Many everyday American expressions are based on colors.
Red is a hot colour. Americans may say they are red hot about something unfair. They are red hot when they are very angry about something. The small hot­tasting peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hot for their colour and their fiery(辣的) 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 comes from the fact that many babies are born with nice pink skin that shows that they are in good health.
The colour black is often used in expressions. People describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a black day. A blacklist (黑名单) is illegal now. But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to unpopular organizations.
The colour green is natural for trees and grass. But it is，an unnatural colour for humans. A person who has a sick feeling in his 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. 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 green is the colour of the back side of the paper money.
小题1:Americans use “red hot” to describe the following EXCEPT________.A．something unfairB．small hot­tasting peppersC．the person who is very angryD．popular music like Dixieland jazz小题2:People use “in the pink” to express they are in good health because________.A．the expression has a very long historyB．the color pink makes people feel happyC．people think the colour pink is gentler than redD．healthy babies are born with nice pink skin小题3:When we say someone feels a little green, it means he/she________.A．enjoys himself in boatingB．is hit by a high waveC．has a stomachacheD．likes trees and grass小题4:In the writer's eyes, what is related to a black day?A．Being sent a beautiful gift. B．Passing a very difficult test.C．Being refused during an important interview.D．Being invited to an exciting party.小题5:The writer wants to tell us________in American everyday expressions.A．the most popular coloursB．different meanings of coloursC．how to use colours correctlyD．why Americans like to use colours