Many people take it for granted that black is a color of bad things while white should always mean something good．This may be because, in their opinion, black is related to darkness and white to purity（纯洁）．

However, that is not always the case．Did you know that the same colour may mean differently in different places of the world?

In the English-speaking world, black is the colour of mourning（哀悼）．People wear black clothes at the funeral．Red is concerned with danger or bloodshed (流血)．Yellow is the word for fear．If you are afraid, you are yellow．Yet none of these sayings is true outside the English-speaking world．In China and Korea white is the colour of mourning．In Russia, China and some other countries, red stands for beauty, life and excellence．In Italy and Germany, you are yellow with anger, not with fear．

Even within the English-speaking area it is not difficult to find colour contradictions (矛盾)．A redcap in the United States is a porter in a railway station．In Britain, however, a redcap is a military policeman．Both names are logical because both men wear red caps．Similarly, the British term for an American white collar worker is sometimes called a black-coated worker．

One does not have to cross an area to find color differences．Would you rather be red-blooded? If we go back to the origin, we find that both terms are logical as both names suggest．The expression “blueblood” comes from Spain, where some noble（贵族）families proudly said that they had “blue blood”．But then why “blue” blood? Because they were fair-skinned, and it is only natural that their blood vessels (血管) stood out appearing blue．

Yellow is concerned with anger in ______.

      A．Russia     B．Britain     C．Germany D．China

Both Britain and America would probably agree that ______.

       A．black is the color of mourning       B．a black-coated worker is employed in an office

       C．red stands for beauty and excellence    D．a redcap is a porter in a station

The best title for this passage is ______.

       A．The Origin of Blue Blood          B．The Development of the Use of Colors

       C．Colors that Carry Bad Meanings     D．The Meaning Concerned With Certain Colors

When some Spanish called themselves “blueblood”, they actually meant ______.

A．they had heart trouble and their faces looked blue    B．they came from a noble family

C．they had blue blood in their vessels               D．they were fair-skinned

Many people take it for granted that black is a color of bad things while white should always mean something good. This may be because, in their opinion, black is related to darkness and white to purity. However, that is not always the case. Did you know that the same one color may mean something differently in different places of the world?

In the English-speaking world, black is the color of mourning—people wear black at the funeral. Red is concerned with danger or bloodshed（伤亡）. Yellow is the word for fear. If you are afraid, you are yellow. Yet none of these sayings is true outside the English-speaking world. In China and Korea white is the color of mourning. In Russia, China and some other countries, red stands for beauty, life and excellence. In Italy and Germany, you are yellow with anger, not with fear.

Even within the English-speaking area, it is not difficult to find color contradictions（矛盾）.A redcap in the United States is a porter in a railway station. In Britain, however, a redcap is a military policeman. Both names are logical, because both men wear red caps. Similarly, the British term for an American white-collar worker is sometimes called a black-coated worker.

One does not have to cross an area to find color differences. Would you rather be red-blooded or a blue-blooded? If we go back to the origin, we find that both terms are logical as both names suggest. The expression “blueblood” comes from Spain, where some noble families proudly told the world that they had “blue blood”. Actually they meant that they had no Moorish or Jewish blood. But then why “blue” blood? Because they were fair-skinned, and it is only natural that their blood vessels (血管)stood out appearing blue.

Yellow is concerned with anger in ________________.

A. India                        B. Britain

C. China                       D. Italy 

Both Britain and America would probably agree that ________________.

A. a redcap is a porter in a station

B. black is the color of mourning

C. red stands for beauty and excellence

D. a black-coated worker is employed in an office

In Britain , a redcap is a           

A. porter B. nobleman  C. clerk D. military policeman

The best title for this reading selection is ________________.

A. The Origin of Blue Blood

B. Colors that Carry Bad Meanings

C. The Meaning Concerned with Certain Colors

D. The Development of the Symbolic Use of Colors

Many people take it for granted that black is a color of bad things while white should always mean something good. This may be because, in their opinion, black is related to darkness and white to purity. However, that is not always the case. Did you know that the same colour may mean differently in different places of the world?
In the English-speaking world, black is the colour of mourning. People wear black clothes at the funeral. Red is concerned with danger or bloodshed (流血). Yellow is the word for fear. If you are afraid, you are yellow. Yet none of these sayings is true outside the English-speaking world. In China and Korea white is the colour of mourning. In Russia, China and some other countries, red stands for beauty, life and excellence. In Italy and Germany, you are yellow with anger, not with fear.
Even within the English-speaking area it is not difficult to find colour contradictions. A redcap in the United States is a porter in a railway station. In Britain, however, a redcap is a military policeman. Both names are logical because both men wear red caps. Similarly, the British term for an American white collar worker is sometimes called a black-coated worker.
One does not have to cross an area to find colour differences. Would you rather be red-blooded? If we go back to the origin, we find that both terms are logical as both names suggest. The expression "blueblood" comes from Spain, where some noble families proudly said that they had "blue blood". But then why "blue" blood? Because they were fairskinned, and it is only natural that their blood vessels (血管) stood out appearing blue.
【小题1】Yellow is concerned with anger in                .             

