Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
The Truth About Lying
[A] I’ve been wanting to write on a subject that intrigues and challenges me: the subject of lying. I’ve found it very difficult to do. Everyone I’ve talked to has a quite intense and personal but often rather intolerant point of view about what we can—and can never never—tell lies about. I’ve finally reached the conclusion that I can’t present any ultimate conclusions, for too many people would promptly disagree. Instead, I’d like to present a series of moral puzzles, all concerned with lying. I’ll tell you what I think about them. Do you agree
Social Lies
[B] Most of the people I’ve talked with say that they find social lying acceptable and necessary. They think it’s the civilized way for folks to behave. Without these little white lies, they say, our relationships would be short and brutish (野蛮的) and nasty. It’s arrogant, they say, to insist on being so incorruptible and so brave that you cause other people unnecessary embarrassment or pain by compulsively assailing (攻击) them with your honesty. I basically agree. What about you
[C] Will you say to people, when it simply isn’t true, "I like your new hairdo", "You’re looking much better", "It’s so nice to see you", "I had a wonderful time" Will you decline invitations with "We’re busy that night—so sorry we can’t come" when the truth is you’d rather stay home than dine with the so-and-sos
[D] There’s one man I know who absolutely refuses to tell social lies. "I can’t play that game," he says; "I’m simply not made that way." And his answer to the argument that saying nice things to someone doesn’t cost anything is, "Yes, it does—it destroys your credibility." Now, he won’t, unsolicited, offer his views on the painting you just bought, but you don’t ask his frank opinion unless you want frank, and his silence at those moments when the rest of us liars are muttering, "Isn’t it lovely" is, for the most part, eloquent enough. My friend does not indulge in what he calls "flattery, false praise and mellifluous (甜美的) comments." When others tell fibs (小谎) he will go along. He says that social lying is lying, that little white lies are still lies. And he feels that telling lies is morally wrong. What about you
Peace-Keeping Lies
[El Many people tell peace-keeping lies; lies designed to avoid irritation or argument; lies designed to shelter the liar from possible blame or pain; lies designed to keep trouble at bay without hurting anyone. I tell these lies at times, and yet I always feel they’re wrong. I understand why we tell them, but still they feel wrong. And whenever I lie so that someone won’t disapprove of me or think less of me or holler (叫喊) at me, I feel I’m a bit of a coward, I feel I’m dodging responsibility, I feel—guilty. What about you
[F] Do you, when you’re late for a date because you overslept, say that you’re late because you got caught in a traffic jam Do you, when you didn’t remember that it was your father’s birthday, say that his present must be delayed in the mail And when you’re planning a weekend in New York City and you’re not in the mood to visit your mother, who lives there, do you conceal—with a lie, if you must—the fact that you’ll be in New York Or do you have the courage—or is it the cruelty—to say, "I’ll be in New York, but sorry—I don’t plan on seeing you"
Protective Lies
[G] Protective lies are lies folks tell—often quite serious lies—because they’re convinced that the truth would be too damaging. They lie because they feel there are certain human values that supersede (取代) the wrong of having lied. They lie, not for personal gain, but because they believe it’s for the good of the person they’re lying to. They lie to those they love, to those who trust them most of all, on the grounds that breaking this trust is justified.
[H] They may lie to their children on money or marital matters. They may lie to the dying about the state of their death. They may lie to their closest friend because the truth about her talents or son or psyche would be—or so they insist—utterly devastating. I sometimes tell such lies, but I’m aware that it’s quite presumptuous (专横的) to claim I know what’s best for others to know. That’s called playing God. That’s called manipulation and control. And we never can be sure, once we start to juggle (耍弄) lies, just where they’ll land, exactly where they’ll roll.
[I] And furthermore, we may find ourselves lying in order to back up the lies that are backing up the lie we initially told. Yet, having said all that, I still believe that there are times when protective lies must nonetheless be told. What about you
Trust-Keeping Lies
[J] Another group of lies are trust-keeping lies, lies that involve triangulation, with A (that’s you) telling lies to B on behalf of C (whose trust you’d promised to keep). Most people concede that once you’ve agreed not to betray a friend’s confidence, you can’t betray it, even if you must lie. But I’ve talked with people who don’t want you telling them anything that they might be called on to lie about.
[K] "I don’t tell lies for myself," says Fran, "and I don’t want to have to tell them for other people." Which means, she agrees, that if her best friend is having an affair, she absolutely doesn’t want to know about it. "Are you saying," her best friend asks, "that if I went off with a lover and I asked you to tell my husband I’d been with you, that you wouldn’t lie for me, that you’d betray me" Fran is very pained but very adamant (坚决的). "I wouldn’t want to betray you, so—don’t ask me." Fran’s best friend is shocked. What about you
[L] Do you believe you can have close friends if you’re not prepared to receive their deepest secrets Do you believe you must always lie for your friends And what if your friend were your boss—if you were perhaps one of the President’s men—would you betray or lie for him over, say, Watergate As you can see, these issues get terribly sticky.
[M] It’s my belief that once we’ve promised to keep a trust, we must tell lies to keep it. I also believe that we can’t tell Watergate lies. And if these two statements strike you as quite contradictory, you’re right—they’re quite contradictory. But for now they’re the best I can do. What about you
[N] Some say that truth will out and thus you might as well tell the truth. Some say you can’t regain the trust that lies lose. Some say that even though the truth may never be revealed, our lies pervert (使变坏，腐蚀) and damage our relationships. Some say—well, here is what some of them have to say. "I’m a coward," says Grace, "about telling close people important, difficult truths. I find that I’m unable to carry it off. And so if something is bothering me, it keeps building up inside till I end up just not seeing them any more." "I suffer most from the misconception (误解) that children can’t take the truth," says Emily. "But I’m starting to see that what’s harder and more damaging for them is being told lies, is not being told the truth."
[O] And then there are those who have no talent for lying. "Over the years, I tried to lie", a friend of mine explained, "but I always got found out and I always got punished. I guess I gave myself away because I feel guilty about any kind of lying. It looks as if I’m stuck with telling the truth". I liked the remark of a friend of mine who said, "I’m willing to lie. But just as a last resort—the truth’s always better." I tend to feel that way too. What about you The author sometimes tells lies in order not to hurt anyone but he feels guilty for these lies.