Question 8

Silko relied more on existing documents than on memories of oral performance for these stories.

The author emphasizes that Silko's use of Laguna stories in Ceremony often involves direct quotations from ethnographic print texts, suggesting that her reliance was more on documented sources rather than solely on her own recollection of oral traditions.

A) help distinguish between those stories that Silko took directly from ethnographic print texts and those that she remembered from earlier oral performances

This option is incorrect because the author does not focus on differentiating between stories taken from print texts and those remembered from oral performances. Instead, the emphasis is on Silko's predominant use of ethnographic documents.

B) indicate that there were certain ethnographic print texts that Silko was especially interested in

This option does not accurately reflect the author's intent. The passage does not describe Silko's specific interests in certain texts but rather highlights her broader reliance on existing ethnographic sources for the stories in Ceremony.

C) support the notion that Silko relied more on existing documents than on memories of oral performance for these stories

This option is correct as it aligns with the author's argument that Silko's integration of Laguna stories was largely based on preexisting ethnographic texts rather than solely her own memories from oral traditions, thereby reshaping the understanding of her work.

D) help distinguish between instances in which Silko might have used clan material improperly and those instances in which she clearly did not

This option is incorrect as the passage does not aim to categorize Silko's use of material in terms of proper or improper usage. The focus is rather on her reliance on documented stories rather than the implications of her methods.

E) make the point that print texts generally provide more accurate versions of the stories than do memories of oral performances of the stories

This option is not supported by the passage, as it does not claim that print texts are inherently more accurate than oral performances. The emphasis is on Silko's choice of sources rather than a judgment of their accuracy.

Conclusion

Option C is definitively correct because it accurately captures the author's assertion regarding Silko's reliance on ethnographic texts over her memories. All other options misinterpret the context or focus of the argument, failing to reflect the main point about Silko's method of incorporating Laguna stories into her work.