Question

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 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 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,” 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

Answer 1

1.B

2.A

3.D

4.C

【解析】

试题分析: 本文讲述房子的设计是如何影响我们的工作和感受的；

1.B 细节理解题。根据第二段内容可知Joan Meyers-Levy focus on ceilings可知集中于天花板，故选B项。

2.A 细节理解题。根据第二段提到Her research indicates that higher ceilings encourage people to think more freely天花板越高，越能思考，故B项错误；根据第三段提到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可知在绿色的房子里孩子成绩提高很快，CD错误；根据第二段提到 Researches show that aspects of the physical environment can influence creativity.周围环境会影响创造力，故选A项。

3.D 句意猜测。根据最后一段提到“How do you take answers to very specific questions and make broad, generalized use of them? That's what we’re all struggling with如何得到具体的答案，并推广使用，这一直是我们的所努力的，故选D项。

4.C 考查文章结构。注意解题技巧。第一段为总要点，最后一段为结论，要点123共同服务于结论，重要的是要点二又包含了两个次要点。综上分析可知答案为:C

考点：科普类阅读。