阅读理解
Every people has their own way of saying things, their own special expressions. Many everyday
American expressions are based on colors.
Red is a hot color. Americans often use it to express heat. They may say they are red hot about
something unfair. When they are red hot they are very angry about something. The small hot tasting
peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hots for their color and their fiery taste. Fast loud
music is popular with many people. They may say the music is red hot, especially the kind called
Dixieland jazz.
Pink is a lighter kind of red. People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health.
The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the twentieth century. It probably comes
from the fact that many babies are born with a nice pink color that shows that they are in good health.
Blue is a cool color. The traditional blues music in the United States is the opposite of red hot music.
Blues is slow, sad and soulful. Duke Ellington and his orchestra recorded a famous song-Mood
Indigo-about the deep blue color, indigo. In the words of the song:"You aren't blue till you've had that
Mood Indigo. "Someone who is blue is very sad.
The color green is natural for trees and grass. But it is an unnatural color for humans. A person who
has a sick feeling stomach may say she feels a little green. A passenger on a boat who is feeling very
sick from high waves may look very green.
Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as a friend has, like
a fast new car. That person may say he is green with envy. Some people are green with envy because
a friend has more dollars or greenbacks. Dollars are called greenbacks because that is the color of the
back side of the paper money.
The color black is used often in expressions. People describe a day in which everything goes wrong
as a black day. The date of a major tragedy is remembered as a black day. A blacklist is illegal now.
But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to
unpopular organizations.
1. If you had your wallet stolen while doing some shopping, you may call it__________.
A. a white day
B. a black day
C. a red day
D. a green day
2. Suppose Mr. Brown says he is very happy because his three children are all in the pink, this means
all his children are________.
A. lucky and wealthy
B. gentle and modest
C. fit and healthy
D. creative and energetic
3. When she got home and found nothing had been done by her husband, Jane was really__________.
A. red hot
B. green
C. blue
D. black
4. In the following paragraph, the writer might tell the readers something about__________.
A. unpopular organizations in the world
B. people's response towards a black day
C. the influence of the traditional blues
D. more words about a color, such as brown
