首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
For years, Jorge DelPinal’s job as assistant chief of the Census Bureau’s Population Division was to fit people into neat, disti
For years, Jorge DelPinal’s job as assistant chief of the Census Bureau’s Population Division was to fit people into neat, disti
admin
2013-10-11
24
问题
For years, Jorge DelPinal’s job as assistant chief of the Census Bureau’s Population Division was to fit people into neat, distinct racial and ethnic boxes: white, black, Hispanic, Asian or Native American. As the son of an Anglo mother and a Hispanic father, however, he knew all along that the task was not always possible.
The face of America is changing—literally. As President Clinton has said, within 30 or 40 years, when there will be no single race in the majority in the United States, "we had best be ready for it. " For his part, Clinton is preparing for that time by talking about racial tolerance and the virtues of multiculturalism. Others are debating immigration policy. Almost all discussion focuses on the potential divisiveness inherent in a nation that is no longer a predominantly white country with a mostly European ancestry.
But afoot behind the scenes is another trend that, if handled carefully, could bring the country closer together rather than drive it apart. This quiet demographic counter-revolution is a dramatic upsurge in intermarriage.
Veteran demographer Barry Edmonston’s study projected that by 2050, 21 percent of the US population will be of mixed racial or ethnic ancestry, up from an estimate of seven percent today. Among third-generation Hispanic and Asian Americans, exogamy—marriage outside one’s ethnic group or tribe—is at least 50 percent, he and others estimate. Exogamy remains much less prevalent among African Americans, but it has increased enormously, from about 1. 5 percent in the 1960s to 8 to 10 percent today.
Such a profound demographic shift could take place while no one was watching because, officially, no one was watching. Federal agencies traditionally collected racial data using a formula—one person, one race—similar to the time-honored voting principle. Thus, the Census Bureau could estimate that on census forms no more than two percent of the population would claim to be multiracial. In the absence of a more straightforward count, no one could know for sure what the demographics are.
Meanwhile, in the absence of official numbers, with the heightened tension surrounding racial issues, and with the mutual suspicion that exists among competing racial and ethnic interest groups, there’s little agreement on what intermarriage will mean for US society in the future.
Some sociologists call Asian-white and Hispanic-Anglo intermarriage simply the latest addition to the melting pot that, since the start of this century, has fused so many Irish, Italian , German and other families of European origin. But despite the rise in black-white marriage, many doubt that African Americans will be included in this mix.
Ramona Douglass, President of the Association of MultiEthnic Americans, enthused, " We’re living proof that people with two different races or ethnic backgrounds can live together in harmony, that(interracial)families actually do function. " Douglass’s mother is Italian-American, and her father is a multiracial blend of African American and Native American.
Of course, many portray intermarriage as gradual genocide that will culminate in the disappearance of their particular group. That was the traditional view of the Jewish community, which throughout history closely guarded its small numbers from loss through assimilation. But the very high rate of Jewish out-marriage since World War II has caused an official rethinking among the progressive elements of American Judaism. These groups still encourage marriage within the faith, but instead of shunning those who do marry non-Jews, they are now courting these intermarried couples.
The main topic of the passage is______intermarriage in the US.
选项
A、the influence of
B、the different opinions towards
C、government’s responsibility of
D、the development of
答案
D
解析
主旨题。本文主要谈的是近年来异族通婚现象在美国的现状和发展。关于异族通婚对美国社会的影响,作者只是引出了这一话题但并没有具体讨论。本文的主要写作目的是让读者对美国的异族通婚情况有所了解,因此并没有过多涉及社会各界对此问题的观点以及政府应负的责任等,故[D]为答案。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/G2GK777K
0
专业英语四级
相关试题推荐
Kenya’sforeignministersaysheisleavinghispostbecauseof
ItispossibleforstudentstoobtainadvanceddegreeinEnglishwhileknowinglittleornothingabouttraditionalscholarlymet
ItispossibleforstudentstoobtainadvanceddegreeinEnglishwhileknowinglittleornothingabouttraditionalscholarlymet
Itwasasaphysicianthatherepresentedhimself,and______hewaswarmlyreceived.
Asweallknow,thickforestsarethenatural______forbirds,animalsandinsects,andwemustforbidcuttingtreeswithoutany
Wemightmarvelattheprogressmadeineveryfieldofstudy,butthemethodsoftestingaperson’sknowledgeandabilityremain
______,bothmyfatherandmotherdied.
Ihavehadjustaboutenoughofbeingtreatedlikeasecondclasscitizen,simplybecauseIhappentobethatputuponmemberof
Peoplewholiveinsmalltownsoftenseemmorefriendlythanthoselivingin______populatedareas.
Itisuptothegovernmentto______therightsofindividualcitizens.
随机试题
甲公司通过与自然资源管理部门签订建设用地使用权出让合同,取得对某地块为期50年的有偿使用权。在根据法律要求进行了1年开发建设后,将该地转让给乙公司,双方签订了书面转让合同,但并未办理变更登记。一年后,甲公司又将该建设用地使用权转让给丙公司,丙公司在签订合同
下列何种先心病可出现周围血管征
医师经执业注册后因受刑事处罚被注销注册的,自刑罚执行完毕之日起满2年的
港口与航道工程中施工平面控制测量的()平面控制及以上等级点均应埋设永久标石,或在固定建筑物上凿设标志和点号。
贯彻“科学性和思想性统一”教学原则的具体要求有哪些?
经济学上的投资是指()
联结一试误说的主要内容是()
FitatAnySizeNikkiBlonskyisexactlytherolemodelmostparentsdreamoffortheirkids.She’shappy,she’ssuccessful,
Schoolbuildingsthemselvescanreflectliberalorconservativeviewsaboutwhatshouldgooninaclassroom.Theearliestschoo
雨声渐渐的住了,窗帘后隐隐的透进清光来。推开窗户一看,呀!凉云散了,树叶上的残滴,映着月儿,好似荧光千点,闪闪烁烁的动着。——真没想到苦雨孤灯之后,会有这么一幅清美的图画!凭窗站了一会儿,微微的觉得凉意侵人。转过身来,忽然眼花缭乱,屋子里的别的东
最新回复
(
0
)