Motor competence and health-related fitness in children:A cross-cultural comparison between Portugal and the United States

Background: Motor competence and health-related fitness are important components for the development and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle in children. This study examined cross-cultural performances on motor competence and health-related fitness between Portuguese and U.S.children.Methods: Portuguese(n = 508; 10.14 § 2.13 years, mean § SD) and U.S.(n = 710; 9.48 § 1.62 years) children performed tests of cardiorespiratory fitness(Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run), upper body strength(handgrip), locomotor skill performance(standing long jump), and object projection skill performance(throwing and kicking). Portuguese and U.S. children were divided into 2 age groups(6à9 and 10à13 years) for data analysis purposes. A twoàfactor oneàway analysis of covariance(ANOVA) was conducted with the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run, handgrip, standing long jump scores, kicking, and throwing speed(km/h) as dependent variables.Results: Results indicated that Portuguese children, irrespective of sex, presented better performances in locomotor and cardiorespiratory performance(standing long jump and Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run) than U.S. children in both age bands. U.S. children outperformed Portuguese children during throwing and handgrip tests. Kicking tests presented gender differences: Portuguese boys and U.S. girls outperformed their internationally matched counterparts.Conclusion: Cultural differences in physical education curricula and sports participation may impact differences in motor competence and fitness development in these countries.

Comparison between American and Chinese Cultures Based on Theories of Cultural Dimensions

This paper focuses on studying the cultural differences between China and America on the basis of the cultural dimensions presented by Hofstede,Hall,Trompenaars and Tunner,in order to raise the cultural awareness when people are interacting in these two super countries of the world.A new scale of cultural dimensions include individualism/collectivism,power distance,low/high context,and diffuse/specific.

The Cult of Mazu in Hainan,China and Among Vietnamese Hainanese Diaspora:A Comparative Study of Mazu Culture

The cult of Mazu is a common folk belief in China and Vietnam.Originating from the Song and Yuan Dynasties,particularly during the Ming and Qing Dynasties,the cult of Mazu spread to Vietnam through maritime trade and migration from coastal regions of China.After centuries of integration and development,it evolved into its own cultural system of Mazu worship,becoming an important component of Vietnamese folk culture.Hainan,China,as a crucial supply station on the Maritime Silk Road,has close connections with the transmission of Mazu culture to Vietnam.This paper adopts field investigations and literature research methods to explore the Mazu worship and culture in Hainan,China,and the Qiongfu Assembly Halls in Vietnam.

Comparison and Choice of Cultural Patterns of the Chinese Cultural Renaissance

Cultural differences suggest the existence of a variety of cultural patterns. In the context of globalization, conscious choice and construction of cultural patterns are of great necessity. Choice is related to comparison and involves evaluation comparisons of nature and function and recognition comparisons of content and structure regarding cultural patterns. This paper holds that cultural values can be established based on the foundations of basic cultural value functions, namely if they satisfy people's need for transcendence and enhancement, appreciation of the beauty, social survival and progress. Also, different situations should be combined with specific existence situations within a specific culture. Accordingly, life-vitality orientation should be regarded as a criterion in cultural evaluation and choice.

Cross-Cultural Comparison: Aesthetic Appreciation of Palace Art in the Mid-Qing Dynasty and French“Rococo”Art

In the cross-cultural context,as artistic and cultural phenomena between the East and the West,the palace art in the mid-Qing Dynasty and the French“Rococo”art is bound to be influenced by the social history,artistic and cultural environment in which they live.Through a parallel comparison of the aesthetics of court art in the mid-Qing Dynasty and French Rococo art,it is found that there are similarities in the social and cultural environments and the aesthetic tastes of the aesthetic subject at that time,and there are differences in the presentation of the function of art culture and the aesthetic style of the aesthetic subject.At the same time,there is a phenomenon of the east-west integration of“western law for use”and“eastern elements”.

The “Colour Family Drawing Test”: Assessing Children’s Perception of Family Relationships. Studies on Mental Health and Cross-Cultural Comparisons

We apply the Colour Family Drawing Test, as a development of the traditional black and white test, for cross-cultural comparison. The participants, aged 7 - 10 years, both genders, were examined individually. Each subject sat at a single table with a white rectangular card of standard size, 24 well-sharpened colour pencils, a black pencil, an eraser and other appropriate tools. S/he received this verbal instruction: “Draw your family”. The procedure was firstly applied to 120 participants attending primary schools of Rome (Biasi, Bonaiuto and Levin, 2014). The families were evaluated through a semi-structural interview conducted with the children’s teachers and divided into: Harmonious versus Very Conflictual Families. The drawings made by children of Harmonious Families consistently used “Reassuring and Playful Colours” (Pink, Orange, Sky Blue, Light Green, Light Yellow, other pastel colours);and were larger, tidier and more proportioned to respect the opposite group. Children belonging to Conflictual Families used mostly “Alarming and Serious Colours” (Grey, Black, Dark Bleu, Violet, Olive Green) and their drawings were less extended, more often disordered and had typical deformations such as figures too thin. A second investigation examined 120 participants belonging to Asian immigrant families residing in Italy. A third investigation examined 120 participants belonging to Russian families of Moscow. Both last two investigations obtained very similar results on the use of colours, and gave a confirmation of the relevance of the Colour Family Drawing Test.

