【英语六级】【仔细阅读】（1）

2019年12月真题

原文
问题
逐句翻译
- Part 1
- Part 2
- Part 3
- Part 4
- Problem
答案
答案解析

原文

“The dangerous thing about lying is people don’t understand how the act changes us,” says Dan Ariely, behavioural psychologist at Duke University. Psychologists have documented children lying as early as the age of two. Some experts even consider lying a developmental milestone, like crawling and walking, because it requires sophisticated planning, attention and the ability to see a situation from someone else’s perspective to manipulate them. But, for most people, lying gets limited as we develop a sense of morality and the ability to self-regulate.
Harvard cognitive neuroscientist Joshua Greene says, for most of us, lying takes work. In studies, he gave subjects a chance to deceive for monetary gain while examining their brains in a functional MRI machine, which maps blood flow to active parts of the brain. Some people told the truth instantly and instinctively. But others opted to lie, and they showed increased activity in their frontal parietal (颅腔壁的 ) control network, which is involved in difficult or complex thinking. This suggests that they were deciding between truth and dishonesty—and ultimately opting for the latter. For a follow-up analysis, he found that people whose neural (神经的) reward centres were more active when they won money were also more likely to be among the group of liars—suggesting that lying may have to do with the inability to resist temptation.
External conditions also matter in terms of when and how often we lie. We are more likely to lie, research shows, when we are able to rationalise it, when we are stressed and fatigued or see others being dishonest. And we are less likely to lie when we have moral reminders or when we think others are watching. “We as a society need to understand that, when we don’t punish lying, we increase the probability it will happen again,” Ariely says.
In a 2016 study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, Ariely and colleagues showed how dishonesty alters people’s brains, making it easier to tell lies in the future. When people uttered a falsehood, the scientists noticed a burst of activity in their amygdala. The amygdala is a crucial part of the brain that produces fear, anxiety and emotional responses—including that sinking, guilty feeling you get when you lie. But when scientists had their subjects play a game in which they won money by deceiving their partner, they noticed the negative signals from the amygdala began to decrease. Not only that, but when people faced no consequences for dishonesty, their falsehoods tended to get even more sensational. This means that if you give people multiple opportunities to lie for their own benefit, they start with little lies which get bigger over time.

问题

Why do some experts consider lying a milestone in a child’s development?
（A）It shows they have the ability to view complex situations from different angles.
（B）It indicates they have an ability more remarkable than crawling and walking.
（C）It represents their ability to actively interact with people around them.
（D）It involves the coordination of both their mental and physical abilities.
Why does the Harvard neuroscientist say that lying takes work?
（A）It is hard to choose from several options.
（B）It is difficult to sound natural or plausible.
（C）It requires speedy blood flow into one’s brain.
（D）It involves lots of sophisticated mental activity.
Under what circumstances do people tend to lie?
（A）When they become too emotional.
（B）When they face too much peer pressure.
（C）When the temptation is too strong.
（D）When the consequences are not imminent.
When are people less likely to lie?
（A）When they are worn out and stressed.
（B）When they are under watchful eyes.
（C）When they think in a rational way.
（D）When they have a clear conscience.
What does the author say will happen when a liar does not get punished?
（A）They may feel justified.
（B）They will tell bigger lies.
（C）They will become complacent.
（D）They may mix lies and truths.

逐句翻译

Part 1

“The dangerous thing about lying is people don’t understand how the act changes us,” says Dan Ariely, behavioural psychologist at Duke University.

杜克大学行为心理学家Dan Ariely说：“谎言的危险在于人们不了解这个行为如何改变我们。

lying ：撒谎；平躺；保持(某种状态)
behavioural：行为的；行为研究的
psychologist：心理学家

Psychologists have documented children lying as early as the age of two.

心理学家记录了儿童早在两岁时就撒谎。

documented：记录；用文件证明(或证实)
as early as：早在

Some experts even consider lying a developmental milestone, like crawling and walking, because it requires sophisticated planning, attention and the ability to see a situation from someone else’s perspective to manipulate them.

有些专家甚至认为说谎是一个成长的里程碑，就像爬行和行走一样，因为它需要复杂的计划、注意力和从其他人的角度看待问题的能力来操纵它们。

milestone：里程碑
sophisticated ：见多识广的；老练的；精密的 ；水平高的；在行的
perspective：态度；观点；思考方法
manipulate：(暗中)控制，操纵，影响

But, for most people, lying gets limited as we develop a sense of morality and the ability to self-regulate.

但是，对于大多数人来说，当我们培养起道德感和自我调节的能力时，说谎就会受到限制。

morality：道德
regulate：(用规则条例)约束，控制，管理；调节，控制(速度、压力、温度等)

Part 2

Harvard cognitive neuroscientist Joshua Greene says, for most of us, lying takes work.

哈佛大学认知神经科学家Joshua Greene说，对我们大多数人来说，说谎需要付出努力。

cognitive：认知的；感知的
neuroscientist：神经系统科学家

In studies, he gave subjects a chance to deceive for monetary gain while examining their brains in a functional MRI machine, which maps blood flow to active parts of the brain.

