Question

【题目】Studies show that you may be lied to every day anywhere from 10 to 200 times. We say, “Nice song.” “Honey, you don’t look fat in that, no.” But another study showed that strangers lied three times within the first 10 minutes of meeting each other. We lie more to strangers than we lie to coworkers. Men lie eight times more about themselves than they do about other people. Women lie more to protect other people. If you’re married, you’re going to lie to your wife/ husband in one out of every 10 communications. If you’re unmarried, that number drops to three. But look, if at some point you got lied to, it’s because you agreed to get lied to. Truth about lying: lying’s a cooperative act. Not all lies are harmful. Sometimes we’re willing to get lied to for social dignity(尊严), maybe to keep a private secret.

Lying is complex. It exists in our daily and business lives. We’re deeply disturbed by the truth. We explain it, sometimesfor very good reasons, other times just because we don’t understand the gaps between ideals and realities in our lives. We’re against lying, but secretly we’re for it in ways that our society has practiced for centuries and centuries. It’s as old as breathing. It’s part of our culture and history. Think the stories fromDante, Shakespeare, the Bible, News of the World.

Lying has great value to the evolution of human beings. Researchers have long known that the more intelligent the species, the more likely it is to lie. We humans like to become leaders. It starts really early. How early? Well, babies will pretend to cry, pause, wait to see who’s coming and then go right back to crying. One-year-olds learn hiding truth. Five-year-olds lie outright and try to control through flattery (奉承). Nine-year-olds, masters of covering up.

So what do we do about lies? Well, there are steps we can take to guide our way through the bushes. Trained lie spotters (检测员) get to the truth 90% of the time. The rest of us, we’re only 54% right. There are clever liars and stupid liars, but there’re no real creative liars. While lying, we all make the same mistakes, and we all use the same techniques.

【1】The passage tells us in the first paragraph that lying is very__________.

A. harmful B. easy

C. interesting D. common

【2】Lying is complex because__________.

A. people are for it as well as against it B. it is the whole part of great culture

C. ancient stories are full of lies D. it is practiced by clever ones

【3】According to the passage, a lie works when __________.

A. the liar’s words are sweet enough B. someone gives the liar cooperation

C. we are willing to lie for good reasons D. it is given to a complete stranger

【4】What might the writer talk about in the following passage?

A. How to become clever liars. B. How to avoid stupid lies.

C. How to tell truth from lies. D. How to get through the bushes.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】A

【3】B

【4】C

【解析】撒谎是很普遍的，文章主要告诉我们撒谎的真相，人们喜爱撒谎的原因和人们如何透过谎言看到真相。

【1】D

细节推理题。根据文章第一段Studies show that you may be lied to every day anywhere from 10 to 200 times.可知撒谎是非常常见的，故选D.

【2】A

细节推理题。根据文章第二段We’re against lying, but secretly we’re for it in ways that our society has practiced for centuries and centuries.可知人们对于撒谎是既支持也反对，故选A.

【3】B

细节推理题。根据文章第一段Truth about lying: lying’s a cooperative act.可知有人与你合作撒谎时,撒谎才会有效。故选B.

【4】C

推理判断题。最后一段there are steps we can take to guide our way through the bushes.可知判断谎言有步骤，由此推断下一段可能讲述如何判断谎言和真相。故选C.