Highs and Lows Reading Passage
Highs and Lows Reading Passage
Paragraph A:
The weather influences our hormone levels and, consequently, our moods. Depression is caused by gloomy weather conditions; however, it seems that sunshine cheers people up. For example, in Britain, the somber weather of winter decreases the amount of sunlight that is experienced tremendously, and this has a significant impact on a few people. They fall into depression and become lazy, which affects not only their social life but their career too. This syndrome is referred to as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Those suffering from SAD can fight back by increasing their exposure to winter sunshine and spending some time each day under full-spectrum lamps. Compared to standard fluorescent and tungsten lights, these generate more ultraviolet and blue-green light. According to some Russian experts, children who are exposed to ultraviolet rays learn more efficiently.
Paragraph B:
In hot countries, work hours are regularly planned so that employees can take a break or even a nap during the hottest time of the day. Scientists are trying to figure out how the weather affects people's behavior and performance. It's often believed that hot, humid weather causes people to lose their temper. Without a doubt, "crimes against the person" increase in the summer when it becomes hot outside and decrease in the winter when it's cooler. According to research carried out in the United States, there is a link between temperature and street riots. The occurrence of riots rises as the temperature goes up, reaching a point between 27 and 30 °C. But is this outcome a result of the heat changing our mood?
Paragraph C:
The impact of cold weather on performance has also been studied by psychologists. Researchers compared divers who worked in water as cold as 5 °C to those who worked in water as warm as 20 °C (about swimming pool temperature). The divers' performance in simple maths and other mental activities declined as a result of the cold water. However, their performance was considerably hampered as soon as they were immersed in cold water, without their bodies having the chance to cool down. This indicates that the feeling of cold diverted the swimmers from their activities instead of the low temperature, which slows down mental functioning.
Paragraph D:
Psychologists have done research that suggests that when the weather is sunny, people are less doubtful and more optimistic. Yet, it appears that this is not determined by temperature. An American psychologist analyzed diners in a temperature-controlled environment. While the temperature in the restaurant remained the same, they left big tips when the sun was out and smaller tips when it was not. The fact that there is a link between behavior and the duration of daylight hours makes it more likely that there is a relationship between weather and mood. This in turn may relate to the quantity of melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland within the brain. The level of melatonin decreases as contact with sunlight increases.
Paragraph E:
According to research, certain animals' seasonal behavior is significantly influenced by melatonin. For example, stags' food consumption increases during the winter and peaks in February and March. It decreases once again, hitting a lower limit in May, then rises to a maximum in September before falling once more, reaching a minimum in November. The fluctuating levels of melatonin appear to be the cause of these changes. In the laboratory, hamsters gain weight when the nights become short and their melatonin levels drop. But if melatonin injections are given, they will completely stop eating. It appears that the changing durations of day and night serve as time cues, causing changes in animal behavior that are required to adjust to the seasonal cycle.
Paragraph F:
Several individuals say that the air seems "heavy" and that they feel angry, irritable, and on edge when a thunderstorm is coming. They could be responding to the fact that air can become moderately positively charged when huge thunderclouds are producing strong electrical fields that trigger lightning flashes. The positive charge raises serotonin levels (a chemical involved in sending signals in the nervous system). Serotonin levels in specific parts of the nervous system are increased, making people more energetic, reactive, and possibly aggressive. Some winds, such as the Fohn in southern Germany and the Mistral in southern France, can influence mood and increase the risk of traffic accidents. The number of positively charged particles in these winds may be higher than usual. Every year, 400,000 ionizers are sold in the United Kingdom. These tiny devices increase the number of negative ions in the air inside a room. Several people claim to be happier when they are in negatively charged air.
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