It had already been nine years since they had first touched foot in the United States. Ralph still invented his
grammar on the fly; Theresa struggled to put her Chinese thoughts into English. But now she had English thoughts
s too-they both did. There were things they did not know how to say in Chinese. The language of outside the house
had seeped well inside — Cadillac, subway, Coney Island, transistor radio. Theresa and Ralph slipped from tongue
to tongue like turtles taking to land, taking to sea; though one remained their more natural element, both had become essential.
Question: For Ralph and Theresa, the “more natural element” referred to in line 10 is
A) China
B) the United States
C) the Chinese language
D) the English language
E) land
My problem is I dont even understand what this sentence is saying
“Theresa and Ralph slipped from tongue to tongue like turtles taking to land, taking to sea; though one remained their more natural element, both had become essential.”
Turtle taking to land? taking to see? what does that mean? is that even English? Both had become essential? What both? What?
This passage is about languages. The answer will involve languages too. Turtles and natural element are metaphors. The question is asking which language is more natural to R&T. Since the passage says “one remained their more natural element” their original language - Chinese - is still the most natural. A new language does not remain . . .
There is no indication on the test that this particular passage was extracted from a work of literature or if it (meaning the passage) was created by the test-makers. If you perchance know the source of the purported literary reference, I’d be interested in knowing what it is. In the meantime, my hunch is that it was created by whomever designed the test.
Moreover, even if the passage were to have been extracted from a work of literature, there are plenty of writers who might benefit from the use of a good editor, and this is a prime example of why that is so. I stand by my assertion that that passage is just plain bad writing. (Ironically, t’s a prime example of the type of passage that would call for revision in one of the questions on the English section of the ACT and/or represent it would an incorrect choice among the possible answers for such a question).
Yes, the answer is C because the passage has an extended metaphor:
The turtles are R&T
Chinese and English are the “elements” discussed: sea and land (but it’s not indicated which is most natural in the metaphor)
The turtles slip between land and sea, just as R&T slip between Chinese and English: though Chinese remained their more natural language/element, both were essential. Both of them are used to Chinese, so that is their “natural element”.
And on another note… I didn’t even manage to proofread my post (let alone have an editor). Somehow I managed to post my comment with a glaring grammatical error – one which makes me sound like Yoda: ("…represent it would") :)>-. (Perhaps this is why, as my name implies, I Love the Bard - the master of subject/verb inversions) ;)!
And bravo/a to @Studious99 who took the time to sift through all of the undefined antecedents and the unclear metaphors! ^:)^