A new United States citizenship test is expected to be launched by late next year. Some immigrants and their supporters worry the updated exam will hurt test-takers with lower levels of English skills. The test is one of the final steps to gain American citizenship. The entire process takes months. It also requires legal permanent residency for years before applying. The test currently in use was last updated in 2008. In 2020, the former presidential administration launched a new citizenship test. It was harder and longer than the test it replaced. When President Joe Biden came in to office months later, he ordered an end to that test. The order re-established the former test. Late last year, U.S. officials announced that the test would be updated. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has proposed that the new test update the English-speaking part of the test. It suggests that test givers show images of simple, everyday things like weather or food, and ask the applicant to describe what they see. In the current test, an officer examines an applicant’s speaking ability during the naturalization interview. The examiner asks personal questions that the applicant has already answered in writing, for naturalization documents. “For me, I think it would be harder to look at pictures and explain them,” said Heaven Mehreta. She emigrated from Ethiopia 10 years ago. Mehreta passed the naturalization test in May and, last month, she became a U.S. citizen. Another proposed change would make the civics section on U.S. history and government multiple-choice. Currently, applicants give spoken short answers.
Title: New US Citizenship Test Could Be Harder
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/T13.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='New US Citizenship Test Could Be Harder' data-article-id='6539'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='7875'>A new United States citizenship test is expected to be launched by late next year. </span> <span data-start-time='7875' data-end-time='19313'>Some immigrants and their supporters worry the updated exam will hurt test-takers with lower levels of English skills.</span> <span data-start-time='19313' data-end-time='24938'>The test is one of the final steps to gain American citizenship. </span> <span data-start-time='24938' data-end-time='28938'>The entire process takes months. </span> <span data-start-time='28938' data-end-time='36458'>It also requires legal permanent residency for years before applying.</span> <span data-start-time='36458' data-end-time='42792'>The test currently in use was last updated in 2008.</span> <span data-start-time='42792' data-end-time='50313'>In 2020, the former presidential administration launched a new citizenship test. </span> <span data-start-time='50313' data-end-time='56521'>It was harder and longer than the test it replaced.</span> <span data-start-time='56521' data-end-time='64458'>When President Joe Biden came in to office months later, he ordered an end to that test. </span> <span data-start-time='64458' data-end-time='69354'>The order re-established the former test.</span> <span data-start-time='69354' data-end-time='76271'>Late last year, U.S. officials announced that the test would be updated.</span> <span data-start-time='76271' data-end-time='87438'>U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has proposed that the new test update the English-speaking part of the test. </span> <span data-start-time='87438' data-end-time='101375'>It suggests that test givers show images of simple, everyday things like weather or food, and ask the applicant to describe what they see.</span> <span data-start-time='101375' data-end-time='110417'>In the current test, an officer examines an applicant’s speaking ability during the naturalization interview. </span> <span data-start-time='110417' data-end-time='120688'>The examiner asks personal questions that the applicant has already answered in writing, for naturalization documents.</span> <span data-start-time='120688' data-end-time='128417'>“For me, I think it would be harder to look at pictures and explain them,” said Heaven Mehreta.</span> <span data-start-time='128417' data-end-time='133167'>She emigrated from Ethiopia 10 years ago. </span> <span data-start-time='133167' data-end-time='141563'>Mehreta passed the naturalization test in May and, last month, she became a U.S. citizen.</span> <span data-start-time='141563' data-end-time='150667'>Another proposed change would make the civics section on U.S. history and government multiple-choice. </span> <span data-start-time='150667' data-end-time='156063'>Currently, applicants give spoken short answers.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/T13.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=19588 data-hint-location='7875' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/some_immigrants_and_their_supporters_worry_the_updated__blank__will_hurt_testtakers_with_lower_levels_of_english_skills.wav'>Some immigrants and their supporters worry the updated <span class='blank'>exam</span> will hurt test-takers with lower levels of English skills.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='exam'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/exam.wav'><span>exam</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/lamb.wav'><span>lamb</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/sand.wav'><span>sand</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/extort.wav'><span>extort</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=19589 data-hint-location='36458' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/in_which_year_was_the_test_that_is_currently_in_use_last_updated.wav'>In which year was the test that is currently in use last updated?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='2008'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/2006.wav'><span>2006</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/2007.wav'><span>2007</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/2008.wav'><span>2008</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/2009.wav'><span>2009</span></div></div></div><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=19590 data-hint-location='133167' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/which_of_the_following_best_defines_the_word_naturalization_within_the_context_of_the_article.wav'>Which of the following best defines the word "naturalization" within the context of the article?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='the admittance of a foreigner to the citizenship of a country'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/the_process_by_which_fruit_juice_is_extracted.wav'><span>the process by which fruit juice is extracted</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/the_admittance_of_a_foreigner_to_the_citizenship_of_a_country.wav'><span>the admittance of a foreigner to the citizenship of a country</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/the_observation_and_study_of_rare_species.wav'><span>the observation and study of rare species</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5932/the_dismissal_of_an_employee_from_a_job.wav'><span>the dismissal of an employee from a job</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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