who deserve it."
3. "Passing bums will ask... " → "Remembering where you came from can help you relate to others."