2021年经济学人 移民入籍语言测试令人头秃(2)

Even the keenest advocates of immigration agree that speaking the language helps migrants integrate. But they argue that the focus should be on helping¹ them do so, not on overly ambitious targets many can never achieve. Many of Europe’s migrants today arrive with psychological problems born of fleeing war and catastrophe². Others work so hard that they struggle to find the time and energy for classes. Some are barely literate³; answering fairly sophisticated written questions means first learning to read and write. When immigrants are told they must meet a highly demanding standard, many stop trying, say language teachers and researchers. They may then remain isolated⁴ in their ethnic⁵ communities, the only ones that will accept them.

即使是最热衷的移民倡导者也认可，说当地语言有助于移民融入社会。但这些倡导者认为，重点应该放在帮助移民提高语言水平，从而融入社会这一点上，而不在于设立过于宏大而让很多人无法实现的目标。今天，许多欧洲移民带着逃离战争和灾难而产生的心理问题来到这里。有些人工作认真努力，但却没什么时间和精力去上课。有些人几乎不识字；回答相当复杂的书面问题意味着人们首先要学会读写。语言教师和研究人员表示，当移民被告知他们必须达到一个高要求的标准时，许多人停止了尝试。他们可能会继续隔绝在自己的种族社区中，毕竟这是唯一会接受他们的地方。

Ricky van Oers, a Dutch scholar affiliated⁶ to the Western Norway University of Applied⁷ Sciences, explains the effects of raising the bar in her home country. Once, knowledge of the language was assessed in an informal conversation with a local official. When in 2003 written tests were introduced, successful applications fell by half. Since 2007 classes in Dutch have been left to a mix of state and poorly regulated private schools. Reaching the necessary level is estimated to cost 3,600 euros ($4,380) on average, generally paid by the immigrant. Today, new arrivals have three years to reach that standard—one admittedly more modest than in Denmark—or face being fined up to 1,250 euros and being barred from permanent residency and citizenship⁸ until the test is passed.

挪威西部应用科学大学的荷兰学者瑞奇·范·奥尔斯解释了其祖国抬高语言要求门槛造成的影响。申请者的荷兰语掌握程度曾经依靠与当地考官的非正式谈话来进行评估。2003年，荷兰引入了笔试，成功申请的人数自此减少了一半。自2007年以来，荷兰语课程一直由州立学校和监管不善的私立学校混合开设。达到必要的荷兰语水平估计平均花费3600欧元（合4380美元），一般由移民自己支付。如今，移民有三年的时间来达到入籍所需语言标准（荷兰入籍所需语言标准公认要比丹麦的要求更温和），否则将面临高达1250欧元的罚款，并被禁止获得永久居留权和公民身份，直到考试通过。

Countries that introduce language tests for citizenship should make sure teaching is of a good quality (the students themselves are in a poor position to spot a dodgy operator). They should learn from Germany, which subsidises lessons so generously that they are practically free. Help people attend by ensuring child care if they need it. Provide incentives⁹ such as assistance with work placements. Presented with a feasible goal that can be reached with better skills, newcomers will work harder than when ordered to scale a distant peak that they can scarcely see.

引入入籍语言测试的国家应该确保教学质量良好（学生们自己很难识别不良教学机构）。这些国家应该向德国学习，德国对语言教学课程的资助非常慷慨，德国移民实际上是免费上课。如果移民者需要，国家还应该通过确保儿童看护，从而帮助他们上课。国家也应提供激励措施，如协助安排工作。相比被命令着去攀登遥不可及的高峰，当移民者面对可以通过提高语言技能就能达到的可行目标时会更加努力。

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

3 literate   

n.学者；adj.精通文学的，受过教育的

参考例句：

• Only a few of the nation's peasants are literate.这个国家的农民中只有少数人能识字。
• A literate person can get knowledge through reading many books.一个受过教育的人可以通过读书而获得知识。

4 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

5 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

6 affiliated   

adj. 附属的, 有关连的

参考例句：

• The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
• All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。

7 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

8 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

9 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法