BBC初級口語:英國移民新政提高英語門檻
Background: 英國政府即將實行一項新的移民政策。該政策要求來自非歐盟國家的準備和英國公民結婚的移民必須達到一定的英語水平。這項政策本來是工黨打算在2011年實施的，但是英國新政府要求今年8月就開始實行。當然這項新政策也引起了爭議。
【文本】
At present, the rules for spouses and partners of British citizens applying for a visa only require them to show that their marriage is real, and that they won't rely on the State for financial support. The British government says the requirement to speak English will help promote integration, remove cultural barriers, and protect public services. The Immigration Minister, Damian Green, says there are problems when immigrants can't communicate in English:
"You get large communities of people, many of whom - usually women - can't speak English properly and who therefore become isolated from the community around them and that's bad for them and it's bad for the wider community."
But critics of the plans say it restricts people's choices in who they marry. Don Flynn, of the Migrants' Rights Network, says people shouldn't be penalised for those choices:
"This is simply not an argument about whether or not people ... their lives will be better off if they learn English. They will be. The issue here is that the right to marry and found a family is a basic human right and is it proper, is it right, that that right to marry should be made conditional on passing a test in English? Our view is that it shouldn't be."
Officials estimate that the new language test will lead to ten percent fewer applications overall and is most likely to affect Britain's Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities. The spousal visa allows someone to stay for two years, after which they can apply for indefinite leave to remain. Applicants must then pass a further test on life and language in the United Kingdom.
【口語突破】
spouses
配偶
state
國家
integration
融合、結合
cultural barriers
文化障礙
community
團體、社區
isolated
孤立的、隔離的
penalise
懲罰
argument
爭論
better off
更富裕、經濟情況更好
found a family
成家
conditional
有條件的、受制約的
overall
總體的
spousal visa
配偶簽證
indefinite leave to remain
永久居留權
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重點單詞查看全部解釋communicate[kə'mju:nikeit]想一想再看
v. 交流，傳達，溝通
聯想記憶X單詞communicate聯想記憶：commun＝common（adj 共有的）－大家共有－交流 network['netwə:k]
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n. 網絡，網狀物，網狀系統
vt. (
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adj. 分離的，孤立的
conditional[kən'diʃənəl]想一想再看
adj. 有條件的，假定的，假設的 n. [語]條件句
overall[əuvə'rɔ:l]想一想再看
adj. 全部的，全體的，一切在內的
adv.
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n. 發行物，期刊號，爭論點
vi. & vt
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n. 社區，社會，團體，共同體，公衆，[生]羣落
聯想記憶X單詞community聯想記憶：commun＝common（adj 公共的）,ity表狀態－公共狀態－社區 protect[prə'tekt]
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vt. 保護，投保
聯想記憶X單詞protect聯想記憶：pro在前面+tect蓋上→在前面蓋上→保護；防止 indefinite[in'definit]
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adj. 模糊的，不確定的，無限的
聯想記憶X單詞indefinite聯想記憶：in不+definite（adj 明確的；一定的）->模糊的, 不確定的 promote[prə'məut]
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vt. 促進，提升，升遷; 發起; 促銷
聯想記憶X單詞promote聯想記憶：pro向前，mote動－向前動－促進
