【答案解析】

Worldwide Fervor in Learning Chinese

With the increase of attention paid to China by the international community, more and more foreigners begin to take interest in China and Chinese culture, and the number of people learning the Chinese language is growing. At present, institutions of higher learning in many countries and regions offer Chinese degree programs and courses, and a number of elementary and middle schools also teach Chinese as a foreign language. By the end of 2010, more than 300 Confucius Institutes have been established in over 90 countries and regions to teach Chinese language and culture. There is every indication that a fervor in learning Chinese is rising around the world.
At the same time, the number of international students studying in China is going up year by year. According to statistics, in 1991 the total number of international students in China was 11,000, in 2000 the number rose to 20,000, and by 2011 it climbed to over 290,000. Over the past decade, the undertaking of teaching Chinese as a foreign language has been developing rapidly in China. In order to satisfy the needs of learners of Chinese worldwide, the relevant departments of the State have dispatched teachers of Chinese language to Confucius Institutes across the world.
Chinese is a language used by people of all the nationalities in China and is one of the official and working languages in the United Nations. It is also among the world"s most highly developed languages with the longest history, a recorded history of at least 6,000 years. Whether in the past or at present, the Chinese language has had great influence both at home and abroad and occupied a prominent position.
The current worldwide interest in learning Chinese is attributable to the long history of the Chinese nation, its glorious and magnificent culture and its tremendous contribution to human progress. More importantly, as China"s overall national strength has grown in the course of reform and opening-up over the last three decades, more and more countries, international organizations and people come into contact with China and take interest in Chinese culture. For them, learning the Chinese language has become the only road to a profound understanding of China.
No language is separable from its economic and cultural environment. The language of a nation which is well developed in economy and culture plays a very important role. In the past 30 years, on the average China"s GDP has increased by 9.7 percent annually, and in the years to come China"s economy will continue to grow. An upsurge of enthusiasm in learning Chinese indicates that the world is placing greater and greater expectations on the future development of China. It may well be predicted that with the further development of China"s economy and the rise of its international status, an ever-increasing number of people around the world will take to studying Chinese language and culture.