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THIS IS AMERICA - Latinos Grow in Influence; Say 'Hola' to A

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THIS IS AMERICA - Latinos Grow in Influence; Say 'Hola' to America's Largest Minority Now
By Jerilyn Watson

Broadcast: Monday, June 20, 2005

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Bob Doughty1.

VOICE TWO:

 
Walking past a mural on a wall in East Los Angeles
And I'm Faith Lapidus. This week, we have the first of two programs about Hispanic life in the United States. We begin with some population numbers, and a look at issues involving immigration.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Group identity starts with a name. Or two. Historically, the term "Hispanic" has meant people of Spanish ancestry2. Many people, however, think "Latino" is a more inclusive term for those with roots in Spanish-speaking countries. Still others use either term.

Hispanics, or Latinos, can be any race. They come from different cultures. They may not even speak Spanish.

Whatever the case, in two thousand three the government officially estimated them to be the largest minority group in the United States. The Census3 Bureau is the agency that counts the population. It now says the Hispanic population reached more than forty-one million as of July of two thousand four. That was fourteen percent of the nation.

VOICE TWO:

Latinos were responsible for about one-half of the national population growth from July of two thousand three to July of two thousand four. The Census Bureau says their growth rate was more than three and one-half percent, compared to one percent nationally.

Half the Latinos in the United States are under the age of twenty-seven. This is a result of high birth rates combined with high immigration levels. Each year, hundreds of thousands of Latinos enter the country legally. But the Pew Hispanic Center, a research group, says that in recent years greater numbers have arrived illegally.

VOICE ONE:

African-Americans are now the second largest minority group in the United States. In the most recent estimates, the black population grew a little more than one percent, to just over thirty-nine million.

Asians, however, are the second fastest-growing minority after Latinos. The Census Bureau estimates the Asian population at fourteen million.

VOICE TWO:

People of Mexican ancestry represent more than sixty percent of the Hispanic population. People from the United States territory of Puerto Rico are about ten percent. Other groups are from El Salvador, the Dominican Republic and other nations in Central America and the Caribbean. South Americans and Cubans add to the mix. Cuban Americans have enjoyed considerable success in business and politics in Florida.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Over time, many Latinos have gained financial security and a better life in the United States. But many others arrive poor. They lack the skills or education to get good jobs.

The Pew Hispanic Center says Latinos held almost half the new jobs produced in the economy in two thousand four. But it says Latinos are the only major group of workers to have had a decrease in pay for two years. The center says they now earn five percent less than they did before.

Several economists4 suggest that the newest arrivals may be competing with each other for jobs, pushing down wages.

VOICE TWO:

Some public officials and commentators5 say Latinos place too much demand on health care systems, schools and other social services. There are calls for immigration reform and more border controls. Yet a number of studies have suggested that the economy gains far more from illegal immigrants than they take.

The Pew Hispanic Center estimates that more than ten million immigrants were in the United States illegally as of March two thousand four. A new report says more than eighty percent were from Latin America, and more than half of them from Mexico. Asians represented nine percent; other illegal immigrants came from Europe, Canada and Africa.

Traditionally most illegal immigrants have settled in California, Texas and a few other states. California and Texas used to belong to Mexico. But the report says many now settle in other states in the Southeast and the Midwest.

VOICE ONE:

 
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent arrests a man in Massachusetts on June 13, during a search for illegal immigrants ordered expelled because of crimes
It is against the law to employ illegal immigrants, but many businesses do so. Undocumented workers can be found in many industries, including the building trades and service jobs. Many farmers depend on them to pick fruits and vegetables. A life of hard labor6 rarely pays much. Working conditions can be dangerous, even life-threatening.

President Bush has proposed a guest worker plan. He says it would help both workers and their employers. Under his proposal, guest workers would not be punished for entering the country or working illegally. Their temporary work permits would be good for three years and could be renewed. In the end, workers would be expected to return home unless they had been approved for citizenship7 under the normal process.

Critics say the plan would, in effect, serve as an amnesty since people who entered the country illegally would not be punished. The president says he does not support the idea of amnesty.

VOICE TWO:

Mister Bush proposed his plan in January of two thousand four. Congress has not yet acted on it. Recently, Mister Bush discussed his legislative8 program with members of Congress. Tom DeLay is the Republican majority leader in the House. He said the president admitted that he had not been very clear about his immigration plan, and would try to do better.

