Question

Read the excerpt from "Mother Tongue,
Just last week, I was walking down the street with my mother, and I again found myself conscious of the English
was using, the English I do use with her. We were talking about the price of new and used furniture and I heard mysel
saying this: "Not waste money that way." My husband was with us as well, and he didn't notice any switch in my
English. And then I realized why. It's because over the twenty years we've been together I've often used that same
kind of English with him, and sometimes he even uses it with me. It has become our language of intimacy, a different
sort of English that relates to family talk, the language I grew up with
How does Tan build a central idea of her story in the excerpt?


A. Tan discusses the form of language she uses with her family to support the idea that nonstandard English is only
appropriate at home.
B. Tan describes a realization she makes while with her husband to support the idea that nonstandard forms of English are
important forms of communication
C. Tan compares the English of her childhood with the English of her adulthood to support the idea that adults should use
standard English with children,
D. Tan relates a story about her husband to support the idea that people do not always understand each other, even when
they sneak the same language

Answer 1

Answer: B. Tan describes a realization she makes while with her husband to support the idea that nonstandard forms of English are important forms of communication.

Explanation:

Mother tongue, written by Amy Tan, describes in detail the different forms of the English language, used by people who migrated to the United States. It also deals with how these people adjusted to the American culture. Tan explores the Asian American struggles in language acquisition.

The idea presented in this piece is that all forms of the English language are equally purposeful and important. In other words, nonstandard forms of English are as effective as its standard form. This idea is clearly seen in this particular excerpt, where Tan describes a conclusion she reached while she was with her husband. She has always used a particular kind of English with her husband, hence he did not notice a change in her English.

Answer 2

Answer:

D) Tan describes a realization she makes while with her husband to support the idea that nonstandard forms of English are important forms of communication.

Explanation: