Reading Smart: Section 1 Unit 2

 

Section 1---Unit 2

1. Pre-reading

• Have you ever been in a dangerous situation, such as a fire or a large typhoon? If so, what did you do to avoid harm?

• How do you think you would react to an emergency? Would you stay calm or panic?

• Do you know the proper steps to take during natural and man-made disasters?

Reading Vocabulary: emergency responder; earthquake; headlight; oxygen mask; wallet; evacuation

 

2. Reading

Disaster Response 101:

Preparing for the Worst

If you found yourself in the midst of a disaster, what would you do? You may think you'd be levelheaded enough to know how to escape harm, but the fact is that most people react in a way that brings them closer to danger.

One of the most natural-and worst-responses to a disaster is to do nothing-yet this is what many people do. When we feel overwhelmed by the danger before us, we tend to freeze deer in headlights. We might also fail to act because we're in denial. "This can't be happening to me," we tell ourselves, so we ignore the threat completely. Sometimes, the stress caused by an emergency situation can make it hard for us to think clearly. People have even been known to run back inside burning houses to fetch their wallets. During crash landings, passengers often struggle with fastening their seat belts or putting on their oxygen masks---tasks that would normally take a few seconds to complete.

1. calm and able to deal easily with difficult situations

2. feeling completely overcome or overpowered

3. refusal to admit the truth or reality of something

During my 20 years of firefighting, I've witnessed all kinds of disasters. What I can tell you is that many accidental deaths could have been avoided if only the victims had known the proper steps to take. So, how can you improve your chances of survival during a disaster?

A good place to start is by being prepared. Since we tend to have trouble thinking during emergencies, being prepared allows us to react without having to think too much. One way to do this is to always take note of fire exits and evacuation procedures in buildings. ¶Also, listen carefully to safety presentations on flights, and be sure to study up on the warning signs of various natural disasters so that you can spot danger.

It's also important to remember that just because the initial threat has passed, you're not necessarily out of trouble. Large-scale disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes can create dangerous situations, making it difficult for emergency responders to reach everyone in need. To increase your odds of survival until assistance arrives, make sure to have a disaster plan that includes evacuation routes and a meeting place for your family. You should also create a disaster pack with supplies such as food and water, a first aid kit, and important documents.

4. the action or process of putting out fires

5. a great sea wave produced especially by submarine earth movement or volcanic eruption

6. the probability that one thing is so or will happen rather than another

7. a paper or set of papers with written or printed information, especially of an official type

For more comprehensive information that will protect you and loved ones in case of a disaster, come to my Disaster Response 101 workshops. They're free, and they'll cover diverse topics, ranging from fire prevention and earthquake response drills to life-saving techniques such as CPR. Workshops third Friday of the month, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Community Center, located next to Gino's Pizza Shop. We all hope the day will never come when we're confronted with a major disaster. But if it happens, it's best to be thoroughly prepared.

8. complete and including everything that is necessary

9. a meeting of people to discuss and/or perform practical work in a subject or activity