在研究中，他给了受试者一个机会，让他们在一台功能强大的磁共振成像机（MRI）中检查他们的大脑时，欺骗他们以谋取金钱利益，这台机器能将血液流动映射到大脑的活动部位。

deceive：欺骗；误导
monetary：货币的，钱的(尤指一国的金融)
functional：实用的；(能)起作用的
maps：地图；绘制…的地图；提供信息

Some people told the truth instantly and instinctively.

一些人立即本能地说出了真相。

instantly：立即；马上
instinctively：本能地，凭直觉，自然而然地，不由自主的

But others opted to lie, and they showed increased activity in their frontal parietal (颅腔壁的 ) control network, which is involved in difficult or complex thinking.

但另一些人选择撒谎，他们的额叶-顶叶控制网络的活动增加，这涉及到困难或复杂的思维。

opted：选择；挑选 (opt的过去分词和过去式)_{(opt的过去分词和过去式)}(opt的过去分词和过去式)
frontal：正面的；直截了当的
involved：参与；作为一部分；有关联；耗费很多时间；关注；关系密切；包含；需要；牵涉；影响

This suggests that they were deciding between truth and dishonesty—and ultimately opting for the latter.

这表明，他们是在真相和不诚实之间做出决定，最终选择了后者。

ultimately：最终；最基本地；根本上

For a follow-up analysis, he found that people whose neural (神经的) reward centres were more active when they won money were also more likely to be among the group of liars—suggesting that lying may have to do with the inability to resist temptation.

在后续的分析中，他发现，那些在赢得金钱时神经奖励中心更活跃的人也更可能是说谎者中的一员，这表明说谎可能与无法抵抗诱惑有关。

follow-up：后续的
reward：奖励；回报；报酬
liars：说谎者
have to do with：和…有关系
inability：无能；无力；不能
resist：抵制
temptation：引诱；诱惑；煽诱人的事物

Part 3

External conditions also matter in terms of when and how often we lie.

外部条件对我们撒谎的时间和频率也很重要。

External：外部的
conditions：条件；状态；训练；使习惯于
in terms of：在…方面；从…角度看；根据…来说

We are more likely to lie, research shows, when we are able to rationalise it, when we are stressed and fatigued or see others being dishonest.

研究表明，当我们能够合理化谎言的时候，当我们感到压力和疲劳，或者看到别人不诚实时，我们更容易撒谎。

rationalise：合理化
fatigued：使劳累；身心交瘁，精疲力竭
dishonest：不诚实的

And we are less likely to lie when we have moral reminders or when we think others are watching.

当我们有道德提醒或者我们认为别人在看的时候，我们不太可能撒谎。

moral：道德的；品行；寓意
reminders：提醒人的事物；引起回忆的事物

“We as a society need to understand that, when we don’t punish lying, we increase the probability it will happen again,” Ariely says.

“作为社会中的一员，我们需要明白，当我们不惩罚说谎这种行为时，我们就增加了它再次发生的可能性，” Ariely说。

society：社会；社团；协会

Part 4

In a 2016 study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, Ariely and colleagues showed how dishonesty alters people’s brains, making it easier to tell lies in the future.

在2016年发表在《自然-神经科学》杂志上的一项研究中，Ariely和他的同事们展示了不诚实是如何改变人们的大脑，使将来更容易说谎的。

journal：报纸；刊物，杂志；日志；日记
colleagues：同事
alters：(使)改变，更改，改动；修改(衣服使更合身)

When people uttered a falsehood, the scientists noticed a burst of activity in their amygdala.

当人们说假话时，科学家们注意到他们的杏仁核中有一系列活动。

uttered：出声；说；讲
falsehood：虚假；说谎；谎言
burst：突发；迸发；爆裂；裂口；猛冲；突然出现

The amygdala is a crucial part of the brain that produces fear, anxiety and emotional responses—including that sinking, guilty feeling you get when you lie.

杏仁核是大脑中的一个重要部分，它会产生恐惧、焦虑和情绪反应，包括说谎时会产生一种沮丧、内疚的感觉。

crucial：至关重要的；关键性的
anxiety：焦虑；渴望
emotional：情绪上的
sinking：颓丧的，沮丧的；下沉；使沉没；倒下；坐下

But when scientists had their subjects play a game in which they won money by deceiving their partner, they noticed the negative signals from the amygdala began to decrease.

但是当科学家让他们的受试者玩一个游戏，在这个游戏中通过欺骗他们的伴侣来赢钱，他们发现来自杏仁核的负面信号开始减少。

partner：配偶；同伴；合伙人；(在跳舞、游戏等中)结成伙伴
decrease：减少；降低

Not only that, but when people faced no consequences for dishonesty, their falsehoods tended to get even more sensational.

不仅如此，当人们面对在不诚实时没有后果的情况时，他们的谎言往往变得更加耸人听闻。

consequences：结果；后果；重要性
sensational：轰动的；引起哗然的；哗众取宠的；耸人听闻的；极好的；绝妙的

This means that if you give people multiple opportunities to lie for their own benefit, they start with little lies which get bigger over time.

