Question

using tpcastt, paraphrase walt whitmans \i hear america singing.\ which of the following is the best paraphrase of line 11 of the poem? singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

they open their mouths to sing, and annoying melodies come out.
they sing with open mouths their loud, tuneful songs.
they try to sing with open mouths but no sound comes out.

Explanation:

Analyze the original line

The line to paraphrase is: "Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs."

• "open mouths" suggests uninhibited, passionate, or clear singing.
• "strong" translates to powerful or loud.
• "melodious" translates to tuneful, musical, or sweet-sounding.

Evaluate the options

• Option 1: "They open their mouths to sing, and annoying melodies come out." Incorrect because "annoying" contradicts the positive connotation of "melodious."
• Option 2: "They sing with open mouths their loud, tuneful songs." Correct because "loud" matches "strong" and "tuneful" matches "melodious" while maintaining the original positive meaning.
• Option 3: "They try to sing with open mouths but no sound comes out." Incorrect because the original line states they are actively singing strong songs, not failing to make sound.

Answer:

• They open their mouths to sing, and annoying melodies come out.
• They sing with open mouths their loud, tuneful songs. (Correct answer)
• They try to sing with open mouths but no sound comes out.