2006年VOA标准英语-US Population Hits 300 Million

By Margaret Besheer
Washington
17 October 2006

		citizenship1 in Gilbert, Arizona (file photo) " src="/upimg/allimg/070504/1347300.jpg" width="210" border="0" /> Immigrants take the oath of U.S. citizenship in Gilbert, Arizona (file photo)

The U.S. population has reached 300 million, according to the Census² Bureau.  Only China and India have larger populations than the United States.

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At 1146 UT Tuesday, the U.S. Census Bureau says the 300-millionth U.S. resident arrived. 

Demographers⁴ say this person was either a newborn, an immigrant crossing the border or someone flying into the United States.

They calculated the moment based on estimates that one baby is born every seven seconds, one person dies every 13 seconds, and a new immigrant arrives in the United States every 31 seconds, adding up to one new American every 11 seconds.

In 1915, the United States reached the 100-million mark.  Fifty-two years later, on November 20, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson held a news conference to mark the 200th million arrival. 

The popular Life magazine crowned a baby boy born in Atlanta, Georgia to a Chinese immigrant mother and American-born father as the 200-millionth American.

Now a 38-year-old attorney and father of three, Robert Ken⁵ Woo, Jr., says it was sometimes difficult being known as the 200-millionth American.

"The attention was embarrassing to me," Woo says.

Today's milestone⁶ was met with little celebration, and comes at a time when Americans are debating the controversial issue of illegal immigration and environmentalists are warning about the impact a growing population has on the environment. 

"It does mean that we are more crowded than we used to be and are using more resources," says Jeffrey Passel, a demographer³ at the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington.

Joseph Chamie of the New York-based Center for Migration⁷ Studies says growth can be both positive and negative.

"More people, more houses; more people, more cars; more people, more plumbers⁸, electricians, more work," he says.

Hispanics are the fastest growing segment of America's population, and demographers say the 300-millionth American could have been born to Hispanic parents or walked across the border from Mexico. 

1 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。

2 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。

3 demographer   

n.人口统计学家

参考例句：

• Professor Antonio Golini is a demographer at the University of Rome. 罗马大学安东尼奥教授是位人口统计学家。 来自互联网
• Demographer William Frey says immigrants with young families will help keep the United States competitive. 人口统计学家佛瑞表示这些年轻的家庭会帮助美国保持竞争力。 来自互联网

4 demographers   

n.人口统计学( demography的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Demographers, however, point out that the'single" trend will have a profound effect on American institutions. 不过，人口学家们指出，“单身”趋势将对美国的公共机构产生深远的影响。 来自时文部分
• Selectivity of human migration long been the focus of demographers and economists. 人口迁移的选择性一直以来都是人口学家和经济学家关注的焦点。 来自互联网

5 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

6 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

7 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

8 plumbers   

n.管子工，水暖工( plumber的名词复数 )；[美][口]（防止泄密的）堵漏人员

参考例句：

• Plumbers charge by the hour for their work. 水管工人的工作是以小时收费的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Plumbers, carpenters, and other workmen finished the new house quickly. 管道工、木工及其他工匠很快完成了这幢新房子。 来自辞典例句