Communications technologies are far from equal when it comes to conveying the truth．The first study to compare honesty across a range of communication media has found that people are twice as likely to tell lies in phone conversations as they are in emails．The fact that emails are automatically recorded—and can come back to puzzle you---appears to be the key to the finding．
Jeff Hancock of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, asked 30 students to keep a communications diary for a week．In it they noted the number of conversations or email exchanges they had lasting more than 10 minutes, and confessed to how many lies they told．Hancock then worked out the number of lies per conversation for each medium．He found that lies made up 14 per cent of emails, 21 percent of instant messages, 27 per cent of face-to-face interactions and an astonishing 37 percent of phone calls．
His results to be presented at the conference on human-computer interaction in Vienna, Austria, in April, have surprised psychologists．Some expected emailers to be the biggest liars, reasoning that because deception makes people uncomfortable, the indirect contact of emailing would make it easier to lie．Others expected people to lie more in face-to-face exchanges because we are most practiced at that form of communication．
But Hancock says it is also crucial whether a conversation is being recorded and could be reread, and whether it occurs in real time．People appear to be afraid to lie when they know the communication could later be used to hold them to account, he says．This is why fewer lies appear in email than on the phone．
People are also more likely to lie in real time---in an instant message or phone call, say---than if they have time to think of a response, says Hancock．He found many lies are spontaneous（脱口而出） responses to an unexpected demand, such as: “Do you like my dress?”
Hancock hopes his research will help companies work out the best ways for their employees to communicate．For instance, the phone might be the best medium for sales where employees are encouraged to stretch the truth．But, given his result, work assessment where honesty is a priority, might be best done using email．
【小题1】Hancock’s study focuses on _______．

A．the consequences of lying in various communications media

B．the success of communications technologies in conveying ideas

C．people are less likely to lie in instant messages

D．people’s honesty levels across a range of communications media

【小题2】Hancock’s research finding surprised those who believed that _____．

A．people are less likely to lie instant messages

B．people are unlikely to lie in face-to-face interactions

C．people are most likely to lie in email communication

D．people are twice as likely to lie in phone conversations

【小题3】According to the passage, why are people more likely to tell the truth through certain media of communication?

A．They are afraid of leaving behind traces of their lies

B．They believe that honesty is the best policy

C．They tend to be relaxed wh en using those media

D．They are most practised at those forms of communication

【小题4】It can be inferred from the passage that ________．

A．honesty should be encouraged in interpersonal communications

B．suitable media should be chosen for different communication purposes

C．more employers will use emails to communicate with their employees

D．email is now the dominant medium of communication within a company

Communications technologies are far from equal when it comes to conveying the truth．The first study to compare honesty across a range of communication media has found that people are twice as likely to tell lies in phone conversations as they are in emails．The fact that emails are automatically recorded—and can come back to puzzle you---appears to be the key to the finding．

       Jeff Hancock of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, asked 30 students to keep a communications diary for a week．In it they noted the number of conversations or email exchanges they had lasting more than 10 minutes, and confessed to how many lies they told．Hancock then worked out the number of lies per conversation for each medium．He found that lies made up 14 per cent of emails, 21 percent of instant messages, 27 per cent of face-to-face interactions and an astonishing 37 percent of phone calls．

       His results to be presented at the conference on human-computer interaction in Vienna, Austria, in April, have surprised psychologists．Some expected emailers to be the biggest liars, reasoning that because deception makes people uncomfortable, the indirect contact of emailing would make it easier to lie．Others expected people to lie more in face-to-face exchanges because we are most practiced at that form of communication．

       But Hancock says it is also crucial whether a conversation is being recorded and could be reread, and whether it occurs in real time．People appear to be afraid to lie when they know the communication could later be used to hold them to account, he says．This is why fewer lies appear in email than on the phone．

       People are also more likely to lie in real time---in an instant message or phone call, say---than if they have time to think of a response, says Hancock．He found many lies are spontaneous（脱口而出） responses to an unexpected demand, such as: “Do you like my dress?”

