Read the two excerpts. “Remembering to Never Forget: Dominican Republic’s ‘Parsley Massacre √¢¬Ä¬ù by Mark Memmott: The method his soldiers used in 1937 to try to identify those who would be killed was cruelly unique. When confronting someone in the lands along the border with Haiti, they would hold up a sprig of parsley and ask what it was. If the person responded by trilling the “r√¢¬Ä¬ù in perejil (Spanish for parsley), he would be free to go. Anyone who didn’t trill the “r√¢¬Ä¬ù was thought to be a Haitian Creole speaker√¢¬Ä¬îand was likely to be killed. “A Genetics of Justice√¢¬Ä¬ù by Julia Alvarez: My father and mother were once again trapped in a police state. They laid low as best they could. Now that they had four young daughters, they could not take any chances. For a while, that spark which has almost cost my father his life and which he had lighted in my mother seemed to have burnt out. Periodically, Trujillo would demand a tribute, and they would acquiesce. A tax, a dummy vote, a portrait on the wall. To my father and other men in the country, the most humiliating of these tributes was the occasional parade in which women were made to march and turn their heads and acknowledge the great man as they passed the review stand.√Ǭ† Which statements accurately compare the two passages? Select two options. √Ǭ†Each text describes the tributes and taxes that Trujillo demanded. Each text describes how frightening it was to live under the dictatorship. Each text presents different information on the same topic. Each text presents different information from a different point of view.√Ǭ†Each text describes how men and women were treated differently.
Short Answer 
The passages illustrate the shared theme of fear under dictatorship, emphasizing the terror fostered by oppressive regimes. They offer contrasting perspectives on similar events, highlighting the complexity of experiences during Rafael Trujillo’s rule, which resulted in significant historical repercussions, including a devastating genocide.
Step 1: Identify the Shared Theme
Both passages emphasize the common experience of fear among people living under the dictatorship. The chilling atmosphere created by the ruler leads to a sense of dread and uncertainty for the citizens. This theme highlights how oppressive regimes foster a climate of terror which deeply impacts the populace.
Step 2: Recognize the Different Perspectives
The two excerpts provide contrasting views on similar events, illustrating the complexity of experiences under dictatorship. Mark Memmott focuses on the method of targeting individuals for execution based on their accents, while Alvarez presents a personal narrative through his mother’s eyes. This juxtaposition reveals how different angles can shed light on the same historical event.
Step 3: Acknowledge the Historical Context
Understanding the legacy of Rafael Trujillo’s rule is crucial for grasping the gravity of the situation discussed in the passages. His dictatorship resulted in a devastating genocide that claimed over 70,000 lives. This context not only anchors the narratives but also emphasizes the profound impact of political oppression on human lives.
