Question

read the excerpt from \mother tongue.\
i am a writer. and by that definition, i am someone who has always loved language. i am fascinated by language in daily life. i spend a great deal of my time thinking about the power of language—the way it can evoke an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth. language is the tool of my trade. and i use them all—all the englishes i grew up with.
how does tan build a central idea of her story in the excerpt?
tan references her writing career to build the idea that writing is the most satisfying career choice for asian americans.
tan references her work with language to build the idea that all forms of english are purposeful and meaningful.
tan references her fascination with language to build the idea that daily life is the best language source for writers.
tan references her thoughts about language to build the idea that more people should think about their language usage.

Explanation:

The text mentions that Tan is a writer (work with language) and uses "all the Englishes" she grew up with. This shows that different forms of English (all the Englishes) are purposeful as she uses them in her work. The first option about writing being the "most satisfying career choice for Asian Americans" is not supported. The third option about daily life being the "best language source" is not the main focus. The fourth option about "more people should think" is not the central idea built here.

Answer:

Tan references her work with language to build the idea that all forms of English are purposeful and meaningful.