The narrator of this passage from a novel is Nasarian, a woman who was born in Kenya and now lives in New York City. (1) Looking at her makes me remember. (2) I can almost feel the heat rising, riding the backs of broken cobblestones, gray and scraped smooth by a ceaseless parade of tired, black, sandaled feet. (3) But that was far away and long ago. (4) Here, this woman peers almost timidly around the curving, splintered wood of the brownstone door, blinking furiously now as the wind and rain whip her face. (5) I stare, and a sudden longing whistles through my mind, dancing around me on each restless gust of cold, wet wind that slams into my chest as I walk down 132nd Street in Harlem. (6) Harlem. (7) So far from my home. (8) So far from the endless Kenyan plains that I still dream about each night. (9) The rain pelts my face, and I shiver as it shimmies down my neck and creeps underneath the thick, scratchy collar of my coat. (10) I cannot stop staring into this woman's face, this African mother draped from brow to ankle in gold and wind-crushed linen. (11) As she descends the stairs, the rain seems to disappear around her. (12) Now that she has committed herself, she does not blink or falter. (13) If anything, the rain has become a tightly woven fruit basket bearing down on the crown of her head, under which her pride demands that she stand erect. (14) The only concession she gives is to pull her head wrap up out of the folds of her long, dark cloak and clutch it tightly underneath her chin. (15) The scarf is a replica of the same gilded hijab my mother wore as a child, long before she became my mother. (16) I know this because it is the outfit that she chooses when she comes to me at night in my dreams. (17) This woman looks nothing like my mother, yet somehow my heart tells me that they are almost exactly the same. (18) She tucks her curling braids underneath the edges of the wrap, attempting to cover the wildness embroidered in her hair. (19) I don't understand why, modesty is no kin to women like her. (20) She cannot help but walk like a mountain's peak through the raunchy streets of Harlem, wearing her continent on the high bridge of her nose, with the valleys curving round like clattering rings into her nostrils. (21) Her exposed heels are lined with the deep furrows of an elephant's trunk. (22) She wears sandals in the November cold, in the hard, trash-swilling rain because the thirsty leather straps remind her of deserts and home (at least that's why I do so).
In sentence 13, the narrator most likely uses the image of 'a tightly woven fruit basket' to suggest that the rain is:
- A. a physical challenge that must be endured
- B. falling so heavily that she can barely see through it
- C. a reminder of the weather in harvest season
- D. important because it allows crops to survive
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
The image of "a tightly woven fruit basket" conveys the idea of resilience and endurance, suggesting that the rain is a challenge that must be faced. This metaphor implies that just like a tightly woven basket holds its contents together despite external pressures, the narrator must endure the rain's intensity. Option B misinterprets the imagery; while heavy rain can obscure vision, the metaphor focuses more on endurance than visibility. Option C incorrectly links the rain to harvest season, which is not implied in the context. Option D, while true about rain's importance for crops, does not capture the struggle suggested by the basket imagery.
The image of "a tightly woven fruit basket" conveys the idea of resilience and endurance, suggesting that the rain is a challenge that must be faced. This metaphor implies that just like a tightly woven basket holds its contents together despite external pressures, the narrator must endure the rain's intensity. Option B misinterprets the imagery; while heavy rain can obscure vision, the metaphor focuses more on endurance than visibility. Option C incorrectly links the rain to harvest season, which is not implied in the context. Option D, while true about rain's importance for crops, does not capture the struggle suggested by the basket imagery.
Other Related Questions
In context, the statement that the woman is 'draped from brow to ankle in gold and wind-crushed linen' (sentence 10) primarily:
- A. reveals the narrator's assumptions about the woman's income
- B. explains why the woman might be uncomfortable in the cold weather
- C. shows how different the woman's clothing is from the narrator's clothing
- D. emphasizes how out of place the woman seems in the surrounding environment
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D
The description of the woman being "draped from brow to ankle in gold and wind-crushed linen" emphasizes her opulent attire, suggesting she is out of place in her surroundings. This stark contrast highlights her distinctiveness compared to the environment, reinforcing her isolation. Option A misinterprets the focus on income rather than the visual impact of her clothing. Option B incorrectly assumes discomfort from the cold, which is not the primary focus of the imagery. Option C, while noting a difference in clothing, fails to capture the broader context of the woman’s disconnection from her environment, which is central to the statement.
