A recent study shows that gossip（流言蜚语）is more powerful than truth．It suggests people believe what they hear through the grapevine(小道消息) 36 they have evidence to the contrary．
Researchers, 37 students using a puter game, also found gossip played an important role when people 38 decisions．We show that gossip has a strong 39 , even when people have 40 to the original information as well as gossip about the same information．Thus, it is 41 that gossip has a strong controlling potential, said Ralf Sommerfeld, who led the study．
In the study, the researchers 42 the students money and allowed them to give it to others in a series of rounds．The students also wrote 43 about how others played the game that everyone could review．Students tended to give 44 money to people described as “scrooges (吝啬鬼)” and more to those described as “ 45 players”．“People only believed the gossip, not the past decisions, Sommerfeld said in a telephone interview．
The researchers then took the game a step_46_and showed the students the actual decisions people had made．But they also supplied false gossip that contradicted that 47_．In these cases, the students_48_ their decisions to award money on the gossip, 49 the hard evidence．
“If you know what the people did, you should care, but they still 50 what others said,” Sommerfeld said．Researchers have 51 used similar games to study how people cooperate and the 52 of gossip in groups．Scientists define gossip 53 social information spread about a person who is not 54 ．In evolutionary terms, gossip can be an important tool for people to 55 information about others' reputations or find the way through social networks at work and in their everyday lives．
36．A．in case B．for fear that C．as if D．even if
37．A．testing B．checking C．examining D．experimenting
38．A．draw B．make C．reach D．conclude
39．A．impression B．difference C．influence D．function
40．A．access B．entrance C．charge D．munication
41．A．curious B．serious C．obvious D．worth
42．A．impressed B．asked C．showed D．gave
43．A．articles B．notes C．dairies D．letters
44．A．less B．more C．fewer D．much
45．A．general B．mean C．generous D．outgoing
46．A．away B．forward C．ahead D．further
47．A．existence B．evidence C．confidence D．dependence
48．A．based B．put C．focused D．passed
49．A．more than B．less than C．rather than D．other than
50．A．referred to B．listened to C．turned to D．stuck to
51．A．soon B．presently C．far D．long
52．A．strength B．energy C．effect D．force
53．A．as B．for C．to D．by
54．A．absent B．present C．gone D．missing
55．A．achieve B．earn C．acquire D．win 36---55 DABCA CDBAC DBACB DCABC
网友回答
(答案→)36---55 DABCA CDBAC DBACB DCABC
解析：
这是一篇议论文。本文议论的主题是：流言比事实更具威力，即：人们更容易听信流言蜚语，即使人们掌握了事实依据, 他们还是更易相信与事实不符的小道消息。
36．D。由首句意思“流言比事实更具威力”可知，此处需要表示让步的从属连词才能使句子完整，所以even if“纵使，即使”是最佳选项。句意为：即使人们掌握了事实依据, 他们还是更易相信与事实不符的小道消息。
37．A。据德国迈克斯?普兰克研究所负责人、进化生物学家拉尔夫?索姆费尔德介绍，研究人员借助一个电脑游戏对学生们进行测试。testing测试，检测；checking 核实，查实； examining 考试，检查；experimenting实验。
38．B。结果发现，流言在人们做决定的过程中起了重要作用。make a decision作决定，是固定短语。draw/reach /conclude a decision 得出结论。
39．C。即便在研究对象知道了真相的情况下，流言仍有很强的影响力。have a strong influence具有很强的影响力。
40．A。have access to固定短语，意为：有（使用某物或接近某人的）机会或权利或条件。
41．C。由此看来，流言显然具有很强的操纵力。obvious 显然的，明显的。
42．D。在试验过程中，研究人员发给学生们一些钱并让他们分几轮把钱发给其他人。由后面的give it to others in a series of rounds 可知此处是gave。
43．B。学生们还得记录其他同伴在游戏中的所作所为，以供大家参考。write notes作记录，作笔记。
44．A。索姆费尔德说，学生们倾向于发较少的钱给那些被描述为“吝啬鬼”的人，less与下文more 形成对比。
45．C。而发较多的钱给那些“慷慨的玩家”。generous players与上文的scrooges形成对比。
46．D。研究人员又进行了几轮游戏，并在这几轮中告诉大家每个人的真实决定。further进一步地；又。
47．B。但研究人员同时还“散布”了一些与真实依据相矛盾的流言。evidence 证据，依据。
48．A．在这几轮中，学生们仍然根据他们听到的流言来决定发钱的多少。base sth．on sth．依某事物为另一事物的根据/证据。
49．C．而不是根据摆在面前的事实。rather than而不是。other than 除……之外。
50．B。如果你了解了真实情况，那就应该有所考虑，可他们仍然听信流言。listened to倾听，听取。
51．D。研究人员长期用类似的游戏来研究人们如何合作及流言对于团队的影响。 long 长期地。
52．C。effect影响。
53．A。科学家将流言定义为人们散布的有关不在场的人的社会信息。define… as…把……定义为……
54．B．present 在场的，出席的。
55．C。从进化论角度来说，流言是人们获取其他人社会评价信息及游刃于工作和日常生活中各种社会关系网的重要工具。acquire 获取，获得。