Question

When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother’s Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.

My mother has realized the disadvantages of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on phone to pretend I was she. I was forced to ask for information or even to yell at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人).I said in a voice that was not very convincing, “This is Mrs Tan.” And my mother was standing beside me, whispering loudly, “Why he doesn’t send me the check. It’s already two weeks late.”

And then, in perfect English I said : “I’m getting rather anxious .You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn’t arrived.” Then she talked more loudly. “What does he want? I’ll come to New York and say it in front of his boss.” And so I turned to the stockbroker again, “I can’t accept any more excuses. If I don’t receive the check immediately, I have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week.”

The next week 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 a teenager, 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 my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is clear and direct. It was the language that helped me form the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world.

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

A. She was unable to speak good English

B. She was often misunderstood.

C. She was not clearly heard.

D. She was not very polite.

2.From Paragraph 2, what can we know about the author?

A. She was good at pretending.

B. She was rude to the stockbroker.

C. She was ready to help her mother.

D. She was unwilling to phone for her mother

3.What happened after the author made the phone call?

A. They forgave the stockbroker.

B. They failed to get the check.

C. They went to New York immediately.

D. They spoke to their boss at once.

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

A. It confuses her.

B. It embarrasses her.

C. It helps her understand the world.

D. It helps her forgive rude people.

5.What can we infer from the passage?

A. Chinese English is clear and natural to native speakers.

B. Chinese English is impolite to native speakers.

C. Chinese English has a very bad name in America.

D. Chinese English may bring inconvenience in America.

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.B

4.C

5.D

【解析】

试题分析：本文叙述了作者在美国生活时，小时候由于母亲的英语差，受到了很多不平等的服务。有一次，母亲的股票账单没有按时寄来，我被迫给股票经纪人打电话催问，结果一周后他们也没有收到，他们来到伦敦找那个老板大吵了一架。但是我为母亲蹩脚的英语感到羞愧。现在，我长大了，觉得母亲的英语对我而言是完美的。它帮助我养成了了解世界，表达自己的方法。

1.细节理解题。根据Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. 可知作者的母亲由于英语说的不好，因此得不到公平的服务。故选A。

2. 推理判断题。根据I was forced to ask for information可知我被迫去询问一些信息，因此推断作者不愿意替他妈妈打电话。 故选D。

3.推理判断题。根据The next week 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. 可知打完电话，第二周我们来到伦敦，跟老板争吵，因此可断定我们没有拿到股票账单。故选B。

4.细节理解题。根据It was the language that helped me form the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world.可知正是母亲的英语帮助我形成了自己了解世界的方法。故选C。

5.推理判断题。根据When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother’s Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly.可知在美国生活，英语差会给自己带来很多不便。故选D。

考点：故事类的短文阅读。