Question

i know this for a fact, because when i was growing up, my mother’s “limited” english limited my perception of her. i was ashamed of her english. i believed that her english reflected the quality of what she had to say. that is, because she expressed them imperfectly her thoughts were imperfect. —“mother tongue,” amy tan copyright © 1990 by amy tan. first appeared in the threepenny review. reprinted by permission of the author and the sandra dijkstra literary agency what type of language does tan use in this passage? both formal and informal english complete select two words that accurately describe tan’s word choice in this passage. ☐ conversational ☐ humorous ☐ playful ☐ sophisticated ☐ joyous ☐ academic done

Explanation:

1. Conversational: The passage uses personal, first-person language ("I know this for a fact," "when I was growing up") that mimics natural, everyday speech, making it conversational.
2. Sophisticated: Tan also uses deliberate, reflective phrasing (e.g., "limited my perception of her," "reflected the quality of what she had to say") that shows careful, thoughtful word choice, fitting the description of sophisticated.

The other options do not apply: the passage is not humorous, playful, joyous, or strictly academic in tone.

Answer:

• conversational
• sophisticated