Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

Early humans saw a variety of natural colours around them, from the browns and greens of the soil and plants to the deep blues and red of the sky. They painted their bodies with colours from nature to signal aggression toward an enemy, or to make themselves attractive to a mate.

A girl and a rainbow of crushed ice flavors at Chowpatty Beach, India. Over the centuries, the sources of colours such as blue, purple, and red were high valued and they were often  worth as much as gold.  In the 19^th century, a young chemistry student manufactured the first synthetic dye, and suddenly the world became a much more colorful place. In the 20^th century, scientists discovered the psychological effects of colours, and people found ways to use this discovery to influence our feelings and behaviors.

RED

Red, colour of blood, symbolises fire, love and anger. In Eastern cultures, people believe it brings luck, wealth and success. In humans, the color red can send different messages. Some people redden, for example, when they are angry or embarrassed.  Researchers have discovered that in sports the team that is wearing red is more likely to win. Why? Because red seems to be the color that signals dominance, giving those dressed in red an advantage in sporting  events. In many animal species (including humans), contact with this bold color causes the heart rate to increase. However, one of red’s lighter shades, pink, can have the opposite effect on people. Man in prisons are less agressive when the walls are a specific shade of pink.

YELLOW

Yellow, the colour that comes to mind when we think of sunshine, is found throughout nature and the man-made world as a colour that commands attention; indeed, it is one of the easiest colours to see. This highly visible shade is found on everything from school buses to traffic signs and pens that we use to highlight important information in a text. The colour is also used to caution people; football players, for example, are shown a yellow card as a reminder to behave. It can be used as a stimulant as well: in a number of studies, yellow has been found to help children focus on their work and do better at school.

BLUE

Blue, the colour of the sky and sea, is associated in many cultures with water, religious objects, and protection against evil. Its darker shades represent calm, stability and power. Dark blue, for example, is the colour of the business suit or police uniform; it tells others, ‘I am in control,’ or ‘I am trustworthy.’ Blue is also associated with sadness. It’s common in English, for example, when you are feeling sad or depressed, to talk about ‘feeling blue,’ while in Iran, blue is the colour of mourning, worn when a person dies. Like pink, blue has a calming effect on people. Rooms painted blue help people to relax or sleep. Sleeping pills are often coloured blue to suggest exactly this idea. This colour also seems to reduce feelings of hunger. Blue food is rarely seen in nature, and when it is, such food is usually no longer healthy to consume. It’s just one more example of the power that colour can hold over us.

What are English speakers refering to when they talk about “feeling blue”?

A. being in control

B.   being upset when someone dies

C.  being calm

D.  being sad

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

Early humans saw a variety of natural colours around them, from the browns and greens of the soil and plants to the deep blues and red of the sky. They painted their bodies with colours from nature to signal aggression toward an enemy, or to make themselves attractive to a mate.

A girl and a rainbow of crushed ice flavors at Chowpatty Beach, India. Over the centuries, the sources of colours such as blue, purple, and red were high valued and they were often  worth as much as gold.  In the 19^th century, a young chemistry student manufactured the first synthetic dye, and suddenly the world became a much more colorful place. In the 20^th century, scientists discovered the psychological effects of colours, and people found ways to use this discovery to influence our feelings and behaviors.

RED

Red, colour of blood, symbolises fire, love and anger. In Eastern cultures, people believe it brings luck, wealth and success. In humans, the color red can send different messages. Some people redden, for example, when they are angry or embarrassed.  Researchers have discovered that in sports the team that is wearing red is more likely to win. Why? Because red seems to be the color that signals dominance, giving those dressed in red an advantage in sporting  events. In many animal species (including humans), contact with this bold color causes the heart rate to increase. However, one of red’s lighter shades, pink, can have the opposite effect on people. Man in prisons are less agressive when the walls are a specific shade of pink.

YELLOW

Yellow, the colour that comes to mind when we think of sunshine, is found throughout nature and the man-made world as a colour that commands attention; indeed, it is one of the easiest colours to see. This highly visible shade is found on everything from school buses to traffic signs and pens that we use to highlight important information in a text. The colour is also used to caution people; football players, for example, are shown a yellow card as a reminder to behave. It can be used as a stimulant as well: in a number of studies, yellow has been found to help children focus on their work and do better at school.