这意味着，如果你给人们很多机会为自己的利益撒谎，他们会从一些小谎言开始，随着时间的推移，这些谎言会越来越大。

multiple：数量多的；多种多样的；倍数
over time：随着时间的过去；超时

Problem

Why do some experts consider lying a milestone in a child’s development?
（A）It shows they have the ability to view complex situations from different angles.
（B）It indicates they have an ability more remarkable than crawling and walking.
（C）It represents their ability to actively interact with people around them.
（D）It involves the coordination of both their mental and physical abilities.

为什么有些专家认为说谎是孩子发展的里程碑？
（A）这表明他们有能力从不同的角度观察复杂的情况。
（B）这表明他们有一种比爬行和行走更显著的能力。
（C）它代表了他们与周围人积极互动的能力。
（D）它涉及到他们心理和身体能力的协调。

indicates：表明；象征；暗示;
remarkable：非凡的；显著的；引人注目的
represents：代表；相当于；意味着；维护…的利益；
interact：沟通；合作；相互影响；相互作用
coordination：协作；协调；配合；协调动作的能力

Why does the Harvard neuroscientist say that lying takes work?
（A）It is hard to choose from several options.
（B）It is difficult to sound natural or plausible.
（C）It requires speedy blood flow into one’s brain.
（D）It involves lots of sophisticated mental activity.

为什么哈佛大学的神经学家说说谎需要努力？
（A）很难从几个选项中作出选择。
（B）听起来很难自然或合情合理。
（C）它需要血液迅速流入大脑。
（D）它涉及许多复杂的心理活动。

natural：自然的；本能的；有天赋的人；擅长做某事的人
plausible：有道理的；可信的；花言巧语的

Under what circumstances do people tend to lie?
（A）When they become too emotional.
（B）When they face too much peer pressure.
（C）When the temptation is too strong.
（D）When the consequences are not imminent.

在什么情况下人们容易撒谎？
（A）当他们变得过于情绪化。
（B）当他们面对太多的同伴压力时。
（C）当诱惑太强的时候。
（D）当后果不是迫在眉睫的时候。

circumstances：境况；环境；条件；命运；客观环境
tend to：倾向于 ；有助于
peer：同龄人；仔细看
imminent：即将发生的；临近的

When are people less likely to lie?
（A）When they are worn out and stressed.
（B）When they are under watchful eyes.
（C）When they think in a rational way.
（D）When they have a clear conscience.

什么时候人们不太可能撒谎？
（A）当他们疲惫不堪，压力很大时。
（B）当他们在监视下。
（C）当他们以理性的方式思考。
（D）当他们问心无愧的时候。

worn out：破烂不堪的；疲惫不堪
watchful：注意的；警惕的；提防的
rational：合理的；理性的；明智的；合理的事物
conscience：良心；良知；内疚；愧疚；凭良心

What does the author say will happen when a liar does not get punished?
（A）They may feel justified.
（B）They will tell bigger lies.
（C）They will become complacent.
（D）They may mix lies and truths.

作者说如果一个说谎者得不到惩罚，会发生什么？
（A）他们可能觉得有道理。
（B）他们会撒更大的谎。
（C）他们会变得自满。
（D）他们可能会混淆谎言和真相。

justified：有正当理由的；证明…正确；对…作出解释
complacent：自满的

答案

题号	1	2	3	4	5
答案	A	D	B	B	B

答案解析

细节辨认题。定位句指出了一些专家的观点：他们将撒谎视为如同爬和走一样的发展里程碑，因为它需要复杂的计划、注意力以及从他人角度观察情况的能力来控制它们。由此可知，撒谎者有能力从不同的角度看待复杂的情况，(A)是对定位句后半部分内容的转述，故为答案。
推理判断题。定位句提到了lying takes work。第二段第四句具体解释到，选择撒谎的人表现出额顶叶控制网的活动增强，而这涉及困难或复杂思维。由此可知，撒谎与复杂的心理活动有关，故答案为(D)“它涉及许多复杂的心理活动”。
细节辨认题。定位段第一、二句指出，外部条件也对“我们”说谎的时间和频率很重要。研究表明，当“我们”能够将谎言合理化时，当“我们”感到压力和疲劳或者看到别人不诚实时，“我们”更有可能撒谎。由此可见，选项(B)“当他们面临太多同龄人的压力时”符合when we are stressed这一情况，故为答案。
细节辨认题。定位句指出，当“我们”有道德警示或者当“我们”认为别人正在看着自己的时候，“我们”就不太可能撒谎。由此可知，(B)“当他们受到注视时”为答案。
细节辨认题。第三段末句指出，如果对撒谎行为不予惩戒，会增加其发生的可能性。而第四段倒数第二句提到，如果人们不必为其欺骗行为承担后果，也就是不会受到惩罚，他们的谎言往往会变得更加耸人听闻。由此可知，(B)“他们会撒更大的谎”为答案。