The five works chosen by Andrew Loukes. the gallery's manager, are: John Roddam SpencerStanhope’s The Waters of Lethe (1880), Turner's Thomson’s Aeolian Harp (1809), Sir JohnEverett Millais’s Autumn Leaves (1856), James Durden’s Summer in Cumberland (1925) andBridget Riley’s Zephyr (1976).

　　Mr. Loukes said: "We chose five pictures that suggest restfulness. We also wamed to displaythe breadth of the collection. We arc particularly strong in early-19th and early-20th-centuryBritish art."

　　Their therapeutic powers have been endorsed by Olga Gregson and Terry Looker from theDepartment of Biological Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan University. Dr. Gregson said that"research shows that stress levels have reduced and moods changed for the better” whensubjects looked at paintings.

　　"Although art appreciation is very much a matter of personal choice, it is true that some worksof art appeal to almost everyone, and that some paintings have qualities that can inducerelaxation in most people."Dr. Gregson said. "Great painters such as Leonardo da Vinci weremasters of techniques that could evoke particular responses in the viewer."

　　Dr. Gregson said the gallery represented an "oasis of calm". "You have got this wonderfulopportunity to evoke a different kind of psychophysiological response."

　　辦公室的職員通常在一天工作之后去小酒館或健身房緩解一下壓力，而現在專家鼓勵他們去欣賞油畫。

　　[1]曼徹斯特美術館最近聘請了兩名國內杰出的壓力管理專家來挑選繪畫作品，保證讓最煩躁的人看到這些畫也能完全放松。[2]他們還推出了一個名為“寧靜之旅”的活動，讓在市中心工作的人們利用午餐時間來一次舒緩的旅行，欣賞一些被稱為“畫在帆布上的最使人放松和最激勵人心的油畫”。這個免費的“旅行”帶領觀眾穿越幾個世紀的油畫時空，從維多利亞時期的審美運動，到拉斐爾前派風格，到現代的抽象藝術。

　　美術館主管吉姆·高蘭說，“欣賞藝術是一種釋放壓力的活動。[3]我們努力要做的就是，鼓勵那些在城市工作的人們花半個小時的午休時間到畫廊來放松一下，而不是匆忙去逛商店。”

　　美術館館長安德魯·勞克斯挑選了五幅作品，它們是：約翰·羅丹·斯賓塞·斯坦霍普的《遺忘河》(1880)，特納的《湯姆森的風弦琴》(1809)，約翰·埃弗雷特·米萊爵士的《秋葉》(1856)，詹姆士·德頓的《坎伯蘭郡的夏日》(1925)和布里奇特·萊利的《和風》(1976)。

　　勞克斯先生說，“我們選擇了五幅寧靜的圖畫。我們也希望能展示更多的收藏品。我們的收藏中以19世紀初和20世紀初的英國藝術品尤為突出。”

　　曼徹斯特城市大學生物科學院的奧爾加·格雷森和特里·盧克也認可了這些作品的治療功能。[4]格雷森博士說，研究顯示：人們在觀看油畫后，壓力得到了緩解，情緒也變得更好了。

　　“盡管藝術欣賞是一種非常個性化的選擇，但有些藝術作品確實能吸引幾乎每一個人。一些油畫有能使大多數人得到放松的特性，”格雷森博士說。“[5]像列奧納多·達·芬奇這樣的偉大畫家都是擁有高超技巧的油畫太師，他們的畫能使觀眾產生特別的反應。”

　　格雷森博士說，美術館象征著“平靜的綠洲”。“你會得到絕佳的機會來喚起另一種不同的心理生理反應。”

　　1. What is done by the Manchester Art Gallery isintended to____________.

　　A) find out the relation between paintings andstress-easing

　　B) promote its magnificent collection of British art

　　C) reduce working people's stress levels by artappreciation

　　D) provide an alternative of pastime for consumers

　　2. The tour is named “tranquility tour" because__________.

　　A) it is expected to play a soothing role

　　B) it displays paintings through centuries

　　C) it comprises paintings of various styles

　　D) it only takes a half hour around lunch time

　　3. What does Kim Gowland points out about city-center workers?

　　A) They are pressed by family burden as well as their careers.

　　B) They like going shopping during their short lunchbreak.

　　C) They shouldn't rush around the gallery while looking at art.

　　D) Looking at art is much better than going to pubs or gyms.

　　4. According io the author, the painting's impact on relieving stress is__________.

　　A) based on personal experiences

　　B) vaned from people to people

　　C) in need of further study

　　D) scientifically proven

　　5. It is indicated by Dr. Gregson that da Vinci's paintings can____________.

　　A) suggest restfulness

　　B) arouse diverse feelings

　　C) capture almost everyone

　　D) ease stress in most people