單詞與詞組   Words and phrases

    ①optimist  n. 樂觀主義者

    ②tend  v. 趨向

    ③pessimist  n. 悲觀主義者

    ④preference   n. 偏愛

    ⑤mood  n. 情緒

    ⑥depressing   a. 沮喪的

    ⑦suicide   n. 自殺

    ⑧sharply   adv. 急劇地

    ⑨established   a. 確定的

    What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange, red? If you do, you must be an optimist①, a leader. Do you prefer grays and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy, and you would rather follow than lead. You tend② to be a pessimist③. 

    你最喜歡什么色彩？你喜歡黃色、橙色和紅色嗎？倘若如此，你準(zhǔn)是一個樂觀的人，一個領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。你偏愛灰、藍(lán)系列色彩嗎？那么，你很可能緘默、羞怯，你寧愿被別人領(lǐng)導(dǎo)而不愿領(lǐng)導(dǎo)別人。你有悲觀者的傾向。

    At least, this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference④, as well as the effect that colors have on human beings. They tell us, among other facts, that we do not choose our favorite color as we grow up-we are born with our preference. 

    至少，這是心理學(xué)家告訴我們的--心理學(xué)家應(yīng)該是這方面的專家，因為他們一直在認(rèn)認(rèn)真真地研究色彩偏愛的意義以及各種色彩對人的不同影響。他們告訴我們許多東西，其中之一是我們并不是在成長過程中挑選自己偏愛的色彩--我們的這種偏愛與生俱來。

    If you happen to love brown, you did so, as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.

    假設(shè)你碰巧喜歡褐色，當(dāng)初你一睜看到這個世界，或至少當(dāng)你看清這個世界的時候，你就喜歡上褐色了。

    Colors do influence our moods⑤-there is no doubt about it. A yellow room makes most people feel more cheerful and more relaxed than a dark green one; and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing⑥. 

    色彩的確影響我們的情緒--這一點毫無疑問。大多數(shù)人在一個黃色的房間比在一個深色的房間更感到愉悅松弛；一件紅衣服在最凄涼的冬日也能給人帶來溫暖和振奮。而黑色卻使人壓抑。

    A black bridge over the Thames River, near London, used to be the scene of more suicides⑦ than any other bridge in the area-until it was repainted green. The number of suicide attempts immediately fell sharply⑧; perhaps it would have fallen even more if the bridge had been done in pink or baby blue.

    倫敦附近泰晤士河上曾有一座黑色的橋，在這座橋上自殺的人數(shù)比這一區(qū)任何一座橋都多。后來人們把它漆成綠色，企圖自殺的人數(shù)立刻驟減；倘若將這座橋梁漆成粉紅色或淺藍(lán)色，下降幅度或許會更大。

    Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active. It is an established⑨ fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or gray.

    淺色或艷麗的色彩不僅使人更加愉快也更積極向上。事實證明，如果把工廠里的機器油漆成橘黃色而不是黑色或灰色，工人就會干得更勤奮、更出色，事故也會更少。