Two people are walking towards each other along a narrow pavement --- who gives way？
If it is you， you fall into the 25 percent of people who prefer to step aside． Another 25 percent like to pass first， making the other person stand to one side． The remaining 50 percent make up the third type of pedestrian and vary their strategy．
The findings come from study in which researchers from the Technical University of Munich paired up 20 strangers and asked them to walk towards each other without colliding and without speaking．
The volunteers also filled in personality questionnaires and were measured and weighed．
Interestingly， physical factors such as age， height and gender seemed to have no bearing on pavement etiquette（礼仪）． Nor did qualities such as extraversion or shyness， the Journal of Experimental Psychology reports． In other words， some of us seem to be simply born to push past．
A second experiment revealed that the person who passes first isn't as rude as they may initially appear． It seems they do tend to adjust their path --- just not enough to avoid a collision． As a result， it is only when the second person moves out of the way that the problem is solved．
Etiquette expert William Hanson said that the custom of men walking on the outside of the pavement to protect women from traffic and other dangers has fallen by the wayside．
Mr Hanson said： ‘Traditionally， men let the woman they were accompanying walk closest to the building， away from the pavement edge．
How to avoid that awkward "pavement dance"
The German study doesn't address what to do in the common but embarrassing situation， in which both pedestrians repeatedly dodge out of each other's way in the same direction， giving the impression of dancing together on the pavement．
But Mr Hanson said： ‘I tend to pick a side of the pavement， stick to it， and politely gesture to the empty space for the stranger to use．"



The writer uses the question at the beginning to ______ ．

A. test the readers" knowledge about pavement etiquette
B. draw the readers" attention to the topic
C. show the importance of giving way
D. invite the readers to answer the question

It can be learned from the two experiments that ______ ．

A. about half of the people try to think of other ways
B. pavement etiquette has much to do with personalities
C. a quarter of people are too rude to give way
D. a collision is unavoidable when two walk to each other

Which of following might Mr． Hanson agree with？ ______

A. Men tend to be more considerate to women than before．
B. It's men's duty to protect women from traffic dangers．
C. Sticking to one side can help avoid pavement dance．
D. It is embarrassing to dance together on the pavement．