Question

Read the excerpt from "Mother Tongue."

I’ve heard other terms used, “limited English,” for example. But they seem just as bad, as if everything is limited, including people’s perceptions of the limited English speaker.

How does Tan build a central idea of her story in the excerpt?
Tan presents factual evidence to support the idea that the English language provides fewer opportunities for expression than other languages.
Tan expresses an opinion to support the idea that people who speak nonstandard forms of English are unfairly judged in negative ways.
Tan tells a story to support the idea that people who speak nonstandard forms of English are unable to communicate effectively.
Tan discusses the limits of writing in English to support the idea that authors learn other languages to express their ideas more fully.

Answer 1

Tan expresses an opinion to support the idea that people who speak nonstandard forms of English are unfairly judged in negative ways.

She uses evaluative language ("seem just as bad," "including people’s perceptions") and personal observation to argue that labels like "limited English" reflect and reinforce unfair judgments about speakers.