Question

Just last week, I was walking down the street with my mother, and I again found myself conscious of the English I was using, the English I do use with her. We were talking about the price of new and used furniture and I heard myself 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? Tan discusses the form of language she uses with her family to support the idea that nonstandard English is only appropriate at home. Tan describes a realization she makes while with her husband to support the idea that nonstandard forms of English are important forms of communication. 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. Tan relates a story about her husband to support the idea that people do not always understand each other, even when they speak the same language.

Answer 1

The correct answer is 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.

Step-by-step explanation:

This excerpt belongs to the text "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan, which describes her perspective about the English Language as her mother is from China, and due to this, the mother uses non-standard English when they move to the U.S. In the excerpt, Tan recognizes this form of English is not only used by her mother but also by herself "and I heard myself saying this: “Not waste money that way.” Also, she realizes this type of English is now an important and special form of communication "It has become our language of intimacy" not only because it is related to her childhood but because it is related to her family.

According to this, in the excerpt Tan develops the idea non-standard English is valid and part of herself as she realizes she uses this with her husband and family and it is an important form of communication (Option B).