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The United States admitted over 967,000 people as new citizens in 2022.
2022年，美国接纳了超过96.7万人成为新公民。
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said that was the largest number of people naturalized since 2008.
美国公民及移民服务局表示，这是自2008年以来加入美国国籍人数最多的一年。
To become a U.S. citizen, a candidate needs to live in the country as a permanent resident for at least five years and be over 18 years old.
要成为美国公民，候选人需要以永久居民身份在美国居住至少五年，并且年满18岁。
After applying, a candidate for citizenship needs to pass an interview with a USCIS officer.
申请美国国籍后，候选人需要通过美国公民及移民服务局官员的面试。
In the interview, an official assesses the person for their English ability, knowledge of American history and government, and personal background.
在面试中，一名官员会对申请者的英语能力、对美国历史和政府的了解以及个人背景进行评估。
Over 96 percent of people pass the naturalization test.
超过96%的人通过了入籍测试。
But changes are coming to the test that could make it more difficult for English learners.
但考试正在发生变化，这可能会给英语学习者带来更多困难。
Carolyn Quinn and John Schmelzer teach a free class in Montgomery County, Maryland, to help prepare people living in the area for the interview.
卡洛琳·奎恩和约翰·施梅尔策在马里兰州蒙哥马利县教授一门免费课程，帮助当地居民为面试做准备。
They said it is most important that people are able to understand the questions the interviewer is asking.
他们说，最重要的是人们能够理解面试官提出的问题。
It is not as important to speak in grammatically correct sentences.
用语法正确的句子说话并不那么重要。
The question the interview is trying to answer is: "Do these people understand enough English to be a functioning citizen?" Schmelzer said.
面试试图回答的问题是：“这些人是否能听得懂足够多的英语，成为一个正常交际的公民？”施梅尔策说。
At the beginning of each class, Quinn and Schmelzer ask their students simple "small talk" questions they might hear in the interview, like "How did you get here today?" or "Why do you want to become a United States citizen?"
每节课开始时，奎恩和施梅尔策都会问学生在面试中可能会听到的一些简单的“闲聊”问题，比如“你今天是怎么来到这里的？”或者“你为什么想成为美国公民？”
Much of the interview is based on questions on the Application for Naturalization Form, called the N-400.
面试的大部分问题都是面试官基于入籍申请表N-400表格上的问题提出的。
Most are personal questions related to employment, family and personal history.
大多数都是有关就业、家庭和个人历史的个人问题。
Rajbit Kahn took Quinn's class and passed the naturalization interview in August.
拉吉比特·卡恩参加了奎恩的课，并在8月份通过了入籍面试。
She said the class gave her more confidence to speak English in the interview.
她说，这门课让她在面试中更有信心说英语。
Before the class, she rarely spoke English, she said.
她说，在上课之前，她很少说英语。
But now, "I talk to anyone."
但现在，“我可以和任何人交谈。”
However, Quinn stresses to her students that her class is not an English class.
然而，奎恩向她的学生强调，她的课不是英语课。
And she has students enter her class without enough English knowledge to pass the interview.
她允许学生在没有足够通过面试的英语知识的情况下进入她的班级。
With the increase in Afghan immigrants into the United States, Quinn said she has had a few Afghan women come into her class.
奎恩说，随着进入美国的阿富汗移民人数的增加，她的班上已经有了一些阿富汗女学生。
She said, "They never had any kind of schooling. So, they don't know how to write. They don't know how to read. They don't know letter sounds."
她说：“她们从来没有受过任何教育。所以，她们不会写字。她们不会阅读。她们不知道字母发音。”
Often, family members with better English skills will fill out the N-400 form for them.
通常，英语水平较高的家庭成员会为她们填写N-400表格。
But they would be unable to answer the interview questions themselves.
但她们无法自己回答面试问题。
Possible changes to the naturalization interview would make civics questions multiple choice to "reflect current best practices in test design," USCIS said in a document explaining the update to the test.
美国公民及移民服务局在一份解释考试改革的文件中表示，入籍面试可能发生的变化将会使公民问题有多个选择，以“反映当前考试设计的最佳做法”。
Schmelzer said that would make the test harder for immigrants who may not have a great understanding of American history or English.
施梅尔策说，这对于那些可能不太了解美国历史或英语的移民来说，考试难度增大了。
For now, students memorize 100 civics questions.
目前，学生们要记住100个公民问题。
Ten of the questions will be asked on the day of the interview and applicants must answer six correctly to pass.
面试当天面试官将会提问其中10个问题，申请者必须回答正确6个问题才能通过面试。
One question is "Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s."
其中一个问题是“说出美国在19世纪打过的一场战争。”
Currently, people just need to memorize one war fought during that 100-year period.
目前，人们只需要记住在那100年期间美国打过的一场战争。
But a multiple-choice test would require knowledge of four wars presented as answer choices and know which one was fought in the 1800s.
但多项选择题测试需要申请者了解四场战争的发生时间，并知道哪一场战争是在19世纪打的。
"You're forcing them to expand their memorization," Schmelzer said.
施梅尔策说：“你在强迫他们扩大记忆力”。
Another proposed change would add a speaking test to assess English ability.
另一项改革提议是增加口语测试来评估英语能力。
The officer would present three photos and the interviewee would have to describe what is happening in the pictures.
面试官将会展示三张照片，面试者必须描述出照片中正在发生的事情。
Currently, English knowledge is assessed through questions from the N-400 and other small-talk questions.
目前，面试官是通过提问N-400上的问题和其他闲聊问题来评估英语知识的。
The new interview changes are currently being tested in several locations around the country.
新的面试改革目前正在美国的一些地方进行测试。
USCIS will hear feedback about the tests before the end of the year.
美国公民及移民服务局将会在今年年底前听取有关考试改革的反馈。
Quinn and Schmelzer said the test should be updated.
奎恩和施梅尔策表示，测试应该更新。
Just one civics question is related to a female American historical figure, Schmelzer said.
施梅尔策说，只有一个公民问题与一位美国女性历史人物有关。
But Quinn questions what is to be gained by making changes to the test to make it harder.
但奎恩质疑，增加考试难度会有什么好处。
People in her class "put their souls" into becoming citizens.
她班上的人全身心投入到成为公民的过程中。
"How much more do we need to ask them to do?" she said.
她说：“我们还需要要求他们做多少？”
John Yepow is another of Quinn's students who along with his wife, recently became a U.S. citizen.
约翰·耶波是奎恩的另一名学生，他和妻子最近成为了美国公民。
Yepow came from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
耶波来自刚果民主共和国。
He lived in Zambia for 10 years before moving to the United States.
在搬到美国之前，他在赞比亚生活了10年。
Yepow, who works as a medication technician, said he follows American politics closely.
耶波是一名药物技术员，他说他密切关注美国政治。
He calls himself a lifelong learner and has even taken online classes about American history.
他称自己是一个终身学习者，甚至还参加了教授美国历史的在线课程。
"I want to learn and make sure I'm integrated into American society," he said.
他说：“我想学习，确保自己融入美国社会”。
Yepow added: "This is the land of opportunity. We are dreaming big."
耶波补充道：“这是一片充满机遇的土地。我们有远大的梦想。”
He said he will make sure to take advantage of every opportunity.
他说，他将会确保利用每一个机会。
I'm Anna Mateo. And I'm Dan Novak.
安娜·马特奥、丹·诺瓦克为您共同播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
