Entry English tests harder(15803)-英语教育-(-2)-21英语网

本文作者： GUARDIAN WEEKLY

作为移民大国的美国与英国于近期宣布要采取更加严格的措施，加强移民申请过程中的语言考核，以减少新移民由于缺乏语言能力而引起的生活与社会问题。中国是世界上一个主要的移民输出国。这些新举措对想出国移民的人将会有很大影响。

The US and Britain are top immigration choices and both are making the naturalization process harder, especially for those without sufficient language ability.

According to Britain's Home Office, the UK will introduce tougher than expected English tests for new immigrants late this year. Meanwhile, the US government is planning to make its tests for new citizens including English language assessment more rigourous.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has a project to revise the citizenship testing procedures. New tests are still at the pilot stage and will not begin until 2006, according to a senior US immigration official.

But the revised English language standards will include asking people to participate in a conversation, give simple directions, express needs and preferences, respond to warnings, comprehend simple material and fill out forms.

In contrast, Britain has made the change quicker and the new citizenship test is just around the corner. This means that all naturalization applicants — including New Zealanders, Australians, Americans, South Africans, Canadians and those married to British citizens — must have an ESOL Entry Level Three certificate, which comes from ESOL Skills for Life Certificates. The certificates were developed by Cambridge ESOL, a non-profit department of Cambridge University. Otherwise, the person must have written proof of an equivalent qualification.

This move may be welcomed by many who see a need to tackle workplace language skills. But many are far from convinced that Entry Level Three will benefit those who need citizenship and are expected to be helped by the test.

Greater problems

According to statistics for the last two years, China remained the third largest source of immigrants to the US. The figure reached more than 60,000 out of about one million immigrants for fiscal year 2002. Out of almost 140,000 newly-naturalized citizens in Britain in 2003, Chinese accounted for a sizable number.

As a result, naturalization in the US and Britain will pose an even greater problem for Chinese who want to move to either country. In addition to other factors, they will have to take English language more seriously to get the passport they desire.