【推荐1】Despite common concerns that the social is competitive, cooperation (合作) among strangers has gradually increased in the U.S. since the 1950s, according to the research published by the American Psychological Association.

“We were surprised by our findings that Americans became more cooperative over the last six decades because many people believe U.S. society is becoming less socially connected and less trusting,” said lead researcher Yu Kou, PhD, a professor of social psychology at Beijing Normal University.

The researchers analyzed 511 studies conducted in the United States between 1956 and 2017 with a total of more than 63,000 participants(参与者). Those studies included lab experiments measuring cooperation among strangers. The study found a small, gradual increase in cooperation across the 61-year period, which the researchers said may be linked to great changes in U.S. society. The increase in cooperation was related with increases in social wealth, income inequality and the number of people living alone.

Increased cooperation has been linked with market competitiveness and economic growth in former research. As more people live in cities and on their own, they may be forced to cooperate with strangers, said study co-author Paul Van Lange, PhD. He said, “U.S. society may have become more self-centered, but people have not.”

The researchers note that former studies have found that levels of cooperation do not differ by sex or race in the U.S. However, the studies were conducted in lab settings primarily with only college students as participants, so the findings may not be representative (代表性的) of real-life situations or of U.S. society as a whole.

【推荐1】Many foreigners find that one of the most interesting parts of Chinese culture is food. Foods that are normal in China like chicken feet and duck tongue, are often very strange to foreigners. In fact, some of the biggest culture shocks are the kinds of animals that are eaten.

I was once invited to a special meal in China. When I arrived at the meal, I was happy to eat everything that was given to me. I did not want to be rude. I ate a meat dish that tasted rather strange, but I still wolfed（狼吞虎咽地吃）it all down. After the meal to my great surprise, I was told that I had eaten a dog. In European countries, it is a very strange idea to eat a dog. My Chinese friends explained that the dog meat is very useful for warming the body during winter and is often eaten in the north of China.

In England we call dogs “man’s best friend”. It would be against the law to eat a dog in England. In China, it is a big shock when we hear of people eating dogs, or, as I did, end up eating them ourselves.

【推荐2】Symptoms of Culture Shock and Their Stages

Like any new experience, there’s a feeling of euphoria (兴高采烈) when you first arrive in a new country and you’re in awe of the differences you see and experience.     1    During this stage, you still feel close to everything familiar back home.

The Distress Stage

Everything you’re experiencing no longer feels new; in fact, it’s starting to feel like a thick wall that’s preventing you from experiencing things. You feel confused, alone, and realize that the familiar support systems are not easily available.

Re-integration Stage

During this stage, you start refusing to accept the differences you meet.     2    You start to idealize life “back home“ and compare your current culture to what is familiar. You dislike the culture, the language and the food. You throw it as inferior. You may even develop some prejudices (偏见) towards the new culture. Don’t worry. This is normal. You’re adjusting.

Autonomy Stage

This is the first stage of acceptance. It’s the emergence stage when you start to rise above the clouds and finally begin to feel like yourself again. You start to accept the differences and feel like you can begin to live with them.     3    You no longer feel isolated and instead; you’re able to look at the world around you and appreciate where you are.

Independence Stage

    4    You embrace the new culture and see everything in a new, yet realistic light. You feel comfortable, confident, and able to make decisions based on your preferences. You no longer feel alone and isolated. You appreciate both the differences and similarities of your new culture. You start to feel at home.

【推荐3】If he is in a tight spot, says Trouble Kalua, people mention his name, asking, “What do you expect?” Shortly before his birth in Malawi, his father had lost his job as a bus conductor, making the family even poorer. Then the baby nearly died. “This boy is trouble,” his father said. “His name is Trouble.”

Across Africa names can have a story behind them. Yewande, for instance, is a Yoruba name meaning “mother has paid me a visit”, given when an older female relative dies just before a girl is born. Kiptanui may suggest at a difficult birth for mothers who speak one of the Kalenjin group of languages in Kenya.

But southern Africa stands out for nominative (提名) creativity, at least when it comes to English names.

Ask Zimbabweans about their school friends and you will hear different registers: Lovemore, Hopewell, Innocence, Patience, Knowledge, Fortune, Brilliant. A Malawian (himself Golden) lists friends named Goodfriday, Wisdom and Iron.

In Zimbabwe children were long given African names with meaning. This practice switched after British colonization (殖民), when having an English name was seen as a way of getting ahead. Names may refer to conditions around the birth, a quality parents see in the child, an aspiration (期望) for them or even for the country.

Under white rule some children were called Democracy, Freedom or, allegedly, Polling Station. Other names suggested progress. One venture capitalist recalls school friends named Computer.

Names, and the language they are in, reflect changing times, too. In Zimbabwe, whose economy is falling down, one comes across people named No Money. In many places African names are supplanting (取代) English ones. In recent years in South Africa, Enzokuhle (“to do good” in Xhosa), has become one of the most popular names, perhaps inspired by a popular song, “Enzo”.

It may be that names such as Salad Nthenda will become relics. The Malawian, whose mother ate lots of vegetables when pregnant (怀孕的), says his “name felt good from day one”. He loves the “uniqueness”. Although he is teased at times, he does not care.