Question

Now the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.

( MUSIC)

Many everyday American expressions are based on colors.

Red is a hot color. Americans often use it to express heat. When they are red-hot, they are very angry about something. Fast loud music is popular with many people. They may say such music is red-hot.

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 20th 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 blues music in the United States is the opposite of red-hot music. Blues is slow and sad. 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 in the stomach may say he 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 of the paper money.

The color black is used often in expressions. People describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a black day.

(MUSIC)

I’m Warren Scheer. Listen again next week for another Words and Their Stories program in Special English on the Voice of America.

1.We say you are in the pink when you are _______________.

A. very sad B. very happy

C. in good health D. feeling well

2.What does the word “ upset” mean ?

A. happy B. sad

C. satisfied D. active

3.We describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a __________ day.

A. red B. green

C. pink D. black

4.Which of the following sentences is TRUE according to the passage?

A. People in the USA use black to express heat.

B. If you are blue, you are very happy.

C. Green is a natural color for humans.

D. If you have a sick feeling in the stomach, you feel a little green.

5.What is this passage probably written for?

A. A radio program. B. A news report.

C. A telephone call. D. A TV play.

Answer 1