2014届高考英语一轮复习话题阅读素材48_高考复习指南

2014届高考英语一轮复习话题阅读素材48

As in the case of their predecessors, these Chinese were almost all males and encountered a great deal of prejudice and hostility. When times were hard, they were blamed for working for lower wages and taking jobs away from white men. Anti-Chinese riots broke out, and Chinese were barred from using courts and from becoming American citizens. Many Chinese returned to their homeland, and their numbers declined sharply in the early 20th century.

However, during WW II, when China was an ally of the US, the Chinese Exclusion Act, passed in 1882, was ended. In 1965, in a general revision of US immigration laws, many more Chinese were permitted to settle. From the start, Chinese had lived apart in "Chinatowns", where the residents organized unofficial governments to make community rules and to settle disputes. Unable to find jobs on the outside, many went into business for themselves -- primarily to serve their own neighborhood. To this day, certain Chinatowns, especially those of San Francisco and New York, are busy, thriving communities, which have become great attractions for tourists and those enjoying Chinese food.

Chinese Americans retain many aspects of their ancient cultures. Children are imbued with the old values and attitudes, including respect for their elders and a feeling of responsibility to the family. This helps to explain why there is so little juvenile delinquency among them. The high regard for education, and the willingness to work hard for advancement are other noteworthy characteristics, which explains why so many descendants of uneducated laborers have succeeded in becoming doctors, lawyers and other professionals.