Several recent studies have found that being randomly
(随机地) assigned to a roommate of another race
can lead to increased tolerance but also to a greater likelihood (可能性) of conflict.
Recent reports found that lodging with a student of a
different race may decrease prejudice and force students to engage in more
ethnically diverse friendships.
An Ohio State University study also found that black
students living with a white roommate saw higher academic success throughout
their college careers. Researchers believe this may be caused by social pressure.
In a New York Times article, Sam Boakye – the only
black student on his freshman year floor -said that "if you're surrounded
by whites, you have something to prove."
Researchers also observed problems resulting from
pairing interracial students in residences.
According to two recent studies, randomly assigned
roommates of different races are more likely to experience conflicts so
strained that one roommate will move out.
An Indiana University study found that interracial
roommates were three times as likely as two white roommates to no longer live
together by the end of the semester.
Grace Kao, a professor at Penn said she was not
surprised by the findings. "This may be the first time that some of these
students have interacted, and lived, with someone of a different race,"
she said.
At Penn, students are not asked to indicate race when
applying for housing.
"One of the great things about freshman housing
is that, with some exceptions, the process throws you together randomly,"
said Undergraduate Assembly chairman Alec Webley. "This is the definition
of integration."
"I've experienced roommate conflicts between
interracial students that have both broken down stereotypes(模式化形象) and strengthened stereotypes," said one Penn
resident advisor (RA). The RA of two years added that while some conflicts
"provided more multicultural acceptance and melding (融合)," there were also "jarring cultural
resistance."
The RA said that these conflicts have also occurred
among roommates of the same race.
Kao said she cautions against forming any
generalizations based on any one of the studies, noting that more background
characteristics of the students need to be studied and explained.
1.What can we learn from some recent studies?
A．Conflicts
between students of different races are unavoidable.
B．Interracial
lodging may have diverse outcomes.
C．Students of
different races are prejudiced against each other.
D．Interracial
lodging does more harm than good.
2.What does the Indiana University study show?
A．Few white
students like sharing a room with a black peer.
B．Roommates of
different races just don't get along.
C．Interracial
roommates are more likely to fall out.
D．Assigning
students' lodging randomly is not a good policy.
3.What does Alec Webley consider to be the "definition
of integration"?
A．The school
randomly assigns roommates without regard to race.
B．Students of
different races are required to share a room.
C．Interracial
lodging is arranged by the school for freshmen.
D．Lodging is
assigned to students of different races without exception.
4.What can be inferred from Grace Kao’s saying about
interracial lodging?
A．Schools
should be cautious when making decisions about student lodging.
B．Students'
racial background should be considered before lodging is assigned.
C．Experienced
resident advisors should be assigned to handle the problems.
D．It is
unscientific to make generalizations about it without further study.
