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Questions
5
/
1. What does Adams mean when he says that he needs to be “adept at adapting” and what
effect does this seem to have on Adams?
2. In paragraphs 2–4, Adams talks about the differences he finds in himself between “blackness”
Narrative
and “talking white.” How does he define each? How do these differences illustrate differences
in power?
3. Overall, what are the strengths that Adams has gained through “code switching” and what
power has he lost?
4. Comparison. Alvarez, like Adams, does some code switching between English and Spanish.
How is the argument Adams makes about the power and challenges of code switching similar
to and different from what Alvarez writes about in “La Gringuita”?
5. Informing Your Argument. Return to the table that you created on page 186. Fill in the
columns about the steps that Adams might suggest to prevent inequality based on language,
the best evidence that illustrates those steps, and your response to what Adams is suggesting.

Source B
Reisberg, Liz. “Foreign Language Study Should Be Mandatory!” insidehighered.com,
14 Mar. 2017.

wish I had a dollar (or a euro or a yen) for Studying another language (or two or three)
I every time I heard someone say that they increases the effectiveness of cross-cultural
couldn’t learn a language. Yet studying a foreign communication, not only in knowing words, but
language is much more than the ability to speak in developing a deeper understanding of
another language fluently. Bless you, Princeton language generally and its relationship to culture.
University! I am not a linguist but having now studied
Princeton’s latest general education proposal four foreign languages I recognize the tight rela-
would require all students to study a foreign tionship between language, culture and how we
language, even those already proficient in think. Cultural values, hierarchies, and tradi-
another language. The proposal acknowledges tions often play out in language. A growing body
that a language isn’t something to cross off a list of research bears this out. Without some expo-
of requirements, much as other universities have sure to a foreign language, how would anyone
allowed students to do by testing out, but rather a develop any understanding or insight about the
deep dive into culture and communication. . . . cultural dimension of language? It’s so import-
While it is now almost cliché to refer to our ant to recognize that we don’t all mean the same
“increasingly globalized world” that reality hasn’t things with the same words.
been embraced by universities to the extent that it Furthermore, language and thought are 5
should be. Today, most, if not all, university grad- separate constructions. The way sentences and
uates will need to be able to communicate across ideas are structured and expressed in German or
cultures, but there will have been very little (if Japanese is very different than in English.
anything) included in their undergraduate German and Japanese require the listener to pay
program to help them to develop those skills. careful attention because key communication

188
Uncorrected proofs have been used in this sample.
Copyright © Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers.
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers.
For review purposes only. Not for redistribution.

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