Born in America, I spoke English, not Chinese, the language of my ancestors. When I was three, my parents flashed cards with Chinese __21__ at my face, but I pushed them __22__. My mom believed I would learn __23__ I was ready. But the __24__ never came.
On a Chinese New Year’s Eve, my uncle spoke to me in Chinese, but all I could do was __25__ at him, confused, scratching my head. “Still can’t speak Chinese?” He __26__ me, “You can’t even buy a fish in Chinatown.”
“Hey, this is America, not China. I’ll get some __27__ with or without Chinese.” I replied and turned to my mom for __28__.
“Remember to ask for fresh fish, Xin Xian Yu,” she said, handing over a $20 bill. I __29__ the words, running down straight into the streets of Chinatown.
I found the fish __30__ surrounded in a sea of customers. “I’d like to buy some fresh fish,” I shouted to the fishman. But he __31__ my English words and turned to serve the next customer. The laugh of the people behind increased __32__ their impatience. With every __33__, the breath of the dragons on my back grew stronger-my blood boiling- __34__ me to cry out, “Xian Sheng Yu, please.” “Very Xian Sheng,” I repeated. The crowd erupted into laughter. My face turned __35__ and I ran back home __36__, except for the $20 bill I held tightly in my pocket.
Should I laugh or cry? They’re Chinese. I’m Chinese. I should feel right at __37__. Instead, I was the joke, a disgrace to the language.
Sometimes, I laugh at my fish __38__, but, in the end, the joke is on __39__. Every laugh is a culture __40__; every laugh is my heritage fading away.
.
| A.custom |
B.games |
C.characters |
D.language |
.
| A.ahead |
B.around |
C.along |
D.aside |
.
| A.when |
B.before |
C.unless |
D.until |
.
| A.success |
B.study |
C.time |
D.attempt |
.
| A.aim |
B.joke |
C.nod |
D.stare |
.
| A.cared about |
B.laughed at |
C.argued with |
D.asked after |
.
| A.right now |
B.from now |
C.at times |
D.in time |
.
| A.decision |
B.permission |
C.Information |
D.Preparation |
.
| A.repeated |
B.reviewed |
C.spelled |
D.kept |
.
| A.farm |
B.stand |
C.pond |
D.market |
.
| A.guessed |
B.forgot |
C.doubted |
D.ignored |
.
.
| A.second |
B.effort |
C.desire |
D.movement |
.
| A.forcing |
B.allowing |
C.persuading |
D.leading |
.
| A.bright |
B.blank |
C.pale |
D.red |
.
| A.open-mouthed |
B.tongue-tied |
C.empty-handed |
D.broken-hearted |
.
| A.service |
B.home |
C.risk |
D.root |
.
| A.trade |
B.deed |
C.challenge |
D.incident |
.
| A.it |
B.us |
C.me |
D.reflected |
.
| A.thrown |
B.lost |
C.divided |
D.reflected |