Towards Lessening Learners’Aversive Emotions and Promoting Their Mental Health:Developing and Validating a Measurement of English Speaking Demotivation in the Chinese EFL Context

While a plethora of studies has been conducted to explore demotivation and its impact on mental health in second language(L2)education,scanty research focuses on demotivation in L2 speaking learning.Particularly,little research explores the measures to quantify L2 speaking demotivation.The present two-phase study attempts to develop and validate an English Speaking Demotivation Scale(ESDS).To this end,an independent sample of 207 Chinese tertiary learners of English as a Foreign Language(EFL)participated in the development phase,and another group of 188 Chinese EFL learners was recruited for the validation of the scale.Exploratory Factor Analysis(EFA)and Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA)were employed to determine the factor structure of the scale.The EFA results revealed a six-factor solution with Teacher-related Factors in Learning Spoken English(TFLSE),Interest and Valence in Learning Spoken English(IVLSE),Self-efficacy in Learning Spoken English(SELSE),Negative Peer Influence in Learning Spoken English(NPILSE),Undesirable Environment for Learning Spoken English(UELSE),and Negative Influence of Assessment and Learning Materials in speaking class(NIALM).In the validation phase,Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA)was performed to validate the internal structure of the scale.The CFA results showed that the model fits the data well.Overall,the ESDS is a robust and trustworthy psychometric tool that could be utilized to examine L2 speaking demotivation.Implications for diminishing EFL learners’demotivation,lessening their aversive emotions and promoting their mental health are also discussed.

Four Dimensions of Integrating Chinese Culture Into College English Teaching From the Perspective of Tyler’s Basic Principles

Integrating Chinese culture into college English can not only enhance students’humanities literacy and cultivate their cultural confidence,but also facilitate the inheritance and international dissemination of Chinese culture.Taking Tyler’s curriculum framework as the starting point,this paper analyzes some factors that affect the integration of Chinese culture into the college English teaching and proposes some strategies for the integration of Chinese culture into college English teaching by innovating teaching objectives,enriching teaching contents,transforming modes of course delivery,and reconstructing the assessment system.

A Study on the Integration of Chinese Culture in High School English Teaching

The inseparable relationship between language and culture indicates that culture teaching is indispensable in English teaching.The ultimate goal of culture teaching in English teaching is to cultivate learners’cross-cultural communication skills.Cross-cultural communication is a two-way process,which requires not only knowledge of English culture but also the use of English as a medium for disseminating Chinese culture to the outside world.However,in actual English teaching,the teaching of Chinese culture is a mere formality,and the teaching effect is not obvious.Therefore,it is necessary to conduct a survey and research on Chinese culture teaching in high school English classrooms to understand its current situation,existing problems,and their causes,so as to provide suggestions for Chinese culture teaching in high school.

An Introduction to the Dissemination of Chinese Culture in English Teaching in Colleges and Universities

Language and culture are closely related,and understanding the cultural knowledge embedded in the process of language learning is an important goal of English teaching in colleges and universities.At present,the dissemination of Chinese culture in English teaching in colleges and universities is lacking,which affects the improvement of students’intercultural communication skills.In order to effectively solve such problems,we need to take effective measures to disseminate Chinese culture by combining teaching content and students’characteristics.This paper summarizes the problems of Chinese culture dissemination in English teaching in colleges and universities,and explores effective countermeasures and teaching considerations,hoping to provide teachers with valuable guidelines.

English Writing Autonomy and Literacy among Chinese College Students

The purpose of this study is to examine the current situation of English writing autonomy and literacy among Chinese college students,to analyze their performance,scale,and distribution as well as influencing factors,and to explore the correlation between English writing autonomy and literacy.This study will provide an in-depth analysis of the current situation of Chinese college students’English writing autonomy and literacy,reveal the scale,distribution,and influencing factors,as well as put forward strategies to enhance them,so as to provide a reference for the reform and development of college English education.

Exploring Phonetic Differences and Cross-Linguistic Influences: A Comparative Study of English and Mandarin Chinese Pronunciation Patterns

