Mama’s English

　　 Mama’s voice floated through the apartment as she sang a Mexican folk song that I had heard all my life. “Hola,” she greeted me when she came out of the bedroom. “Please speak to me in 　31　 ,” I interrupted. She paid no attention and 　32　 　speaking in Spanish. The words 　33　 　me of my grandparents and birthday parties in Mexico, but I knew my mother’s life would be 　34　 　if she learned to speak English. We had lived in the United States for three years, and she still had difficulty 　35　 　to store owners and my teachers. I was determined that she should try. “Why won’t you speak English?” I 　36　 . “Don’t you want to be 　37　 　to talk to people here?” “Isabel,” she whispered. Mama always whispered when she was upset with me. “What?” I was not 　38　 　with her, either. She 　39　 　for the English words. “Come with me to the, uh-how do you say it? Meeting.” “What kind of meeting? Where is it?” I 　40　 　her, but now she refused to answer. In 　41　 　we drove across town to the college, where she pulled into a brightly lit parking lot. I was 　42　 . I had expected a meeting at someone’s 　43　 -a garden club or a parents’ group. Then I 　44　 　a sign on a door. My mother was 　45　 　night classes to learn English!

　　 “I don’t understand. 　46　 　you’re learning English, why won’t you speak English at home?” I asked. “You’ll learn faster if you 　47　 　with me.” “I speak English here,” she said in her thick accent. She hesitated, putting the words together, and then went on, “I speak Spanish at home 　48　 　you.”

30. 　Having studied abroad for many years, he came back to ______ used to be a small town.

A. where　　　 B. what　　　 　　　C. that　　　　 　　　D. which　　

29. The question ______ now at the meeting is not the question ______ yesterday.

　 　A. discussed; discussed　　　　　　　　 B. discussing; had discussed

　 　C. being discussed; discussed　　　　　 D. discussing; discussing

28. You have failed two tests. You’d better start working harder, ____you won’t pass the course.　　　　 A. and　 B. so　 C. but 　　　D. or

27. The teacher, with 6 girls and 8 boys of her class, _______ visiting a museum when the earthquake struck.

　　 A. was　　　　　 B. were　　　　 C. had been　　　 D. would be

26. His movie won several awards at the film festival, ______ was beyond his wildest dream.　　 A. which　　　　 B. that　　　　　　　　 C. where　　 　 D. it

25．Though the chair looks rather hard, it is very comfortable to _________. A．sit 　　　　B．sit on 　　　C．be sat 　　　D．be sat on