"The Truth About Lying" is a reading passage featured in Cambridge IELTS 15 (Test 3, Reading Passage 2) . It is an expository text adapted from articles by psychiatrists and behavioral economists like Dan Ariely. The passage discusses the difference between major fraud and "white lies," the concept of fudging, and the paradox of honesty.
14. What is the writer’s main point in the first paragraph?
| Statement | Answer | |-----------|--------| | Most people lie at least once a day. | False (Studies show average is 1–2 lies per day, but “most” is not accurate – some lie much more, many less) | | Liars are easy to detect through eye contact. | False (Research shows no single reliable cue; many liars maintain eye contact intentionally) | | Children learn to lie by age four. | True (Developmental psychology confirms theory of mind develops around this age) | | All cultures condemn lying equally. | False (Some cultures tolerate “white lies” more than others) | the truth about lying ielts reading answers
1. Most people lie at least once a day.
2. Women are more likely to lie to protect someone’s feelings. "The Truth About Lying" is a reading passage
3. Lying requires no significant mental effort.
4. All liars exhibit the same physical signs. " the concept of fudging
The passage cites a study where the average was 1–2 lies per day, but the distribution was highly skewed. A small group of “prolific liars” inflated the average. The majority of people lie much less often (some not at all in a given day). So “most” is incorrect.