Exploring the differences in phonemes and cross-linguistic influences, particularly by comparing the pronunciation patterns of English and Mandarin, is crucial for language learners. Such comparative studies can help learners better understand and overcome the pronunciation difficulties encountered during second language acquisition. English and Mandarin have significant differences in their vowel and consonant systems, tones, intonation, and syllable structures. A deep understanding of these differences allows learners to engage in targeted pronunciation training, reducing accent interference. This research provides guidance for improving language teaching methods, enabling teachers to design more effective pronunciation strategies and exercises based on the students’ native language backgrounds, thus enhancing learning outcomes. Additionally, cross-linguistic studies aid in improving speech recognition and conversion technologies, achieving higher accuracy and naturalness in multilingual speech processing systems. From a cultural exchange perspective, understanding and respecting the phonetic characteristics of different languages help to enhance the effectiveness and mutual understanding in cross-cultural communication. The comparative study of English and Mandarin pronunciation patterns not only provides a theoretical foundation for language education and technological applications but also promotes effective communication in multilingual environments. This thesis uses a comparative research method to elucidate the study of English and Mandarin pronunciation patterns. It begins with an analysis of the characteristics and similarities of the pronunciation patterns in both languages. The thesis then examines the differences between English and Mandarin pronunciation patterns through four aspects: the number and complexity of vowel phonemes, types and distribution of consonant phonemes, tones and stress, and intonation and phonetic phenomena. Finally, based on the comparative analysis of the differences, the thesis offers targeted policy recommendations for learning English and Mandarin.

Challenges and Countermeasures in Integrating Chinese Traditional Culture into English Listening and Speaking Course

Foreign language education involves not only language education but also cultural education.It is the new mission of today’s foreign language education to integrate Chinese traditional culture into foreign language teaching and cultivate foreign language talents who can tell Chinese stories well and spread Chinese voice.As a basic course for English majors,English Listening and Speaking faces many challenges when it is integrated into Chinese traditional culture,such as complex teaching content,limited teaching resources,insufficient teachers’literacy,and students’listening and speaking difficulties.In order to solve these problems,teachers and universities should work together to sort out the connotation of Chinese traditional culture,develop audio-visual teaching materials,organize teacher training,and innovate teaching methods,so as to effectively promote the connection between Chinese traditional culture and English Listening and Speaking curriculum system.

Review of Research on English Translation of Chinese Running Sentences

In order to convey complete meanings,there is a phenomenon in Chinese of using multiple running sentences.Xu Jingning(2023,p.66)states,“In communication,a complete expression of meaning often requires more than one clause,which is common in human languages.”Domestic research on running sentences includes discussions on defining the concept and structural features of running sentences,sentence properties,sentence pattern classifications and their criteria,as well as issues related to translating running sentences into English.This article primarily focuses on scholarly research into the English translation of running sentences in China,highlighting recent achievements and identifying existing issues in the study of running sentence translation.However,by reviewing literature on the translation of running sentences,it is found that current research in the academic community on non-core running sentences is limited.Therefore,this paper proposes relevant strategies to address this issue.

English-Chinese Translation of Science and Technology Texts Based on the Differences Between Chinese and Western Modes of Thinking

As a tool for human communication,the use of language is affected by the way of thinking in cross-cultural communication.Due to the differences between Chinese and Western cultures,the way of thinking varies under the influence of such cultural differences.In the process of translation,the influence of the different thinking mode on translation activities cannot be ignored.At present,a lot of studies and researches have focused on the influence of Chinese and Western thinking mode on translation.However,it is still worthwhile to study what specific influence the difference between Chinese and Western thinking mode will exert on the translation process of science texts and what kind of measure should be taken to solve the negative influence brought by the differences when we are translating.This paper aims to discuss the influence of thinking differences between Chinese and Western countries on the process of English-Chinese translation of science and technology from the perspectives of long sentences,passive voice and nominalization,and how the translators should appropriately adjust their thinking pattern and use reasonable skills to eliminate the potential negative interference caused by the difference and achieve a better transformation between English and Chinese.

English Translation of Chinese Natural Ecological Discourse:A Corpus-based Case Study on Xi Jinping:The Governance of China

Amid the increasingly severe global natural eco-environment,it is necessary to build a natural ecological civilization by constructing an ecological civilization discourse.Against this background,this study compiles a corpus of natural ecological discourse in the English translation of Xi Jinping:The Governance of China(short for Xi).By using Wordsmith and AntConc,this study explores the linguistic features of the ecological discourse in English translation of Xi in the following dimensions,including high-frequency words,keywords,word collocations,concordance lines.This study aims to analyze the concepts and attitudes towards natural ecology,so as to provide certain valuable insights for the construction of China’s discourse on natural ecological civilization.The study found that the natural ecology discourse involving in the English translation of Xi turned out to be ecologically beneficial.

The Application of the Domestication and Foreignization Translation Strategies in the Context of the Dissemination of Chinese Culture:A Case Study of the English Translation of Long

In January 2024,the Chinese Year of the Loong,how to translate the Chinese character Long went viral on the Internet.Taking the English translation of Long as an example,this study tends to make a tentative analysis of the application of translation strategies in the macro context of the dissemination of Chinese culture.Moreover,it probes into the phenomenon of Chinese cultural aphasia by analyzing the domestication and foreignization of Long in three aspects.The three attitudes provided ought to be addressed in the Chinese-English translations.This study emphasizes enhancing translators’cultural awareness and their cultural confidence in the process of translating the source language to the target language.

