def make_figure_tot_curves(extractors, what):
    """
    $ oq plot 'tot_curves?loss_type=structural&kind=rlz-000&absolute=1'
    """
    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
    fig = plt.figure()
    [ex] = extractors
    tot = ex.get(what)
    app = ex.get(what.replace('tot_', 'app_'))
    ax = fig.add_subplot(1, 1, 1)
    ax.set_xlabel('return periods')
    ax.set_ylabel('PoE')
    ax.loglog(tot.return_period, tot[:, (0)], '-', label='tot_curves')
    ax.loglog(app.return_period, app[:, (0)], '-', label='app_curves')
    ax.grid(True)
    ax.legend()
    return plt
