VOA常速英语2014--休斯顿:接受难民最多的美国城市

Houston Now the Top Refugee 1 Resettlement City in US 休斯顿:接受难民最多的美国城市

HOUSTON —

The United States is the world's top refugee resettlement country.  More refugees 2 resettle in the state of Texas, and in particular the city of Houston, than anywhere else in the country. Refugees there find a thriving 3 economy, warm weather and a diverse 4 urban scene where they can locate help in starting a new life.

休斯顿 —

美国是世界上接受难民最多的国家。大多数难民首选德克萨斯州，更确切的说是休斯顿市，作为他们定居的地方。难民们发现，这里经济繁荣，气候温暖，城市里族裔多元化，有助于他们开始新的生活。

Hundreds of refugees and their supporters came together recently to celebrate World Refugee Day in Houston.

近日，成百上千的难民和他们的支持者聚集在休斯顿，纪念世界难民日。

Houston is now home to 70,000 refugees from 78 countries, and around 2,000 more come each year.

休斯顿接纳了来自78个国家的七万名难民，而且每年都有2000多名新难民投奔这里。

This city offers a booming 5 economy, lots of jobs and a very diverse population.

这座城市经济繁荣，就业机会很多，人口成分多元化。

The largest refugee ethnic 6 group, the Vietnamese, started coming here in the 1970s.

数量最多的是越南难民，他们从上世纪70年代开始来到这里。

Lena Tran settled more recently, and her children know little of Vietnam.

莉娜·陈（Lena Tran）来得晚一点，而她的孩子对越南基本一无所知。

"I was born by a Vietnamese mother and she escaped from Vietnam and I know a little bit about Vietnam because she tells me stories of them," said My Tran Vo, 8.

Only two weeks ago, Reza and his Bahai family came here from Iran.

就在两个星期前，瑞扎（Reza）和他的家人从伊朗来到这里。

"The most important reason is I did not have freedom of speech and religion," said Reza, discussing why he came to the U.S.

他说：“最主要的原因是我没有言论和宗教信仰自由。”

There are many agencies 7 and support groups for refugees in Houston, but one of the most important is the YMCA International Services.

在休斯顿，有很多机构和团体在帮助难民。

The YMCA's Amy Blose said the organization helps get refugees started in their new life here.

其中最重要的组织之一是基督教青年会国际服务团。

"The case manager will visit them at their home, check in on them frequently, make sure they are doing okay, and our goal, really, is self sufficiency for refugees," said Blose.

基督教青年会的艾米·布洛兹说，他们帮助难民开始新的生活。她说： “专案经理会去难民家里看望他们，经常看看他们的状况，确保他们一切都好。我们的目标是帮助难民自力更生。”

On this day, she is visiting Radjabu Selemani, a refugee from war-torn Congo.

这一天，艾米登门看望逃离刚果战乱的拉吉甲布.萨拉玛尼（Radjabu Selemani）。

"The family gets separated during the war; everyone takes his way, just to save his life," said Selemani.

这位难民说：“我的家人在战争中走散。每个人为了逃命而各奔东西。”

The YMCA set him up in this apartment with another African refugee and helped them both find jobs. Selemani says he has also found encouragement from average people he has met in Houston.

基督教青年会把他和另一名非洲难民安置在了这处公寓，并帮他们找了工作。萨拉玛尼说在休斯顿，他遇到的每一个人都给了他鼓励。

"Americans are very friendly people," said Selemani.

用他的话说，“美国人是很友好的。”

Blose said it is sometimes easier for refugees with fewer skills and education to adjust here than it is for some highly 8 educated refugees whose degrees are not recognized here.

艾米·布洛兹表示，有时候，没有什么技术和文化水平较低的难民反而比受过高等教育但学历不被当地认可的难民更容易适应。

"They actually have to start over. You know, we have a lot of people who were engineers who are now working at Walmart as a cashier," said Blose.

她说：“他们必须一切从头开始。你知道么，在沃尔玛的收银员很多曾经是工程师。”

She says there are local college programs to help such people gain accreditation 9, but it can take a long time,especially when there are language barriers to overcome.

布洛兹说，当地有一些大学项目能帮助这类人获得学历资格认证。但是，在有语言障碍的情况下，认证过程的时间会比较长。

However, no barrier is too big to discourage Selemani.

然而，在拉吉甲布. 萨拉玛尼的心中，没有不能克服的障碍。

"In Africa, some people say America is heaven, but, according to me, America is a land of opportunity," said Selemani.

他说：“许多非洲人认为美国是天堂，而在我心目中，美国是一个充满机会的地方。”

That opportunity is largely 10 what has made Houston the number one U.S. city for refugee resettlement.

而正是机会使休斯顿成为美国新难民的首选之地。