Error Analysis of English Pronunciation Acquisition by Chinese Non-English Majors

Chinese non-English majors are a large group of English learners.In the process of English pronunciation acquisition,issues such as incomplete phonological knowledge,transfer of mother tongue,and overgeneralization,lead to confusion of phonemes and stress,misunderstanding of syllable structure,and errors of assimilation,drop,and epenthesis.The accuracy of English pronunciation can only be improved by knowing both English and Chinese phonological systems,strengthening the teaching of English phonological knowledge,and adopting various phonological training activities.

The Application of Reinforcement Theory in the Review Stage of English Teaching and Learning in Chinese Higher Vocational and Technical Colleges

Reinforcement theory is a behavioral psychology theory proposed by Skinner,which has been widely applied in various fields such as management and education.Positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement are the two types of reinforcement.By adopting these two different reinforcement methods appropriately,human behavior can develop in a positive direction.In the review stage of English teaching and learning in Chinese higher vocational and technical colleges,the use of different reinforcement methods based on various classes,individuals,conditions,and environments can effectively promote or change the behavior of teachers and students,thereby improving the effectiveness of the review.

Research on Localized English Education for Transnational Left-behind Children in the Context of English Global Localization: A Case Study of Wenzhou Overseas Chinese Hometown

With the increasing development of English globalization,the trend of combining English with local cultures has become more evident.This research focuses on five schools in the Wenzhou overseas Chinese hometown to investigate the current status of English education from the perspectives of teachers,students,and textbooks.The aim was to propose bilingual education strategies for the education of transnational left-behind children(TLC).By examining the situation of English education in this specific context,this study sought to address the unique challenges faced by TLC and provide effective educational approaches.Interviews,observations,and document analysis were employed to gather data by means of questionnaire research methods.The findings of this study settled on the improvement of bilingual education for TLC and insights into enhancing English education in multicultural settings.

Entangled relationship:Chinese parents’involvement in young learners’English tests

Young learners’English(YLE)tests have become increasingly prevalent among and important to Chinese English learners and their parents.In China,parents are actively involved in their children’s education and test-taking decisions,and their participation has given rise to a series of social impacts.Although parent involvement has received increasing public and academic attention in newspaper and scholarly articles,there exists no thorough analysis of current research on parents’roles in young learners’test-taking.To address this gap,we systemically analyzed Chinese newspaper articles and academic articles between 2011 and 2021 to elicit Chinese parents’roles in YLE test-taking.Our thematic analysis of the literature identifies the ways in which parents influence their children’s test-taking experiences,and how the tests affect this influence.Specifically,our results elicit 1)parents’engagement in YLE testing;2)parents’understanding of the intended uses of YLE tests;3)parents’perception and consequences of their involvement in YLE testing;and 4)parents’backgrounds.This analysis reveals the popularity of YLE tests among young learners and their parents in China and public concern over test-related issues.It also broadens our understanding of YLE testing impact and suggests future potential research directions.

Synergistic effects of carbon cycle metabolism and photosynthesis in Chinese cabbage under salt stress

Chinese cabbage(Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis) has a long cultivation history and is one of the vegetable crops with the largest cultivation area in China. However, salt stress severely damages photosynthesis and hormone metabolism, nutritional balances, and results in ion toxicity in plants. To better understand the mechanisms of salt-induced growth inhibition in Chinese cabbage, RNA-seq and physiological index determination were conducted to explore the impacts of salt stress on carbon cycle metabolism and photosynthesis in Chinese cabbage. Here, we found that the number of thylakoids and grana lamellae and the content of starch granules and chlorophyll in the leaves of Chinese cabbage under salt stress showed a time-dependent response, first increasing and then decreasing. Chinese cabbage increased the transcript levels of genes related to the photosynthetic apparatus and carbon metabolism under salt stress, probably in an attempt to alleviate damage to the photosynthetic system and enhance CO_(2) fixation and energy metabolism. The transcription of genes related to starch and sucrose synthesis and degradation were also enhanced;this might have been an attempt to maintain intracellular osmotic pressure by increasing soluble sugar concentrations. Soluble sugars could also be used as potential reactive oxygen species(ROS) scavengers, in concert with peroxidase(POD)enzymes, to eliminate ROS that accumulate during metabolic processes. Our study characterizes the synergistic response network of carbon metabolism and photosynthesis under salt stress.

