China is having such a huge influence on the United States that many Americans are struggling to learn the Chinese language in a bid to keep competitive. "Interest in learning Chinese among American youth and their parents has grown quickly in the past five years," said Vivien Stewart, vice president at the Asia Society. China's quick rise to near-superpower and its effects politically, economically and culturally are driving the American's interest to learn the language, experts say. 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. "The Chinese rich cultural traditions and _ economy mean that it is now important for all of our students to be better prepared," said Michael Levine, Asia Society's executive director of education. A survey found that 2,400 high schools - an unbelievably high number - would be interested in offering the Advanced Placement (AP) courses in Chinese language and culture when the courses become available in 2016. China, the world's most popular nation, is important to the United States because it is a leading trader, consumer and investor. Its political influence is also rising across the world. 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. Even though the US State Department has described the Chinese language "critical" to national prosperity and security, "the current facilities to support recruitment of students and teachers as well as the growth of high quality programs is terribly not enough," an Asia Society study says. The Society has set an aim of having at least five percent of American high school students learning Chinese by 2015. "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 most popular languages after... Why do more and more Americans begin to learn the Chinese language? A) To be a bridge between the two big countries. B) To keep competitive. C) Because they are always interested in it. D) To gain advantage in trade.
B