VOICE ONE:

Language is an issue when it comes to schooling9 for the children of Latino immigrants. There is national debate about how best to teach English and other subjects to Spanish-speaking children.

Studies show that Latinos finish high school at sharply lower rates than non-Hispanic whites.

In two thousand four the Pew Hispanic Center published a study about higher education. The study said that only about half as many Latinos finish four years of college as do non-Hispanic white students. Many Latinos, however, attend two-year colleges. Many also attend school only part-time. Some work two or three jobs to try to earn a living for themselves and their families.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Marketers recognize the growing importance of selling to what is now America's largest minority group. Spanish-language programming is increasing on radio and television.

Latinos are gaining influence in cultural and political life.

 
Los Angeles' newly elected mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa

On July first, Antonio Villaraigosa (pronounced vee-yah-ry-GOH-sah) will take office as mayor of Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. He is the first Latino elected to lead Los Angeles since the eighteen seventies. His father came to the United States from Mexico.

Mister Villaraigosa defeated James Hahn, an unpopular one-term mayor who had defeated him four years ago. Both men are Democrats10. This time, Mister Villaraigosa won with strong support from a coalition11 of white liberals, African Americans and Latinos.

VOICE ONE:

The United States now has a Latino attorney general. Alberto Gonzales formerly12 served as the top legal adviser13 to President Bush. Mister Bush chose him for the nation's top law enforcement official in November of two thousand four. Mister Gonzales is often discussed as a possible future justice on the Supreme14 Court.

And another Hispanic official, Bill Richardson, is often discussed as a possible Democratic candidate for president. He is governor of New Mexico.

Hispanic groups argue that Latinos are not very well represented in movies and television shows. But Latino singers like Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera and Ricky Martin enjoy popular success in the United States.

VOICE TWO:

Before we go, we want to tell you about a new record, called "Chavez Ravine." The songs tell stories about life for Mexican-Americans in Los Angeles in the nineteen forties and fifties. Chavez Ravine is an area of the city where homes were torn down, supposedly to build new housing for the poor. Instead, the land became the home of where the Los Angeles Dodgers15 play baseball.

The record is by the guitar great Ry Cooder, joined by Latino musicians including the singer Little Willie G. We leave you with a song called "Onda Callejera."

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Our program was written by Jerilyn Watson, with additional reporting by Brianna Blake. I'm Bob Doughty.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Faith Lapidus.  Listen again next week, when we continue our report about Latinos in the United States on THIS IS AMERICA, in VOA Special English.


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 doughty Jk5zg     
adj.勇猛的,坚强的
参考例句:
  • Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质:脾气倔强,性格刚强。
  • The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。
2 ancestry BNvzf     
n.祖先,家世
参考例句:
  • Their ancestry settled the land in 1856.他们的祖辈1856年在这块土地上定居下来。
  • He is an American of French ancestry.他是法国血统的美国人。
3 census arnz5     
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。
4 economists 2ba0a36f92d9c37ef31cc751bca1a748     
n.经济学家,经济专家( economist的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
  • Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 commentators 14bfe5fe312768eb5df7698676f7837c     
n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 );时事评论员;注释者;实况广播员
参考例句:
  • Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语,真叫人腻烦。
  • Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话,令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 labor P9Tzs     
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦
参考例句:
  • We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
  • He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后,他已经疲惫不堪了。
7 citizenship AV3yA     
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。
8 legislative K9hzG     
n.立法机构,立法权;adj.立法的,有立法权的
参考例句:
  • Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
  • Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。
9 schooling AjAzM6     
n.教育;正规学校教育
参考例句:
  • A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
  • Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。
10 democrats 655beefefdcaf76097d489a3ff245f76     
n.民主主义者,民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
  • The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 coalition pWlyi     
n.结合体,同盟,结合,联合
参考例句:
  • The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
  • Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。
12 formerly ni3x9     
adv.从前,以前
参考例句:
  • We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
  • This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。
13 adviser HznziU     
n.劝告者,顾问
参考例句:
  • They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
  • Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。
14 supreme PHqzc     
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的
参考例句:
  • It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
  • He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
15 dodgers 755721a92560aef54a57a481bf981739     
n.躲闪者,欺瞒者( dodger的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • a crackdown on fare dodgers on trains 对火车逃票者的严厉打击
  • But Twain, Howells, and James were jeeringly described by Mencken as "draft-dodgers". 不过吐温、豪威尔斯和詹姆斯都是被门肯讥诮地叫做“逃避兵役的人。” 来自辞典例句

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