64. Speaking the Same Language p. 442

Sally is talking with her friend, Don.

S： Tell me, Don. How come you're from Spain but you can't speak Spanish very well？

D： It's not my mother tongue. My father is Spanish and my mother is American. We usually speak English at home.

S： Oh, I see.

D： Your Spanish is probably better than mine.

S： Yes, but you speak English more fluently than I.

D： How come？ Aren't you American？

S： Yes, but my mother is Spanish.

D： Don't tell me……

S： That's right. We usually speak Spanish at home.

D： It doesn't matter as long as we can communicate.

S： That's true.

mother tongue = mother language = native language

My father is Spanish and my mother is American. Spanish,American是adj.

or： My father is a Spanish/Spaniard and my mother is an American. n.

spinach 菠菜

Betty bettered her performance by studying hard. better vt.提升

He is a fluent speaker of English. = He is a good command of English.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Don't tell me. = I don't believe it. coincidence