Certainly, these questions pertain to Amy Tan's essay "Mother Tongue." Here are some answers:
1. **What point is Tan making with the example of her mother and the hospital?**
Tan is highlighting how her mother's limited English proficiency had real-world consequences. Her mother's inability to effectively communicate with the hospital staff due to her limited English led to a misdiagnosis. This example illustrates the impact language proficiency can have on a person's life and access to proper healthcare.
2. **What point is she making with the example of the stockbroker?**
The example of the stockbroker demonstrates how people's perceptions of others can be influenced by their language proficiency. When Tan's mother spoke to the stockbroker in "perfect English," she was treated with respect and got a better deal. This example underscores the idea that language proficiency can lead to different treatment and opportunities.
3. **Do you think family or peers exert more influence on a person’s language?**
This question invites personal opinion. In Tan's essay, she suggests that family often has a significant influence on a person's early language development, while peers and the outside world can influence one's language as they grow older and interact more with society. However, the degree of influence can vary widely from person to person.
4. **Why does Tan discuss the SAT and her performance on it?**
Tan discusses her performance on the SAT to illustrate that language proficiency, especially in the context of standardized tests, can be influenced by the language spoken at home. She received a lower verbal score due to her mother's English, which didn't reflect her true abilities. This emphasizes how language bias can affect assessments and opportunities.
5. **Why does she envision her mother as the reader of her novels?**
Tan envisions her mother as the reader of her novels because she wants her work to be accessible and understandable to her mother, who speaks limited English. It reflects her desire to bridge the gap between her mother's language and the language she uses in her writing, making her stories more relatable to her mother and others who may face language barriers.
These questions and answers provide insights into the themes and messages in Amy Tan's essay "Mother Tongue."