div.stub * { color: lime; text-decoration: none; }
div.stub > * > *:not(:hover) { color: black }

 <div class="stub">
  <p> <span>The color of this text should be green when the pointing device hovers over it.</span> </p>
  <p> <a href="http://dummy.example.org/dummy">The color of this text should be green when the pointing device hovers over it.</a> </p>
 </div>