China is projected to become the world's largest economy in 2025, about the time current kindergartners would be graduating from college. The recent financial crisis demonstrates the degree to which America is dependent on China. Increasing the number of Americans who demonstrate a functional proficiency in Chinese is nothing short of urgent. This means not just learning to chat and sing songs in Mandarin (普通话), but truly learning to communicate effectively on professional and academic topics. Although Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world, there are very few Americans who achieve any real competence (能力) in it. Indeed, more than 200 million children in China are learning English, a required subject in primary school. Yet only 24,000 out of 54 million elementary and secondary school children in the US are learning Chinese. What this says is that while children in China are learning how to communicate with us, few of our children are learning how to communicate with them. The United States government sees a great need for Americans to learn Mandarin Chinese. Due to the growing financial and political importance of China, the US government included Mandarin on a short-list of "critical-need" foreign languages that it's encouraging more Americans to learn. In fact, the National Security Language Initiative provided 24 million for Department of Education. The goal is not to create more people who know "conversational" Mandarin. The goal is to start language learning at a younger age and greatly increase the number of Americans who master these languages. It doesn't matter what our children grow up to be, it is likely that they will be interacting with China increasingly during their lives. It is our responsibility to prepare our children to succeed in the world they will live in. That world is small, and getting smaller. It is urgent that we start today to give our children the skills they will need when they are grown and on their own. Let's not just give our children the world. Let's give them the opportunity to thrive in it!1. What does "nothing short of urgent" (Para 1) mean according to the passage?A) Extremely important. B) Not urgent.C) Unimportant.D) Proficient.2. What is the author's nationality?A) Chinese.B) British.C) Canadian.D) American. 3. What measure does the US government take when realizing that China is becoming increasingly influential in the world?A) Put Chinese on a list of foreign languages that Americans are encouraged to learn. B) Strengthen their communication with China both financially and politically.C) Start Chinese course in elementary and secondary schools in the US.D) Increase the number of Americans who master the Chinese language.4. What is the purpose of the National Security Language Initiative by investing a large amount of money in education?A) To produce more people who can communicate on daily topics in Chinese.B) To create more people who master some desperately needed languages. C) To offer the young people an opportunity to learn languages.D) To prepare the children for the future world they will live in.5. What does the author consider important in children's education?A) To equip them with needed skills. B) To tell them what they'll do in the future.C) To let them know how to become successful.D) To prepare a good future world for them.

China is projected to become the world's largest economy in 2025, about the time current kindergartners would be graduating from college. The recent financial crisis demonstrates the degree to which America is dependent on China. Increasing the number of Americans who demonstrate a functional proficiency in Chinese is nothing short of urgent. This means not just learning to chat and sing songs in Mandarin (普通话), but truly learning to communicate effectively on professional and academic topics.  Although Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world, there are very few Americans who achieve any real competence (能力) in it. Indeed, more than 200 million children in China are learning English, a required subject in primary school. Yet only 24,000 out of 54 million elementary and secondary school children in the US are learning Chinese. What this says is that while children in China are learning how to communicate with us, few of our children are learning how to communicate with them.  The United States government sees a great need for Americans to learn Mandarin Chinese. Due to the growing financial and political importance of China, the US government included Mandarin on a short-list of "critical-need" foreign languages that it's encouraging more Americans to learn. In fact, the National Security Language Initiative provided $24 million for Department of Education. The goal is not to create more people who know "conversational" Mandarin. The goal is to start language learning at a younger age and greatly increase the number of Americans who master these languages.  It doesn't matter what our children grow up to be, it is likely that they will be interacting with China increasingly during their lives. It is our responsibility to prepare our children to succeed in the world they will live in. That world is small, and getting smaller. It is urgent that we start today to give our children the skills they will need when they are grown and on their own. Let's not just give our children the world. Let's give them the opportunity to thrive in it!1. What does "nothing short of urgent" (Para 1) mean according to the passage?A)  Extremely important. B)  Not urgent.C)  Unimportant.D)  Proficient.2. What is the author's nationality?A)  Chinese.B)  British.C)  Canadian.D)  American. 3. What measure does the US government take when realizing that China is becoming increasingly influential in the world?A)  Put Chinese on a list of foreign languages that Americans are encouraged to learn. B)  Strengthen their communication with China both financially and politically.C)  Start Chinese course in elementary and secondary schools in the US.D)  Increase the number of Americans who master the Chinese language.4. What is the purpose of the National Security Language Initiative by investing a large amount of money in education?A)  To produce more people who can communicate on daily topics in Chinese.B)  To create more people who master some desperately needed languages. C)  To offer the young people an opportunity to learn languages.D)  To prepare the children for the future world they will live in.5. What does the author consider important in children's education?A)  To equip them with needed skills. B)  To tell them what they'll do in the future.C)  To let them know how to become successful.D)  To prepare a good future world for them.