3.05: Author's Craft: "Mother Tongue"

Read this excerpt from "About Russell" by Rita Williams-Garcia. When he did speak, it was in a monotone, his eyes fixed elsewhere. How does the word monotone affect the tone of this excerpt?

It conveys a tone of disengagement.

Which text from "About Russell" best supports the inference that the author's mother was aware of Russell's condition?

Which text from "About Russell" best supports the inference that the author's mother was aware of Russell's condition?

Read this excerpt from "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan. 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. How does this detail develop the central idea?

It describes the author judging her mother based on her language.

Read this excerpt from "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan. "I am a writer. And by that definition, I am someone who has always loved language. I am fascinated by language in daily life. I spend a great deal of my time thinking about the power of language—the way it can evoke an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth. Language is the tool of my trade. And I use them all—all the Englishes I grew up with." Which statement best explains how this paragraph functions in "Mother Tongue"?

It helps Tan explain the various important roles that language plays in our lives.

Which statement best expresses the central idea of "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan?

One's facility with language should not be misunderstood as an indicator of intelligence or capability.

Read this excerpt from "Lake Titicaca" by Miguel Angel Asturias. They travel with their llamas. They see me, knitting their cheeks to contemplate me with their tiny eyes. What does the phrase "knitting their cheeks" mean?

The llamas are moving their jaws.