考研英语阅读命题思路透析和真题揭秘(59)

In spite of "endless talk of difference," American society is an amazing machine for homogenizing people. There is "the democratizing uniformity of dress and discourse, and the casualness and absence of consumption" launched by the 19th--century department stores that offered "vast arrays of goods in an elegant atmosphere. Instead of intimate shops catering to a knowledgeable elite." these were stores "anyone could enter, regardless of class or background. This turned shopping into a public and democratic act." The mass media, advertising and sports are other forces for homogenization.

Immigrants are quickly fitting into this common culture, which may not be altogether elevating but is hardly poisonous. Writing for the National Immigration Forum, Gregory Rodriguez reports that today's immigration is neither at unprecedented level nor resistant to assimilation. In 1998 immigrants were 9.8 percent of population; in 1900, 13.6 percent .In the 10 years prior to 1990, 3.1 immigrants arrived for every 1,000 residents; in the 10years prior to 1890, 9.2 for every 1,000. Now, consider three indices of assimilation -language, home ownership and intermarriage.

The 1990 Census revealed that "a majority of immigrants from each of the fifteen most common countries of origin spoke English ‘well' or ‘very well' after ten years of residence." The children of immigrants tend to be bilingual and proficient in English. "By the third generation, the original language is lost in the majority of immigrant families." Hence the description of America as a "graveyard" for languages. By 1996 foreign-born immigrants who had arrived before 1970 had a home ownership rate of 75.6 percent, higher than the 69.8 percent rate among native-born Americans.

Foreign-born Asians and Hispanics "have higher rates of intermarriage than do U.S -born whites and blacks." By the third generation, one third of Hispanic women are married to non-Hispanics, and 41 percent of Asian-American women are married to non-Asians.

Rodriguez note that children in remote villages around the world are fans of superstars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Garth Brooks, yet "some Americans fear that immigrant living within the United States remain somehow immune to the nation's assimilative power."

Are there divisive issues and pockets of seething anger in America? Indeed. It is big enough to have a bit of everything. But particularly when viewed against America's turbulent past, today's social induces suggest a dark and deteriorating social environment

尽管"有关区别性的讨论没完没了"，令人惊讶的是美国社会实际上是一台使人们单一化的机器。现在的通俗文化以"穿着说话的大众同一化、随意化和个性化"为显著特征。19世纪开始百货商店倡导的"消费文化"深深地吸引着人们，这些百货商店"环境舒适、商品琳琅满目，而不是那种迎合精英阶层的精品商店"，它们"允许任何人的光临，而并不区分人们的阶层和背景。因此，百货商店使得购物成为了一种公共且民主的行为。"其他促成单一化的力量包括大众传媒、广告和体育产业等。

移民们很快都能融入这种大众文化，虽然这种文化对于他们没有什么提高的作用，但起码是没有害处的。在为《国家移民论坛》撰稿时，格雷戈里·罗得里格斯就指出，今天的移民既没有处于空前的水平，也不抵制同化。在1998年，移民占全国人口的9.8%；在1900年为13.6%。在1990年以前的十年之中，在每千位居民当中，就有3.1个人是新来的移民；而在1890年以前的十年之中，每千位居民当中就有9.2个移民。现在，让我们来看一下三个同化指标--语言、拥有产权住房和异族结婚情况。

1990年的人口普查显示，"来自十五个移民数量最多国家的移民大多数在到美国十年后英语水平达到了‘好'或‘很好'的水平。"移民的子女几乎都具有双语能力，且精通英语。"到了第三代，原来的语言在大多数移民家庭中都消失了。"因此，有人就把美国描述成了"语言的坟墓"。到了1996年，出生于国外的、并在1970年前到达美国的移民中有75.6%购置了自己的住宅，这个数字高出本土美国人的拥有房产为69.8%的百分比。

在国外出生的亚裔和西班牙裔移民"与异族通婚的比率相比美国本土白人和黑人要更高。"到了第三代，有三分之一的西班牙裔女性与非西班牙裔男性结婚，同时有41%亚裔美国妇女与非亚裔男性结婚。

罗得里格斯还指出，即使是住在世界各地偏远村庄的孩子们现在都是一些超级明星如阿诺·施瓦辛格和加思·布鲁克斯等的粉丝，可是"一些美国人却在担心，生活在美国的移民不知为何能不受这个国家同化能力的影响"。

    在美国是否存在分裂问题以及充满愤怒的地区？这是当然的，因为这个国家如此之大以至于无奇不有。但特别是与美国动荡的过去相比，如今的社会指标基本不能显示美国的社会环境的一片黑暗和每况愈下。