For many people, there is only one good reason to go to an amusement park: the roller coaster. But why do People go on roller coasters?
"Where else in the world can you scream at the top of your lungs and throw your arms in the air?" Frank Farley asks. "If you did that in most other places, they'd take you to your parents and probably put you through a psychological evaluation (心理檢查)." Farley is a psychologist at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Roller coasters are often attractive to kids whose lives are stressful or controlled. "Roller coasters are a way of breaking out of the humdrum (單調(diào) ) of everyday life. You can let it all go and scream and shout or do whatever you want," Farley says. It has been proved that many adults feel the same way.
Compared with skateboarding, extreme mountain biking, and other adventure sports, riding roller coasters is safe. Parents usually don't mind when kids go on coasters. Roller coasters also have a way of bringing people together. Riders share the thrill and adventure of surviving what feels like an extreme experience.
Whether you like to ride a roller coaster may depend on your personality. Psychologists say that there is a certain type of person that naturally seeks out extreme experiences. "They enjoy things like change, variety, and intensity (強(qiáng)度)," says Farley. "These people are actually attracted to thrills." He describes such people as having Type-T personalities ("T" stands for thrill).
He also believes that these thrill seekers are more adventurous and creative than other people. Albert Einstein was a Type T. "If nobody liked to seek stimulation (刺激)," he argues, "the human race wouldn't be where it is today."
1. What is the passage mainly about?
A. The disadvantages of roller coasters.
B. The characteristics of roller coasters.
C. Why many people enjoy roller coasters.
D. How people act when riding roller coasters.
2. According to Farley, what will most people feel after riding a roller coaster?
A. Scared. B. Confident. C. Nervous. D. Relaxed.
3. If a person is a Type T, he seems to .
A. enjoy adventure sports
B. dislike riding roller coasters
C. like popular sports
D. work well with others
4. According to Farley, to our society, people with Type-T personalities are __
A. dangerous B. important C. useless D. harmful