阅读理解
How Room Designs Affect Our Work and Feelings
Architects have long had the feeling that the places we live
in can affect our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. But now scientists are giving
this feeling an empirical(经验的,实证的) basis. They are
discovering how to design spaces that promote creativity, keep people focused and
lead to relaxation.
Researches show that aspects of the physical environment can
influence creativity. In 2007, Joan Meyers-Levy at the University of Minnesota,
reported that the height of a room's ceiling affects how people think. Her research
indicates that higher ceilings encourage people to think more freely, which may
lead them to make more abstract connections. Low ceilings, on the other hand, may
inspire a more detailed outlook.
In additions to ceiling height, the view afforded by a building
may influence an occupant's ability to concentrate. Nancy Wells and her colleagues
at Cornell University found in their study that kids who experienced the greatest
increase in greenness as a result of a family move made the most gains on a standard
test of attention.
Using nature to improve focus of attention ought to pay off academically, and it seems to, according to a
study led by C. Kenneth Tanner, head of the School Design & Planning Laboratory
at the University of Georgia. Tanner and his team found that students in classrooms
with unblocked views of at least 50 feet outside the window had higher scores on
tests of vocabulary, language arts and maths than did students whose classrooms
primarily overlooked roads and parking lots.
Recent study on room lighting design suggests than dim(暗淡的) light helps people to loosen up. If that
is true generally, keeping the light low during dinner or at parties could increase
relaxation. Researchers of Harvard Medical School also discovered that furniture
with rounded edges could help visitors relax.
So far
scientists have focused mainly on public buildings. "We have a very limited
number of studies, so we're almost looking at the problem through a straw(吸管)," architect
David Allison says. "How do you take answers to very specific questions and
make broad, generalized use of them? That's what we're all struggling with."
(1)
What does Joan Meyers-Levy focus on in her research?
A . Light.
B . Ceilings.
C . Windows.
D . Furniture.
(2)
The passage tells us that ______.
A . the shape of furniture may affect people's feelings
B . lower ceilings may help improve students' creativity
C . children in a dim classroom may improve their grades
D . students in rooms with unblocked views may feel relaxed
(3)
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph probably means that ______.
A . the problem is not approached step by step
B . the researches so far have faults in themselves
C . the problem is too difficult for researchers to detect
D . research in this area is not enough to make generalized patterns
(4)
Which of the following shows the organization of the passage? CP: Central Point P: Point SP: Sub-point(次要点) C: Conclusion
A .
B .
C .
D .
答案: B
A
D
C