Mr. Li is a 50-year-old college graduate from China who just immigrated to the United States and is learning English. Jet is 3 years of age and just immigrated to the United States from China and is also learning English. Jet will complete high school, but not college. What can we ascertain about the second-language acquisition of these two individuals?
A) Jet will have greater English proficiency than Mr. Li only if he is raised in a non-Chinese-speaking household.
B) By the time Jet is an adult, he and Mr. Li will have comparable English-speaking skills.
C) Mr. Li will have greater English proficiency than Jet.
D) Jet will have greater English proficiency than Mr. Li.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jet, being much younger, has the advantage of the critical period for language acquisition, which suggests that younger individuals can learn a second language more easily and proficiently than adults.

Mr Li Is a 50-Year-Old College Graduate from China Who