China is casting such a huge shadow on the United States that many Americans are scrambling to learn the Chinese language in a bid to retain their competitive edge.
在中國不斷對美國施加影響的陰影下，許多美國人競相學習漢語，希望以此保持他們的競爭優(yōu)勢。
"Interest in learning Chinese among American youth and their parents has grown dramatically in the past five years，" said Vivien Stewart， vice president at the Asia Society， a US group trying to bridge the gap between Americans and the peoples of Asia and the Pacific.
美國亞洲學會集團副總裁維文-斯圖爾特說：“過去五年中，美國青少年和他們的父母對學習漢語的興趣大大增加?！眮喼迣W會旨在為美國和亞太地區(qū)國家之間架起交流與理解的橋梁。
China's dramatic rise to near superpower status and its telling effects politically， economically and culturally are driving the interest to learn the language， experts say.
專家們表示，中國驚人的崛起使其逐漸成為超級大國，加上其在政治、經(jīng)濟及文化方面具有顯著的影響力，這些因素推動了人們學習漢語的興趣。
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.
亞洲學會的研究結果顯示，從幼兒園到中學，學生學習漢語的興趣呈“快速增長”勢頭。
"The Chinese rich cultural traditions and blossoming economy mean that is now essential for all of our students to be better prepared to engage them and seize opportunities together，" said Michael Levine， Asia Society's executive director of education.
亞洲學會教育常務董事邁克爾。列文說：“中國豐富的文化傳統(tǒng)、繁榮的經(jīng)濟發(fā)展意味著現(xiàn)在我們的學生都應為學習漢語、了解中國做更充分的準備，并抓住兩國共同發(fā)展的機遇。"
A 2004 College Board survey found that 2，400 high schools —— an incredibly high number —— would be interested in offering the Advanced Placement （AP） courses in Chinese language and culture when the courses become available in 2006.
2004年美國大學理事會的調(diào)查結果顯示，到2006年引入中國語言及文化課程后，全美將有2400所中學有興趣提供這方面的進階先修課程和考試，這一數(shù)字高得驚人。
China， the world's most populous nation， is critical to the United States because it is a leading trader， consumer and investor. Its political influence is also rising across the globe.
作為世界上人口多的國家，中國對美國來說至關重要，因為它是主要的貿(mào)易國、消費國及投資國。中國在全球的政治影響力也在不斷上升。
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.
中國已經(jīng)取代美國成為全球大的消費國，而且，在未來20到30年內(nèi)，中國還有可能成為繼美國之后的全球第二大經(jīng)濟體。
America's huge budget deficit， economists say， is being bankrolled by China to the tune of one billion dollars per day through its purchase of US Treasury bills —— 200 billion dollars last year and possibly as much as 300
billion dollars already this year.
經(jīng)濟學家們表示，多虧中國每天購買多達10億美元的美國國債，美國的巨額預算赤字才得以緩解。去年中國購買美國國債總額為2000億，而今年到目前為止可能已經(jīng)達到3000億美元。
Even though the US State Department has designated the Chinese language "critical" to national prosperity and security， the "current infrastructure to support recruitment of students and teachers as well as the growth of high quality programs is woefully inadequate，" an Asia Society study says.
盡管美國國務院指出漢語對國家的繁榮及安全來說非常重要，目前仍缺乏吸引學生和教師的相關基礎設施，而且高質量的教育項目的增長水平仍相當有限。
The Society has set a target of having at least five percent of American high school students learning Chinese by 2015.
亞洲學會已經(jīng)設定目標：到2015年，至少要讓5%的美國中學學生學習漢語。
"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 oldest Mandarin "immersion" program in the country.
“數(shù)百萬的中國人在學習英語，但只有2.4萬美國人在學習漢語”，位于舊金山的中美國際學校的安德魯-科克蘭指出。這里是全美早開展“浸泡式”漢語教學的學校。
The most popular languages after English in US schools at present are Spanish and French. Japanese is the most-sought-after Asian language.
