Question
The Censors
By Luisa Valenzuela
Retrieved from © Savvas myPerspectives English I-IV. Used with permission.
1 Poor Juan! One day they caught him with his guard down before he could even realize that what he had taken as a stroke of luck was really one of fate’s dirty tricks. These things happen the minute you’re careless, as one often is. Juancito let happiness—a feeling you can’t trust—get the better of him when he received from a confidential source Mariana’s new address in Paris and knew that she hadn’t forgotten him. Without thinking twice, he sat down at his table and wrote her a letter. The letter that now keeps his mind off his job during the day and won’t let him sleep at night (what had he scrawled, what had he put on that sheet of paper he sent to Mariana?).
2 Juan knows there won’t be a problem with the letter’s contents, that it’s irreproachable, harmless. But what about the rest? He knows that they examine, sniff, feel, and read between the lines of each and every letter, and check its tiniest comma and most accidental stain. He knows that all letters pass from hand to hand and go through all sorts of tests in the huge censorship offices and that, in the end, very few continue on their way. Usually it takes months, even years, if there aren’t any snags; all this time the freedom, maybe even the life, of both sender and receiver is in jeopardy. And that’s why Juan’s so troubled: thinking that something might happen to Mariana because of his letters. Of all people, Mariana, who must finally feel safe there where she always dreamt she’d live. But he knows that the Censor’s Secret Command operates all over the world and cashes in on the discount in airfares; there’s nothing to stop them from going as far as that hidden Paris neighborhood, kidnapping Mariana, and returning to their cozy homes, certain of having fulfilled their noble mission.
3 Well, you’ve got to beat them to the punch, do what everyone tries to do: sabotage the machinery, throw sand in its gears, get to the bottom of the problem so as to stop it.
4 This was Juan’s sound plan when he, like many others, applied for a censor’s job—not because he had a calling or needed a job: no, he applied simply to intercept his own letter, a consoling albeit unoriginal idea. He was hired immediately, for each day more and more censors are needed and no one would bother to check on his references.
5 Ulterior motives couldn’t be overlooked by the Censorship Division, but they needn’t be too strict with those who applied. They knew how hard it would be for the poor guys to find the letter they wanted and even if they did, what’s a letter or two when the new censor would snap up so many others? That’s how Juan managed to join the Post Office’s Censorship Division, with a certain goal in mind.
6 The building had a festive air on the outside that contrasted with its inner staidness. Little by little, Juan was absorbed by his job, and he felt at peace since he was doing everything he could to get his letter for Mariana. He didn’t even worry when, in his first month, he was sent to Section K where envelopes are very carefully screened for explosives.
7 It’s true that on the third day, a fellow worker had his right hand blown off by a letter, but the division chief claimed it was sheer negligence on the victim’s part. Juan and the other employees were allowed to go back to their work, though feeling less secure. After work, one of them tried to organize a strike to demand higher wages for unhealthy work, but Juan didn’t join in; after thinking it over, he reported the man to his superiors and thus got promoted.
8 You don’t form a habit by doing something once, he told himself as he left his boss’s office. And when he was transferred to Section F, where letters are carefully checked for poison dust, he felt he had climbed a rung in the ladder.
Excerpt from “The Censors” by Luisa Valenzuela (1983). Retrieved from © Savvas myPerspectives English I-IV. Used with permission.
1.
How does the progression of Juan's experiences in the censorship bureau contribute to the exploration of the story's central theme?
A.By illustrating Juan's initial innocence and subsequent corruption under the pressure of censorship.
B.By describing the bureaucratic challenges Juan faces in intercepting his own letter.
C.By contrasting Juan's personal motivations with the strict protocols of the censorship bureau.
D.By highlighting the societal implications of censorship on individuals like Juan and Mariana.
2a.
This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.
Part A
Which important idea is explained in paragraph 2?
A.The psychological impact of censorship on individuals
B.The process of recruitment and indoctrination in authoritarian regimes
C.The inevitable corruption that comes with power
D.The importance of personal relationships in resisting oppression
2b.
Which detail from paragraph 2 best supports the answer to Part A?
A.And just like that, he got a job as a censor.
B.He was so absorbed in his work that he even forgot about his initial intention.
C.He barely noticed the changes happening within him.
D.His sense of duty overshadowed his personal desires.
3.
What is the most likely reason the author wrote this excerpt?
A.To entertain the reader with a humorous anecdote about Juan's misfortune.
B.To persuade the reader to sympathize with Juan's struggles with bureaucracy.
C.To inform the reader about the complexities of censorship in totalitarian regimes.
D.To describe the emotional turmoil experienced by Juan in his pursuit of love.
4.
Which events in this excerpt express the theme of how power corrupts individuals?
Select TWO correct answers.
A.Juan's decision to join the censorship bureau to intercept his own letter
B.Juan's growing obsession with his work and neglect of personal relationships
C.The strict protocols and tests letters undergo in the censorship offices.
