美國入籍考試改革 提高申請人英語能力要求(附部份題目)

出版時間: 2020/12/05 03:58
更新時間: 2020/12/05 04:06
通過背景審查、入籍考試的美國永久居民,才能宣誓成為美國公民,擁有選舉權。圖為佛羅里達州上月舉行公民宣誓儀式。

美國入籍試本月起改制,新考題移除簡單的「送分題」,取而代之是造句、概念較複雜的問題,考生需具備較好英語能力;《紐約時報》質疑改制有政治目的,部份問題灌輸保守意識,例如把國會議員由「所有人」的代表改成「公民」代表、美國加入越戰是為了「停止共產主義散播」等。

今年12月1日或以後申請入籍的美國永久居民,將會參加新入籍考試。考試題目、標準答案和合格要求,已上載到美國公民及移民服務局(USCIS)網站

舊考試有100條題目,考官抽問其中10條,考生答對6條便合格,合格率高達91%;新考試提高合格門檻,一共設有128條問題,考官會抽問20條,考生需要答對12條。

比對新舊問題,40條維持一樣,18條舊問題、包括11條「送分題」被移除,例如答案只有一個字的簡單地理問題。部份新問題改寫自舊問題,例如舊考試要求考生列出美國建國13個州分的其中三個,新考試則要求列出五個。

部份新問題雖然不變,但答案完全不同,例如問到國會參議員代表甚麼人,舊考試標準答案為「該州的所有人」(all people of the state),新考試標準答案改為「該州的公民」(citizens in the state)。

新考試也引入一些造句、概念較複雜的問題,對考生的英文能力要求有所提高,例如,其中一條便問憲法《第10修正案》目的是什麼,答案是「憲法沒有賦予聯邦政府的權力,歸於州或人民所有」(the powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or to the people.)。

翻閱新題目後,《紐約時報》質疑部份試題向考生灌輸保守意識,例如問到美國加入越戰的原因是什麼,標準答案是「停止散播共產主義」,但整份試卷都沒有提及越戰傷亡數字,和美國出現的大型反越戰示威等歷史。

報導續指,新考試除了為來自非英語國家、較貧窮的移民提早入籍難度外,也為公民及移民服務局製造更多積壓個案,延誤審批工作進度。南加州專為移民提供協助的非牟利組織Todec執行總監格理高斯(Luz Gallegos)指,很多綠卡持有人為了避開新考試,都趕及在12月1日前申請入籍。

除了入籍考試改制,美國政府亦提出收緊難民申請庇護資格、增加申請入籍手續費、疫情下暫停審批外勞綠卡申請等措施。舊金山移民法律資源中心(Immigrant Legal Resource Center)執行總監高安(Eric Cohen)質疑,川普政府改革入籍考試有政治目的。

美國公民及移民服務局回應表示,考試改制只是為了確保考試是評估考生對美國歷史、政府、價值觀認識的有效工具。報導指,拜登上任後可以恢復舊制,但可能性不大。

多年來,美國入籍考試經歷多次變革,最初由入籍法官判斷入籍申請人的公民知識及英語能力,做法被批評為不統一、不公平,導致大量考生不及格,後來出現目前的考試制度,預先提供標準問題和答案,供考生準備。

過去,考試還包括一些「冷知識」問題,例如波士頓國家歷史公園的邦克山紀念碑(Bunker Hill Monument)有多高、25分硬幣上刻有多少夥星星等,這些問題早已被廢除。(北美中心 / 綜合外電報導)

美國入籍試新題目及答案(節錄)

The U.S. Constitution starts with the words “We the People”, what does “We the People” mean?

.Self-government

.Popular sovereignty

.Consent of the governed

.People should govern themselves

.(Example of) social contract

There are three branches of government. Why?

. So one part does not become too powerful

. Checks and balances

. Separation of powers

The president of the United States is in charge of which branch of government?

.Executive branch.

Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators?

. To more closely follow public opinion

What is the purpose of the 10th Amendment?

. (It states that) the powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or to the people.

Why is it important to pay federal taxes?

. Required by law

. All people pay to fund the federal government

. Required by the (U.S.) Constitution (16th Amendment)

.Civic duty

What amendment gives citizenship to all persons born in the United States?

.14th Amendment

Name one leader of the women’s rights movement in the 1880s.

.Susan B. Anthony

.Elizabeth Cady Stanton

.Sojourner Truth

.Harriet Tubman

.Lucretia Mott

.Lucy Stone

Why did the United States enter World War I?

. Because Germany attacked U.S. civilian ships

. To support the Allied Powers (England France Italy and Russia)

. To oppose the Central Powers ( Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria)

What was the Great Depression?

. Longest economic recession in the modern history

Why did the United States entered World War II?

. (Bombing of) Pearl Harbor

. Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor

. To support the Allied Powers (England, France and Russia)

. To opposed the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy and Japan)

Who was the United States’ Main rival during the Cold War?

. Soviet Union

. USSR

. Russia

Why did the United States enter the Korean War?

.To stop the spread of Communism

Why did the United States enter the Vietnam War?

.To stop the spread of Communism

Why did the United States enter the Persian Gulf War?

. To force the Iraqi military from Kuwait

Name one U.S. military conflict after the September 11th 2001 attacks.

. (Global) war on terror

. War in Afghanistan

. War in Iraq

Name one example of an American innovation.

. Light bulb

. Automobile (cars, internal combustion engine)

. Skyscrapers

. Airplane

. Assembly line

. Landing on the moon

. Integrated circuit (IC)

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