英语听力精选进阶版 6328

It's official – rich people really are stuck-up, at least according to one recent piece of research.

A series of studies into unethical behaviour across the social classes has shown that posh people are more likely to cheat, lie and be greedy than people who are less well-off.

Researchers from the University of California secretly observed people's behaviour in the real world and in a number of studies in the laboratory².

The research showed that upper-class individuals are more likely to break the law while driving and take valued goods from others. 

In the first study, researchers hid by a crossroads in San Francisco and spied on drivers who were meant to stop and wait their turn before driving on. Whenever a car arrived at the junction³, the scientists ranked the driver's class according to the model, age and appearance of the car. Nearly 250 drivers were observed. About 8% of those in the less classy cars cut people up, but drivers in the most prestigious⁴ cars did so around one third of the time.

The results were similar when a pedestrian⁵ tried to cross. Drivers of the cheapest, oldest cars were most likely to slow down and give way, but those in the most fancy⁶ cars ignored the pedestrian around 45% of the time.

The researchers also found a strong link between social status and greed¹ and selfishness, a connection they think might widen⁷ economic inequality between the rich and poor.

In several laboratory studies, the scientists found that the higher a person's class, the more likely they were to tell lies in negotiations⁸ and cheat for money.

It seems that the riff-raff always beat the toffs – at least when it comes to morals⁹.

Quiz 小测验

1.Is this statement true, false or not given? Studies show that people from lower classes are more likely to cheat and lie than people from upper classes.

False. People who are high in social class are more likely to cheat, lie and be greedy than people who are less well-off.

2. Is this statement true, false or not given? The experiments were all carried out in the laboratory.

False. Researchers secretly observed people's behaviour in the real world and in a number of studies in the laboratory.

3. Look at the article. What expression means to let someone else go before you, especially when driving?

To give way.

4. Look at the article. What is another word meaning 'classy'?

Fancy or posh.

5.Look at the article. What other phrases are used to describe upper-class people?

Posh people, toffs.

Glossary 词汇表

stuck-up （形容词）自视清高/瞧不起人的（贬义词）

unethical 不道德的

posh 清高势利眼的（稍稍带有贬义）

well-off 富裕的/处境好的

upper-class 上等阶层

to spy on someone 暗中监视某人

classy 上等的/豪华的

to cut someone up （开车）霸道挤人

prestigious 名贵（车）

a pedestrian 行人

to give way  (to someone)让行

fancy 上等的/豪华的

social status 社会地位

economic inequality 经济不平等

the riff-raff （带有贬义的非正式词语）指缺乏教养的劳动阶层

a toff （带有贬义的非正式词语）指来自上流阶层的人

1 greed   

n.贪食，贪心，贪婪

参考例句：

• His greed knows no limits.他的贪心永无止境。
• Greed was his only motive for stealing.贪婪是他盗窃的唯一动机。

2 laboratory   

n.实验室，化验室

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a laboratory.她捐款成立了一个实验室。
• Our laboratory equipment isn't perfect,but we must make do.实验室设备是不够理想，但我们只好因陋就简。

3 junction   

n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站

参考例句：

• There's a bridge at the junction of the two rivers.两河的汇合处有座桥。
• You must give way when you come to this junction.你到了这个路口必须让路。

4 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

5 pedestrian   

n.行人，步行者；adj.徒步的，呆板的，通俗的

参考例句：

• The criminal pushed a pedestrian down and ran away.罪犯推倒了一个行人逃跑了。
• The city built a pedestrian overpass over the highway.城里在公路上建了一座过街天桥。

6 fancy   

n.想像力，幻想；喜好，爱；adj.想像的，时髦的，华丽装饰的，奢侈的；技巧的；vt.想象，自认为，喜好

参考例句：

• He seemed to have taken quite a fancy to her.他似乎相当喜欢她。
• I have a fancy that it's going to rain.我想大概要下雨。

7 widen   

v.(使)扩大；(使)变宽

参考例句：

• We should widen the opportunities for adequate medical care.我们应当使得到适当医药救护的机会更为扩大。
• When are they going to widen the streets?他们打算什么时候把这些街道加宽？

8 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

9 morals   

n. 道德; 名词moral的复数形式

参考例句：

• a self-appointed custodian of public morals 自封的公共道德的卫道士
• We must arm the people against the lowering of our morals. 我们必须武装人们的头脑，以防我们的道德标准降低。