Nearly 40 percent of readers surveyed in England admitted that they lied about reading something to "impress friends or potential partners."

The breakdown was even worse along gender lines, according to the BBC: 46 percent of men and 33 percent of women said they lied about reading experiences. Teenagers were the worst offenders, with 74 percent lying about reading books, websites, or song lyrics.

The 1,500-reader survey was part of England's National Year of Reading campaign. The BBC report on the study revealed some dating tips for readers as well:

"The men polled said they would be most impressed by women who read news websites, Shakespeare or song lyrics. Women said men should have read Nelson Mandela's biography or Shakespeare."