The Andrew Romay Immigrant Support Program （ISP） at the International Center provides a welcoming place for immigrants where they can build the skills they need to fully participate in the professional and social life of their new country．
About the Program
The Andrew Romay Immigrant Support Program (ISP) at the International Center provides an integrated (综合的) set of educational, cultural, and professional activities at ICNY to help immigrants:
●improve their English
●develop the networks they need to achieve their goals and fully participate in American life
●find a welcoming "home away from home"
Participants have access to a wide-range of programming, including:  
●more than 40 weekly classes in English language and American culture
●practical and career-skills workshops
●opportunities to explore New York City and the nearby area through trips and tours
ISP is particularly focused on helping newly arrived immigrants at a critical point in their lives．Recent arrivals in financial need receive one-year scholarships and low-cost meals．ISP is funded by Andrew Romay and a sum of money from the Open Society Institute．
If you are interested in applying for ISP, please fill out our online application or contact ISP Program Manager, Elaine Roberts at (212)255-9555 or at eroberts@intlcenter．org．
Resources for Current ISP Members
RECOMMENDED CLASSES
●Intermediate level:Introduction to Writing & Interviewing Skills on Wednesday, from 11 am-l2:l0pm．
●High Intermediate/Advanced: Tips for Success at Work and Beyond on Tuesday, from 2-3:25pm．
●Advanced: Career Skills Workshop on Wednesday, from 6-8pm. Sign-up required．
●For all levels: Interviewing Skills Workshop on Saturday, from 11 am. - 2 pm. Sign-up required.
UPCOMING EVENTS
To see a list of upcoming events, visit our News & Events page.
OTHER RESOURCES
If you would like helpful resources on topics such as ESOL, healthcare, housing, or finding a job, please visit our Member Resources page．
【小题1】 The main purpose of ISP is to ____．

Many immigrants(移民) to the United States find the decision to seek better lives for their families in America can have an unexpected and tragic consequence(后果). Deep differences with their children develop over language and culture.

“Many immigrants arrive here without much education. Their kids soon gain language skills and also street marts(耍时髦) on how to live in America, leaving the parents at a disadvantage,” Ileana , Roses, pastor of a Methodist church group operating in Virginia, said.

“Not only that but they find they cannot relate to children who quickly absorb American culture,” she said.

According to the US Census Bureau(人口调查局), the number of foreign born or first generation Americans reached 55 million last year, a record one in five of the total population.

A government survey of 922 immigrants in 2000 found that nearly 40 percent of those who had been in the United States for more than 15 years would still like to take English classes if they had the time.

Two thirds of low income households depended on their children for translation.

Psychologists(心理学家) and sociologists say parents can lose their position of authority(权威) in a family as a result and the effects of that can be far-reaching.

Children exposed to American pop culture that glorifies(颂扬) youth and sexuality(性感) often rebel when their parents try to impose the conservative values they brought with them.

“Americanization erodes(侵蚀) all important aspects of parenting,” said Richard Weissbourd, who teaches education at Harvard University.

“I feel a part of me is dying with my children. They don’t listen to my music. I have to play it on Sunday morning when they are not around,” said an immigrant.

1. What troubles the immigrant parents most is ___________.

A. that they can’t understand the English language

B. that they lose their position of authority in their families

C. that their children have lost sense of their own national values

D. how they can master the English language as soon as possible

2. From the passage we can infer that the population of the states at present is about____.

A. 275 million    B. 220 million    C. 255 million    D. smaller than 250 million

3. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. All the immigrants had expected the troubles they would meet before they went to the US.

B. Two thirds of immigrant families are low income households.

C. American culture shows a spirit against conservative social and cultural values.

D. American pop culture puts the immigrant families at a disadvantage.

4. Which of the following is probably the title of the report?

A. The Result of the US Census

B. The Differences Between Parents and Children in the US

C. The Troubles of the American Immigrants

D. Role Reversal(颠倒) Troubles Many Parents and Children

Nicola’s Love for Her Violin
Can love between partners with a 237-year age gap (差距) lead to the perfect match (绝配)? Nicola Benedetti thinks so. The 18-year-old   36  and her “partner, a 255-year-old Italian violin,   37  to China for the first time last weekend. She   38  in Beijing on September 15 and also performed in Hangzhou and Shanghai.
Nicola is from Scotland and   39  playing the violin when she was four years old.   40 , it was not something her parents   41  her do. She went with her sister to violin lessons and   42  it and improved very quickly.
“There are so many different things I am fond of about the  43 ,” she said. “I can’t really   44  it but I love giving live performances, I like the feeling of playing and communicating with the   45 . I love the feeling of the violin under my chin (下巴).”
However, playing violin six hours a day is not a/an   46  job. “I usually   47  in an upstairs bedroom when I’m at home.” she said. “But sometimes, when it’s   48  outside, it can be upset. The house is right on the   49  and I can see others having fun   50  I’m on my own.”[来源:学_科_网]
Although practising is sometimes lonely, Nicola   51   felt she was lucky. “You can’t have   52 . I am really lucky to do what I love doing,” she said. Her   53  paid off (终有回报). Nicola won BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2004 at 16.
  54  her performing and recording activities, Nicola is a/an   55 of UNICEF (联合国儿童基金会). She said that she would travel to Lesotho in southern Africa at the end of this year to help poor kids there.

