More parents in the US are sending their children to Chinese schools or hiring Mandarin-speaking nannies to help their children learn Chinese better and earlier.
The Chinese language is very hot right now, and kids all over the country, from California to Kentucky, are doing their best to learn it.
Many parents believe if their children learn Chinese now, they will have an easier time getting a good job. China's economy and influence grow year after year.
Some schools offer half-English, half-Chinese environments for learning.
For example, 150 students at Potomac Elementary School near Washington, DC spend half their school day learning mathematics and science in Mandarin and then switch to English for reading, social studies and language arts.
The program is popular for different reasons.
"It's fun because I can speak it with my brother and we tell secrets in Chinese that my parents don't understand," seven-year-old Olivia said.
(Jason Cox, Staff Writer with AFP)
美國有愈來愈多父母送小孩到中文學校，或僱請會說中文的保母協助小孩的中文學得更早、更好。
中文現在非常熱門，全美的孩童，從加州到肯德基州，現在都卯足全力來學中文。
中國的經濟與影響力逐年成長。許多父母相信，假如孩子現在就開始學中文，有助於將來找好工作。
有些學校提供了中英文的雙語學習環境。
例如，鄰近華盛頓特區的波多馬克小學，在校就有一半時間用中文學習數學與自然科學，再改用英文閱讀、學習社會科目與語言藝術。
這項教案受歡迎的原因眾多。
七歲的奧莉薇亞說︰「我可以跟我弟弟說中文，用中文說祕密，這樣爸媽就聽不懂了。」 （翻譯：賴美君）
1. Mandarin n.
國語 (guo2 yu3)
例: I can speak English, Mandarin and Taiwanese.
(我會說英文、國語與台語。)
2. influence n.
影響 (ying2 xiang3)
例: My father has had a big influence on me.
(我父親對我有很大的影響。)
3. environment n.
環境 (huan2 jing4)
例: Teachers try to create a low-stress learning environment.
(老師試圖創造一個低壓力的學習環境。)
4. secret n.
祕密 (mi4 mi4)
例: I want to tell you a secret, come closer!
(我想告訴你一個祕密，靠過來一點！)
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