A
Whenever we see a button, we are eager to press it because we know something will happen. This is true in most cases, for example on a doorbell and on the “on/off” button on the TV. But some buttons are actually fake, like the “close” button on a lift.
Many people are in the habit of pressing the “close” button because they don’t have the patience to wait for the lift doors to shut. But lifts’ “close” buttons are a complete scam, at least in the US—the doors will not close any faster no matter how hard you press.
It started in the 1990s when the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in the US, making sure that all lifts stayed open long enough so that people with disabilities could enter. Only US firefighters and repairmen can use the buttons to speed up the door-closing process if they have a code or special keys.
But to normal lift riders, the buttons aren’t completely useless. According to psychologists, fake buttons can actually make you feel better by offering you a sense of control.
“Perceived (能够感知的) control is very important. It reduces stress and increases well-being,” Ellen J. Langer, a psychology professor, said, “Having a lack of control is associated with depression.”
Experts have revealed that a lot of buttons that don’t do anything exist in our lives for this same purpose. For example, many offices in the US have fake thermostats (温度调节器) because people tend to feel better when they think they can control the temperature in their workspace.
But psychologists found it interesting that even when people are aware of these little “white lies”, they still continue to push fake buttons because as long as the doors eventually close, it is considered to be worth the effort.
“That habit is here to stay,” John Kounios, a psychology professor, said, ‘‘Even though I have real doubts about the traffic light buttons, I always press them. After all, I’ve got nothing else to do while waiting. So why not press the button in the hope that this one will work?”
1. What was the author’s main purpose in writing the article?
A. To analyze the functions of fake buttons.
B. To describe some different kinds of fake buttons.
C. To explain the advantages and disadvantages of fake buttons.
D. To explore people’ different habits when it comes to pushing buttons.
2. What does the underlined word “scam” probably mean?
A. Tool. B. Button. C. Trick. D. Mistake.
3. According to John Kounios, people who press fake buttons ______.
A. should give up this habit
B. probably do so to kill time
C. don’t know that what they press is fake
D. consider what they do to be meaningless
【答案】1. A 2. C 3. B
【解析】
【分析】本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了电梯假按钮的意义和功能。
【1题详解】
推理判断题。根据第三段“It started in the 1990s when the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in the US, making sure that all lifts stayed open long enough so that people with disabilities could enter.（它始于20世纪90年代，当时美国通过了《美国残疾人法案》，以确保所有电梯开放时间足够长，以便残疾人可以进入。）”以及第四段“According to psychologists, fake buttons can actually make you feel better by offering you a sense of control.（根据心理学家的说法，假按钮能让你产生控制感，从而让你感觉更好。）”及全文可知，作者写这篇文章的主要目的是分析假按钮的功能。故选A。
【2题详解】
词义猜测题。根据第一段“But some buttons are actually fake, like the “close” button on a lift.(但有些按钮实际上是假的，比如电梯上的“关闭”按钮。)”和划线词的后文“the doors will not close any faster no matter how hard you press.（无论你多么用力按，电梯门都不会更快地关门。）”可猜测，按电梯的“关门”按钮是没有用的，完全是骗局，所以scam是“骗局”的意思。故选C。
【3题详解】
推理判断题。根据最后一段“After all, I’ve got nothing else to do while waiting.（毕竟，我在等待的时候没有别的事可做。）”可推断，约翰·库尼奥斯认为人们按假按钮可能是为了消磨时间。故选B。
