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Univision’s new prep tool for the US citizenship exam tests your civics skills

2 Aug

In the midst of fierce public debate over US immigration policy, Spanish-language news network Univision has put together a list of practice questions to help immigrants test their knowledge of American civics and prepare for their US citizenship exam.

The free Citizenship Exam Tool—which can be taken in English or in Spanish—features the 100 questions that could wind up on the official 10-question US Citizenship and Immigration Services test that immigrants who apply for naturalization have to pass in order to become citizens.

It asks multiple-choice questions like:

  • What is the capital of the United States?
  • How many voting members are the House of Representatives?
  • What is an amendment?
  • Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
  • What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States?

You can test your own US civics skills here (and scroll down for the answers to the above questions).

After each question, the prep tool says whether it was answered correctly or not. And users can review the test at the end to see which answers they got right and wrong.

Acquiring the type of civics knowledge featured in this prep tool is just one component of the naturalization process in the US. Eligible immigrants also must pass basic English speaking, reading, and writing tests, and complete background checks, among other criteria, in order to become US citizens through naturalization.

Univision, the largest Spanish-language media company in the US, also offers other resources for immigrants interested in becoming US citizens. The White House does, too. So do other groups that have launched efforts to boost the number of naturalizations before the 2016 election.

A spokesperson for Univision said that more people become US citizens during electoral seasons than during other time periods and that the news organization wants “to make sure Hispanics have all the news, information, and resources they need to be able to participate and have a higher representation.”

From January and March 2016, US Citizenship and Immigration Services received 28% more naturalization applications than it did during the same period a year earlier, according to quarterly data published by the department. It also received slightly more applications—about 3%—during the full calendar year of 2015 compared to 2014.

Pew Research Center noted in May that past events like immigration reforms and applications fee hikes have caused even greater spikes in applications for US citizenship than election cycles.

*Answers to the bullet-pointed questions above are: Washington DC; 435; a change to the constitution; to represent the 13 original colonies; terrorists attacked the United States.

http://qz.com/747275/univisions-new-prep-tool-for-the-us-citizenship-exam-tests-your-civics-skills/