早稲田文2017 III

III

Choose the most appropriate sentence from the following list (a ― h) for each item (25―31). Mark your choices on the separate answer sheet.

(a) In fact, the same color barrier that has dominated urban communities for decades has now spread to our fast-growing suburbs.

(b) In the future, the legal system will no longer accept immigrants into American society.

(c) Of course, ethnically diverse neighborhoods do exist and are certainly chosen by a number of Americans.

(d) Shouldn't individuals have the freedom to live wherever and near whomever they want?

(e) So do Asians, as a group.

(f) The bad news is that there is still a gulf between different racial and ethnic groups.

(g) Though the amount of diversity in the United States continues to grow with each census, the 2000 census revealed that segregation according to race and ethnicity has persisted to a much larger degree than many Americans had realized.

(h) Whites are more likely than blacks and Hispanics to live in the suburbs, where the neighborhood schools are usually in better condition and offer a better education.

The civil rights movement benefited not only African Americans, but all minorities in the United States ― Native Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. Racial discrimination in employment and housing was forbidden by law. The civil rights laws also advanced the rights of women, and these laws have reinforced the ideal of equality of opportunity for all Americans.

However, there is a paradox. ( 25 ) On the one hand, most young Americans say they would have no problem being friends with or even marrying someone of a different race or ethnic background. Polls show that the vast majority of Americans believe that segregation is a bad thing. On the other hand, races and ethnic groups still tend to live in segregated communities. This has been a trend in the cities, and as minority groups have moved into the suburbs the trend has continued. ( 26 ) However, these neighborhoods are the exception, rather than the rule.

Sociology professor John Logan has studied this phenomenon and reports that the 2000 census found the United States as segregated a nation as it has ever been. "The majority of Americans," Logan found, "are living in neighborhoods that continue to separate whites from blacks, Latinos, and people of Asian descent. ( 27 ) In those areas, people of color tend to congregate in neighborhoods and housing developments apart from whites." Moreover, Logan sees this trend continuing into the future.

Is it a bad thing if groups of people choose to live in communities with others of their race or ethnic background? ( 28 ) Ethnic communities often provide valuable support to new immigrants, with their native-language newspapers and ethnic restaurants and grocery stores. Most white Americans, particularly those in and near cities, enjoy international food and many participate in cultural festivals from all over the world. They see this diversity as enriching their lives.

But there is a negative side to this picture. ( 29 ) Although African Americans represent about 12 percent of the population, they are still grossly under-represented in Congress, and the same is true of Hispanics. The median income of a married black or Hispanic man working full-time is still significantly less than that of a married white man. Segregation and discrimination are against the law, but residential patterns create largely segregated neighborhood schools, particularly in many urban areas. ( 30 ) Many blacks and other ethnic minorities in the inner city are trapped in cycles of poverty, unemployment, violence, and despair. Blacks are the most frequent victims of violent crime, and as many as one in five young males may have a criminal record. More black and Hispanic children than white children live in poverty and may have only one parent at home.

On the other hand, Americans continue to believe strongly in the ideal of equality of opportunity and to search for ways to give everyone an equal chance at success. The American Dream still attracts immigrants and inspires people of all races and ethnic backgrounds. In reality, some immigrant groups have more success than others. As one would expect, history shows that immigrants who come with financial resources, a good educational background, and the necessary work skills are likely to do the best. For example, immigrants from the Middle East tend to have a higher socioeconomic level than the average white American. ( 31 ) However, those who come without financial resources and a strong educational background do not do as well. Immigrants from the same country may have a different experience of the United States. For example, the Vietnamese who came in the mid- 1970s were the educated elite, and they had better success than the Vietnamese farmers and fishermen who came later. The Cubans who came in the early 1960s had more wealth and education than many of the poorer Cubans who arrived later. Again, the educated elite have had greater success than those who came from poorer backgrounds.