Most research on the predictors of successful reading comprehension in a second language (L2) has been focused on cognitive factors. Very few studies exist on how motivational factors impact L2 reading comprehension. In this study, 179 Chinese college students read passages in English (their L2) and answered either literal, relatively superficial questions reflecting text‐based comprehension (TBC) or deeper, inferential and critical questions reflecting higher order comprehension (HOC). The participants also completed a survey on their reasons for studying English and perceptions of their abilities. Multiple regression analyses indicated that intrinsic motivation had more predictive power on HOC than TBC, whereas extrinsic motivation had more predictive power on TBC than HOC. The educational implications of these interrelationships between different components of motivation and L2 comprehension levels for English language learners are discussed.

Msalais wine (MW) is a popular traditional wine with the cultural characteristics of a specific Chinese ethnic group. In this study, phenolic profiles and antioxidant characteristics were identified using chromatographic analysis. A total of thirty-eight compounds, including eight furans, eleven phenolic acids, fourteen flavonoids, and five others, were identified via LC-MS/QTOF. It was found that catechin is the most abundant phenolic compound in MW, followed by epicatechin, gallic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, and p-coumaric acid. Winemaking had a significant influence on the levels of phenols and antioxidant activity. Condensed juice (CJ) displayed the highest phenol and antioxidant activity levels, while the levels were significantly decreased during the fermentation process and gradually stabilized thereafter during the aging process. A correlation analysis between the polyphenols in Msalais and their antioxidant capacity was performed to determine which molecules contributed more to the antioxidant capacity in a complex mixture of polyphenols. All of the phenolic compounds, except ferulic acid, showed good correlation with DPPH, ABTS, and CUPRAC. Among them, resveratrol had the strongest antioxidant capacity, although its concentration was very low. Catechin also had a strong antioxidant capacity, which was positively correlated with its concentration. This indicates that the antioxidant activity of Msalais is related to the number, type, and structure of polyphenols.

“Xiaobai” apricot is one of the most popular fruits in China. However, during postharvest storage, fruit aroma loss occurs easily. In this study, factors affecting the aroma changes in different ripening stages of “Xiaobai” apricot during postharvest storage were searched. Immature and mature “Xiaobai” apricot samples were collected and monitored for sensory changes during postharvest storage. After 25 days of storage, the aromatic ester and alcohol abundance in mature showed a decrease, related to the loss of characteristic aroma. Immature fruit still tasted sour with an indistinct characteristic aroma, as a result of decreased alcohol and increased acid abundance. The ATT, ADH, PDC, and LOX genes were identified, and their expression levels were detected at different ripening stages during storage. The correlation analysis showed that the expression of LOX and ATT was positively correlated with the variation of aromatic ester ( P < 0.05 ), a key factor affecting the apricot aroma during postharvest storage.

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