As the playdate progressed, Happy Rogers was asked to name the hardest thing about learning Mandarin.

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Zuckerberg has visited China a couple of times, met with Internet execs there, and is learning Mandarin.

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Then students have the daunting task of learning to pronounce Mandarin, where one word can have four meanings, depending on which of four tones is used.

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Before arriving each morning, he works out with a personal trainer or studies Mandarin, which he is learning in preparation for the trip to China.

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We need to give instruction in Arabic and Mandarin so students can work successfully in the global economy, but we also should encourage learning about the culture and history of the countries where those languages are spoken.

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