China is having such a huge influence on the United States that many Americans are struggling to learn the Chinese language in a bid to keep competitive.

“Interest in learning Chinese among American youth and their parents has grown quickly in the past five years,” said Vivien Stewart, vice president at the Asia Society. China’s quick rise to near-superpower and its effects politically, economically and culturally are driving the American’s interest to learn the language, experts say. From kindergartens to high schools, studies by the Asia Society show, there is a “rapid rise” in interest among pupils to study the Chinese language.

“The Chinese rich cultural traditions and blossoming economy mean that it is now important for all of our students to be better prepared,” said Michael Levine, Asia Society's executive director of education. A survey found that 2,400 high schools -- an unbelievably high number -- would be interested in offering the Advanced Placement (AP) courses in Chinese language and culture when the courses become available in 2006.

China, the world’s most populous nation, is important to the United States because it is a leading trader, consumer(消费者) and investor. Its political influence is also rising across the world. It has replaced the United States as the world’s largest consumer and could become the second largest economy in the world, after the United States, in the next two to three decades.

Even though the US State Department has described the Chinese language “critical” to national prosperity and security, “the current facilities to support recruitment(招募) of students and teachers as well as the growth of high quality programs is terribly not enough,” an Asia Society study says. The Society has set an aim of having at least five percent of American high school students learning Chinese by 2015.

“Millions of Chinese are learning English, but only 24,000 Americans are learning Chinese,” said Andrew Corcoran of the San Francisco-based Chinese American International School. The most popular languages after English in US schools at present are Spanish and French while Japanese is the most popular Asian language

41. The underlined word blossoming (Para. 2) means ______.

A. weak            B. old            C. developing       D. developed

42. Why do more and more Americans begin to learn the Chinese language?

A. To be a bridge between the two big countries.   

B. To keep competitive.

C. Because they are always interested in it.  

D. To gain advantage in trade.

43. What problems is the US faced with when it comes to learning Chinese?

A. A lack in current facilities to support recruitment of students and teachers and programs.

B. Not many people want to learn foreign languages.

C. The language is rather difficult compared with English.

D. Too many Chinese are learning English.

44. What is the best title for this passage?

A. Foreign Language Learning  

B. Danger from China

C. The Chinese Language gets More Popular 

D. Difficulties in Learning the Chinese Language.

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

A. The Chinese language is the most popular Asian language in US schools.

B. The US government is worried because more and more Americans learn the Chinese language.

C. China is the second largest economy in the world.

D. China is the largest consumer in the world.

       Early childhood care and education is considered “missing” in the education chain in many areas of the world, according to the 2007 education report published by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Culture Organization.

       Zambia News and Information Services quoted（引用）the report as saying that more than half of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa do not have a formal program for children under age three，and participation in pre-primary education is less than 10 percent.

       Programs that focus on nutrition(营养), health, hygiene, care and education can greatly increase the health of children, especially in the developing countries where 10.5 million children die from preventable diseases every year before reaching the age of 5, said the report. On the progress towards the other education for all goals, the report said that participation in primary education saw a sharp 27-percent rise in sub-Saharan Africa between 1999 and 2004, with the number of children enrolled(入学) rising from 80 million to 101 million.

However, final enrollment percentages remain low in 2004, while fewer than two-thirds of students reach the last grade of primary school, said the report, adding that the region needed to employ at least 1.6 million more teachers to achieve universal primary education by 2015, on a base of 40 pupils to one teacher.

       On gender equality(性别平等), the report said that two-thirds of countries in the world had reached gender equality at primary school level, but inequality at the cost of girls remain great in many countries in Africa, such as the Central African Republic, Chad and the Niger.

       The report will be discussed in a meeting on Monday in Dakar, Senegal, to seek new policies for developing early childhood care and education in Africa.

46. What does “early childhood” refer to ?

       A. Early grades in primary school              B. The period before primary school

       C. Primary school                                     D. The period between 3 and 5

47. Why does the report say “Early childhood care and education is considered missing in many regions of the world”?

       A. Because they do not have a formal program for children under age three，and

participation in pre-primary education is low.        

B. Because they do not know how to carry out such kind of program.                   

C. Many children drop out of school in high grades of primary school            

D. Many school-aged children cannot go to school.

48. What does the underlined word “sharp” mean?

       A. certain                     B. exciting                    C. quick                       D. strong

49. Which of the following is true?

       A. About one-third of students finish primary school.

       B. In some African countries, girls do not enjoy equal rights with boys.

       C. At present, the sub-Saharan Africa region is in need of 1.6 million teachers.

       D. Only 27 percent of students went to school in 2004.

50. What is the best title for this passage?

       A. Poor Education                                     B. A Report on African Education