Section 2---Unit 15 How Colors Affect Us

 

Section 2---Unit 15 Science and Technology

How Colors Affect Us

Colors are often used to describe emotions. For example, if you "feel blue," it means that you're sad. A person who “sees red" is angry, and someone who's “tickled pink" is happy about something. Besides expressing feelings, though, colors may also influence our actions.

In Japan, officials have put in blue lights around railroad platforms to discourage people from jumping in front of trains. As a result, certain stations with blue lights have seen an 84 percent drop in suicide numbers.

Pink has been believed to prevent violence. In the United States, jail cells were painted this color to calm prisoners. In sports, some visiting teams have had to use all-pink locker rooms, which were meant to weaken the teams and make them lose.

Unlike pink, red may let you gain an upper hand in sports. In the 2004 Olympics, boxers who wore red were found to have a slightly higher chance of winning. Red is also believed to be the color of energy and power.

The ways in which colors affect us may be a result of nature and evolution. Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is connected to life, appetite, and danger. Yellow describes sunny days and can make us feel energetic and happy, while blue relaxes us with images of the sea and sky.

Other factors determining our reactions to colors are culture and history. In the past, purple dyes were difficult to come by, and only kings and nobles could afford them. As a result, the color became a royal symbol.

As you can see, colors shape how we interpret the world. They are seen in all parts of life, and they can affect us in ways that we may not notice.

	affect	第二級	[動詞] 影響；感染；打動
	afford	第三級	[動詞] 買得起,付得起
	appetite	第二級	[名詞] 胃口,食慾
	besides	第三級	[副詞] 並且; [介系詞] 除...之外
	blood	第二級	[名詞] 血
	boxers	第五級	[名詞] boxer(拳擊手;拳師;拳師狗) 的複數
	calm	第二級	[形容詞] 寧靜的; [動詞] 變安靜;使鎮定; [名詞] 安靜;鎮定;平靜;無風
	cells	第二級	[名詞] cell(單人牢房;細胞;蜂房的巢室;電池) 的複數
	connected	第三級	[動詞] connect(連接,連結) 的過去式及過去分詞
	culture	第二級	[名詞] 文化
	danger	第二級	[名詞] 危險
	describe	第二級	[動詞] 描述
	describes	第二級	[動詞] describe(描述) 的第三人稱單數現在式
	determining	第三級	[動詞] determine(決定) 的現在分詞
	discourage	第四級	[動詞] 使洩氣,使沮喪
	dyes	第四級	[動詞] dye(把...染上顏色) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] dye(染料,染色) 的複數
	emotions	第二級	[名詞] emotion(情緒) 的複數
	energetic	第三級	[形容詞] 精力充沛的
	energy	第二級	[名詞] 精力;能量
	evolution	第五級	[名詞] 發展,進展
	expressing	第二級	[動詞] express(陳述；表達；;快遞郵寄) 的現在分詞
	factors	第二級	[名詞] factor(因素;要素) 的複數
	found	第二級	[動詞] 建立;建造;鑄造;熔化
	gain	第二級	[動詞] 得到;增進; [名詞] 獲得;增加;獲利;收益
	images	第二級	[名詞] image(肖像影像) 的複數
	influence	第二級	[動詞] 影響,感化;左右; [名詞] 影響
	interpret	第四級	[動詞] 解釋,闡釋;傳譯
	jail	第三級	[動詞] 監禁;拘留; [名詞] 監獄;拘留所
	locker	第六級	[名詞] (公共場所的)衣物櫃
	means	第二級	[名詞] 手段,方法;工具;收入
	nobles	第四級	[名詞] noble(貴族) 的複數
	officials	第二級	[名詞] official(官員,公務員) 的複數
	percent	第四級	[名詞] 百分之一
	platforms	第二級	[名詞] platform(月台;平台) 的複數
	prevent	第三級	[動詞] 防止,預防
	prisoners	第二級	[名詞] prisoner(囚犯;俘虜) 的複數
	purple	第二級	[形容詞] 紫色的; [名詞] 紫色
	railroad	第二級	[名詞] 鐵路
	reactions	第三級	[名詞] reaction(反應,感應) 的複數
	relaxes	第三級	[動詞] relax(使鬆弛,使鬆懈,放鬆) 的第三人稱單數現在式
	result	第二級	[動詞] 發生,產生;結果;導致; [名詞] 結果
	royal	第二級	[形容詞] 皇家的
	slightly	第四級	[形容詞] slight(輕微的;微小的) 的衍生的副詞
	sports	第二級	[動詞] sport(炫耀;誇示;遊戲,;開玩笑,嘲弄;突變) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] sport(消遣;運動;突變) 的複數
	states	第二級	[動詞] state(陳述) 的第三人稱單數現在式
	suicide	第三級	[名詞] 自殺,自殺行為
	symbol	第二級	[名詞] 符號;象徵
	tickled	第四級	[動詞] tickle(使發癢;逗...笑) 的過去式及過去分詞
	united	第三級	[動詞] unite(統一;使團結) 的過去式及過去分詞
	upper	第二級	[形容詞] 較高的
	used	第二級	[形容詞] 習慣於; 舊的;用舊了的
	violence	第三級	[名詞] 暴力行為
	weaken	第三級	[動詞] 削弱,減弱

Reading Comprehension

(   ) 1. How do we describe somebody who is feeling happy?

(A) She is feeling blue.                      (C) She is tickled pink.

(B) She is seeing red.                        (D) She is becoming yellow.

(   ) 2. Why did certain railway stations see a drop in suicide numbers in Japan?

(A) Officials painted the platform pink to make people calm.

(B) Officials painted the images of lights in blue around the platform.

(C) Officials put yellow paintings around the platform.

(D) Officials put in blue lights around the platform.

(   ) 3. According to the article, what is one way to weaken an opposing team in sports?

(A) Wear blue when you play against them

(B) Paint their locker room pink

(C) Show them the color yellow

(D) Use purple as your team's symbol

(   ) 4. According to the article, which of the following is NOT true about colors?

(A) People's responses to colors are decided by nature rather than culture.

(B) Purple became a symbol of royalty because it was hard for the public to get.

(C) Both blue and pink can make people feel less angry, worried, and excited.

(D) Red is connected to appetite and danger because of evolution.