       Hancock hopes his research will help companies work out the best ways for their employees to communicate．For instance, the phone might be the best medium for sales where employees are encouraged to stretch the truth．But, given his result, work assessment where honesty is a priority, might be best done using email．

Hancock’s study focuses on _______．

      A．the consequences of lying in various communications media

      B．the success of communications technologies in conveying ideas

      C．people are less likely to lie in instant messages

      D．people’s honesty levels across a range of communications media

Hancock’s research finding surprised those who believed that _____．

      A．people are less likely to lie instant messages

      B．people are unlikely to lie in face-to-face interactions

      C．people are most likely to lie in email communication

      D．people are twice as likely to lie in phone conversations

According to the passage, why are people more likely to tell the truth through certain media of communication?

      A．They are afraid of leaving behind traces of their lies

      B．They believe that honesty is the best policy

      C．They tend to be relaxed wh en using those media

      D．They are most practised at those forms of communication

It can be inferred from the passage that ________．

      A．honesty should be encouraged in interpersonal communications

      B．suitable media should be chosen for different communication purposes

       C．more employers will use emails to communicate with their employees

      D．email is now the dominant medium of communication within a company

This site contains 100 original short stories about life in America. These stories are written for ESL(English as a second language ) learners who are, at least, high beginners. We want to help ESL students learn English as quickly and effortlessly as possible. Learning should be interesting, not boring. We hope that learners will find that these stories are of some help to improve their English.

The stories have interesting topics and are easy to understand. Each story comes with an audio narrative so that learners can listen as they read. The audio requires downloading the free Real Player. Each story contains a search for pictures, definitions, and pronunciation.“ Following each story are four sets of exercises, and each containing 10 items.

Exercise A is “Yes / No Questions”. The learner is asked questions like, “Does Sara have children?” The learner can then type in, “Yes, she does.” Then the learner can check whether it’s the right answer or not.

Exercise B is “Wh-Questions”. The learner is asked questions like, “Where does Sara live?” The learner can then type in, “She lives in Pasadena.” Then the learner can check his answer.

Exercise C is “Ask Questions”. The learner is given an answer like, “They have two children.” The learner must then type in a question like, “How many children do they have?”The learner can then check to see whether he is correct or not. Exercise D is “Dictation”. The learner listens to a sentence. Most of the sentences duplicate  the sentences in the stories. The learner types the dictation and then checks to see whether he is correct or not.

Work on the site is in progress. Help us make it better as the years go by. We welcome all comments, suggestions, complaints, new ideas, and questions. Click here to send us emails.

1.Where does this passage come from?

A．A newspaper.

B．A magazine.

C．A website.

D．A research report.

2.The main purpose of this passage is to _____.

A．tell English learners how to do exercises

B．ask the readers to help them improve the site

C．give a brief introduction of an English learning site

D．teach you how to download English articles

3.All of the following statements are correct EXCEPT _______.

A．the learners can listen to a story while reading it

B．there are pictures, definitions, and pronunciation, as well as exercises followed

C．new ideas and suggestions are welcomed

D．the stories are suitable for learners of different levels

4.If you want to improve your listening ability, you may mainly do some practice in _____.

A．Exercise A

B．Exercise B

C．Exercise C

D．Exercise D

 

Things to do this weekend
★Scottish Dance Party
The Bellingham Scottish Country Dancers, which holds such events, welcomes all ages and dance levels to attend tonight’s ceilidh (同乐会), which starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club. Dancers will be taught and snacks will be served. Admission is ＄7 for adults, ＄4 for students. Call 734-1295 or go to www.bellinghamscd.org for more information.
★All-ages Showcase
Vincent Blackshadow is among the performers at an all-ages concert at 8 tonight at the Old Foundry. The High School Band Showcase is organized by Whatcom All-Ages Arts and Music (WhAAM), a community organization founded with the aim of providing a safe all-ages music and arts place. Admission is ＄5. Call 201-7408 or visit www.myspace.com/whaam for details.
★A Touch of Shakespeare
Hans Altweis and Jennifer Sue Johnson star in the Seattle Shakespeare Company’s performance of a part of Shakespeare’s play, Othello, in Russ Banham’s adaptation (改编) that draws upon (利用) the magic realism of Latin American culture. The play runs Sept. 5 through Sept. 8 at the Seattle Center House. Tickets are from ＄18 --＄30. Call (206) 733-8222 or go to www.seatttleshakespeare.org for more information.
★Hike Around Squires Lake
Enjoy views from Alger Alp, followed by a hike around Squires Lake. This hike is easy. Meet organizers at the foot of Alger Alp at 10 a.m. To get to Squires lake, take Interstate 5 south to Lake Samish exit 242, then go east for 0.7 mile on Old Highway 99. The hike is free. Information: www.mountbakerclub.org.
【小题1】Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Photography.

