Question

At 9:00 Dick Spivak's bank telephoned and said his payment was late. "The check is in the post," Dick replied quickly. At 11:45 Dick left for a 12:00 meeting across town. Arriving late, he explained that traffic (交通) had been bad. That evening, Dick's girlfriend wore a new dress. He hated it. "It looks just great on you," he said.

        Three lies in one day! Yet Dick Spivak is just an ordinary man. Each time, he told himself that sometimes the truth causes too many problems. Most of us tell much the same white lies, harmless untruths that help to save trouble. How often do we tell white lies? It depends in part on our age, education, and even where we live. According to one U. S. study, women are more truthful than men, and honesty increases as we get older.

        While most people use little white lies to make life easier, the majority of Americans care about honesty in both public and personal life. They say that people today are less honest than they were ten years ago. Although it is believed that things are getting worse, lying seems to be an age-old human problem. The French philosopher (哲学家) Vauvenarges  writing in the eighteenth century, touched on the truth when he wrote, "All men are born truthful and die liars (说谎者)."

1.When the writer says "Dick Spivak is just an ordinary man", he means ______.

A. it is common that people tell white lies

B. Dick could do nothing about had traffic

C. it is common that people delay their payment 

D. Dick found it hard to deal with everyday problems

2.According to the text, most Americans ______.

A. hate white lies    B. believe white lies

C. value honesty     D. consider others dishonest

3.Vauvenarges' remark suggests that ______.

A. lying is an age-old human problem

B. dishonesty increases as people get older

C. people were dishonest in the 18th century

D. it is social conditions that make people tell lies

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.D

【解析】

1.这是一道句意理解题。从第一自然段可以看出Dick一天撒了三次谎，而他却是极普通、平常的人，从中不难判断出人们撒个善意的谎言也是极平常的。故A为本题的正确答案。

2.这是一道细节题。从第三自然段…he majority of Americans care about honesty in both public and personal life.一句可以看出：大部分美国人很看重“诚实”,故C为本题的最佳答案。

3.这是一道寓意题。本文最后通过哲学家Vauvenarges的一句:"All man are born truthful, and die liars"说明人生来都是诚实的, 而死去时都变成了说谎者, 这一切都是社会环境和社会条件造成的。故D为正确答案。