A11 of chis hands the state a golden opportunity. At a time when many states will strugglewith labor shortages because of modest population growth. Arizona has a priceless chance mbuild a populous, hardworking and skilled workforce on which to base future prosperity. Theproblem is that Arizona and its Latino residents may not be able to seize this opportunity. Fartoo many of Arizona's Latinos drop out of high school or fail to obtain the basic educationneeded for more advanced study. As a result,educational deficits areholding back manyLatinos-and the state as well. To be sure, construction and low-end service jobs continue toabsorb tens of thousands of Latino immigrants with little formal education. But over the longtern. most of Arizona's Latino citizens remain ill-prepared to prosper in an increasinglydemanding knowledge economy.

　　For the reason, the educational uplift of Arizona's huge Latino population must move to thecenter of the state's agenda. After all, the education deficits of Arizona's Latino population willseverely cramp the fortunes of hardworking people if they go unaddressed and could wellundercut the state's ability to compete in the new economy. At the entry level, slower growthrates may create more competition for low-skill jobs. displacing Latinos from a significantmeans of support. At the higher end. shortages of Latinos educationally ready to move up willmake it that much harder for knowledge-based companies staff high-skill positions.

　　如果亞利桑那州要充分利用拉丁裔人口快速增長帶來的機會的話，拉丁裔青年需要獲得更好的教育。亞利桑那州快速增長的拉丁裔人口為該州展現了美好前景，但也帶來了一個挑戰，[l]與生育高峰期出生人口的老齡化相比，拉丁裔人口生育高峰對該州經濟和社會結構的重新定向更具根本性影響。

　　在過去的十年，移民和自然增長使亞利桑那州的人口增加了60萬拉丁裔居民。現在菲尼克斯和圖森兩市l8歲以下的人口有一半是拉丁裔。未來20年在亞利桑那州的兩個最大的勞動力市場，拉丁裔將占該州自產初入市場勞動力資源的半數。

　　更有甚者，西班牙裔正在成為經濟的關鍵貢獻者。[2]大多數人并未注意到，在亞利桑那州出生的拉丁裔彌補了大部分他們的移民父母在經濟和教育方面的不足。例如，第二代墨西哥裔美國人肯定能平均上12年學，而他們的父母卻只上了不足9年學。這意味著，只用了一代人時間，他們就消除了父母與第三代非西班牙裔白人之間70%的差距。

　　所有這種情況為亞利桑那州帶來了絕好的機會。在許多州因為人口增長有限而將要窮于應付勞動力不足之時。亞利桑那州得到一個寶貴的機會來建立一支人數眾多、工作勤奮和技術熟練的勞動力大軍，為未來的繁榮打下基礎。問題在于亞利桑那州及其拉丁裔居民未必能抓住這個機會。[3]因為亞利桑那州有太多的拉丁裔從高中輟學或未能獲得深造所需要的基礎教育。結果教育不足拖了許多拉丁裔的后腿——也拖了亞利桑那州的后腿。固然，建筑業和低級服務業會繼續吸引成千上萬未受過充分正式教育的拉丁裔移民，[5]但從長遠來看，大多數拉丁裔公民仍然對在要求越來越高的知識經濟中取得成功缺乏準備。

　　[4]為此，提升亞利桑那州大量拉丁裔人口的教育水平必須提到州議事日程的中心位置。畢竟，如果亞利桑那州的拉丁裔人口受教育不足問題仍然得不到重視的話，將會嚴重限制工作勤奮的人取得成功的機會，也會大大削弱亞利桑那州在新經濟情況下的競爭力。從低處來說，緩慢的增長率可能導致低技術要求工作崗位競爭更激烈。而把拉丁裔人從重要的勞動力生力軍中排擠出去。[5]而從高處來說，由于缺乏為適應工作升遷而獲得充分教育的拉丁裔，以致以知識為基礎的公司員工高技術要求崗位更難得到補充。

　　1. The Latino population is changing Arizona's__________________.

　　A) aging problem

　　B) educational system

　　C) economic structure

　　D) financial deficits

　　2. What can be inferred from the third paragraph?

　　A) The Latino population in Arizona is made up of Hispanics and Mexican-Americans.

　　B) The first-generation Latinos are immigrants instead of being born in America.

　　C) 70 percent of the first-generation Latinos had less schooling than nine years.

　　D) The educational system used to be in favor of the non-Hispanic Whites.

　　3. "Educational deficits" (Line 7. Para. 4) most probably means that______________.

　　A) the state did not put much money into education

　　B) many Latinos are too poor to obtain education

　　C) education is not a profitable enterprise

　　D) many Latinos are not well-educated

　　4. According to the author. Arizona should give highest priority to________________.

　　A) controlling the Latino population

　　B) enhancing the educational level of the Latino population

　　C) improving the knowledge-based economy

　　D) building the Latino population into hardworking and skilled workforce

　　5. It is implied that in the long run most Latinos in Arizona will_______________.

　　A) be jobless

　　B) be badly-paid

　　C) do low-skill jobs

　　D) do high-skill jobs