The description of the woman being "draped from brow to ankle in gold and wind-crushed linen" emphasizes her opulent attire, suggesting she is out of place in her surroundings. This stark contrast highlights her distinctiveness compared to the environment, reinforcing her isolation. Option A misinterprets the focus on income rather than the visual impact of her clothing. Option B incorrectly assumes discomfort from the cold, which is not the primary focus of the imagery. Option C, while noting a difference in clothing, fails to capture the broader context of the woman’s disconnection from her environment, which is central to the statement.
Which of the following statements does the passage most directly counter?
- A. Having a non-arts job stifles and detracts from an artist's creative work
- B. For people working in non-arts professions, art is more than just an entertaining distraction
- C. The poetry of William Carlos Williams exemplifies autobiographical poetry
- D. Work and art cannot meaningfully complement each other
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D
Option D is effectively countered by the passage, which likely illustrates how work and art can coexist and enhance each other, suggesting that they can provide mutual inspiration and growth. Option A misrepresents the relationship between non-arts jobs and creativity, as the passage may argue that such jobs can actually foster artistic development rather than hinder it. Option B acknowledges the significance of art in non-arts professions, which aligns with the idea that art can coexist with other careers, rather than opposing them. Option C focuses on a specific aspect of poetry that is unrelated to the broader theme of work and art's relationship, making it less relevant to the passage's main argument.
Option D is effectively countered by the passage, which likely illustrates how work and art can coexist and enhance each other, suggesting that they can provide mutual inspiration and growth. Option A misrepresents the relationship between non-arts jobs and creativity, as the passage may argue that such jobs can actually foster artistic development rather than hinder it. Option B acknowledges the significance of art in non-arts professions, which aligns with the idea that art can coexist with other careers, rather than opposing them. Option C focuses on a specific aspect of poetry that is unrelated to the broader theme of work and art's relationship, making it less relevant to the passage's main argument.
Which of the following results is LEAST compatible with the goal expressed in the third sentence of Passage 2 ('The paramount concern must be to increase crop yields in environmentally sensitive ways that protect human health and the soil and water that are agriculture’s very foundation')?
- A. An international ban on the use of agrochemicals drives several multinational corporations out of business
- B. A species of bird becomes extinct after forests in which these birds nested are cleared to create farmland
- C. A rural community shows an increased rate of disease after local farmers adopt chemical-intensive techniques
- D. Government subsidies to farmers encourage overproduction of certain crops to the detriment of others
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
Option C is least compatible with the goal of increasing crop yields while protecting human health and the environment. An increase in disease rates due to chemical-intensive farming directly contradicts the aim of safeguarding human health. Option A, while it may harm businesses, reflects a move towards environmentally sensitive practices by banning harmful chemicals. Option B highlights the negative ecological impact of deforestation for agriculture, which undermines environmental health. Option D addresses overproduction and its ecological consequences, aligning with the need for sustainable practices. Thus, C is the option that most clearly opposes the stated goal.
Option C is least compatible with the goal of increasing crop yields while protecting human health and the environment. An increase in disease rates due to chemical-intensive farming directly contradicts the aim of safeguarding human health. Option A, while it may harm businesses, reflects a move towards environmentally sensitive practices by banning harmful chemicals. Option B highlights the negative ecological impact of deforestation for agriculture, which undermines environmental health. Option D addresses overproduction and its ecological consequences, aligning with the need for sustainable practices. Thus, C is the option that most clearly opposes the stated goal.
The author implies that the social sciences:
- A. are valued for their techniques
- B. can make no contribution to progress
- C. cannot deal with long-term issues
- D. may someday add to the world's knowledge
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D
The social sciences are portrayed as fields that hold potential for future contributions to global knowledge, indicating optimism about their evolving role. Option A suggests that their value lies solely in techniques, which limits their broader impact. Option B dismisses their potential entirely, contradicting the author's implication of future contributions. Option C incorrectly asserts that social sciences cannot address long-term issues, overlooking their capability to analyze historical trends and societal changes. Thus, the emphasis on future contributions aligns best with the text's implications.
The social sciences are portrayed as fields that hold potential for future contributions to global knowledge, indicating optimism about their evolving role. Option A suggests that their value lies solely in techniques, which limits their broader impact. Option B dismisses their potential entirely, contradicting the author's implication of future contributions. Option C incorrectly asserts that social sciences cannot address long-term issues, overlooking their capability to analyze historical trends and societal changes. Thus, the emphasis on future contributions aligns best with the text's implications.