Honesty may well be the policy, but it often deserts us when no one is watching,

Honesty may well be the policy, but it often deserts uswhen no one is watching, psychologists report today. Experiments with anhonesty box to collect payments for hot drinks show that people are better atpaying up when under the gaze(注视) of a pair of eyes. The surprise was that the eyes were not real,but photographed.

Researchers at Newcastle University set upthe experiment in secret. They attached a poster to a cupboard of mugs abovean-honesty box alongside a kettle ,with tea, coffee and milk. Over 10 weeks,they alternated each week between images of eyes and pictures of flowers.

Dr. Bateson, a behavioral biologist andleader of the study, said that even though the eyes were not real they stillseemed to make people behave more honestly. They effect may arise frombehavioral characteristics that developed as early humans formed social groupsthat increased their chances of survival. Individuals had to co-operate for thegood of the group, rather than act selfishly.

"If nobody is watching us, it is in ourinterests to behave selfishly. But when we think we're being watched,we shouldbehave better, so people see us as co-operative and behave the same way towardsus, "Dr. Bateson said.

"We thought we'd get a slight effectwith eyes, but it was quite striking how much difference they made. Even at asubconscious(潜意识的) level,it seems people respond to eyes, and that might be because eyes send a strongbiological signal we have evolved(进化) to respondto."

The finding, which researchers believe shedslight on our evolutionary past, could be turned to practical use. Thepsychologists say images of eyes could promote ticket sales on public transportand improve monitor systems to prevent antisocial behavior.

1.This passage is mainly about _______________.

A. the policy ofhonesty               

B. an honesty box to collect money

C. evolution onhonesty            

D. an experiment on honesty

2.The reason for doing the experiment secretly is thatthe researchers _____________.

A. wanted to get a comparatively more exactresult

B. had known they wanted to do somethingillegally

C. meant to get the co-operation of theircolleagues

D. intended to sell the hot drinks at ahigher price

3.People behave honestly under watchful gaze of eyesbecause _____________.

A. they want to leave a goodimpression    

B. they fear to be laughed at by others

C. they've got the nature through evolution    

D. they take the photo for a real pair ofeyes

4.The underlined phrase" sheds light on" inthe last paragraph means _____.

A. causes somebody to becomecheerful      

B. makes something easier to understand

C. comes upon something byaccident        

D. brings something into the broad daylight

试题答案

【答案】

1.D

2.A

3.C

4.B

【解析】本文讲述了心理学家进行诚实实验，发现有假眼睛盯着的情况下，人们比没有眼睛盯着更诚实。

1.主旨题。本文主要讲述了一个诚实实验。

2.推理题。实验人员秘密地进行试验当然是为了测试的结果更精确。如别人知道是实验，一定会表现的很诚实。

3.细节题。根据that might be because eyes send a strong biological signal we haveevolved(进化) to respond to."可知答案为C。

4.猜词题。shed light on 阐明，使清楚地显出，根据后一句话，这个发现可以被使用，可知会使得我们进化的过去更清楚的表现出来。所以B正确。