中国学生英语学习呈低龄化趋势

 Chinese parents are having their children learn English earlier, according¹ to a survey published by the China Youth Daily.

《中国青年报》近日进行的一项调查显示，如今，中国家长很早就让孩子学习英语。

English has been introduced in primary schools, but more parents are starting their children on the second language before the age of five.

英语现在已经被引入到了小学当中，但是越来越多的家长在他们的孩子五岁之前，就已经开始让他们学习这门第二语言了。

Nearly 70% of the 2,003 respondents reported that their own children or children they know started learning² English before age five, mainly due³ to Chinese parents' fixation on giving children an early advantage, the survey found.

调查发现，2003名受访者中，近7成人表示他们自己的孩子或认识的孩子5岁前就开始学习英语；中国家长执着于让孩子"赢在起跑线上"的想法是他们这么做的主因。

Another major reason is that parents believe it is more effective to cultivate⁴ children's language skills at an early age.

另一个重要原因是家长认为，外语能力从小培养更加有效。

58.3% of the respondents believe that the trend⁵ of children learning English at a younger age is obvious. Some 39 percent of respondents said parents pay between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan annually⁶ to such institutions.

58.3%的受访者认为，幼儿学习英语呈现出明显的低龄化趋势。而39%的受访者表示，家长们每年要向相关机构支付10000到20000元。

Fu Lili, a mother of a four year old, said learning institutions with native English-speaking teachers can charge higher prices.

作为一个四岁孩子的母亲，付莉莉表示，在拥有英语外教的机构中学习，学费会更高。

Yet not all parents have faith in such institutions, as more than 20 percent of the total said they have seen little effect on children's learning.

但是并不是所有的父母都相信这些机构，超过总人数20%的家长就表示，这些机构对孩子的学习效果并没有什么影响。

Shi Longwei, associate⁷ professor of education at Southwest University, said it is more important for children to have the freedom to grow and develop their own interest. "Even in English-speaking countries, kids in kindergarten are only taught to recognize the 26 letters."

西南大学教育学院副教授石隆伟认为，孩子能自由成长、培养自己的兴趣更为重要。他说：“即使在以英语作为母语的国家，幼儿园中的孩子一般也只会被要求识别26个字母而已。”

1 according   

adj.按照，根据

参考例句：

• According to the Bible we are all the seed of Adam.根据《圣经》所说的，我们都是亚当的后裔。
• We must cut our coat according to our cloth this year.今年我们必须学会量入为出。

2 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

3 due   

n.应得物；adj.预定的，应付的，到期的，应有的

参考例句：

• I received nothing except what was due to me.除了我应得的东西，我并未接受任何东西。
• The rocket is due to lift off at noon on Friday.火箭定于星期五中午发射。

4 cultivate   

vt.耕作，栽培，养殖；培养，陶冶，发展

参考例句：

• Farmers cultivate their farms with cows.农夫用牛耕田。
• One should cultivate good manners from childhood.一个人从小要学讲礼貌。

5 trend   

n.趋势，倾向，方位；vi.倾向，转向

参考例句：

• Today's trend is toward less formal clothing.眼下时尚趋向于穿着随便。
• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。

6 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

7 associate   

vt.使发生联系，使联合；把…联想起来；vi.交往，结交；n.合伙人，同事；adj.副的

参考例句：

• I always associate that song with my visit to Hawaii.听到那支歌我就会联想到我的夏威夷之行。
• I don't associate the two ideas.这两个概念我联系不起来。