D.The incident where a coworker loses a hand due to negligence with a letter.
E.Juan's promotion after reporting a colleague organizing a strike for better working conditions.
5.
How does the author's use of language in paragraph 1 emphasize a theme in the excerpt?
A.By using vivid imagery to depict the oppressive atmosphere, highlighting the theme of control
B.By employing a sarcastic tone to describe Juan's initial intentions, emphasizing the theme of irony
C.By using descriptive language to outline the setting, underscoring the theme of isolation
D.By incorporating detailed character descriptions to introduce the theme of identity
6.
What is the best summary of the information in paragraphs 6-8 of "The Censors"?
A.Juan struggles with his decision to censor his own letter, torn between his loyalty to the government and his personal beliefs.
B.Juan's coworkers at the censorship bureau discuss their motivations for joining, revealing their different perspectives on censorship.
C.The censorship bureau implements strict protocols to ensure that no sensitive information is leaked to the public, highlighting their commitment to secrecy.
D.Juan reflects on his transformation from a naïve individual into a committed censor, illustrating the impact of authoritarian regimes on personal identity.
By Luisa Valenzuela
Retrieved from © Savvas myPerspectives English I-IV. Used with permission.
1 Poor Juan! One day they caught him with his guard down before he could even realize that what he had taken as a stroke of luck was really one of fate’s dirty tricks. These things happen the minute you’re careless, as one often is. Juancito let happiness—a feeling you can’t trust—get the better of him when he received from a confidential source Mariana’s new address in Paris and knew that she hadn’t forgotten him. Without thinking twice, he sat down at his table and wrote her a letter. The letter that now keeps his mind off his job during the day and won’t let him sleep at night (what had he scrawled, what had he put on that sheet of paper he sent to Mariana?).
2 Juan knows there won’t be a problem with the letter’s contents, that it’s irreproachable, harmless. But what about the rest? He knows that they examine, sniff, feel, and read between the lines of each and every letter, and check its tiniest comma and most accidental stain. He knows that all letters pass from hand to hand and go through all sorts of tests in the huge censorship offices and that, in the end, very few continue on their way. Usually it takes months, even years, if there aren’t any snags; all this time the freedom, maybe even the life, of both sender and receiver is in jeopardy. And that’s why Juan’s so troubled: thinking that something might happen to Mariana because of his letters. Of all people, Mariana, who must finally feel safe there where she always dreamt she’d live. But he knows that the Censor’s Secret Command operates all over the world and cashes in on the discount in airfares; there’s nothing to stop them from going as far as that hidden Paris neighborhood, kidnapping Mariana, and returning to their cozy homes, certain of having fulfilled their noble mission.
3 Well, you’ve got to beat them to the punch, do what everyone tries to do: sabotage the machinery, throw sand in its gears, get to the bottom of the problem so as to stop it.
4 This was Juan’s sound plan when he, like many others, applied for a censor’s job—not because he had a calling or needed a job: no, he applied simply to intercept his own letter, a consoling albeit unoriginal idea. He was hired immediately, for each day more and more censors are needed and no one would bother to check on his references.
5 Ulterior motives couldn’t be overlooked by the Censorship Division, but they needn’t be too strict with those who applied. They knew how hard it would be for the poor guys to find the letter they wanted and even if they did, what’s a letter or two when the new censor would snap up so many others? That’s how Juan managed to join the Post Office’s Censorship Division, with a certain goal in mind.
6 The building had a festive air on the outside that contrasted with its inner staidness. Little by little, Juan was absorbed by his job, and he felt at peace since he was doing everything he could to get his letter for Mariana. He didn’t even worry when, in his first month, he was sent to Section K where envelopes are very carefully screened for explosives.
7 It’s true that on the third day, a fellow worker had his right hand blown off by a letter, but the division chief claimed it was sheer negligence on the victim’s part. Juan and the other employees were allowed to go back to their work, though feeling less secure. After work, one of them tried to organize a strike to demand higher wages for unhealthy work, but Juan didn’t join in; after thinking it over, he reported the man to his superiors and thus got promoted.
8 You don’t form a habit by doing something once, he told himself as he left his boss’s office. And when he was transferred to Section F, where letters are carefully checked for poison dust, he felt he had climbed a rung in the ladder.
Excerpt from “The Censors” by Luisa Valenzuela (1983). Retrieved from © Savvas myPerspectives English I-IV. Used with permission.
1.
How does the progression of Juan's experiences in the censorship bureau contribute to the exploration of the story's central theme?
A.By illustrating Juan's initial innocence and subsequent corruption under the pressure of censorship.
B.By describing the bureaucratic challenges Juan faces in intercepting his own letter.
C.By contrasting Juan's personal motivations with the strict protocols of the censorship bureau.
D.By highlighting the societal implications of censorship on individuals like Juan and Mariana.
2a.
This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.
Part A
Which important idea is explained in paragraph 2?
