Joanna Setchell, a primate researcher at the University of Cambridge in England, has found similar results in nature. Her work with the large African monkeys known as mandrills shows that red coloration gives males an advantage when it comes to mating.

The finding that red also has an advantage in human sporting events does not surprise her, addding that "the idea of the study is very clever."

Hill and Barton got the idea for their study out of a mutual interest in the evolution of sexual signals in primates—"red seems to be the color, across species, that signals male dominance and testosterone levels," Barton said.

For example, studies by Setchell, the Cambridge primate researcher, show that dominant male mandrills have increased red coloration in their faces and rumps. Another study by other scientists shows that red plastic rings experimentally placed on the legs of male zebra finches increase the birds' dominance.

Barton said he and Hill speculated some speculated that "there might be a similar effect in humans. And if so, it could be apparent in sporting contests."

The pair say their results indicate that sexual selection may have influenced the evolution of humans' response to color.

Setchell, the primatologist, agrees. "As Hill and Barton say, humans redden when we are angry and pale when we're scared. These are very important signals to other individuals," she said.

The advantage of red may be intuitively known, judging from the preva lence of red uniforms in sports—"though it is clearly not very widely appreciated, on a conscious level at least," Barton said.

He adds that the finding of red's advantage might have implications for regulations that govern sporting attire. In the Olympic matches he surveyed for the new study, for example, it is possible some medal winners may have reached the pedestal with an unintended advantage.

"That is the implication, though we cannot say that it made the difference in any one specific case," Barton said.

Meanwhile, Setchell noted—tongue-in-cheek—that a red advantage may not be limited to sports. "Going by the recent [U.S.] election results, red is indeed quite successful," she said.

16. Both Hill and Barton wanted to find out if color affects the outcome of sports matched.

17. Hill and Barton are both interested in primates.

18. Male mandrills use yellow coloration to attract a mate.

19. Red is not an advantage for zebra finches.

20. The red plastic rings were left on the finches permanently.

21. Hill and Barton believe athletes in red are more likely to win.

22. Many athletes oppose the new regulations on sports uniforms.

答案：

16. Both Hill and Barton wanted to find out if color affects the outcomes of sports matches.

答案为A(right).

相关句：They (Hill and Barton) …reached the conclusion by studying the outcomes of boxing…

The outcomes 回应上文中提到的“the team dressed in red is more likely to win”

17. Hill and Barton are both interested in primates(灵长目).

答案为A(right).

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