Question

“Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan

Answer 1

Answer:

• According to Tan, why are so many Asian Americans encouraged to study math and science in college?: Tan speculates that because Asian Americans score so much higher on math achievement tests than on English tests, they are encouraged to pursue math and science in college.
• Identify the message of Tan's essay, "Mother Tongue." Then evaluate her message. Do you think her idea is valid? : Sample answer: Communication is more about intent than specific words and word usage.
• In "Mother Tongue," do you think that Tan and her mother have a close relationship? Why or why not? Give at least three details from the essay to support your opinion: Students are most likely to conclude that Tan and her mother do have a close relationship and should support their opinion with at least three of the following examples: a. Her mother attends her lectures. b. Tan, her husband, and her mother go out together. c. Her mother relies on and trusts Tan to talk to the doctors about the CAT scan. d. Her mother is the audience (reader) for The Joy Luck Club, a book about mother-and-daughter relationships. Students may conclude that Tan and her mother did not have a close relationship if they support this opinion with valid examples.
• In "Mother Tongue" why does Tan include her mother's story about the political gangster in Shanghai? How does this story help you better understand the point Tan is making in her essay? : Answers will vary but should include points similar to the following: a. Tan includes the story to give readers an example of just how her mother's English sounds and how expressive it is. b. The story helps the reader understand Tan's later comments about what to call her mother's English-words like limited or broken affect people's perceptions of her mother and her mother's abilities. c. The story helps readers understand one of Tan's points: her mother's English does have intent, passion, imagery, and rhythm, and it shows the complexity of her thoughts.
• Use Tan's ideas about different kinds of English from "Mother Tongue" as a basis to consider the kinds of English you encounter every day. Then write an essay in which you explain the use of English in your life and communications.: Students' essays will probably address slang and jargon that they use, standard English that they use for most of their school experiences, and possibly formal English that they may use with relatives or in work situations.
• Consider the story "Mother Tongue." Do you agree or disagree with Amy Tan's conclusions about standardized tests? Do you feel that people's abilities can be judged fairly by these kinds of tests? Explain. : Answers will vary widely, depending on students' personal experiences, situations, and viewpoints. Accept any answers that address the concern of the question and are elaborated by examples or details from the literature or from life.
• What incident in "Mother Tongue" makes Tan aware of the different Englishes that she speaks? : Her mother attends a lecture that Tan is delivering, and Tan realizes that her mother is hearing Tan speak a kind of English that she does not use at home.
• In one or two paragraphs, describe the personal experience that the writer had in "Mother Tongue", and the understanding she gained through her reflection about the experience. : Students' writing should address the specific experiences and messages of the essays that they choose.  
• Tan, author of "Mother Tongue," explains that her mother's language had the greatest influence on her understanding of English. Do you agree that family members have the greatest effect on a child's intellectual development? State your opinion in an essay, and support it with evidence from at least two of the essays. : Students in agreement might cite Tan's interpretation of analogy questions and Cisneros's poor school performance but obvious intellect that was nurtured by her family. Students in disagreement might point to Dove's consuming interest in reading, which seems largely uninfluenced by her family, and Cisneros's belief that her desire to write came from a "hunger" she felt, even with her family.  
• When Tan was growing up, how did her mother's use of English affect Tan's perception of her? : Her mother's "limited" English limited Tan's perception of her. Tan believed that her mother's English reflected the quality of what she had to say-that the imperfections in her speech meant that her ideas were just as imperfect.

Explanation:

structure the essay off of these main points and rearrange the topics based on your writing style