Until a few yearsago most experts believed that young children couldn’t lie. The latedevelopmental psychologist Jean Piaget believed that children under 7 hadtrouble distinguishing between fantasy and reality and couldn’t be heldaccountable for untruths. But recent research indicates that children as youngas 4 are quite capable of telling a deliberate lie to get out of trouble.Researchers believe the fear of a parent’s disapproval discourages a very youngchild from lying. But by the age of 8, disapproval is not enough. A childshould understand the consequences of the lie and the ways in which it destroystrust.

A child who liesa lot may be asking for help. Recent research suggests that kids who are beingtreated for psychological problems lie almost three times as much aswell-adjusted kids. A study in England in the early 1970s showed that one thirdof the children identified as chronic liars by their parents ended up beingconvicted of theft later on. Other studies indicate that children who havemanipulative personalities are skilled at telling lies to get what they want.Two decades ago researchers devised a morality test called a Mach scale. Theyfound that kids who scored high in Mach characteristics-cynicism, often lied toachieve their goals.

How should honestybe taught? It seems that harsh punishment, thought by many parents todiscourage lying, may actually increase it. “It creates a fear of punishment,rather than an internalized belief in moral behavior,” psychologist Paul Ekmansays. To help a child realize the damage lying does, a parent might use taleslike “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” for younger children and draw object lessons fromthe news, as the kids grow older.

Just becauseparents learn why lies occur doesn’t mean they should accept them. Psychologistsencourage parents to expect their children to be truthful. Ekman counselsparents to set a good example, avoiding even white lies as much as possible,and to stress the family’s bond of trust. He also reminds parents that theymust remain compassionate. “A terrible act, a desperate lie to conceal it,needs to be punished,” he writes. “But it also needs to be forgiven.”

1．Until a few years ago most expertsbelieve that young children couldn’t lie because they are ______.

A. unconsciousof the wrong or right

B. slightlyinfluenced by surrounding people

C. unable todifferentiate illusion from truth

D. ignorant ofthe idea of honesty and dishonesty

2．Recent research indicates that children as young as 4 are quitecapable of telling a deliberate lie because they want to ______.

A. ask forpermission to do something

B. get out ofsome difficulties

C. get somethingto eat or play

D. be given loveby the parents

3．The lying of children by the age of 8should be discouraged by ______.

A. simpledisagreement

B. physicalpunishment

C. showingdisgust for them

D. making themknow the consequences of lying in addition to disagreement

4．For children, harsh punishment can______.

A. effectivelydiscourage lying

B. discouragelying to a certain extent

C. discouragelying only in vain

D. actuallystrengthen lying

5．The article gives one an impression thatchildren’s bad habits of telling lies can be effectively overcome ______.

A. by force

B. by inducement

C. by satisfyingtheir needs

D. by example,feeling and reason

【答案与解析】

1．C 句题为：为什么前几年多数专家一直认为小孩子不会撒谎。第一段的第二句间接引用了Jean Piaget的话，是C的另一种说法。其余选项与本题无关。

2．B 句题为：最近的研究表明4岁以下的就会撒谎了，问他们这么做的缘故为何。答案可以在第一段中的第三句找到：to get out of trouble。其余选项显然不合题意。

3．D 句题为：到8岁时孩子的撒谎就应以什么方式得到制止。A、B和C的答案都不完全，也有不合题意的。原文中提出一要让其明白撒谎的后果，二要让其知道撒谎是如何摧毁对一个人的信任的。

4．C 句题为：严厉的惩罚对儿童的效果怎样。根据文中第三段的叙述，harsh punishment “may actually increase it”以及“It creates a fear ofpunishment”，我们可以推断harshpunishment在对付lying方面是无效的，甚至可能起到反作用。故选项C正确。而选项D只是一种可能情况，并不是绝对的。

5．D 句题为：孩子撒谎的坏习惯可以通过什么方式有效地克服。A是通过武力，显然不行；B是通过诱导，没有提到；C更不合题意。只有D比较完美地回答了问题。答案可以在原文的最后两段里找出。倒数第二段的最后一句暗示要“以理服人”；最后一段的“they must remain compassionate”是“动之以情”，“set a good example”是“以身作则”。 4/jssa7A6KXxbmk7zs8rJVNx9lew0wtBubJmp7NvZQ7RN9YcuFQ2nREGcW36yH3r