A Comparison of Languages on the Chinese and English Clothing Tags from the Cross-cultural Perspective

With the rapid growth of China's marketing economy, a lot of China-made clothes sweep into the foreign markets in recent years, so the internationalization, standardization and normalization of the languages of the clothing tags seem more important than they probably are. From the cross-cultural perspective and with the help of stylistic analysis, the author studies the languages of 10 Chinese-version clothing tags and 10 original English-version clothing tags respectively in lexis, syntax and discourse. The English version of Chinese clothing tags inclines to use the imperative sentences with strong tone of command, and their corresponding sentence structures and those of the original English clothing tags are not alike. Comparatively the latter give a more static feeling in a milder tone. In the perspective of lexis and discourse, clothing tags, both home and abroad, use the simple words and add the words with pictures. Tentatively, the author gets a general conclusion of the skills and characteristics of English clothing tags' language. Besides, according to the current problems existing in the Chinese clothing tags' translation,the author gives the relative advice to the Chinese clothing company in order to promote the international commercial communication, besides, the author expects more studies on this field with a new view point.

A Comparison between Chinese and Western Cultures

Cultural awareness, which plays a big part in our efforts of culture development, comes from active comparison and contrast of different cultures, especially between the domestic and foreign cultures. Though the Chinese culture and the western cultures have much in common, they differ in value and morality concepts, Social customs, etiquette, relations, the spirit of individuality and so on. We should bear in mind this cultural awareness when making cultural policies, or having cross-cultural communications, which enables us to become more active in culture development.

Cultural Image of Animal Words

This paper,after introducing the definition and forms of cultural image,focuses on the detailed comparison and analysis of cultural image of animal words both in English and in Chinese from four aspects,that is,same animal word,same cultural image;same animal word,different cultural images;different animal words,same cultural image;different animal words,different cultural images.

A Comparison of Cultures between China and the West——Taking Chinese Clothing and British Clothing as an Example

This paper attempts to do study on the comparison of differences between Chinese and western cultures by taking the Chinese and British clothing as an example. This comparison is made form two aspects about clothing culture. One is the separate characteristics of the Chinese and British clothing. The other is the common features of the Chinese and British clothing.The paper aims at making the Chinese confidently promote the clothing culture of China to make efforts to realize the great rejuvenation of China and enrich the culture of all mankind.

Adaptation of The Joy Luck Club: From a Feminist Text to a Cultural Film

What I am going to write about The Joy Luck Club is the adaptation from the text to a film. We know that Amy Tan is a woman, what she has written about in Joy Luck Club reflects more about feminism. And it is a female novel to some extent. The author writes many things from a woman's perspective. But when it was adapted to a film, the director Wayne Wang deemphasized this part, and attached more importance to the Chinese immigrants as a whole group. As a Chinese American male director, he presents the novel mainly in a man's perspective. In this process, the main theme changed greatly. The adaptation of The Joy Luck Club is actually an adaptation from a feminist text to a cultural film.

Idiom and Its Cultural Differences between China and the West

The article mainly focuses on Chinese and English idioms and their cultural differences. Idioms exist in both Chinese and English, and they have been used frequently for a long time. Furthermore, idioms are fixed phrases extracted from language over long time of usage. Although they are formed in short phrases, for example idioms known as "成语" in Chinese, which has only have four or eight letters, their meanings are exuberant and connotative. Therefore, the analysis of the idiom's usage and the cultural differences it reflects is significant to every language learner and translator.

Comparison of Wine Culture between China and Western Countries

With the accelerating pace of globalization, the cultural differences have more impacts and restrictions on the intercommunication than before. They exist in the total international communication. Therefore, the critical factors whether we can succeed in intercommunication are whether we can eliminate cultural differences or avoid their conflicts. There is no exception for wine culture. As we know, drinking wine plays an important role in public relations as a communicating tool. This essay is to compare Chinese wine culture with the Western one, and try to analyze the factors aroused by the cultural differences, and then provide the solution how to face it.

The Comparison of Chinese and Western Cultures from the Perspective of Chinese Culture “Going Global”: With Confucius and Socrates’ Thoughts as Examples

Chinese culture “going global” is an inevitable requirement for China’s economic and social development.As an important part of Chinese traditional culture,the dissemination of Confucian thought is just the spread of Chinese culture.Therefore,the spread of Chinese Confucian thought abroad is also the key to Chinese culture “going global”.However,there are some cultural hinders between China and the West due to the differences in cultures.On the basis of summarizing Confucius and Socrates’ thoughts,this paper analyzes their essence of thoughts by contrast,which represent the eastern and Western cultures respectively.From the perspective of cross-cultural communication,the paper adopts the methods of multiculturalism,criticism and down-to-earth attitudes to deal with Chinese and Western cultures in order to make Chinese go global and share China’s wisdom with the world.

Teaching in Different Cultures:Comparison of Teacher Education Programs between China and the U.S.

In recent years,teacher education,as an important part of educational issues,has attracted governments'attention in the world and made some achievements.Chinese people often say that education is the hope for the revitalization of the nation,and teacher education is the hope for the revitalization of education.Thus,teacher education plays an important role in the devel opment of the whole nation.This essay aims to find out the respective advantages and disadvantages of the teacher education pro grams in China and the America,through the comparison of their specific characteristics.It will also explore what the Chinese teacher education system can benefit from the successful experiences of that in the U.S.