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, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.

My mother has 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 forced to ask for information or even to shout at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人). I said in an adolescent voice that was not very convincing(令人相信的), “This is Mrs. Tan.”

And my mother was standing beside me, whispering loudly, “Why he don’t send me check already two week late.”

And then, in perfect English I said : “I’m getting rather concerned .You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn’t arrived.”

Then she talked more loudly. “What he want? I come to New York tell him front of his boss.” And so I turned to the stockbroker again, “I can’t tolerate(容忍) any more excuse. If I don’t receive the check immediately, I am going to 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(使尴尬) 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 vivid, direct, and full of observation and wisdom. It was the language that helped shape(影响) 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, we know that the author was ________.

A.good at pretending B.rude to the stockbroker

C.ready to help her mother D.unwilling to phone for her mother

3.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 tolerate rude people.

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.B

4.C

【解析】

这是一篇夹叙夹议的文章。文章主要讲了青少年时期，作者认为母亲的中式英语很蹩脚。长大后，作者认为她妈妈的英语帮助她了解了世界。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly.可知，作者的母亲没有得到很好的服务是因为她说不好英语，故选A。

2.推理判断题。根据第二段I was forced to ask for information or even to shout at people who had been rude to her.（我被迫询问信息，甚至对那些对她无礼的人大喊大叫。）由此可以推断出，作者不愿意为她的母亲打电话。故选D。

3.推理判断题。根据倒数第二段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.（下个星期我们到了纽约。当我坐在那里面红耳赤的时候，我的母亲，也就是真正的谭夫人，正在用她蹩脚的英语向老板大喊大叫。）由此可以推断出，打了电话后，他们没有收到支票，故选B。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段It was the language that helped shape(影响) the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world.（正是语言塑造了我看待事物、表达思想和理解世界的方式。）由此推断出，现在，作者认为她妈妈的英语帮助她了解了世界，故选C。