Which of the following descriptions most clearly details the difference between hema, the narrator in “once in a lifetime,” and the speaker in "freeway 280"?

a.

hema is chicana, and the speaker of "freeway 280" is bengali american.

b.

hema is an adult, and the speaker of "freeway 280" is a child.

c.

hema's identity is influenced by her parents, whereas the speaker of "freeway 280" is searching for her identity.

d.

hema was born in the united states, while the speaker of "freeway 280" is an immigrant

C. Hema's identity is influenced by her parents, whereas the speaker of "Freeway 280" is searching for her identity.

Explanation:

In "Once in a Lifetime" we encounter Hema, a girl of Bengali ancestry. Although her background and culture plays a big role in the story, Hema's identity is mostly a consequence of the influence her parents have over her. On the other hand, Freeway 280 describes a person who is reflecting on the way her environment has changed. However, although the new setting is inhospitable, life still exists in it. The transformation of the setting influences the development of the speaker's identity.

the present continuous is a verb tense which is mainly used to indicates that an action is in progress at the moment of speaking.  

it is formed using: person + verb to be (am/is/are) +verb + - ing form  

example: i am studying at this moment .

in addition, the present continuous is also used in order to express things that will or will not happen in the near future.

example: i am having dinner with some friends tonight.

the speaker sometimes   uses it   to express that an action is repeated and it causes irritation on the part of the speaker

example: my sister is constantly complaining about everything.