2009年藝術碩士考試每日一練——6月11日[閱讀理解]

　　Questions 58 to 62 are based on the following passage: (10 分)

　　The fact that blind people can "see" things using other parts of their bodies apart from their eyes may help us to understand our feelings about colour. If they can sense colour differences then perhaps we, too, are affected by colour unconsciously.

　　Manufacturers have discovered by trial and error that sugar sells badly in greenwrappings, and that blue foods are considered unpleasant, and the cosmetics should never be packaged in brown. These discoveries have grown into a whole discipline of color psychology that now finds application in everything from fashion to interior decoration. Some of our preferences are clearly psychological. Dark blue is the colour of the night sky and therefore associated with passivity and calm, while yellow is a day colour with associations of energy and incentive. For primitive man, activity during the day meant hunting and attacking, while he soon saw as red, the colour of blood and rage and the heat that came with effort. And green is associated with passive defence and self-preservation. Experiments have shown that colours, partly because of their psychological association, also have a direct psychological effect. People exposed to bright red show an increase in heartbeat, and blood pressure; red is exciting. Similar exposure to pure blue has exactly the opposite effect; it is a calming colour. Because of its exciting connotations ( 涵義) , red was chosen as the signal for danger, but closer analysis shows that a vivid yellow can produce a more basic state of alertness and alarm, so fire engines and ambulances in some advanced communities are now rushing around in bright yellow colours that stop the traffic dead.

　　58. Mannfacturers found out that colour affects sales
　　A. by experimenting with different colours
　　B. by experience over a long period of time
　　C. by trying out colour on blind people
　　D. by developing the discipline of colour psychology
　　【參考答案】：B
　　【解析】：本題考查的是考生的細節理解能力。從第二段的第一句可以推斷出生產商是經過很長時間才發現顏色會影響銷售這個事實的。

　　59. Our preferences for certain colours are
　　A. partly due to psychological factors
　　B. linked with our primitive ancestors
　　C. dependent on our character
　　D. associated with the time of day
　　【參考答案】：A
　　【解析】：本題考查的是考生的細節理解能力。從該句Experiments have shown that colours, partly because of their psychological association, also have a direct psychological effect.我們可以得知正確答案。

　　60.  If people are exposed to bright red, which of the following things does NOT happen?
　　A. They feel afraid.
　　B. Their hearts beat faster.
　　C. They breathe faster.
　　D. Their blood pressure rises.
　　【參考答案】：A
　　【解析】：本題考查的是考生的細節理解能力。從該句People exposed to bright red show an increase in heartbeat, and blood pressure; red is exciting.可知選項B、C和D的情況都會發生。

　　61.  Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
　　A. The psychology of colour is of some practical use.
　　B. Colour probably has an effect on us which we are not conscious of.
　　C. People exposed to pure blue start to breathe slowly.
　　D. Yellow fire engines have caused many traffic accidents in some advanced communities.
　　【參考答案】：D
　　【解析】：本題考查的是考生的判斷能力。從最后一句描述可判斷出選項火警燈選用黃色可以阻止交通死亡事故。

　　62.  The most suitable title for this passage may be
　　A. The practical Use of Colour
　　B. Colour and Feelings
　　C. Colour and Its Connotations
　　D. The Discipline of Colour Psychology
　　【參考答案】：B
　　【解析】：本題考查的是考生的概括總結能力。本文講述不同顏色產生的心理反應。