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Too Good to Be True
Posted by Renddy Rose Rodriguez
on
1/11/2009 10:30:00 PM
Telling Lies and Being Honest
It is widely known that people who tell lies usually experience psychological strain, unease or agitation because of the worry that their lies may be detected. Other physiological reactions include excessive blinking, stammering, sweating, shaking, avoiding eye contact, shortness of breath, and changes in the tone of voice, to name only a few.
During his testimony to the grand jury regarding the sex scandal involving White House intern Monica Lewinsky, President Bill Clinton touched his nose an average of 26 times a minute. As with former President Clinton, sometimes when an individual is lying, he tends to exhibit nervous habits. Some experts watch for these signs to detect whether a person is being truthful or not.
A more scientific method for detecting whether a person is lying or not was developed in 1920. A polygraph, or ‘lie detector’ (as it is more commonly known), can detect changes in breathing patterns, pulse and blood pressure that typically indicate, with about 90 percent accuracy, that someone is nervous about something they are trying to conceal.
However, this machine is incapable of measuring physiological rates in persons who exhibit dietheses, a condition that enables a person to lie and show minimal physiological changes. To combat this problem, scientists are now perfecting a machine that measures electrical impulses in brain waves. Some people believe this new device may be capable of detecting even the most convincing liars, even those individuals who exhibit diatheses.
Comprehension:
1. How good are you at lying? Are you a convincing liar, or can people see right through you?
2. Can you usually tell that someone is lying?
3. When you lie do you exhibit any nervous reactions?
4. Do you agree with the expression, ‘honesty is always the best policy’? if not, when do you think it is better to lie?
5. Politicians are well-known for lying. Do you think that politics encourages lying and corruption?
6. Is it possible to go through life without ever telling a lie (even a ‘white lie’)? Would living in this way have a positive or negative effect on your relationships?
7. When you guessed correctly that your partner was lying, what gave him or her away?
8. When you were lying to your partner, did you find it difficult to keep a straight face?
9. Is it sometimes necessary to lie in order to save face?
10. Who do you think lies more often, men or women? What kind of lies do men tell? Do women tell?
11. Can you think of situation where it would be okay to lie?
Activity:
Typical Excuses
One very common occasion for lying is when people need to come up with excuses to explain their mistakes or irresponsibility. Give typical excuses for each of the types of people in the list below.
1. People who smoke
2. People who are late for school or work
3. People who are late for a date
4. Men and women who have love affairs
5. Husbands who beat their wives
6. People who have messy houses
7. Students who give up trying to learn English
8. Public officials who take bribes
9. Singles who want to stay single
It is widely known that people who tell lies usually experience psychological strain, unease or agitation because of the worry that their lies may be detected. Other physiological reactions include excessive blinking, stammering, sweating, shaking, avoiding eye contact, shortness of breath, and changes in the tone of voice, to name only a few.
During his testimony to the grand jury regarding the sex scandal involving White House intern Monica Lewinsky, President Bill Clinton touched his nose an average of 26 times a minute. As with former President Clinton, sometimes when an individual is lying, he tends to exhibit nervous habits. Some experts watch for these signs to detect whether a person is being truthful or not.
A more scientific method for detecting whether a person is lying or not was developed in 1920. A polygraph, or ‘lie detector’ (as it is more commonly known), can detect changes in breathing patterns, pulse and blood pressure that typically indicate, with about 90 percent accuracy, that someone is nervous about something they are trying to conceal.
However, this machine is incapable of measuring physiological rates in persons who exhibit dietheses, a condition that enables a person to lie and show minimal physiological changes. To combat this problem, scientists are now perfecting a machine that measures electrical impulses in brain waves. Some people believe this new device may be capable of detecting even the most convincing liars, even those individuals who exhibit diatheses.
Comprehension:
1. How good are you at lying? Are you a convincing liar, or can people see right through you?
2. Can you usually tell that someone is lying?
3. When you lie do you exhibit any nervous reactions?
4. Do you agree with the expression, ‘honesty is always the best policy’? if not, when do you think it is better to lie?
5. Politicians are well-known for lying. Do you think that politics encourages lying and corruption?
6. Is it possible to go through life without ever telling a lie (even a ‘white lie’)? Would living in this way have a positive or negative effect on your relationships?
7. When you guessed correctly that your partner was lying, what gave him or her away?
8. When you were lying to your partner, did you find it difficult to keep a straight face?
9. Is it sometimes necessary to lie in order to save face?
10. Who do you think lies more often, men or women? What kind of lies do men tell? Do women tell?
11. Can you think of situation where it would be okay to lie?
Activity:
Typical Excuses
One very common occasion for lying is when people need to come up with excuses to explain their mistakes or irresponsibility. Give typical excuses for each of the types of people in the list below.
1. People who smoke
2. People who are late for school or work
3. People who are late for a date
4. Men and women who have love affairs
5. Husbands who beat their wives
6. People who have messy houses
7. Students who give up trying to learn English
8. Public officials who take bribes
9. Singles who want to stay single
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