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A study published in September suggests there is a surprising way to get people to avoid unhealthy
foods: change their memories. Scientist Elizabeth Loftus of the University of California at Irvine asked
volunteers to answer some questions on their personalities and food experiences. "One week later,"
Loftus says, "we told those people we'd fed their answers into our smart computer and it came up with
an account of their early childhood experiences." Some accounts included one key additional detail.
"You got sick after eating strawberry ice-cream." The researchers then changed this detail into a
manufactured (人为促成的) memory through leading questions -Who were you with? How did you
feel? By the end of the study, up to 41% of those given a false memory believed strawberry ice-cream
once made them sick, and many said they'd avoid eating it.
When Loftus published her findings, she started getting calls from people begging her to make them
remember hating chocolate or French fries. Unfortunately, it's not that easy. False memories appear to
work only for foods you don't eat on a regular basis. But most importantly, it is likely that false memories
can be implanted (灌输) only in people who are unaware of the mental control. And lying to a patient is
immoral(不道德的), even if a doctor believes it's for the patient's benefit.
Loftus says there's nothing to stop parents from trying it with their overweight children. "I say, wake
up -parents have been lying about Father Christmas for years, and nobody seems to mind. If they can
prevent diseases caused by fatness and all the other problems that come with that, you might think that's
more moral lie. Decide that for yourself."
1. Why did Loftus ask the volunteers to answer some questions?
A. To improve her computer program.
B. To find out details she can make use of.
C. To find out their attitudes towards food.
D. To predict what food they'll like in the future.
2. What did Loftus find out from her research?
A. People believe what the computer tells them.
B. People tend to forget their childhood experiences.
C. People can be led to believe in something false.
D. People are not always aware of their personalities.
3. According to the study, people may stop having a certain food if they _______.
A. think they once had a bad experience of eating it
B. learn it is harmful for health
C. lie to themselves that they don't want it
D. are willing to let doctors control their minds
4. What is the biggest concern with the method?
A. Who it is best for
B. When it is effective.
C. How it should be used.
D. Whether it is moral.
