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 hearing 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 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 Angles , New York City , and North Carolina . It”s true that the number of students learning Chinese in 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 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 , and they are succeeding at 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 .

The fourth-graders at Chicago”s McCormick Primary School are unaware of the difficulty in learning Chinese .
对于芝加哥McCormick小学的四年级学生来说，他们还根本没有意识到学习汉语的难度，
For most , who speak Spanish at home , it”s becoming their third language . They”ve been hearing and using Chinese words since kindergarten , and it”s now second nature to give a hearty “ni hao” when strangers enter the classroom .
对于大多数的在家使用西班牙语的学生来说，汉语已经变成了他们的第三语言。他们从幼儿园起就已经习惯了听和说汉语。当一位陌生人出现在教师门口的时候，说一声“你好”，俨然已经成为了条件反射。

The classroom scene at McCormick is unusual , but it may soon be a common fixture 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 .
尽管教室里的这种场面不是经常发生，但是在美国的校园里，这有可能会成为一个非常平常的固定模式。一直以来，政府官员都认为，对于像汉语这样的语言，我们实行更加正确的引导。与此同时，来自商业大亨，政客，以及父母的压力，正将汉语教学计划推向一个高潮。

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 Angles , New York City , and North Carolina . It”s true that the number of students learning Chinese in tiny compared with how many study Spanish or French .
芝加哥本身就是在美国公立学校推行汉语教学的最大支持者。在芝加哥，这项计划已经覆盖了20所学校，近3000名学生。还有更多的学校在候选名单之上。汉语教学计划在其他城市也是十分风行。比如休斯顿、洛杉矶、纽约、还有南加利福尼亚。现在学习汉语的学生的人数已经能够跟学习西班牙语和法语的人数小小的Pk了。

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 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 .
这项计划的拥护者将汉语以及汉文化看作辅助工具，因为中国在全球化经济中的地位已经越来越重要。“这是一次有趣的与下一个世界超级大国的交往。”亚洲教育研究中心主任麦克如是说。他已经开办了五所提供汉语教学的公共学校。“全球一体化已经改变了孩子们思考自己前程的方向。学校迟早要对此做出适应，而不是考虑是否该做出改变。”
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 , and they are succeeding at this , tells me everyone should have a try at learning languages , ” says Virginia Rivera , principal at McCormick .
在芝加哥，学习汉语的热潮已经随着大量的亚洲学生而涌出了学校。“事实上，有我的学生有98%的来自低收入家庭，有99%是拉丁裔学生。他们在学习汉语方面很成功。这个事实表明，每个人都应该试着学一门外语。”McCormick学校的校长Virginia Rivera如是说。

“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 .
“我们希望给予我们的年轻人更多的靠近尖端事业的机会，而懂汉语就是在如今这样的商业社会的最好的生存之道。”




参考文献：开始少了一段 sorry