COULOURS (TOPIC FOR ALL TEST DATES TILL 30TH APRIL 2022) I VOCABULARY ➢ a hue ➢ perception of colours ➢ a colour scheme ➢ a combination of colours II QUESTION What is your favourite colour? What colours your friends like? a IDEAS ➢ to embody, to signify, to exude, to radiate, to evoke feelings of, to symbolize, to be reminiscent of ➢ traditional colours ➢ colours of the national flag white: ➢ purity and innocence ➢ the blank canvas to be written upon ➢ fairness and impartiality ➢ an indication of cleanliness and efficiency ➢ in China: ➢ death and bad luck, failure and stupidity orange: ➢ to look on the bright side of life ➢ optimism magenta: ➢ universal harmony and emotional balance brown: ➢ the colour is usually used to describe soil, so, for me, it symbolizes protection and material wealth ➢ the accumulation of material possessions ➢ physical comfort, simplicity and quality black: ➢ mystery ➢ power blue: ➢ reminiscent of the sky and the sea ➢ peace and tranquility ➢ a blue cloudless sky ➢ freedom green: ➢ harmony ➢ equilibrium between the head and the heart ➢ growth, spring, renewal and rebirth red: ➢ passion ➢ in China: ➢ enthusiasm and luck gray: ➢ color of compromise being neither black nor white gold: ➢ abundance and prosperity yellow: ➢ inquisitiveness ➢ makes me feel energetic and elated ➢ positive emotions ➢ a positive attitude to life indigo: ➢ intuition purple: ➢ imagination and spirituality ➢ compassion pink: ➢ feminine and romantic ➢ affectionate and intimate ➢ tenderness ➢ girlishness silver: ➢ very versatile ➢ shiny, modern and hi-tech, on the one hand, and alluring, sparkling and elegant, on the other ➢ related to the graceful aging of those with silver colored hair ➢ glamour b ANSWER What is your favourite colour? -It is yellow that I like as it seems to exude nothing but warmth and happiness This is the only colour that makes me feel energetic and elated I think this is the best colour to signify positive emotions What colour would you never use in your home? a IDEAS ➢ I would avoid large splashes of ➢ I would avoid sharp contrasting colours ➢ I would advise against X ➢ X is not an easy bedroom colour to relax red: ➢ stimulates physical activity ➢ makes you feel stimulated, agitated and anxious black: ➢ makes you feel on the low side ➢ makes you depressed yellow: ➢ a stimulating colour brown: ➢ immovable energy b ANSWER -I would avoid stimulating colours, for instance, large splashes of red and yellow or sharp contrasting colours such as black and white This is because my bedroom should be a place of peace and tranquility rather than a stimulating environment -I would advise against too much black as it will make me feel on the low side or even depressed Similarly, I would try to avoid red because I will never have deep sleep or possibly have trouble falling asleep as it is not an easy bedroom colour to relax Do you think colours influence you? Do you think colours are important? a IDEAS influence mood ➢ affect emotions and behaviour ➢ cause psychological and physiological reactions ➢ an extension of your personality ➢ tell a story about who you are and what you want to be ➢ send subliminal messages to others ➢ have the power to change my mood green: ➢ soothing and healing properties red: ➢ increases craving for food ➢ causes us to become irritated and agitated ➢ boosts our physical energy levels ➢ increases our heart rate and blood pressure ➢ prompts the release of adrenalin orange: ➢ promotes conversation and social interaction blue: ➢ reduces stress ➢ slows metabolism turquoise: ➢ alleviates feelings of loneliness ➢ a good color to use when you are stuck in a rut ➢ enhances the ability to focus and concentrate pink: ➢ alleviates feelings of anger, aggression, resentment, abandonment and neglect brown: ➢ encourages orderliness and organization silver: ➢ inspires intuition, clairvoyance and mental telepathy ➢ reflects back any energy given out, whether it is positive or negative white: ➢ an inner cleansing and purifying of your thoughts, emotions and your spirit ➢ refreshes and strengthens your entire energy system b ANSWER -Absolutely yes Not only they influence our mood, but they also cause psychological and physiological reactions For example, green is known to have soothing properties and red has been found to increase our craving for food -Definitely, yes Colours have a big impact on me I’ve noticed that blue reduces stress and makes me calm, whereas white makes me feel more energetic and refreshed -Definitely! For example, the colors you use to decorate your home can have a profound effect on the emotional well-being of you and your family Further, the colour of your car sends a subliminal message to people telling who you are and what you want to be -Oh yeah, I believe the importance of colours cannot be overestimated What I want to say is what color you paint your walls isn't just a matter of aesthetics It's a powerful tool that can be leveraged to affect emotions and behavior -Yeah, colours are of the utmost importance in many spheres of our lives They have the power to change the shape and size of furnishings as well as the shape and size of the room Sometimes they can be an extension of your personality What is interesting is that the same colour can have different effects Red can both boost your confidence and make you feel agitated or irritated Were colours important to you when you were a child? a IDEAS ➢ of no significance ➢ of no importance ➢ didn’t really care about them ➢ the least of my concerns ➢ selective in smth ➢ finicky (mostly about kids) ➢ demanding ➢ hard to please ➢ picky and choosy ➢ to have preferences of colours b ANSWER -I don’t remember for sure but I guess back in the day colours must have been the least of my concerns -Oh, yeah I was really hard to please I wanted my clothes to be bright, otherwise I simply refused to put them on, and my parents couldn’t anything to make me change my mind I behaved in the same way when it came to colours of toys -Yeah, I remember back in the day I was really finicky, so I always participated in choosing the colours