Understandings of Urban Sustainability in China:a Bibliometric Analysis Using Chinese Literatures

Cities hold a critical responsibility for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)due to their high population density,extensive resource consumption,and significant economic contributions.To examine the present state of understandings regarding urban sustainability(SDG 11:Sustainable Cities and Communities)within Chinese research communities,this study collected 15950 papers from 1994 to 2022 on the 12 indicators of SDG 11,from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),a hub of Chinese academic papers,that directly relate to policymaking.Significant research topics on SDG 11 were identified for each indicator using bibliometrics analysis approaches.The high-frequency keywords and clusters of keywords over the last three decades reveal that existing studies primarily concentrated on the physical aspects,such as transportation and environment,while there is a lack of consideration of societal aspects.This indicates a limited and biased understanding of the urban sustainability within the Chinese academic community.Hence,it is crucial to prioritize the societal aspects in order to develop a research agenda that further advances urban sustainability.

Five commonly used traditional Chinese medicine formulas in the treatment of ulcerative colitis:A network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Currently,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)formulas are commonly being used as adjunctive therapy for ulcerative colitis in China.Network meta-analysis,a quantitative and comprehensive analytical method,can systematically compare the effects of different adjunctive treatment options for ulcerative colitis,providing scientific evidence for clinical decision-making.AIM To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of commonly used TCM for the treatment of ulcerative colitis(UC)in clinical practice through a network metaanalysis.METHODS Clinical randomized controlled trials of these TCM formulas used for the adjuvant treatment of UC were searched from the establishment of the databases to July 1,2022.Studies that met the inclusion criteria were screened and evaluated for literature quality and risk of bias according to the Cochrane 5.1 standard.The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using ReviewManager(RevMan)5.4,and a funnel plot was constructed to test for publication bias.ADDIS 1.16 statistical software was used to perform statistical analysis of the treatment measures and derive the network relationship and ranking diagrams of the various intervention measures.RESULTS A total of 64 randomized controlled trials involving 5456 patients with UC were included in this study.The adjuvant treatment of UC using five TCM formulations was able to improve the clinical outcome of the patients.Adjuvant treatment with Baitouweng decoction(BTWT)showed a significant effect[mean difference=36.22,95%confidence interval(CI):7.63 to 65.76].For the reduction of tumor necrosis factor in patients with UC,adjunctive therapy with BTWT(mean difference=−9.55,95%CI:−17.89 to−1.41),Shenlingbaizhu powder[SLBZS;odds ratio(OR)=0.19,95%CI:0.08 to 0.39],and Shaoyao decoction(OR=−23.02,95%CI:−33.64 to−13.14)was effective.Shaoyao decoction was more effective than BTWT(OR=0.12,95%CI:0.03 to 0.39),SLBZS(OR=0.19,95%CI:0.08 to 0.39),and Xi Lei powder(OR=0.34,95%CI:0.13 to 0.81)in reducing tumor necrosis factor and the recurrence rate of UC.CONCLUSION TCM combined with mesalazine is more effective than mesalazine alone in the treatment of UC.

Research progress of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of endocrine metabolic diseases in 2023

This study aimed to provide a comprehensive review of the research progress in Chinese medicine in the treatment of endocrine metabolic diseases in 2023,covering traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)monomers,TCM extracts,and TCM combinations,including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications,obesity,hyperuricaemia,and thyroid disorders.After systematic sorting and summary,we found that in 2023,the research focusing on the application of TCM for endocrine metabolic diseases was still on the mechanism of action at the cellular and molecular levels,which not only influenced the classical pathways of lipid metabolism,but also delved into the key mechanisms of anti-inflammation,anti-oxidation,anti-insulin resistance,and so on.Additionally,TCM has shown remarkable results in the treatment of endocrine metabolic diseases by improving intestinal flora disorders and abnormal cellular iron death.These research results provide valuable ideas,methods,and tools for TCM in the prevention and treatment of endocrine metabolic diseases,and provide important references and guidance for future research and practice.

Effect of Modified Biochar with Organic Fertiliser on the Growth and Development of Chinese Rose

In order to reduce the waste of resources and environmental pollution caused by excessive application of chemical fertilizers, improve the utilization rate of fertilizers, and promote the large-scale and high-quality development of the Chinese rose industry. In this experiment, corn stover biochar, phosphoric acid modified biochar and organic fertilizer were used as test materials, and the effects of mixed application of modified biochar and organic fertilizer on the growth and development of Chinese rose as well as soil physicochemical properties were investigated by using the method of pot planting test. The results showed that modified biochar with organic fertilizer had the most significant effect on the enhancement of soil pH, organic matter content and soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. After 120 d of planting, modified biochar with organic fertilizer had the most significant effect on the enhancement of plant height and crown width of Chinese rose;both organic fertilizer and modified biochar with organic fertilizer significantly increased the chlorophyll content of Chinese rose. The number of flowers and the number of branches were the highest in the modified biochar with organic fertilizer treatment. In conclusion, the application of modified biochar with organic fertilizer can better improve the soil pH, and increase the soil organic matter content and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio to change the biological traits of Chinese rose. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the reduction of chemical fertilizers and the resource utilization of agricultural wastes and guarantee the sustainable development of the cut flower industry.