美文赏析（八十九）
Asian-Americans 
In only two decades Asian-Americans have become the fastest growing U.S. minority. As their children began moving up through the nations' schools, it became clear that a new class of academic achievers was emerging. Their achievements are reflected in the nation's best universities, where mathematics, science and engineering departments have taken on a decidedly Asian character. This special liking for mathematics and science is partly explained by the fact that Asian-American students who began their education abroad arrived in the U.S. with a solid grounding in mathematics but little or no knowledge of English. They are also influenced by the promise of a good job after college. Asians feel there will be less unfair treatment in areas like mathematics and science because they will be judged more objectively. And the return on the investment in education is more immediate in something like engineering than with an art degree.
Most Asian-American students owe their success to the influence of parents who are deter
mined that their children take full advantage of what the American educational system has to offer. An effective measure of parental attention is homework. Asian parents spend more time with their children than American parents do, and it helps. Many researchers also believe there is something in Asian Culture that breeds success, such ideals that stress family values and emphasize education.
Both explanations for academic success worry Asian-Americans because of fears that they feed a typical racia limage. Many can remember when Chinese, Japanese and Filipino immigrants were the victims of social isolation.Indeed, it was not until 1952 that laws were laid down giving all Asian immigrants the right to citizenship.
美文赏析
New words and expressions生词和短语
minority [mai'nɔriti,mi-] n.少数，少数派；少数民族
academic [ækə'demik] adj.学校的，学院的；学术的；纯理论的，不切实际的
emerge [i'mə:dʒ] vi.(from)浮现，出现(问题等)发生，显露，(事实等)暴露
breed [bri:d] n.种，品种vi.(bred [bred])繁殖vt.饲养，繁殖；养育，培育；酿成，产生
typical ['tipikəl] adj.典型的，有代表性的
racial ['reiʃəl] adj.人种的，种族的
isolate ['aisəleit] vt.使隔离，使孤立
参考译文
亚裔美国人
仅仅20年，亚洲人就成为美国发展壮大最快的少数民族。随着越来越多的亚裔子女在美国学校就读，显然，一个新的优等生阶层正在形成。他们的成就体现在美国最好的大学的数学、自然科学和工程学业绝大部分由亚洲人垄断这一事实上。他们偏爱数学和自然科学的部分原因是，那些在国外开始接受教育的亚裔美国学生在到达美国时已经有着非常扎实的数学基础，只是英语很差。另外，他们还受到大学毕业后份好工作的保证的影响。亚洲人觉得，在诸如数学和自然科学这些领域，他们的才能会被更客观地判断，因而受到的不公正待遇会少些。所以在工程学科之类的教育投资得到的回报会比文科来得更快些。
大多数亚裔美籍学生把自己的成就归功于父母的影响，这些父母要求自己的孩子要充分利用美国教育体制的优势。父母影响的一个有力衡量是家庭作业。亚洲的父母陪孩子的时间比美国父母多，而这很有关系。许多研究者也相信亚洲文化中有某种东西哺育成功。那种强调家庭价值和重视教育的理想。
以上两种关于学业的成功的解释令亚裔美国人担忧，因为他们害怕那会形成一个明显的民族形象。许多人还记得中国、日本和菲律宾移民被那个社会孤立时的情形。确实，美国直到1952年才制定法律，给予所有亚洲移民公民权。