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，你準是一個樂觀的人，一個領導者。你偏愛灰、藍系列色彩嗎？那么，你很可能緘默、羞怯，你寧愿被別人領導而不愿領導別人。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，這是心理學家告訴我們的--心理學家應該是這方面的專家，因為他們一直在認認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.

    假設你碰巧喜歡褐色，當初你一睜看到這個世界，或至少當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比這一區任何一座橋都多。后來人們把它漆成綠色，企圖自殺的人數立刻驟減；倘若將這座橋梁漆成粉紅色或淺藍色，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。