of the room walls, toys or clothes What colour clothes you like to wear? Do people in your country like to wear bright colours? What are the differences between men and women's preference in colour? a IDEAS ➢ grayscale looks ➢ be in tune with what is deemed appropriate in a society ➢ dominant in one’s wardrobe dark clothes: ➢ look more formal ➢ less conspicuous ➢ let me move through life virtually unnoticed ➢ conservative and serious ➢ make everyone look amazing ➢ make people look classy ➢ make women look slimmer ➢ make women look more feminine light clothes: ➢ better for summer ➢ reflect heat ➢ don’t absorb heat ➢ help to keep cool in the heat ➢ show the dirt easily ➢ stain easily bright colours: ➢ to stand out from the crowd ➢ to express yourself ➢ to be in the centre of attention ➢ to draw attention to myself through clothing ➢ bring you out of being in your shell ➢ energizing b ANSWER What colour clothes you like to wear? -Well, my outfits of choice are usually monochromatic grayscale looks I guess being not as boring as all black ones, they make me look classy and slim -Well, it depends For instance, in the office I would go for darker clothes as they would let me look more formal and respectable However, in the summertime I would definitely switch to lighter clothes because they wouldn’t absorb as much heat as darker ones -I love wearing bright clothes as I really like drawing attention to myself through clothing When I have to put on something less conspicuous, I feel as if I were dressed for a funeral -Yeah, I love dressing in blindly bright colours because they are energizing Do people in your country like to wear bright colours? -Well, the majority of people don’t like to wear bright clothes as they don’t want to stand out from the crowd and make themselves in the centre of attention -I guess people try to be more in tune with what is deemed appropriate in our society so pastels, black and grayscale looks became dominant in their wardrobes What are the differences between men and women’s preference in colour? -Well, there’s no universal answer I guess it is a personality and age that matter, not gender For example, those who want to look more serious or conventional, be it men or women, would choose black or silver cars and dark clothes Again, the older people are, the more they tend to use dark colours, whereas kids go for something bright What colour would you choose to paint the walls of your room? a IDEAS blue: ➢ creates an open, free ambiance ➢ provides the best night’s sleep ➢ helps to reduce blood pressure and heart rate warm yellow: ➢ relaxes the body by stimulating the nervous system and calming the nerves green: ➢ creates a calm and soothing vibe ➢ creates a soothing ambiance ➢ the most restful colour for the eye silver: ➢ a soothing silver bedroom mimics moonlight, which cues the brain to know that it's nighttime and time for sleep warm orange: ➢ creates a stable and reassuring atmosphere ➢ has also been found to relax muscles, so you fall asleep more quickly ➢ to turn off a racing mind and switch into sleep mode dark colours: ➢ give large rooms a more intimate appearance b ANSWER -I would rather choose blue for my bedroom as it is believed to guarantee the best night’s sleep by reducing heart pressure and heart rate However, I would balance it with warm hues for furnishings and fabrics What colour car would you choose to buy? a IDEAS black: ➢ denotes authority ➢ a semblance of order and authority grey: ➢ can suggest practicality and reliability silver: ➢ can represent luxury, wealth and prestige ➢ gives the impression of being financially established and stable yellow: ➢ associated with optimism, confidence, cheerfulness, joy and happiness ➢ a reviving and revitalizing colour ➢ would allow me to stand out from the crowd ➢ a car is less likely to be stolen as it is too conspicuous red: ➢ an exciting colour that embodies vitality, fun, ambition and achievement ➢ gives off a high energy vibration ➢ stimulates the senses ➢ full of zest, courage, ambition and verve ➢ a lust for life blue: ➢ a conceptual colour that is crisp, clean and refreshing ➢ instills gentleness, thoughtfulness and composure purple: ➢ resonates with royalty, nobility, mysticism, dignity and integrity ➢ embodies creativity and inspiration pink: ➢ a feminine touch white: ➢ a simple, less-is-more look ➢ scratches are less noticeable on the white car ➢ white is innocuous and it keeps drivers cool in the summer ➢ easier and environmentally friendlier to repair should any mishaps occur ➢ ranks high in resale value b ANSWER -Well, I’m a very practical person, so I would opt for a white one First of all, I like that simple, less-is-more look Also, scratches would be less noticeable and it would be easier to repair should any mishaps occur And the most important thing is that white cars rank really high in resale value, so they would be very good investment -Well, you know, the colour of your car subconsciously tells a story about who you are, and could be sending out subliminal messages to others As I want to give the impression of being financially established and stable, I will choose a silver one as this colour represents luxury, wealth and prestige -I’ve been dreaming of having a yellow car for ages It’s my favourite colour as it is associated with optimism, confidence, cheerfulness, joy and happiness and would allow me to stand out from the crowd One more benefit is that such a car is less likely to be stolen as it is too conspicuous ... brown: ➢ immovable energy b ANSWER -I would avoid stimulating colours, for instance, large splashes of red and yellow or sharp contrasting colours such as black and white This is because my bedroom... trouble falling asleep as it is not an easy bedroom colour to relax Do you think colours influence you? Do you think colours are important? a IDEAS influence mood ➢ affect emotions and behaviour... hard to please ➢ picky and choosy ➢ to have preferences of colours b ANSWER -I don’t remember for sure but I guess back in the day colours must have been the least of my concerns -Oh, yeah I