Question

Read the excerpt from Judith Ortiz Cofer’s poem “El Olvido.”

a bare, cold room with no pictures on the walls,
a forgetting place where she fears you will die
of loneliness and exposure.
Jesús, María, y José, she says,
el olvido is a dangerous thing.

Which strategy would be most helpful in enhancing the reader’s comprehension of the poem?
skimming the lines for familiar words
establishing the meaning of words in English and Spanish
breaking the lines into shorter phrases
rewriting each line by hand

Answer 1

establishing the meaning of words in English and Spanish

Why: the poem uses Spanish phrases (e.g., "Jesús, María, y José," "el olvido") whose meanings and connotations clarify tone and theme (fear of forgetting/abandonment). Knowing the translations and cultural resonance improves understanding.