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Singing the Monday Blues 蓝色星期一，蓝色忧郁

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The weekend was tremendous. So, why can’t you drag yourself out of bed this Monday morning? ___1___

周末实在棒透了！既然如此，为何你星期一早上还是爬不起来呢？本来应该要有焕然一新的感觉，但老实说，你愿意不计任何代价，只求能待在家里。

It could be the Monday blues. We feel “blue” when we’re sad or down in the dumps and, of course, we all feel blue at times – that’s human nature. In the West, psychologists claim to have pinpointed the most melancholy day of the year, the Monday in the last complete week of January. Blue Monday, as it’s called, results from a culmination of factors. ___2___ Bad weather, mounting debts, low motivation, and returning to a monotonous routine are some of the reasons why this day is the worst of the year. Unfortunately, it’s not just this particular Monday that people struggle through. ___3___

这可能是星期一忧郁症。当然，每个人或多或少都会有闷闷不乐的时候，这是人之常情。在西方，心理学家声称他们能明确指出全年中最令人忧伤沮丧的一天，即1月份最后完整一周的星期一。那天称之为「忧郁星期一」，是诸多因素汇集而成的结果。造成这些因素的主要原因是耶诞假期过后的低潮期。坏天气、债台高筑、士气低落，再度回归到单调无趣、一成不变的生活等，皆是为何这天会成为全年之中最悲惨一天的部份原因。可悲的是，不单是这个星期一让人觉得难熬。不管身处何时何地，在任何一个星期一，人们都有可能觉得沮丧、暴躁和易怒。

Why do we grumble and groan at the prospect of Monday morning? For many, it’s just readjusting to working life or the school routine – rising early, rush hour crowds, long commutes – after two days of freedom. Some may brush off the theory as nonsense. ___4___ In America, some companies try to combat Monday absenteeism and unhappy workers by offering counseling or a four-day week. Some national holidays are even moved forward to a Monday.

为何一想到星期一早晨即将来临，我们就忍不住要发牢骚且怨声载道呢？因为对多数人而言，享受整整两日的自由生活后，又得再度调整回到千篇一律的工作或学校生活：一大早起床、面对尖峰时间的人潮，以及漫长的通勤路程。或许有些人对这种理论会嗤之以鼻，认为是无稽之谈，但是有时候，如果一个人对自己的工作有所不满，或是在学校遇到困难，星期一的到来确实会使人焦虑。在美国，有些公司为了对抗员工在星期一纷纷请假或心情低落的情形，还提供咨商服务，或是一周上四天班的选择，甚至会将部分国定假日提前至星期一放假。

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain writes, “Monday morning found Tom Sawyer miserable. Monday mornings always found him so.” ___5___ At least the opposite is true at the end of the week; most people love that Friday feeling!

在《汤姆历险记》里，马克吐温写道：「星期一早上的汤姆看起来可怜兮兮的；每个星期一早上，他都是这副模样。」这可不是什么新情绪，未来也不会马上消失。不过至少周末给人的感受是完全相反的，大部分的人都超爱星期五。

−by Alice Davis

(A)   Statistics indicate that the number of people taking time off on Monday is larger than that on other weekdays.

(B)   Yet, sometimes, if a person is unsatisfied with work or having problems at school, Mondays can cause real anxiety.

(C)   Many of these are caused by the low period following Christmas vacation.

(D)  We might feel gloomy, grumpy, and irritable on a Monday, all around the world and all year round.

(E)   It’s not a new sentiment, and it won’t vanish anytime soon.

(F)    You should feel refreshed but, to tell the truth, you would give anything to stay home.

Vocabulary

单词发音

blues [bluz] n. 忧郁

pinpoint [ˋpɪn͵pɔɪnt] v. 准确地确定（位置，范围，性质，程度等）

melancholy [ˋmɛlən͵kɑlɪ] adj. 忧郁的，郁闷的

monotonous [məˋnɑtənəs] adj.（声音）单调的

routine [ruˋtin] n. 例行公事；日常工作；惯例

grumble [ˋgrʌmb!] v. 抱怨，发牢骚

brush off 置之不理 to reject; to dismiss

combat [kəmˋbæt] v. 防止；减轻

miserable [ˋmɪzərəb!] adj. 凄惨的; 极不愉快的; 痛苦的

anxiety [æŋˋzaɪətɪ] n. 焦虑; 不安; 担心

gloomy [ˋglumɪ] adj. 沮丧的; 忧郁的

irritable [ˋɪrətəb!] adj. 易怒的; 急躁的；烦躁的

sentiment [ˋsɛntəmənt] n. 情绪

vanish [ˋvænɪʃ] v. 消逝；绝迹

refreshed [rɪˋfrɛʃt] adj. 恢复精神的

More Information

单词发音

down in the dumps【口】沮丧的; 抑郁的

culmination [͵kʌlməˋneʃən] n. 顶点, 极点

mounting [ˋmaʊntɪŋ] adj. 上升的，增长的

groan [gron] v.【口】抱怨; 呻吟

at the prospect of 一想到...

prospect [ˋprɑspɛkt] n. 预期；盼望的事物

commute [kəˋmjut] n.【口】通勤

absenteeism [͵æbsnˋtiɪzm] n. 旷课；旷工

counseling [ˋkaʊns!ɪŋ] n. 咨询服务

time off 请假，休假 a period of time that is free from employment

grumpy [ˋgrʌmpɪ] adj. 性情乖戾的, 脾气暴躁的

Answer