UNIT 2: PROBLEMS - Exercise 1
Read the following passage about problems in countries and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 18 to 22.
Dr. Melissa Bateson, a psychologist from Newcastle University, secretly conducted an experiment to see if she could change her colleagues' behavior regarding paying for their hot drinks, which were available in the staff room. The teachers, ___(1)___. Dr. Bateson placed a large picture of flowers behind the box for a few weeks and then replaced it with a picture showing a pair of human eyes. By the end of the experiment, she found that teachers paid almost three times more for their drinks when the picture of the eyes was displayed. ___(2)___, and believed her posters could help combat crime.
In the 1960s and '70s, an incredible crime wave was suffered by industrialized countries, and violent crimes, such as muggings, increased at an alarming rate. What is more, it was expected that crime would continue to rise. Surprisingly, however, crime began to drop dramatically in the 1990s, and ___(3)___. Although triumphant politicians claim that their policies have cut crime, the decrease in crime actually corresponds with the period when tetraethyl lead in petrol was first widely used and then subsequently banned. Known for years as a cause of aggressive behavior, ___(4)___, which are being urged to eliminate it to help improve health and reduce crime.
After blue-light street lamps were installed in Buchanan Street, the main shopping center of Glasgow, local police have observed a reduction in petty crimes, such as pickpocketing and bag snatching. ___(5)___. Some psychologists claim that blue is a calming color, which reduces levels of stress and aggression. Whatever the reason, it appears that blue lighting does deter crime, which has sparked interest in other countries. Many neighborhoods in Japan have adopted blue lighting and have seen crime fall at a rate similar to that in Glasgow.
(Adapted from Global friends)