目前在美國學校中，除英語之外，流行的語言是西班牙語和法語。在亞洲語言中，日語是受歡迎的一種語言。
在中國不斷對美國施加影響的陰影下，許多美國人競相學習漢語，希望以此保持他們的競爭優(yōu)勢。
"Interest in learning Chinese among American youth and their parents has grown dramatically in the past five years，" said Vivien Stewart， vice president at the Asia Society， a US group trying to bridge the gap between Americans and the peoples of Asia and the Pacific.
美國亞洲學會集團副總裁維文-斯圖爾特說：“過去五年中，美國青少年和他們的父母對學習漢語的興趣大大增加?！眮喼迣W會旨在為美國和亞太地區(qū)國家之間架起交流與理解的橋梁。
China's dramatic rise to near superpower status and its telling effects politically， economically and culturally are driving the interest to learn the language， experts say.
專家們表示，中國驚人的崛起使其逐漸成為超級大國，加上其在政治、經(jīng)濟及文化方面具有顯著的影響力，這些因素推動了人們學習漢語的興趣。
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.
亞洲學會的研究結果顯示，從幼兒園到中學，學生學習漢語的興趣呈“快速增長”勢頭。
"The Chinese rich cultural traditions and blossoming economy mean that is now essential for all of our students to be better prepared to engage them and seize opportunities together，" said Michael Levine， Asia Society's executive director of education.
亞洲學會教育常務董事邁克爾。列文說：“中國豐富的文化傳統(tǒng)、繁榮的經(jīng)濟發(fā)展意味著現(xiàn)在我們的學生都應為學習漢語、了解中國做更充分的準備，并抓住兩國共同發(fā)展的機遇。"
A 2004 College Board survey found that 2，400 high schools —— an incredibly high number —— would be interested in offering the Advanced Placement （AP） courses in Chinese language and culture when the courses become available in 2006.
2004年美國大學理事會的調(diào)查結果顯示，到2006年引入中國語言及文化課程后，全美將有2400所中學有興趣提供這方面的進階先修課程和考試，這一數(shù)字高得驚人。
China， the world's most populous nation， is critical to the United States because it is a leading trader， consumer and investor. Its political influence is also rising across the globe.
作為世界上人口多的國家，中國對美國來說至關重要，因為它是主要的貿(mào)易國、消費國及投資國。中國在全球的政治影響力也在不斷上升。
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.
中國已經(jīng)取代美國成為全球大的消費國，而且，在未來20到30年內(nèi)，中國還有可能成為繼美國之后的全球第二大經(jīng)濟體。
America's huge budget deficit， economists say， is being bankrolled by China to the tune of one billion dollars per day through its purchase of US Treasury bills —— 200 billion dollars last year and possibly as much as 300
billion dollars already this year.
經(jīng)濟學家們表示，多虧中國每天購買多達10億美元的美國國債，美國的巨額預算赤字才得以緩解。去年中國購買美國國債總額為2000億，而今年到目前為止可能已經(jīng)達到3000億美元。
Even though the US State Department has designated the Chinese language "critical" to national prosperity and security， the "current infrastructure to support recruitment of students and teachers as well as the growth of high quality programs is woefully inadequate，" an Asia Society study says.
盡管美國國務院指出漢語對國家的繁榮及安全來說非常重要，目前仍缺乏吸引學生和教師的相關基礎設施，而且高質量的教育項目的增長水平仍相當有限。
The Society has set a target of having at least five percent of American high school students learning Chinese by 2015.
亞洲學會已經(jīng)設定目標：到2015年，至少要讓5%的美國中學學生學習漢語。
"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 oldest Mandarin "immersion" program in the country.
“數(shù)百萬的中國人在學習英語，但只有2.4萬美國人在學習漢語”，位于舊金山的中美國際學校的安德魯-科克蘭指出。這里是全美早開展“浸泡式”漢語教學的學校。
The most popular languages after English in US schools at present are Spanish and French. Japanese is the most-sought-after Asian language.
目前在美國學校中，除英語之外，流行的語言是西班牙語和法語。在亞洲語言中，日語是受歡迎的一種語言。