按下那个按钮.docVIP

按下那个按钮 　　It is a reflex born of years of habit：1 You see a button， press it and then something happens. The world is filled with them， such as doorbells， vending machines， calculators and telephones.2 But some buttons we regularly rely on to get results are mere artifices―placebos that promote an illusion of control but that in reality do not work.3 No matter how long or how hard you press， it will not change the outcome. Be prepared to be surprised―and disappointed―by some of these examples. 　　Door-close buttons on elevators 　　Pressing the door-close button on an elevator might make you feel better， but it will do nothing to hasten4 your trip. 　　Karen W. Penafiel， executive director of National Elevator Industry Inc.， a trade group， said the close-door feature faded into obsolescence a few years after the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.5 The legislation required that elevator doors remain open long enough for anyone who uses crutches， a cane or wheelchair to get on board，6 Ms. Penafiel said in an interview. “The riding public would not be able to make those doors close any faster，” she said. However， the buttons can be operated by firefighters and maintenance7 workers who have the proper keys or codes. 　　No figures were available for the number of elevators still in operation with functioning door-close buttons.8 Given that the estimated useful life of an elevator is 25 years， it is likely that most elevators in service today have been modernized or refurbished， rendering the door-close buttons a thing of the past for riders，9 Ms. Penafiel said. 　　Take heart10， though： The door-open buttons do work when you press them. 　　Crosswalk signals 　　New Yorkers （those who don’t jaywalk， that is） have for years dutifully followed the instructions on the metal signs affixed to crosswalk poles：11 　　To Cross Street 　　Push Button 　　Wait for Walk Signal 　　But as The New York Times reported in 2004， the city deactivated most of the pedestrian