In Pakistan,learning Chinese is Cool

Jutroduction

如今，在巴基斯坦，學習普通話被視為通往繁榮的大門。在北京和伊斯蘭堡于2015年簽署啟動中巴經濟走廊文件之后，更多的巴基斯坦人開始學習中文。在過去幾年里，學中文的巴基斯坦人已增長了十倍多。雖然將中巴文化聯系起來可能不像學習一門語言那么容易，但這些學生身上映射著兩國間更美好、更寬泛的未來。

難詞掃障

1.Mandarin n.（中文）普通話；

2.sibling n.兄弟姊妹；同胞

3.memorandum n.備忘錄；便箋

4.corridor n.走廊；通道

5.supervisors n.監督員；指導者

Saleem Abbas,a 17-year-old boy from northern Pakistan.Abbas'family hasinvestedheavily in his education,hoping that eventual fluency inMandarinwill lead to a good job and allow him to help finance the education of his youngersiblings.

In Pakistan,speaking Mandarin is now seen as a door to prosperity. “Chinese is the language that can make Pakistan prosperous and help Pakistanis get a job,”he says， “China can also help Pakistan move forward.” Many people began learning Chinese in the past few years,after Beijing and Islamabad signed amemorandumof understanding that launched the China-Pakistan EconomicCorridorin 2015.It is anambitiousseries of infrastructure（基礎設施）projects worth more than$50 billion.The mix of investment,loans and Chinese expert advice is transforming Pakistan with new roads,high speed rails,a port and power plants.Tens of thousands of Chinese have come to work on these projects,so there's a demand for translators,lawyers andsupervisorswho need to speak Mandarin.

At the university where Abbas studies,senior Mandarin lecturer Rashida Mustafa,says“Man-darin has been taught since the early 1970s.For most of that time,there were 20 students per class and three classes—two for beginners and one advanced.Most of the students were military officers.”

Now,there are 500 students studying Mandarin,and the university added morning and evening classes.From 10 teachers in 2014,they now have 40,alongside two volunteer teachers that the Chinese Embassy provides.In addition,the Chinese government and Chinese universities offered 5，000 scholarships to Pakistanis in 2016.China's hope is that some of the scholarship recipients（接受者）will return home to teach Mandarin and create asustainablePakistani network for teaching the language.Even without scholarships,it seems Pakistanis areflockingto study in China.In 2016,some 22,000 were studying there.A more than ten times increase has appeared over the past six years.Pakistanis rank as the fourth largest group of foreign students in China,after South Koreans,Americans and Thais.

Their experiencesketches outsomething broader,although linking two cultures,bringing people closer,may not be as easy as just learning a language.

Reading Check

Complete the summary according to the text.

Saleem Abbas from northern Pakistan,with the(1)__________(expect)of his family,is learning Mandarin now.With the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(2)_________(launch),there's a demand for Pakistanis who could speak Mandarin(3)_________(communicate)with Chinese.

The number of Pakistanis(4)_________(learn)mandarin has increased in the past six years.And efforts by the Chinese government and Chinese universities (5)_________(make)to improve learning conditions.

Although it is not easy,these students'experience will make(6)_________(contribute)to link two cultures and bring people （7）_________(close)between China and Pakistan.

Language Study

I.Important vocabulary in the text

1.invest v.投資

2.ambitious adj.有雄心的

3.sustainable adj.可持續的

4.flock v.聚集；蜂擁

5.sketch out概述；簡述

II.Complete the following sentences in correct forms with the vocabulary given above.

1.The_________young man relied on his friends to further his career.

2.The criticisms will not stop people_________to see the film.

3.You mean it is wise to_________in this project.

4.We need to have a more stable and_________business model.

5.Give me a notebook and penciland I'll_________what I have in mind.

6.The government will_________an extensivepublic works program next year.