1 . You probably like blue, and you’re not alone. Across the globe, a majority of people tend to select blue as their favourite colour. A new study from University of Wisconsin found that not only do we adore blue, but we start to give meaning to colors as we age.
During the study conducted by psychology professor Karen Schloss at the University of Wisconsin in 2019, the researchers investigated the science of how different people perceive colour. They noted that subjects with a preference for a sports team found their favourite team’s colors more favourable. The more they valued their team, the more they favoured the specific colour. “It tells us that our experiences with the world are constantly influencing the way we view colour,” Schloss says.
So, why does blue dominate lists of favorites? From previous surveys the researchers found that blue has been a favourite colour. Even the earliest-recorded colour studies from the 1800s show that blue is universally loved, due at least in part to our fondness for blues in nature. Many colors in nature that we love are blue, especially a blue sky, the sea and many flowers. A blue sky is enough to make many people very happy. It’s possible then, that blue offer plenty of positive experiences, which we unconsciously link to our favourite colour.
But blue isn’t the only attention-grabbing colour. The other finding of the research was that our colour interests change as we gain new experiences. The younger you are, for instance, the more likely you are to enjoy a brighter colour. As you age, you’re more likely to take on darker colors as your favorites; younger women, according to the researchers, tend to enjoy purples and reds, while younger men may lean toward green or yellow-green. The studies showed that dark yellowish-brown was the world’s least liked colour.
To simply put, the things we enjoy most in our lives will drive our colour preferences.
1. What does the underlined word “It” refer to in paragraph 2?| A．People’s preference for a colour. | B．A subject’s personality. |
| C．The specific sports team. | D．The feature of colors. |
| A．Human beings are fully linked to nature. |
| B．Our preference for blue is longstanding. |
| C．It’s a coincidence that blue is our favourite. |
| D．Blue is not necessarily linked to our experiences. |
| A．We may prefer brighter colors as we age. |
| B．Our colour preferences may shift over time. |
| C．Colour preferences change our view of the world. |
| D．We tend to stick with just one colour in our lives. |
| A．Blue Is Probably Your Top Choice of Color |
| B．Studies on Color and Their Findings |
| C．Colour Preferences Shaped by Your Experiences |
| D．Women of Different Ages Prefer Different Colors |
2 . Colors are not only used for decorations or for adding to the beauty of an object. In color psychology (心理学), black is the color of power, but it also stands for evil (邪恶) in some people’s minds. Black could make you appear thinner, which is why it can be a good choice if you think you’re overweight. Black can also give people a feeling that you are independent (独立的).
Red reflects energy, power and strength. Red is useful when you want to draw some attention to yourself. But red may cause a faster heartbeat and breathing, so it could be an irritating (恼人的) color if overused.
Staying in a blue room can make you calm. However, if overused, it may lead to a sad feeling. When wearing blue, you leave the impression that you are loyal and trustworthy.
Green is known as a relaxing color. Staying in a green room can make you more relaxed. That’s one of the reasons why factory walls are printed green.
Yellow is an irritating color. In some takeaway restaurants (外卖餐馆), the walls are painted yellow in order not to let customers stay for long periods in the restaurants and free up more space for other customers. Just like red, yellow is an eye-catching color and it could also increase the heart beat.
Pink shows kindness. When one wants to get help, a good choice would be heading for someone who is wearing pink or white.
1. According to color psychology, besides red, ______is a color that can make you easily noticed.| A．black | B．blue | C．yellow | D．pink |
| A．blue, no matter how much used, can calm people down |
| B．yellow can help restaurants make customers stay longer |
| C．pink is the only color that shows kindness |
| D．both black and red can stand for power |
| A．Because green can make workers hopeful. |
| B．Because green can make workers feel relaxed. |
| C．Because green can make workers more confident. |
| D．Because green is a symbol of nature. |
| A．How to Choose Colors |
| B．Psychology Effects (影响) of Colors. |
| C．Colors Make Our Life Wonderful. |
| D．Be Careful with Color Choices. |
3 . A latest research led by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has found a clear link between the color of a taxi and its accident rate. An analysis of 36 months of detailed taxi, driver and accident data from two fleets of yellow and blue taxis in Singapore suggested that yellow taxis have fewer accidents than blue taxis. The higher visibility of yellow makes it less difficult for drivers to avoid getting into accidents with yellow taxis, leading to a lower accident rate.
The study was led by Prof Hou. To test whether there was a relationship between the color of a taxi and the number of accidents the taxi had, the research team analyzed data collected by the largest taxi company in Singapore. The researchers found that yellow taxis have about 6.1 fewer accidents per 1,000 taxis per month.
They also studied the economic effect of changing the color of the entire fleet of taxis to yellow. The Singapore taxi company involved in the study owns about 16,700 taxis in a ratio (比例) of one yellow to three blue taxis. If a commercial decision is made to switch from blue to yellow taxis, 76.6 fewer accidents will occur per month or 917 fewer accidents per year.
Assuming an average repair cost of $1,000 per car and a downtime of six days, the color of all taxis to yellow could produce an annual saving of $2 million.
“We are eager to continue to validate(证实) the findings of our study by looking at the use of yellow in other types of public transport, such as school buses. For example, we hope to compare the accident rates of yellow school buses against those of other colors to find out if yellow is indeed a safer color for school buses. Besides, we’re also interested to look at private-hire vehicles and do a comparison of the accident rates of vehicles that are of different colors, ”explained Prof Hou.
1. Why do yellow taxis result in fewer accidents?| A．Because yellow can be seen more easily. |
| B．Because yellow signals a warning of danger. |
| C．Because drivers tend to be more careful in yellow taxis. |
| D．Because people act more quickly in yellow surroundings. |
| A．Physical risks of taxi passengers’ experience. |
| B．The economic effect of changing taxi color. |
| C．Personal reports from taxi drivers worldwide. |
| D．Data from Singapore's largest taxi company. |
| A．School buses should be painted yellow. | B．Their findings are worth popularizing. |
| C．Their study will be furthered. | D．Yellow should be widely used in public transport. |
| A．Safer to ride in yellow taxis | B．Caution: yellow taxis ahead |
| C．Why are yellow Taxis preferred? | D．How can colors help prevent accidents? |