BLUE

Blue, the colour of the sky and sea, is associated in many cultures with water, religious objects, and protection against evil. Its darker shades represent calm, stability and power. Dark blue, for example, is the colour of the business suit or police uniform; it tells others, ‘I am in control,’ or ‘I am trustworthy.’ Blue is also associated with sadness. It’s common in English, for example, when you are feeling sad or depressed, to talk about ‘feeling blue,’ while in Iran, blue is the colour of mourning, worn when a person dies. Like pink, blue has a calming effect on people. Rooms painted blue help people to relax or sleep. Sleeping pills are often coloured blue to suggest exactly this idea. This colour also seems to reduce feelings of hunger. Blue food is rarely seen in nature, and when it is, such food is usually no longer healthy to consume. It’s just one more example of the power that colour can hold over us.

What is this text mainly about?

A. How views of colour have changed

B.   The sources of colour

C.  How colour influences people

D.  How colour has a calming effect

Read and listen to the text again. Complete the sentences using the words in exercise 1.

1. Yellow and purple are _______ colours.

2. Blue and red are _______ colours.

3. A _______ colour is bright and strong.

4. Green and yellow are _______ colours.

5. Orange and purple are _______ colours.

6. A _______ colour is pale and soft.

The Colour Wheel

Have you ever thought about how colours are related? Why do some colour combinations look good and others don’t ?

According to Isaac Newton, white light consists of all the colours of the rainbow. Newton then arranged them in a circle of warm and cool categories.

Red, blue and yellow are the three primary colours on the colour wheel. By mixing two primary colours, we’ve got the secondary colours green, orange and purple.

Colours can also be harmonious or complementary. Complementary colours are directly opposite each other, like red and green. Harmonious colours sit next to each other on the wheel.

Famous artists and decorators have used the colour wheel to choose the right colours ever since then. Everyone agrees that colours can affect our feelings. A vibrant red, for example, is often associated with anger or danger, while yellow is a happy colour. Blue can make people feel calm; pastel pink, which is a gentle pink, sometimes makes them think of romance, and green is the colour of nature.

What’s your favourite colour? What do you associate it with?

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

Early humans saw a variety of natural colours around them, from the browns and greens of the soil and plants to the deep blues and red of the sky. They painted their bodies with colours from nature to signal aggression toward an enemy, or to make themselves attractive to a mate.

A girl and a rainbow of crushed ice flavors at Chowpatty Beach, India. Over the centuries, the sources of colours such as blue, purple, and red were high valued and they were often  worth as much as gold.  In the 19^th century, a young chemistry student manufactured the first synthetic dye, and suddenly the world became a much more colorful place. In the 20^th century, scientists discovered the psychological effects of colours, and people found ways to use this discovery to influence our feelings and behaviors.

RED

Red, colour of blood, symbolises fire, love and anger. In Eastern cultures, people believe it brings luck, wealth and success. In humans, the color red can send different messages. Some people redden, for example, when they are angry or embarrassed.  Researchers have discovered that in sports the team that is wearing red is more likely to win. Why? Because red seems to be the color that signals dominance, giving those dressed in red an advantage in sporting  events. In many animal species (including humans), contact with this bold color causes the heart rate to increase. However, one of red’s lighter shades, pink, can have the opposite effect on people. Man in prisons are less agressive when the walls are a specific shade of pink.

YELLOW

Yellow, the colour that comes to mind when we think of sunshine, is found throughout nature and the man-made world as a colour that commands attention; indeed, it is one of the easiest colours to see. This highly visible shade is found on everything from school buses to traffic signs and pens that we use to highlight important information in a text. The colour is also used to caution people; football players, for example, are shown a yellow card as a reminder to behave. It can be used as a stimulant as well: in a number of studies, yellow has been found to help children focus on their work and do better at school.

BLUE

Blue, the colour of the sky and sea, is associated in many cultures with water, religious objects, and protection against evil. Its darker shades represent calm, stability and power. Dark blue, for example, is the colour of the business suit or police uniform; it tells others, ‘I am in control,’ or ‘I am trustworthy.’ Blue is also associated with sadness. It’s common in English, for example, when you are feeling sad or depressed, to talk about ‘feeling blue,’ while in Iran, blue is the colour of mourning, worn when a person dies. Like pink, blue has a calming effect on people. Rooms painted blue help people to relax or sleep. Sleeping pills are often coloured blue to suggest exactly this idea. This colour also seems to reduce feelings of hunger. Blue food is rarely seen in nature, and when it is, such food is usually no longer healthy to consume. It’s just one more example of the power that colour can hold over us.

Yellow is used to highlight information in a text because

A. it is an important colour.

B.   it can be used to caution people.

C.  it is a highly visible colour.

D.  people prefer this colour to other colours.