阅读训练：Blue Monday 蓝色星期一

Ask most people which day of the week they dread the most and the answer is likely to be Monday. The first day of the week can make us grouchy and depressed, which is why the feeling is described as the Monday blues. But what is it exactly that makes us feel down and does it affect everyone?

Apparently, the most depressing day of the year is the third Monday in January, when it’s cold and dark outside. This day was nicknamed ‘Blue Monday’ by psychologist Cliff Arnall in 2004. He came up with it after a holiday company asked him for a ‘scientific formula’ for the January blues.

Even if there was little science behind the formula, it’s probably true that the sound of our alarm clock on any Monday morning signals the dawning of a new week and possibly the end of our weekend of fun. Research shows our Monday mood can be based on a direct comparison to the day before. It’s what psychologists call an emotional shift, and no other part of the week has a transition like it. 

Monday means the end of weekend lie-ins – it’s back to the routine and the realisation that there are five days ahead of the nine-to-five, and according to the BBC Bitesize website “If you can’t stand your job then the Monday blues can be very real.” And your miserable Monday is followed by trying Tuesday – the most popular day for sending out job applications.

But is Monday as bad as we like to think it is? Feeling a bit low shouldn’t be confused with more serious depression, caused by other factors. Writing for the BBC, author and presenter Claudia Hammond, argues that this low feeling might be a myth. She says: “There is a strong cultural idea that we don’t like Mondays.” She mentions an Australian study in 2008 about how people reflected on their mood and found the day that scored the lowest was in fact Wednesdays. So, when Monday comes, maybe we should give it a second chance!

词汇表

dread  担忧，害怕

grouchy  满腹牢骚的，不高兴的

depressed  沮丧的

Monday blues  星期一忧郁症

down  情绪低落的，不高兴的

Blue Monday  “蓝色星期一”，忧愁的星期一

psychologist  心理学家

mood  心情，情绪

an emotional shift  情绪的转变

realisation  意识到

miserable  苦不堪言的

trying  令人厌烦的

low  情绪低落的，消沉的

depression  抑郁，忧愁

reflect  认真思考，反思

* 1、阅读课文并回答问题。

2、选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。