Question

read the excerpt from \mother tongue.\

yet some of my friends tell me they understand 50 percent of what my mother says. some say they understand 80 to 90 percent. some say they understand none of it, as if she were speaking pure chinese. but to me, my mother’s english is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. it’s my mother tongue. her language, as i hear it, is vivid, direct, full of observation and imagery. that was the language that helped shape the way i saw things, expressed things, made sense of the world.

which best summarizes the central idea of the excerpt?

• nonstandard forms of english are valid, complete languages.
• people from different cultures can easily learn to speak english.
• the english and chinese languages have similar structures.
• parents should use standard english with their children in the home.

Explanation:

The excerpt shows that while others have varying levels of understanding of the author's mother's English, the author finds it clear and meaningful, highlighting that nonstandard English (like her mother's) is a valid, complete language. The other options are incorrect: the excerpt doesn't discuss learning English across cultures, language structures, or parents using standard English at home.

Answer:

A. Nonstandard forms of English are valid, complete languages.