【重點詞匯】

　　步入 step into

　　老齡化社會 aging society

　　獨生子女一代 the only-child generation

　　巨大的 enormous

　　調整 adjust

　　計劃生育政策 the family planning policy

　　在特殊情況下 under certain circumstances

　　由于，迫于 due to

　　放棄 abandon 依靠 rely on

　　出生率 birth rate

　　有效的 effective

　　社會保障制度 social security system

　　中國的官方語言普通話在美國的學校中突然熱起來。由于中國經濟在21世紀的快速發展，美國的公立和私立學校紛紛在外語課程中加入漢語這一科目，或將已有的漢語教學項目進行擴展。據統計，在美國的學校中，有5萬名孩子在學習漢語。但推動漢語項目的發展不是沒有遇到困難。由于缺乏受過專業訓練、持有證書的教師，一些學校很難加入漢語教學的競爭。當學校聘用教師時，它們通常直接從中國招聘，這種方式為文化沖突埋下了隱患。

　　Mandarin, the official language of China, is suddenly hot in American schools. With the rapid development of China’s economy in the 21th century,both public and private schools in America are scrambling to add Mandarin to their curricula of foreign languages or expandingChinese language programs already in place. By some estimates, as many as 50 000 children nationwide are taking Mandarinin American schools. To develop Chinese-language programs has met some difficulties. A shortage of professionally trained teachers with certificates has madeit difficult for some schools to join the competition. When schools need to employ teachers, they often recruit them fromChina directly, which is a hidden trouble for culture clash.

　　【重點詞匯】

　　官方語言 official language

　　普通話 Mandarin

　　快速的 rapid 課程 curriculum (pl.curricula)

　　已有的 in place

　　缺乏 shortage

　　受過專業訓練 professionally trained

　　證書 certificate

　　招聘 recruit

　　文化沖突 culture clash

　　華佗是中國東漢(the Eastern Period)和三國時期(the Three Kingdoms Period)著名的醫生。他擅長各個醫學領域，尤其是外科手術。他被后人稱為“外科圣手”(Surgeon Master)”和“外科鼻祖(Founder of Surgery)”。他是一個受過良好教育的人，熟悉古典文學。然而，他拒絕了高官的推薦，決定做一名給老百姓治病的醫生。他在開處方和治療疾病方面技術精湛。此外，他的名字總是和外科手術相聯系，因為他被認為是中國第一個外科醫生。

　　Hua Tuo was a renowned Chinese doctor during the Eastern Han Dynasty andthe Three Kingdoms Period. He was good at all fields of medicine，particularly at surgical operations. He was regarded as the “Surgeon Master” and the “Founder of:Surgery”，He was a well-educated man and was familiar with classical literature.However, he refused the recommendation by high officials，and decided to become a doctor to cure the diseases of the common people. He was highly skilled in writing out prescription and curing illness. In addition，his name is always mentioned in relation to surgeiy, as he was considered the first surgeon in China.