Nicola’s Love for Her Violin

     Can love between partners with a 237-year age gap (差距) lead to the perfect match (绝配)? Nicola Benedetti thinks so. The 18-year-old   36   and her “partner, a 255-year-old Italian violin,   37   to China for the first time last weekend. She   38   in Beijing on September 15 and also performed in Hangzhou and Shanghai.

     Nicola is from Scotland and   39   playing the violin when she was four years old.   40  , it was not something her parents   41   her do. She went with her sister to violin lessons and   42   it and improved very quickly.

     “There are so many different things I am fond of about the   43  ,” she said. “I can’t really   44   it but I love giving live performances, I like the feeling of playing and communicating with the   45  . I love the feeling of the violin under my chin (下巴).”

     However, playing violin six hours a day is not a/an   46   job. “I usually   47   in an upstairs bedroom when I’m at home.” she said. “But sometimes, when it’s   48   outside, it can be upset. The house is right on the   49   and I can see others having fun   50   I’m on my own.”[来源:学_科_网]

     Although practising is sometimes lonely, Nicola   51   felt she was lucky. “You can’t have    52  . I am really lucky to do what I love doing,” she said. Her   53   paid off (终有回报). Nicola won BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2004 at 16.

       54   her performing and recording activities, Nicola is a/an   55  of UNICEF (联合国儿童基金会). She said that she would travel to Lesotho in southern Africa at the end of this year to help poor kids there.

1.A. singer                  B. writer                   C. pianist                D. violinist

2.A. came                 B. turned                     C. ran                              D. moved

3.A. checked                        B. played                           C. visited                   D. remained

4.A. stopped                                B. requested                      C. started                          D. ignored

5.A. So                                      B. And                                C. But                                   D. However

6.A. made                             B. persuaded                    C. wanted                          D. got

7.A. noticed                     B. concerned                     C. minded                    D. loved

8.A. lessons                 B. violin                   C. performances              D. show

9.A. explain              B. imagine               C. determine                 D. refuse

10.A. foreigners                        B. friends                       C. audience                       D. teenagers

11.A. boring                             B. easy                     C. wonderful                 D. tiring

12.A. work           B. rest              C. stay                               D. practise

13.A. cool                        B. sunny                   C. windy                 D. cloudy

14.A. river                      B. hill                              C. farm                                 D. beach

15.A. while                           B. as                     C. so                               D. for

16.A. even                         B. still                C. ever                       D. almost

17.A. anything                      B. something              C. everything                    D. nothing

18.A. time                    B. music                C. efforts                            D. action

19.A. Because of              B. Besides                C. Instead of                 D. Thanks to

20.A. adviser                         B. manager                 C. organizer                      D. supporter

The Winter Palace was built between 1754 and 1762 for Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great. Unfortunately, Elizabeth died before the palace was completed and only Catherine the Great and her successors were able to enjoy the great interior (内部) of Elizabeth’s home. Many parts of the palace’s impressive interior have been remodeled since then, particularly after 1837, when a huge fire destroyed most of the building. Today the Winter Palace, together with four more buildings arranged side by side along the river embankment, houses the extensive collections of the Hermitage. The Hermitage Museum is the largest art gallery in Russia and is among the largest and most respected art museums in the world.
The museum was founded in 1764 when Catherine the Great bought a collection of 255 paintings from the German city of Berlin. Today, the Hermitage boasts over 2.7 million exhibits and displays, a diverse range of art and artifacts (手工艺品) from all over the world and throughout history (from Ancient Egypt to the early 20th century Europe). The Hermitage’s collections include works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian, a collection of Rembrandts and Rubens, many French Impressionist works by Renoir, Cezanne, Monet and Pissarro, and several works by Rodin. The collection is really worth a stop for all those interested in art and history. The experts say that if you were to spend a minute looking at each exhibit on show in the Hermitage, you would need 11 years before you’d seen them all. However, we suggest you choose a guided tour instead!
Location: Dvortsovaia Naberezhnaia, 32-38.
Open: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, Sunday till 5 pm.
Closed: Mondays. Ticket-office closes 1 hour before closing time.
【小题1】 According to the passage, the Winter Palace was built for ______.