When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother’s Chinese English.

When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of mymother’s Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treatedunfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did nottake her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understandher, or even acted as if they did not hear her.

My motherhas long realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen,she used to have me call people on the phone to pretend I was she. I was forcedto ask for information or even to yell at people who had been rude to her. Onetime I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人). I saidin an adolescent voice that was not very convincing, "This is Mrs. Tan.”

And mymother was standing beside me, whispering loudly, "Why he don’t send mecheck, already two week late.”

And then, inperfect English I said, "I’m getting rather concerned. You agreed to sendthe check two weeks ago, but it hasn’t arrived. "

Then shetalked more loudly.  "What he want? I come to New York tell him frontof his boss. "And so I turned to the stockbroker again, "I can’ttolerate any more excuse. If I don’t receive the check immediately, I am goingto have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week. "

The nextweek we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red-faced, my mother,the real Mrs. Tan, was shouting to his boss in her broken English.

When I was ateenager, my mother’s broken English embarrassed me. But now, I see it differently.To me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is mymother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, and full ofobservation and wisdom. It was the language that helped shape the way I sawthings, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world.

1.Why was the author’s mother poorly served?

A．She wasunable to speak good English.       B．She was oftenmisunderstood.

C．She was notclearly heard.                 D．She was notvery polite.

2.From Paragraph 2,we know that the author was        .

A．good atpretending                      B．rude to thestockbroker

C．ready to helpher mother                 D．unwilling tophone for her mother

3.After the author made the phone call,       .

A．they forgavethe stockbroker              B．they failedto get the check

C．they went toNew York at once             D．they spoke totheir boss at once

4.What does the author think of her mother’s Englishnow?

A．It confusesher.                         B．It makes herashamed

C．It helps herunderstand the world.          D．It helps herbear rude people.

5.We can infer from the passage that Chinese English      .

A．is clear andnatural to non-native speakers

B．isinteresting and straight to non-native speakers

C．leaves a verybad impression on America

D．may bringinconvenience in America

试题答案

【答案】

1.A

2.D

3.B

4.C

5.D

【解析】

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