Australia Debates Revamping Controversial Citizenship Tests
澳大利亞修改入籍考試注重新國民權利義務
Australia is revising controversial citizenship tests, to make sure applicants are more aware of their rights and responsibilities rather than examine their general knowledge about sports and culture.
澳大利亞將修改引起爭議的公民入籍考試，以確保申請入籍者更多地了解他們的權利和責任，而不是僅僅考查他們對體育和文化的一般知識。
The government wants to make the tests more helpful for prospective citizens settling in to life in their adopted country.
澳大利亞政府希望公民入籍考試能更有助于新公民把生活融入他們的新國家。
In the new version of the test, to be rolled out October 19, there will more questions about gender equality, compulsory voting and the Australian legal system.
今年10月19號開始實行的新入籍考試將包括更多有關性別平等、投票義務以及澳大利亞法制系統的問題。
In unveiling the test this week, Immigration Minister Chris Evans, who was born in Britain, says the amendments will help immigrants better understand their responsibilities to the community.
本星期宣布新入籍考試的澳大利亞移民部長埃文斯在英國出生。他說，有關修改將幫助移民更好的理解他們對社區負有的責任。
Evans and many immigrant activists think questions on the current test about famous sports personalities and explorers are irrelevant.
埃文斯和很多移民權益活動人士認為，目前入籍考試中有關知名體育界人士和探險者的那些問題無關緊要，沒有意義。
The country on Thursday celebrated Citizenship Day and to mark the occasion 4,000 people were sworn in as new Australians.
星期四是澳大利亞的公民日，當天有4千人宣誓成為澳大利亞公民。
Among them was China-born opera singer Sharon Zai, who gave up her Chinese citizenship to become an Australian.
"I would love to have both but because I have been in Australia for six years and I feel very, very involved with this Australian life and I love to live here forever," she said.
Critics say the citizenship tests are a waste of money, do nothing to help newcomers integrate into society and discriminate against those from a non-English speaking background.
批評人士說，公民入籍考試是浪費錢，絲毫不能幫助新移民融入社會，并且歧視那些母語不是英語的移民。
Migrants must pass the test to gain citizenship.
所有移民必須通過入籍考試才能獲得澳大利亞國籍。
Under the proposed changes, those taking the test will have to answer 20 multiple-choice questions in English and the passing grade will rise from 60 percent to 75.
根據新提出的修改，入籍考試參加者將要回答20道英文的多項選擇題，及格分數從60分改為75分。
The tests were introduced in 2007 and were intended to enhance social cohesion. Recent studies have found that some prospective citizens had been deterred from applying for citizenship, wrongly fearing they would be deported if they failed the test.
現行的入籍考試于2007年開始實行，目的是促進社會和諧。最近的研究顯示，一些有意入籍的移民不敢提出申請，錯誤地擔心如果通不過考試就會被遣返。
Applicants can take the exam as many times as they like until they pass.
澳大利亞對移民參加入籍考試沒有次數限制，可以多次參加考試，之至最后入籍。
