Which statement is true of this excerpt from "totally like whatever, you know? "
"have they been, like, chopped down with the rest of the rain forest? or do we have, like, nothing to say? has society become so, like, totally . . i mean absolutely . . you know? that we've just gotten to the point where it's just, like . . whatever! "
a. the syntax used in these lines makes fun of the speaker and reader.
b. the syntax used in these lines has no effect on the speaker or reader.
c. the syntax used in these lines reflects the argument of the speaker.
d. the syntax used in these lines opposes the argument of the speaker.

The correct answer is C. The syntax in these lines reflects the argument of the speaker.

Explanation:

The excerpt we are analyzing here was taken from a poem by Taylor Mali. In his poem, Mali criticizes our generation's innability to say what they mean and to express themselves with proper syntax.

He shows the audience that people now think it is cool to sound as if you don't know what you are talking about. People transform their supposed-to-be declarative sentences into questions, always adding "you knows". They choose not to say the words that would purposefully express what they actually mean, but instead employ "likes" and "whatevers".

When the author employs the same syntax that he is criticizing, he is doing it to prove his point, to reflect his argument, in a fun way. At the end of the poem, he chooses to speak with proper syntax while asking the audience to do the same.

The poem in full is as follows:

In case you hadn’t noticed,

it has somehow become uncool

to sound like you know what you’re talking about?

Or believe strongly in what you’re saying?

Invisible question marks and parenthetical (you know?)’s

have been attaching themselves to the ends of our sentences?

Even when those sentences aren’t, like, questions? You know?

Declarative sentences—so-­‐called

because they used to, like, DECLARE things to be true, okay,

as opposed to other things are, like, totally, you know, not—

have been infected by a totally hip

and tragically cool interrogative tone? You know?

Like, don’t think I’m uncool just because I’ve noticed this;

this is just like the word on the street, you know?

It’s like what I’ve heard?

I have nothing personally invested in my own opinions, okay?

I’m just inviting you to join me in my uncertainty?

What has happened to our conviction?

Where are the limbs out on which we once walked?

Have they been, like, chopped down

with the rest of the rain forest?

Or do we have, like, nothing to say?

Has society become so, like, totally . . .

I mean absolutely . . . You know?

That we’ve just gotten to the point where it’s just, like . . .

whatever!

And so actually our disarticulation . . . ness

is just a clever sort of . . . thing

to disguise the fact that we’ve become

the most aggressively inarticulate generation

to come along since . . .

you know, a long, long time ago!

I entreat you, I implore you, I exhort you,

I challenge you: To speak with conviction.

To say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks

the determination with which you believe it.

Because contrary to the wisdom of the bumper sticker,

it is not enough these days to simply QUESTION AUTHORITY.

You have to speak with it, too.

the cost of attendance or coa is an approximate budget for the cost of attendance of the whole academic year. in order to calculate this, universities take into consideration many factors like room and board, tuitions and fees, books, transportation and personal expenses such as medicine, laundry, clothing. all these factors combined make up the final sum to the cost of attendance in each university.

concepts for wave energy have existed since the 1800s, anyway current wave technology started during the 1940s with the tests of researcher yoshio masuda. financing into wave energy technology has as of late expanded because of the requirement for renewable energy sources. the principal wave power plant on the planet opened in 2008 at the agucadoura wave homestead in portugal. tidal power to turn water haggles grains was utilized as far back as roman occasions and the medieval times. using tidal power for power is genuinely later, however the expenses have been too high to even consider making it a noteworthy energy source. ongoing mechanical advances have demonstrated that it could turn into a focused and feasible source. it is obscure precisely how exorbitant the venture would be; in any case, it is evaluated at around $16 billion. it is anticipated that the undertaking will take 9 years to assemble. hydroelectric energy would be accommodated the uk, and this is perfect and maintainable. there would likewise be wind generators on the blast, which would give progressively renewable energy to the uk. this would imply that less fossil fuels will be utilized, thusly lessening co2 discharges and diminishing the effect of global warming. it would assist the uk with meeting the kyoto convention co2 emanation focus by diminishing the (by 2020). be that as it may, there are an assortment of animal groups in the severn estuary where the blast will be fabricated, and their natural surroundings will be pulverized if the prepares. "the entire of the severn estuary is home to nearly 65,000 different types of water and swimming feathered creatures. it is a site of logical intrigue" said martin splash. the severn estuary is significant for the transient fish that go through the estuary on their approach to crisp water generating locales. the between tidal area gives nourishment to more than 85,00 water winged creatures, and speaks to 7% of the all out uk's estuaries-and this area would be upset by the structure of the torrent. the torrent would probably cause seaside disintegration in areas, for example, level holm-and this would diminish living spaces. additionally, individuals state that the torrent would be a blemish, and ruin the nearby scene because of the enormous measure of cement and the breeze turbines on the top.the area is useful for structure the power plant in light of the fact that during spring tides, the tide plentifulness can achieve 11 meters (36 feet). likewise, the gulf is a limited 15 kilometers (9 miles) crosswise over at the area proposed, and the site could lessen coal discharges in the area by 3 percent by supplanting fossil fuel power. tidal power plants should be worked in areas that reason directing of tidal water. the thin opening to a cove, for instance, will constrain the tidal waters to rise and fall quickly. this will make the waters stream through at an extraordinary speed. a fitting area should likewise have an enormous change among elevated and low tides. at the very least, there ought to be a distinction of 5 meters. a tidal power plant worked in such an area will be exceptionally productive at creating power. utilizing tide for power is productive in light of the fact that a great deal of electrical power is created. tidal power plants are equipped for changing over the development of water into usable power. tides give a standout amongst the most steady wellsprings of energy. review that tides are brought about by the gravitational powers of the sun and the moon. in contrast to fossil or atomic fuels, tidal power utilizes a boundless wellspring of energy as its info. it tends to be over the top expensive to fabricate the tidal power plant structure at first. in any case, when the underlying structure is fabricated the fuel is consistent and unsurprising. presently, here are some intriguing realities about tidal power plants. tidal turbines are more costly to construct and keep up than wind turbines, yet produce more energy. they additionally produce energy all the more reliably as the tide is ceaseless while the breeze doesn't generally blow. wave and tidal energy converters are situated close to the coastline. it is simpler to introduce, keep up, catch the energy, and recover the energy when they are found near the coast. the us has no tidal power plants. at long last, there are two existing enormous tidal floods on the planet today. one is in france and the other in canada.

sincerely,

buckster buckswood