Question

The “Bystander Apathy Effect” was first studied by researchers in New York after neighbors ignored — and in some cases turned up the volume on their TVs — the cries of a woman as she was murdered (over a half-hour period). With regard to helping those in difficulty generally, they found that:

(1) women are helped more than men;

(2) men help more than women;

(3) attractive women are helped more than unattractive women.

Other factors relate to the number of people in the area, whether the person is thought to be in trouble through their own fault, and whether a person sees himself as being able to help.

     According to Adrian Furnham, Professor of University College, London, there are three reasons why we tend to stand by doing nothing:

(1) “Shifting of responsibility”— the more people there are, the less likely help is to be given. Each person excuses himself by thinking someone else will help, so that the more “other people’ there are, the greater the total shifting of responsibility.

(2) “Fear of making a mistake” — situations are often not clear. People think that those involved in an accident may know each other or it may be a joke, so a fear of embarrassment makes them keep themselves to themselves.

(3) “Fear of the consequences if attention is turned on you, and the person is violent.”

Laurie Taylor, Professor of Sociology at London University, says: “In the experiments I’ve seen on intervention (介入), much depends on the neighborhood or setting. There is a silence on public transport which is hard to break. We are embarrassed to draw attention to something that is happening, while in a football match, people get involved, and a fight would easily follow.”

Psychotherapist Alan Dupuy identifies the importance of the individual: “The British as a whole have some difficulty intervening, but there are exceptional individuals in every group who are prepared to intervene, regardless of their own safety: These would be people with a strong moral code or religious ideals.”

1.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A.Pretty women are more likely to be helped.

B.People on a bus are more likely to stop a crime.

C.Religious people are more likely to look on.

D.Criminals are more likely to harm women.

2.Which factor is NOT related with intervention according to the passage?

A.Sex. B.Nationality. C.Profession. D.Setting.

3.Which phenomenon can be described as the “Bystander Apathy Effect”?

A.When one is in trouble, people think it’s his own fault.

B.In a football match, people get involved in a fight.

C.Seeing a murder, people feel sorry that it should have happened.

D.On hearing a cry for help, people keep themselves to themselves.

4.The author wrote this article ______.

A.to explain why bystanders behave as they do

B.to urge people to stand out when in need

C.to criticize the selfishness of bystanders

D.to analyze the weakness of human nature

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.D

4.A

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。文章分析了当有事故发生时，人们往往选择袖手旁观的各种原因。

1.细节理解题。根据(3) attractive women are helped more than unattractive women.可知，漂亮的女士更可能被帮助比起没有吸引力的女士。由此可知，漂亮的女人更容易得到帮助。故选A。

2.细节理解题。根据第一段内容，可知intervention (介入)和性别有关；根据倒数第二段的In the experiments I’ve seen on intervention (介入), much depends on the neighborhood or setting.(在我看到的介入实验中，很大程度上取决于社区或环境)可知，intervention (介入)和setting有关；根据最后一段的The British as a whole have some difficulty intervening, but there are exceptional individuals in every group who are prepared to intervene, regardless of their own safety: These would be people with a strong moral code or religious ideals.(作为一个整体，英国人很难进行干预，但每个群体中都有一些特殊的人准备进行干预，不管他们自己的安全与否：这些人都有很强的道德准则或宗教理想)可知，intervention (介入)和国籍有关。由此可知，文章没有提及职业与介入有关系。故选C。

3.推理判断题。本文分析了当有事故发生时，人们往往选择袖手旁观的各种原因，所以Bystander Apathy Effect意为“旁观者效应”。结合选项可知，D项On hearing a cry for help, people keep themselves to themselves.(听到呼救声，人们都保持沉默)是一种“旁观者效应”现象。故选D。

4.推理判断题。通读全文可知，本文作者主要分析了当有事故发生时，人们往往选择袖手旁观的各种原因。故选A。