Most of the time, we choose colors for decorating based on our personal taste and our sense of aesthetics (审美学). But, a number of color experts believe that colors have an effect on our emotions and that it would be wise of us to be conscious of that before settling on a definite choice.

Some of the effects of colors are well known and accepted by most people. In fact, those effects have been the subject of serious research and experiments and have been scientifically proven. But not all scientists agree on the validity (正确性) of the results.

When we become interested in the psychological effects of colors, it is important to know that not all societies share our opinion of those effects on our emotions. What we hold as an "objective" observation on a color is often nothing more than a reflection of our cultural belongingness, which has attributed properties to that color for generations.

Why is it not possible for us to hold a really objective discourse(论述)on the subject? In part, because it is very difficult to separate the psychological from the symbolic, the symbolic aspects are definitely cultural. Often, and this without our realizing it, they influence our understanding of colors and the following emotions - both psychological aspects. Black and white are good examples. In western countries, black is considered serious, dramatic and sometimes sad. People are warned against its potentially depressing effects on decoration. Black is the traditional color of mourning. White, on the other hand, is associated with purity, peace and optimism. For those reasons, white is the traditional color of bridal dresses. No one would think of attending a funeral in white. Any more than it would occur to a bride to wear black. We simply remain convinced that it is not in the "nature" of those colors. Yet, in certain oriental countries, it is white, not black that is the color of mourning.

That having been said, there is some “overlapping” in the properties different cultures attribute to certain colors. For example, Feng Shui, the traditional Chinese philosophy that distinguishes between good and evil influences explains colors much in the same way as the majority of western color specialists. Is that to say that colors have real natural properties which all humans perceive(感知) in the same way or is the phenomenon an example of the cross-influences that affect the thinking of cultures brought closer to one another by a certain Venetian(威尼斯人) called Marco Polo? It is difficult to say.

But, be that as it may, colors do affect us. And if you feel emotions for a certain color, note them and remember them. You may even wish to consider them next time you are planning to decorate. The decision is yours!

1. Most of the time, we ignore ______ when choosing colors for decoration.

A．personal taste                          B．our aesthetics

C．cultural effects                         D．psychological effects

2.Why is it not possible for us to hold a really objective discourse on the subject?

A．Because it is often nothing more than a reflection of our cultural belongingness.

B．Because the colors have the properties for generations.

C．Because it is difficult to separate the psychological from the cultural.

D．Because the symbolic aspects influence our perception of colors.

3. The italicized word “overlapping” is paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to______

A．difference         B．conflict           C．sameness         D．agreement

4. In western countries, white is ______.

A．preferred by bridals                     B．used in a funerals sometimes

C．depressing in decoration                  D．pure in its nature

5. According to the author, which of the following statements is certain?

A．Different cultures can have the same properties of colors.

B．If you feel emotions for a color, note them and remember them.

C．All humans perceive colors’ natural properties in the same way.

D．Marco Polo disclosed the psychological effects of colors.

Many people take it for granted that black is a color of bad things while white should always mean something good．This may be because, in their opinion, black is related to darkness and white to purity（纯洁）．

However, that is not always the case．Did you know that the same colour may mean differently in different places of the world?

In the English-speaking world, black is the colour of mourning（哀悼）．People wear black clothes at the funeral．Red is concerned with danger or bloodshed (流血)．Yellow is the word for fear．If you are afraid, you are yellow．Yet none of these sayings is true outside the English-speaking world．In China and Korea white is the colour of mourning．In Russia, China and some other countries, red stands for beauty, life and excellence．In Italy and Germany, you are yellow with anger, not with fear．

Even within the English-speaking area it is not difficult to find colour contradictions (矛盾)．A redcap in the United States is a porter in a railway station．In Britain, however, a redcap is a military policeman．Both names are logical because both men wear red caps．Similarly, the British term for an American white collar worker is sometimes called a black-coated worker．

One does not have to cross an area to find color differences．Would you rather be red-blooded? If we go back to the origin, we find that both terms are logical as both names suggest．The expression “blueblood” comes from Spain, where some noble（贵族）families proudly said that they had “blue blood”．But then why “blue” blood? Because they were fair-skinned, and it is only natural that their blood vessels (血管) stood out appearing blue．

1.Yellow is concerned with anger in ______.

        A．Russia       B．Britain       C．Germany D．China

2. Both Britain and America would probably agree that ______.

         A．black is the color of mourning   B．a black-coated worker is employed in an office

         C．red stands for beauty and excellence    D．a redcap is a porter in a station

3.The best title for this passage is ______.

         A．The Origin of Blue Blood          B．The Development of the Use of Colors

         C．Colors that Carry Bad Meanings       D．The Meaning Concerned With Certain Colors

4.When some Spanish called themselves “blueblood”, they actually meant ______.

A．they had heart trouble and their faces looked blue    B．they came from a noble family

C．they had blue blood in their vessels               D．they were fair-skinned