Question

About 30 years ago, I left Cuba for the United States with my son who started learning in a kindergarten there. Several weeks later, my son’s teacher asked me to meet him at his office.

In the office, after the greeting words, the teacher asked “Is your son mentally retarded(弱智的)?” Was he talking about my wonderful Scola? NO, no, it can’t be. What a helpless, lonely moment! I told him that Scola was a quiet, sweet little boy. I asked him why he was asking me this question. He told me that my son couldn’t follow the teachers’ directions, and was making bad effects to the class.

Didn’t he know my son did not speak English yet?

He was angry; “Why hasn’t your son been taught to speak English? Don’t you speak English at home?”

“No, I didn’t speak English at home,” I replied, “I was sure my son would learn English in a couple of months, and I didn't want him to forget his native language.”

“I can’t believe that there are such people who don’t teach their children to speak English at home and at all time.” the teacher said.

Then he told me the meeting was over, and I left.

As I had expected, my son learned to speak English well before the school year was over. He went on to graduate from college and got a high-paid job. He travels widely and has a fantastic life. And all these are mostly because of being bilingual(雙語的).

Speaking more than one language allows people to communicate with others; it teaches people about other cultures and other places. But the “educator” I met in my son’s kindergarten didn’t realized these.

1. The teacher asked the writer to his office _______.

A. to work out a study plan for Scola

B. to find a language partner for Scola

C. to discuss Scola’s behavior in class

D. to talk about Scola’s improvement in kindergarten

2. What’s the Chinese meaning of the underlined word “directions” in paragraph 2?

A. 方向 B. 行為 C. 指示 D. 趨勢

3. The writer didn’t teach his son to speak English at home because _______.

A. She couldn’t speak English

B. She wanted his son to be bilingual

C. His son could speak English very well

D. She just didn’t want his son to forget his native language

4. According to the passage, what can help us become successful?

A. Learning English. B. Learning native language.

C. Learning Chinese. D. Learning more than one language.

Answer 1

1 C         2 C    3 B        4 D