I was reading this article and I thought hey, finally they are getting something right. Well perhaps not right but definately better. Yes better is entirely subjective, and since this is my blog I can be as subjective as I fucking want to be. :)
That being said they decided to strike these questions...
Can you name one of the country’s longest rivers?
A Native American tribe?
What makes Benjamin Franklin famous?
Given that most Americans couldnt answer all of these questions, I dont see how asking these of immigrants is somehow creating ties between them and the idea of what it is to be an American.
The new exam asks why the flag has 13 stripes and what the Constitution does. I think it might have been better to also ask, "What does the Constitution mean to you?", or something along those lines. It is a start though. Being able to name a river or indian tribe means nothing if you dont understand the context of why those questions are being asked. Im glad they are finally getting that fixed. Now we just need a requirement to speak fluent english...
If you want to see how well you would do on a citizenship test that immigrants would take click here.
Yay! I got 95% right! I just missed number 8. Im ok with that, I think that was the only one I wasnt really sure of anyhow. They should have added the question: What is the most important amendment in the Constitution? The obvious answer of course, is the 21rst amendment! Which, by the way is an excellent bar in the downtown area.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I didn't get the one right about which form it was *LOL*
I have mixed feelings about requiring fluency in English; our country has thrived for years on welcoming many different cultures and many of them did not speak english when they arrived. It is very difficult for an adult to be fluent in a foreign language, especially if they don't have the knack for it. If you look at it pragmatically, there's typically only one generation that doesn't speak english; the children learn from TV, other children and are constantly exposed to it. I just am concerned it would be too prohibitive to immigrants to require fluency.
Post a Comment