Reading Comprehension

PT105 · S3 · P3 · Q17 Hispanic-American Writers

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Despite the great differences among the cultures from which we spring, there is a trait shared by many Hispanic-American writers: the use of a European language, Spanish, transplanted to the Western hemisphere.

Topic

The tension in Hispanic-American literature between two competing impulses: cosmopolitanism (engaging the European/mainstream tradition) and nativism (returning to one's own peoples and dialects).

Framework

Highlight Noteworthy. A Hispanic-American writer (the author writes in the first-person plural — "We Hispanic Americans") frames the literature's defining tension and argues that the two opposing tendencies are ultimately reconciled in the writer's daily practice.

Main Point

Hispanic-American literature is shaped by a back-and-forth between cosmopolitanism (looking outward to European/mainstream forms) and nativism (looking inward to native peoples and dialects); contemporary writers live with this tension and try to reconcile the two.

P1: The two opposing tactics

Hispanic-American writers in Spanish have tried to break literary dependency on Spain through a "twofold movement": adopting European/North American forms (cosmopolitanism) while also describing the U.S. and giving voice to its Hispanic peoples (nativism).

P2: The tension shows up in criticism

Examples: a Mexican-American novelist praised for European technique but faulted for lacking Mexican-American content; a Cuban-American novel praised for vivid daily-life portrayal but faulted for "rough" form. The same work is judged by both standards.

P3: The tension also shows up over time

Periods of outward-oriented experimentation (the 1918–1930 avant-garde drawing on European movements) alternate with periods of return to peoples and colloquial dialects.

17.

According to the passage, the nativist tendency represents an attempt to

experiment with form and style
More Like Cosmopolitanism
We're looking for something like an attempt to - break ties of dependency with the literature of Spain - describe the nature of the U.S. and give voice to the Hispanic peoples who live there - not disappear into the mainstream Experimenting with form and style is more about cosmopolitanism (being worldly and on-trend).
7% picked this
adapt the forms and styles
More Like Cosmopolitanism
We're looking for something like an attempt to - break ties of dependency with the literature of Spain - describe the nature of the U.S. and give voice to the Hispanic peoples who live there - not disappear into the mainstream Adapting the forms and styles of other literatures is how they defined cosmopolitanism, not nativism.
16% picked this
transform the Spanish language into
No Match
We're looking for something like an attempt to - break ties of dependency with the literature of Spain - describe the nature of the U.S. and give voice to the Hispanic peoples who live there - not disappear into the mainstream None of that sounds anything like "transforming Spanish so that it works for any theme".
5% picked this
align Hispanic-American literature with other
More Like Cosmopolitanism
We're looking for something like an attempt to - break ties of dependency with the literature of Spain - describe the nature of the U.S. and give voice to the Hispanic peoples who live there - not disappear into the mainstream Aligning with other literary movements (not from Spain) is more like cosmopolitanism.
6% picked this
Correct
depict the experience of various
Why this is right
We were looking for something like an attempt to - break ties of dependency with the literature of Spain - describe the nature of the U.S. and give voice to the Hispanic peoples who live there - not disappear into the mainstream This answer gives us that 2nd one. The first paragraph described nativism as "endeavoring (i.e. attempting) to describe the nature of the U.S. and give voice to the Hispanic peoples who live there".
Skill tested: Locate Detail · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.
67% picked this

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