# The Robbers cave study - 科目：雅思阅读真题（Part 3） - 考频：高频 - 最近考试：2025.5.10/2018.3.3 - 题目数：9 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/5ec9f816-c728-4ecd-b943-9feb42594558（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-10-29 ## 题目原文 A review of a famous study into group behaviour A Group self-centredness seems to occur the minute people are divided into groups. It doesn't matter what the group is, or on what basis it was formed, we perceive the group we belong to as being superior to other groups and we develop an 'in-group' bias. B Probably one of the most famous pieces of research looking at group behaviour was a field study conducted by Sherif in 1956. This study involved 22 boys aged between 11 and 12, who were divided into two groups. The groups were roughly matched in terms of sporting ability, camping experience and general popularity among their peers. Their parents were told that they were going to a three-week summer camp to see how well they would work alongside other boys when put into different teams. The parents were also told that the boys would not be allowed to be visited during that time, but would be able to go home if they wanted to. It was intended that the data for the study would be collected by participant observers. C At first, neither set of boys knew of the existence of the other set. They were taken to their respective campsites, which were located on a 200-acre, densely wooded area in Robbers Cave State Park, Oklahoma. The first week was spent doing a variety of activities, such as pitching tents and cooking. During this week, the two groups seemed to develop different group norms, one group being more 'tough' than the other, from which two boys went home early, as they were homesick. The groups were given a set of caps and t-shirts, and gave themselves names: the 'Eagles' and the 'Rattlers' (the latter being the tougher group). D At the end of the first week, they became aware of each other's existence by finding litter left by the other group or overhearing voices. Sherif noticed that already the groups had started to refer to the other group as 'them' and their group as 'us'. This marked the beginning of phase two of the experiment. E The groups were told that they were going to take part in a 'Grand Tournament', which involved 10 different sporting events, and they were shown the prizes for winning. The tournament was also to include in the final scores points which would be awarded for other activities, such as how tidy the cabins were kept. These scores were displayed on big scoreboards in what now became a joint hall where the two groups ate their meals together. This was necessary so the two groups would think they were on almost equal scores in the time leading up to the final event, which would increase the sense of competition. Needless to say, these scores were manipulated by the experimenters. F In order to check how high the levels of group self-centredness were in the groups at this time, a number of tasks were set up which involved the groups rating their own members and members of the other group. Each time group members rated the boys in their own group much better at the tasks than the other boys, even though there was no real difference between them. They were also asked to rate all others in terms of how desirable they were as friends, and 93 per cent of friendship preferences were in-group preferences. G When the tournament started, the first game was basketball. The group that was thought to be less tough lost the game and claimed that they had lost only because the other group were bigger and older than they were. The Eagles won the next ball game and then were said to be cheating in the tug-of-war. This resulted in visits by both groups to each other's cabins over the course of the next 24 hours, where they ripped the mosquito nets, turned over the beds and generally made a mess. The Eagles devised a new weapon in the conflict which consisted of 'rocks in socks' and so it went on. Eventually, the Eagles won the tournament (with some help from the experimenters) and it was time for phase three to begin. H Research has suggested that the best way to reduce group conflict is by non-competitive contact. This required two conditions: that the groups had equal status and that they had a common goal to work towards. This was exactly what Sherif engineered. There were actually seven situations organised which gave the groups equal status contact; these were things like having meals together or watching films together. The meals resulted in food fights; the films were enjoyed by both groups sitting totally apart from each other. I The other situations, where the groups had to work for common goals, had a much better outcome. These included raising money to go and see a film and solving problems, such as one with the water supply. The final common goal was a visit by truck to Cedar Lake to camp there before the end of the holiday. In this situation, although both groups travelled in separate trucks, another problem-solving situation arose when one of the trucks became stuck. All the boys joined in, using one of the tug-of-war ropes to help move it. At this point the group boundaries were beginning to disappear. On the final day, when they were due to return home, the boys themselves suggested that they travel in one bus and sat in friendship groups rather than as Eagles and Rattlers. ## 题目与答案 ### 27-28. 27-28 Which TWO of the following statements about the boys who took part in the study are made by the writer? 27-28 Which TWO of the following statements about the boys who took part in the study are made by the writer? - They had approximately the same number of friends. - Some of their parents helped to set up the camp. - They selected the group that they wanted to be in. - They were responsible for bringing their own tents. - They received clothes that identified the group they belonged to. - Some of them were criticised for dropping litter. **答案**：They had approximately the same number of friends.,They received clothes that identified the group they belonged to. 