Question

Read the excerpt from "Mother Tongue."

Just last week, I was walking down the street with my mother, and I again found myself conscious of the English I was using, the English I do use with her. We were talking about the price of new and used furniture and I heard myself saying this: “Not waste money that way.” My husband was with us as well, and he didn’t notice any switch in my English. And then I realized why. It’s because over the twenty years we’ve been together I’ve often used that same kind of English with him, and sometimes he even uses it with me. It has become our language of intimacy, a different sort of English that relates to family talk, the language I grew up with.

What can be inferred from the excerpt?
Tan believes that nonstandard English can make family communication difficult.
Tan believes that nonstandard English can be an important part of family culture.
Tan believes that the use of nonstandard English is a way to keep family business private.
Tan believes that the use of nonstandard English must be guarded against in public.

Answer 1

Tan believes that nonstandard English can be an important part of family culture.

The excerpt calls that English “our language of intimacy” and “a different sort of English that relates to family talk,” which supports the second option and contradicts the others.