Next Hot Language to Study: Chinese

The fourth-graders at Chicago’s McCormick Primary School are unaware of the difficulty in learning Chinese. For most, who speak Spanish at home, it’s becoming their third language. They’ve been learning and using Chinese words since kindergarten, and it’s now second nature to give a hearty “ni hao” when strangers enter the classroom.

The classroom scene at McCormick is unusual, but it may soon be a common fixture(固定物) in American schools, where Chinese is rapidly becoming the hot new language. Government officials have long wanted more focus on security—useful languages like Chinese, and pressure from them—as well as from business leaders, politicians, and parents—has driven a quick growth in the number of programs.

Chicago itself is home to the largest effort to include Chinese in US public schools. The program here has grown to include 3,000 students in 20 schools, with more schools on a waiting list. Programs have also spread to places like Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, and North Carolina. It’s true that the number of students learning Chinese is tiny compared with how many study Spanish or French.

Advocates (提倡者，拥护者) see knowledge of the Chinese language and culture as a help in a global economy where China is growing in importance. “This is an interesting way to begin to engage with the world’s next superpower,” says Michael Levine, director of education at the Asia Society, which has started five new public high schools that offer Chinese. “Globalization（全球化) has already changed the arrangements in terms of how children today are going to need to think about their careers… The question is, when not whether, the schools are going to adjust.”

In Chicago, the trend extends beyond schools with high numbers of Asian students. “The fact that my students are 98% low income and 99% Latino(拉丁美洲人) and they are succeeding in this, tells me everyone should have a try at learning languages,” says Virginia Rivera, principal at McCormick.“We want to give our young people opportunities to advance… and Chinese is a great opportunity to survive in today’s economy,” says Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago.

1.The first paragraph is mainly written to _______.

A. show the importance of Chinese learning  

B. introduce the topic to be followed

C. advise primary schools to teach Chinese   

D. prove it’s easy for children to learn language

2. How many languages are mentioned in this passage?

A. Six.                  B. Two.      

C. Three.                D. Four.

3. In the last paragraph, the underlined word “this ”probably refers to _____.

A. the competition between Latino and Asian students  

B. the global economy  

C. the interesting way to engage with China  

D. the Chinese learning

4. What CANNOT be learned from this passage?

A. Most students at McCormick can speak three languages.

B. Chinese is gaining its popularity in all schools in Chicago.

C. French has far more speakers than Chinese does in Chicago.

D. Globalization in a way makes it necessary to learn Chinese.

5. Which of the following is mainly about in this passage?

A. The Chinese learning in Chicago.  

B. The ways to learn Chinese.

C. McCormick Primary School.      

D. Globalization and Chinese learning.

It is commonly believed that school is where people go to get education.  21 , it has been said that today children  22 their education to go to school. The   23 between schooling and education suggested by this is important.
Education is   24 , compared with schooling. Education has no  25 . It can take place  26 , whether in the shower or on the bus, whether in a kitchen or on a tractor. It includes both the  27 learning that takes place in schools and the whole universe of learning out of class.
  28 the experience of schooling can be known in advance, education quite often produces  29 . A chance talk with a   30  may lead to a person to discover how  31 he knows of another country. People obtain education from  32 on. Education,  33 ,is a very  34 and unlimited term. It is lifelong experience that starts long  35 the start of school, and one that should be a necessary part of one’s entire life.
Schooling, on the other hand, is a   36 experience, whose style changes  37 from one way to the next. Throughout a country, children arrive at school at the same time, take  38 seats, use similar textbooks, do homework ,and    39 ,and so on. Schooling has usually been  40 by the edges of the subjects being taught.
【小题1】..

It is commonly believed that school is where people go to get education.  21 , it has been said that today children  22  their education to go to school. The   23 between schooling and education suggested by this is important.

Education is   24 , compared with schooling. Education has no  25  . It can take place  26 , whether in the shower or on the bus, whether in a kitchen or on a tractor. It includes both the  27  learning that takes place in schools and the whole universe of learning out of class.

  28  the experience of schooling can be known in advance, education quite often produces  29  . A chance talk with a   30   may lead to a person to discover how  31  he knows of another country. People obtain education from  32 on. Education,  33  ,is a very  34  and unlimited term. It is lifelong experience that starts long  35  the start of school, and one that should be a necessary part of one’s entire life.

Schooling, on the other hand, is a   36  experience, whose style changes  37  from one way to the next. Throughout a country, children arrive at school at the same time, take  38 seats, use similar textbooks, do homework ,and    39  ,and so on. Schooling has usually been  40  by the edges of the subjects being taught.

1... A. Then              B. However        C. Thus          D. Therefore

2.. A. understand         B. need           C. enjoy         D. interrupt

3.. A. difference         B. importance     C. use           D. problem

4.. A. unexpected         B. endless         C. countless    D. simple

5.. A. answers            B. ways           C. edges         D. meanings

6.. A. anywhere       B. anywhere else       C. some where       D. somewhere else

7...A. part-time            B. public            C. standard        D. strict

8.. A. If                 B. Because       C. So            D. Though

9... A. pride           B. surprises            C．knowledge       D. progress

10... A. neighbor         B. friend        C. foreigner      D. teacher

11.. A. wonderfully       B. well          C. greatly        D. little

12... A. babies           B. grown-ups      C. women         D. men33. A. still B. next C. then D. yet

13... A. long             B. broad          C. narrow        D. short

14... A. that             B. when           C. after         D. before

15... A. basic            B. strict         C. final         D. irregular

16... A. unusually        B. differently    C. little        D. frequently

17..A. large              B. new            C. fixed         D. small

18.. A .take exams        B. hold exams     C. mark papers   D. read papers

19.. A. changed           B. limited        C. chosen        D. controlled

完形填空

　　It is commonly believed that school is where people go to have education. 1 , it has been said that today children 2 their education to go to school. The 3 between schooling and education suggested by this is important.

　　Education is 4 , compared with schooling. Education knows no 5 . It can take place 6 , whether in the shower or on the job, whether in a kitchen or on a tractor. It includes both the 7 learning that takes place in schools and the whole universe of learning outside class. 8 the experience of schooling can be known in advance, education quite often produces 9 . A chance talk with 10 may lead to a person's discovering how 11 he knows of another country. People obtain education from 12 on . Education 13 , is a very 14 and unlimited term. It is lifelong experience that starts long 15 the start of school, and one that should be a necessary part of one's entire life.

　　Schooling, on the other hand, is a( n) 16 experience, whose style changes 17 from one way to the next. Throughout a country children arrive at school at the same time , take 18 seats , use similar textbooks, do homework, and 19 , and so on. Schooling has usually been 20 by the edges of the subjects being taught.

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