原文定位：The groups were roughly matched in terms of sporting ability, camping experience and general popularity among their peers;The groups were given a set of caps and t-shirts, and gave themselves names: the 'Eagles' and the 'Rattlers 同义替换：「approximately the same number of」↔「roughly」；「friends」↔「peers」；「received clothes」↔「were given a set of caps and t-shirts」；「identified the group」↔「gave themselves names」 ### 29-30. 29-30 According to the passage, which TWO of the following statements are true of the experimenters who ran the study? 29-30 According to the passage, which TWO of the following statements are true of the experimenters who ran the study? - They collected their data from secret observation posts. - They encouraged the boys to use the terms 'them' and 'us'. - They used a rating exercise to assess the amount of in-group bias. - They took steps to avoid personal injury among the boys. - They secretly altered some of the results of the tournament. - They joined in with the non-competitive activities. **答案**：They used a rating exercise to assess the amount of in-group bias.,They secretly altered some of the results of the tournament. 原文定位：In order to check how high the levels of group self-centredness were in the groups at this time, a number of tasks were set up which involved the groups rating their own members and members of the other group;Needless to say, these scores were manipulated by the experimenters;Eventually, the Eagles won the tournament (with some help from the experimenters) 同义替换：「used a rating exercise」↔「rating their own members and members of the other group」；「assess the amount of in-group bias」↔「check how high the levels of group self-centredness were」；「secretly altered some of the results」↔「these scores were manipulated」；「altered the tournament results」↔「won the tournament with some help from the experimenters」 ### 31. The Grand Tournament The Grand Tournament marked the second part of Sherif's experiment. It included a range of 31_____ that each team would compete in, and the allocation of extra points for things like cleaning cabins. The Grand Tournament The Grand Tournament marked the second part of Sherif's experiment. It included a range of 31_____ that each team would compete in, and the allocation of extra points for things like cleaning cabins. **答案**：sporting events 原文定位：The groups were told that they were going to take part in a 'Grand Tournament', which involved 10 different sporting events, and they were shown the prizes for winning 同义替换：「range」↔「different」；「compete in」↔「take part in」 ### 32. To increase the competitive element of the tournament, the organisers used 32_____ in the dining hall. To increase the competitive element of the tournament, the organisers used 32_____ in the dining hall. **答案**：scoreboards 原文定位：These scores were displayed on big scoreboards in what now became a joint hall where the two groups ate their meals together 同义替换：「used」↔「displayed on」；「dining hall」↔「a joint hall where the two groups ate their meals together」 ### 33. They also made sure that the boys were under the impression that their scores were nearly 33_____ as the tournament neared its end. They also made sure that the boys were under the impression that their scores were nearly 33_____ as the tournament neared its end. **答案**：equal 原文定位：This was necessary so the two groups would think they were on almost equal scores in the time leading up to the final event, which would increase the sense of competition 同义替换：「nearly」↔「almost」；「as the tournament neared its end」↔「in the time leading up to the final event」；「were under the impression that」↔「would think」 ### 34. The 34_____, who were thought to be the tougher group, won the first ball game and lost the second. The 34_____, who were thought to be the tougher group, won the first ball game and lost the second. **答案**：Rattlers 原文定位：When the tournament started, the first game was basketball. The group that was thought to be less tough lost the game and claimed that they had lost only because the other group were bigger and older than they were;Eventually, the Eagles won the tournament (with some help from the experimenters) and it was time for phase three to begin 同义替换：「won the first ball game and lost the second」↔「lost the first game, the Eagles won the next ball game」 ### 35. In other games there were accusations of 35_____ . In other games there were accusations of 35_____ . **答案**：cheating 原文定位：The Eagles won the next ball game and then were said to be cheating in the tug-of-war 同义替换：「accusations of」↔「were said to be」；「in other games」↔「in the tug-of-war」 ### 36. During the next day, various instances of conflict occurred within the boys' cabins. Eventually, the tournament was won by the group that was considered to be 36_____ —the Eagles. During the next day, various instances of conflict occurred within the boys' cabins. Eventually, the tournament was won by the group that was considered to be 36_____ —the Eagles. **答案**：less tough 原文定位：The group that was thought to be less tough lost the game;Eventually, the Eagles won the tournament 同义替换：「considered」↔「thought」 ### 37-40. Phase 3: Non-competitive contact | Conditions | Type of situation | Result | | --- | --- | --- | | Equal status | a) eating | 37_____ | | | b) 38_____ | enjoyed them but were not sitting together | | Common goal | c) raising money | | | 39_____ | d) 40_____ | e.g. friendship groups / stuck truck | Phase 3: Non-competitive contact | Conditions | Type of situation | Result | | --- | --- | --- | | Equal status | a) eating | 37_____ | | | b) 38_____ | enjoyed them but were not sitting together | | Common goal | c) raising money | | | 39_____ | d) 40_____ | e.g. friendship groups / stuck truck | **答案**：food fights|||films|||common goal|||problem-solving situation 原文定位：The meals resulted in food fights;the films were enjoyed by both groups sitting totally apart from each other;they had a common goal to work towards;solving problems, such as one with the water supply;another problem-solving situation arose when one of the trucks became stuck 同义替换：「eating」↔「meals」；「not sitting together」↔「sitting totally apart」；「stuck truck」↔「problem-solving situation」 --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。