Thread: New citizenship exam emphasizes principles

New citizenship exam emphasizes principles
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services releases 100 questions to study for civics exam.
By AMY TAXIN
The Orange County Register

The U.S. government unveiled a new citizenship exam today that officials hope will give immigrants a deeper understanding of U.S. civics and discourage rote memorization of facts and figures.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has been working on the test redesign for more than two years and administered a pilot version of the test to more than 6,000 volunteer applicants.

Now, the agency has narrowed down test questions to a pool of 100 that immigrants should study to prepare for the exam, which will be given in their interview to become U.S. citizens.

The goal of the redesign is to encourage a deeper understanding of U.S. democracy and an attachment to their new country and its principles, said Alfonso Aguilar, chief of the agency's office of citizenship. "Citizenship is not only a benefit but it's also an identity," he told reporters in a news conference transmitted via telephone.

For example, the new test no longer includes a question about what colors are featured on the U.S. flag but rather only asks what the stars and stripes represent.

Immigrants who apply to become U.S. citizens after Oct. 1, 2008, will take the new exam. Applicants will be asked 10 questions from the pool of 100 and must correctly answer six to pass.

Reader's comments
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To "memorize" what the stars and stripes stand for is to learn it. What's the problem with that? I like the idea of a focus on meaning. But only 10 questions? And only 6 right is good enough? That's not a test, that's a joke.

one man\'s thoughts - Sep 27, 2007 02:48:14 PM Remove Comment
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So happy to make it more difficult to become a citizen. I renounce my Columbian citizenship because I know that only in America is there true freedom. I waited 7 years for my citizenship. I hate for those who cheat me. It took the rest of my family 4 more years to come here and I am proud, but not of those who call themselves my brother and have cheated. They are hipocrites. Repente sus gran culpas. -Eduardo

Eduardo - Sep 27, 2007 02:48:12 PM Remove Comment
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Should you wave the American flag or a foreign one when you protest for rights you wouldn't get anywhere in the world, including your home country?

Tester - Sep 27, 2007 02:37:51 PM Remove Comment
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goggle this, Mr. internet.
2 yes - Sep 27, 2007 02:35:23 PM Remove Comment

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I read the list. I'm not impressed. While some questions are borderline they're still almost completely rote memorization questions. Really, if you hand out the questions, even thinking questions become rote! Who, what, where, when, how many. 95 Why, describe. 5

Emphasizes? - Sep 27, 2007 02:21:38 PM Remove Comment
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It's easy to sit here and blame someone else for the failure of our kids learing the proper thing in school. Parents are the most responsible reasy if their kids learn or fail to learn the very basicss. I can assure you that there are many adults who do not know the very basic such as the three branches of our government. I mean just go around and ask random people and you would be surprise.

to toricky - Sep 27, 2007 01:58:02 PM Remove Comment

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Do they ask "Who's buried in Grant's tomb?"
A Pismo Clam - Sep 27, 2007 01:25:33 PM Remove Comment

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how about emphasizing respect for the english language
oc rr - Sep 27, 2007 12:43:46 PM Remove Comment
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Yes there are procedures, And it takes YEARS too. They are making it harder to become a us citizen, which I like.
To become a US Citizen - Sep 27, 2007 12:32:24 PM Remove Comment
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That was a very stupid answer. You can't google anything when taking a test. Therefore you rely on information you google rather than information you are supposed to know and have it embedded in your brain. That is sad. No wonder so much stupidity walks around and they think they owned the world. They know nothing.
Nationalized - Sep 27, 2007 12:17:24 PM Remove Comment
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yeah, thats true. I was born here i dont even know three branches government,but i do know the internet so i will just goggle it.

yes - Sep 27, 2007 11:52:11 AM Remove Comment
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six you're an idiot. Illegals cant take the exam because you need a green card first and lived in the US for a number of years first in order to take the exam. Also I've taken the exam before and it is pretty basic. One of the question was what is the three branches of government. Easy stuff if you remember your history class in high school but the sad part about is that i would say at least half of the US born citizens here would not even know the answer to this.
ricky - Sep 27, 2007 11:08:19 AM

http://www.ocregister.com/news/new-test ... immigrants

I wonder if they will have a question asking what it means to wave a Mexican flag while protesting for your right to become an American citizen? Will they ask what it means when applicants march in the streets chanting in Spanish, waving signs calling Americans racist, xenophobic, genocidal murderers who stole this continent from Mexico?

Quote from Eduardo:


"So happy to make it more difficult to become a citizen. I renounce my Columbian citizenship because I know that only in America is there true freedom. I waited 7 years for my citizenship. I hate for those who cheat me. It took the rest of my family 4 more years to come here and I am proud, but not of those who call themselves my brother and have cheated. They are hipocrites. Repente sus gran culpas. -Eduardo"

Eduardo - Sep 27, 2007 02:48:12 PM


I so respect this guy.


I hope he's calling the Senate and Congress.