B．Sports.

C．Arts.

D．Dance.

【小题2】According to the passage, which of the following is free?

A．Hike Around Squires Lake.	B．All-ages Showcase.
C．Scottish Dance Party.	D．A Touch of Shakespeare.

【小题3】Which of the following websites can offer more information about Othello?

A．www.mountbakerclub.org.	B．www.bellinghamscd.org.
C．www.myspace.com/whaam.	D．www.seatttleshakespeare.org.

【小题4】If you want to enjoy music and only have ＄5, which of the following can you go to?

A．Scottish Dance Party.	B．All-ages Showcase.
C．A Touch of Shakespeare.	D．Hike Around Squires Lake.

【小题5】According to the passage, we can know that__________.

A．both the old and the young can go to Scottish Dance Party

B．calling 201-7408 can help you know more about a hike

C．it takes a lot of time to reach Squires Lake

D．Hans Altweis is a famous writer

 

在第56至60题中，Susan, Mike, Jane, George和Tom正计划参加一个夏令营。阅读下面六个夏令营的介绍（选项A、B、C、D、E和F），选出符合各人需求的最佳选项。选项中有一项是多余选项。

56. Susan, a biology student, has a particular interest in wildlife. She is curious about how people and wildlife can co-exist peacefully in an area. She would like to study the environment and wild animals. With information she gathers in the camp she hopes to complete her project on wildlife.

57. Mike is eager to stay away from the busy city life for a while. He and his classmates have decided to join a summer camp where they can learn outdoor skills and learn to solve problems all by themselves.

58. Jane is longing for a break from school life. She wants to try something different and exciting. She is especially interested in mountain biking and water sports.

59. George is a born leader and is popular among his classmates. As a chairman of the Student Club, he often organizes activities and games. He’d like to attend wilderness courses which offer youth a chance to lead, lead and succeed.

60. Tom is a sports fan and a lover of the outdoors. Besides water sports, he enjoys horse-racing and hiking. He would like to go to a camp which offers a great variety of sports.

______________________________________________________________

Summer’s almost here, and a summer camp near you

provides piles of summer fun…

 

 

A ☆CALIFORNIA：Log Cabin Wilderness Camp Getaway (L.A. Area Council, 233 Scout Way, Los Angeles, CA 90026; [213]413-4400): Backpacking（背背包徙步旅行）is the top activity at this camp, including classes in backpacking stove（火炉）operation, back country first aid, water purification（净化）,and map and compass skills.	B ☆  WISCONSIN: Gardner Dam Scout Camp (Bay-Lakes Council, P. O. Box 267, Appleton, WI 54912; [920]734-5705): Whitewater canoeing（激流独木舟运动）is offered if you want to have fun on the river. A 35-mile overnight mountain biking trip is for those who prefer to stay on dry land. The camp is for boys and girls 12-18.	C ☆  KANSAS: Spanish Peaks Scout Camp (Santa Fe Trail Council, 1513 E. Fulton Terrace,  Garden City, KS 67846; [620] 275-51620): Rock climbing around the camp and mountain climbing, including an attempt of topping East Spanish Peak. Join us and meet new friends and learn new activities.
D ☆  IDAHO: Camp Aspen Ridge (Trapper Paths Council, 1200 East 5400 South, South Ogden, UT 84403; [801] 479-5460): Horseback riding and hillwalking are popular on the paths. Swimming, canoeing, rowing and fishing activities are offered on the lake. Learn about the culture and have fun!	E ☆  NORTH CAROLINA: Camp Bud Schiele (Piedmont Council, 1222 E. Franklin Blvd, Gastonia, NC 28053; [704] 864-2694): Learn about the environment of the area while taking trips deep into the woods. Then spend Friday testing what you’ve learned against other groups. Activities are in some of the most untouched wilderness areas across the state.	F ☆  MAINE: Camp Roosevelt (Katahdin Area Council, Bangor, ME 04402; [207] 866-2241): The log cabin dining house was built in 1929 and offers good camp food. Once you get your fill, take on the camp’s Leaders Today program, which will have you climbing, jumping and working your way to better leadership skills.