A.The psychological impact of censorship on individuals
B.The process of recruitment and indoctrination in authoritarian regimes
C.The inevitable corruption that comes with power
D.The importance of personal relationships in resisting oppression
2b.
Which detail from paragraph 2 best supports the answer to Part A?
A.And just like that, he got a job as a censor.
B.He was so absorbed in his work that he even forgot about his initial intention.
C.He barely noticed the changes happening within him.
D.His sense of duty overshadowed his personal desires.
3.
What is the most likely reason the author wrote this excerpt?
A.To entertain the reader with a humorous anecdote about Juan's misfortune.
B.To persuade the reader to sympathize with Juan's struggles with bureaucracy.
C.To inform the reader about the complexities of censorship in totalitarian regimes.
D.To describe the emotional turmoil experienced by Juan in his pursuit of love.
4.
Which events in this excerpt express the theme of how power corrupts individuals?
Select TWO correct answers.
A.Juan's decision to join the censorship bureau to intercept his own letter
B.Juan's growing obsession with his work and neglect of personal relationships
C.The strict protocols and tests letters undergo in the censorship offices.
D.The incident where a coworker loses a hand due to negligence with a letter.
E.Juan's promotion after reporting a colleague organizing a strike for better working conditions.
5.
How does the author's use of language in paragraph 1 emphasize a theme in the excerpt?
A.By using vivid imagery to depict the oppressive atmosphere, highlighting the theme of control
B.By employing a sarcastic tone to describe Juan's initial intentions, emphasizing the theme of irony
C.By using descriptive language to outline the setting, underscoring the theme of isolation
D.By incorporating detailed character descriptions to introduce the theme of identity
6.
What is the best summary of the information in paragraphs 6-8 of "The Censors"?
A.Juan struggles with his decision to censor his own letter, torn between his loyalty to the government and his personal beliefs.
B.Juan's coworkers at the censorship bureau discuss their motivations for joining, revealing their different perspectives on censorship.
C.The censorship bureau implements strict protocols to ensure that no sensitive information is leaked to the public, highlighting their commitment to secrecy.
D.Juan reflects on his transformation from a naïve individual into a committed censor, illustrating the impact of authoritarian regimes on personal identity.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Certainly! Here are the answers to the questions based on the excerpt from "The Censors" by Luisa Valenzuela:
1. **How does the progression of Juan's experiences in the censorship bureau contribute to the exploration of the story's central theme?**
- **A**. By illustrating Juan's initial innocence and subsequent corruption under the pressure of censorship.
2a. **Which important idea is explained in paragraph 2?**
- **A**. The psychological impact of censorship on individuals.
2b. **Which detail from paragraph 2 best supports the answer to Part A?**
- **C**. He barely noticed the changes happening within him.
3. **What is the most likely reason the author wrote this excerpt?**
- **C**. To inform the reader about the complexities of censorship in totalitarian regimes.
4. **Which events in this excerpt express the theme of how power corrupts individuals?**
- **A**. Juan's decision to join the censorship bureau to intercept his own letter.
- **E**. Juan's promotion after reporting a colleague organizing a strike for better working conditions.
5. **How does the author's use of language in paragraph 1 emphasize a theme in the excerpt?**
- **B**. By employing a sarcastic tone to describe Juan's initial intentions, emphasizing the theme of irony.
6. **What is the best summary of the information in paragraphs 6-8 of "The Censors"?**
- **D**. Juan reflects on his transformation from a naïve individual into a committed censor, illustrating the impact of authoritarian regimes on personal identity.
These answers focus on the progression of the narrative, character development, and the thematic depth regarding the psychological effects of censorship and the corruptive nature of power within oppressive systems.
1. **How does the progression of Juan's experiences in the censorship bureau contribute to the exploration of the story's central theme?**
- **A**. By illustrating Juan's initial innocence and subsequent corruption under the pressure of censorship.
2a. **Which important idea is explained in paragraph 2?**
- **A**. The psychological impact of censorship on individuals.
2b. **Which detail from paragraph 2 best supports the answer to Part A?**
- **C**. He barely noticed the changes happening within him.
3. **What is the most likely reason the author wrote this excerpt?**
- **C**. To inform the reader about the complexities of censorship in totalitarian regimes.
4. **Which events in this excerpt express the theme of how power corrupts individuals?**
- **A**. Juan's decision to join the censorship bureau to intercept his own letter.
- **E**. Juan's promotion after reporting a colleague organizing a strike for better working conditions.
5. **How does the author's use of language in paragraph 1 emphasize a theme in the excerpt?**
- **B**. By employing a sarcastic tone to describe Juan's initial intentions, emphasizing the theme of irony.
6. **What is the best summary of the information in paragraphs 6-8 of "The Censors"?**
- **D**. Juan reflects on his transformation from a naïve individual into a committed censor, illustrating the impact of authoritarian regimes on personal identity.
These answers focus on the progression of the narrative, character development, and the thematic depth regarding the psychological effects of censorship and the corruptive nature of power within oppressive systems.