10. including many different types of people or things

11. to face, meet, or deal with a difficult situation or person

	accidental	第四級	[形容詞] 偶然的;意外的
	activity	第二級	[名詞] 活動
	admit	第二級	[動詞] 承認;准許進入;可容納
	aid	第二級	[動詞] 有助於; [名詞] 幫助;助手;助聽器
	assistance	第四級	[名詞] 幫助,協助
	avoid	第二級	[動詞] 避免
	avoided	第二級	[動詞] avoid(避免) 的過去式及過去分詞
	being	第二級	[名詞] 存在;生存;生命;本質
	buildings	第二級	[名詞] building(建築物) 的複數
	burning	第二級	[動詞] burn(燒;燙傷) 的現在分詞
	calm	第二級	[形容詞] 寧靜的; [動詞] 變安靜;使鎮定; [名詞] 安靜;鎮定;平靜;無風
	caused	第二級	[動詞] cause(導致,使發生,引起) 的過去式及過去分詞
	community	第四級	[名詞] 社區
	complete	第二級	[形容詞] 完整的；徹底的; [動詞] 完成
	completely	第二級	[形容詞] complete(完整的；徹底的) 的衍生的副詞
	comprehensive	第六級	[形容詞] 廣泛的;綜合的
	confronted	第五級	[動詞] confront(面臨;遭遇) 的過去式及過去分詞
	crash	第三級	[動詞] 碰撞,倒下,墜落; [名詞] 相撞(事故)
	create	第二級	[動詞] 創造
	danger	第二級	[名詞] 危險
	deer	第二級	[名詞] 鹿; [名詞] deer(鹿) 的複數
	denial	第五級	[名詞] 否認;拒絕
	disaster	第四級	[名詞] 災害,災難,不幸
	disasters	第四級	[名詞] disaster(災害,災難,不幸) 的複數
	discuss	第二級	[動詞] 討論
	diverse	第四級	[形容詞] 互異的;多變化的
	documents	第五級	[動詞] document(用文件證明) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] document(文件;證件) 的複數
	drills	第四級	[動詞] drill(鑽(孔);在...上鑽孔) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] drill(鑽,鑽頭;鑽床) 的複數
	earthquake	第二級	[名詞] 地震
	earthquakes	第二級	[名詞] earthquake(地震) 的複數
	emergencies	第三級	[名詞] emergency(緊急情況) 的複數
	emergency	第三級	[名詞] 緊急情況
	escape	第二級	[動詞] 逃跑;逃脫; [名詞] 逃跑;逃脫
	especially	第二級	[副詞] 特別地
	exits	第二級	[動詞] exit(出去,離去;退去) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] exit(出口) 的複數
	fastening	第四級	[動詞] fasten(紮牢;繫緊) 的現在分詞
	feeling	第二級	[名詞] 感覺
	fetch	第四級	[動詞] (去)拿來; [名詞] 活人的魂;鬼
	flights	第二級	[名詞] flight(飛行) 的複數
	found	第二級	[動詞] 建立;建造;鑄造;熔化
	freeze	第三級	[動詞] 結冰,凝固;凍結; [名詞] 結冰;凝固;(物價,工資等的)凍結
	harm	第三級	[動詞] 損害,傷害;危害; [名詞] 損傷,傷害;危害
	ignore	第二級	[動詞] 不理睬
	improve	第二級	[動詞] 改善
	includes	第二級	[動詞] include(包含) 的第三人稱單數現在式
	including	第二級	[動詞] include(包含) 的現在分詞
	including	第四級	[介系詞] 包括
	increase	第二級	[動詞] 增加; [名詞] 增加;增強
	information	第三級	[名詞] 資訊
	initial	第四級	[形容詞] 開始的,最初的; [動詞] 簽姓名的首字母於;草簽; [名詞] (字的)起首字母
	kit	第三級	[名詞] 成套工具;配套元件
	located	第三級	[動詞] locate(把...設置在;使...座落於) 的過去式及過去分詞
	major	第二級	[形容詞] 較多的;主要的; [動詞] 主修; [名詞] 主修
	mask	第二級	[動詞] 在(臉上)戴面具;掩飾; [名詞] 面具
	masks	第二級	[動詞] mask(在(臉上)戴面具;掩飾) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] mask(面具) 的複數
	midst	第五級	[介系詞] 在...之中; [名詞] 當中;中間
	natural	第二級	[形容詞] 天然的
	necessarily	第二級	[形容詞] necessary(需要的) 的衍生的副詞
	necessary	第二級	[形容詞] 需要的
	normally	第三級	[形容詞] normal(正常的,正規的) 的衍生的副詞
	odds	第五級	[名詞] 機會;可能性;投注賠率;不和
	official	第二級	[形容詞] 官方的,法定的; [名詞] 官員,公務員
	overcome	第四級	[動詞] 戰勝;克服; [動詞] overcome(戰勝;克服) 的過去分詞
	overwhelmed	第五級	[動詞] overwhelm(壓倒;征服;使受不了) 的過去式及過去分詞
	oxygen	第四級	[名詞] 氧;氧氣
	panic	第三級	[動詞] 使恐慌; [名詞] 恐慌,驚慌
	passengers	第三級	[名詞] passenger(乘客) 的複數
	perform	第三級	[動詞] 履行;執行;表演, 演奏
	pizza	第二級	[名詞] 披薩
	practical	第三級	[形容詞] 實用的；切合實際的
	presentations	第四級	[名詞] presentation(贈送;呈現;介紹,引見) 的複數
	prevention	第四級	[名詞] 預防,防止
	printed	第二級	[動詞] print(印刷;用印刷體寫) 的過去式及過去分詞
	procedures	第四級	[名詞] procedure(程序;手續;步驟) 的複數
	process	第三級	[動詞] 加工沖洗(膠卷); [名詞] 過程,進程
	produced	第二級	[動詞] produce(製造;出產) 的過去式及過去分詞
	proper	第二級	[形容詞] 適合的,適當的
	protect	第二級	[動詞] 保護
	ranging	第二級	[動詞] range(排列) 的現在分詞
	rather	第二級	[副詞] 寧可;頗為
	react	第三級	[動詞] 作出反應
	reality	第二級	[名詞] 現實;真實
	refusal	第四級	[名詞] 拒絕
	response	第三級	[名詞] 回答;答覆
	responses	第三級	[名詞] response(回答;答覆) 的複數
	routes	第四級	[動詞] route(給...定路線) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] route(路;路線;路程) 的複數
	safety	第二級	[名詞] 安全
	saving	第三級	[名詞] 挽救;節儉,節約;儲金,積蓄
	situation	第三級	[名詞] 處境,境遇
	situations	第三級	[名詞] situation(處境,境遇) 的複數
	spot	第二級	[動詞] 沾污;察出; [名詞] 斑點;場所
	steps	第二級	[動詞] step(跨(步);踏(腳)) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] step(步;臺階) 的複數
	stress	第二級	[動詞] 強調; [名詞] 壓力
	struggle	第二級	[動詞] 掙扎;對抗; [名詞] 使勁;掙扎
	submarine	第四級	[形容詞] 海底的; [名詞] 潛艇
	such	第二級	[形容詞] 如此的; [代名詞] 這樣的人(或事物);上述的人(或事物)
	supplies	第二級	[動詞] supply(供給,供應) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] supply(生活用品;補給品) 的複數
	survival	第二級	[名詞] 倖存;殘存
	tasks	第二級	[動詞] task(派給...任務;要...做一項工作) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] task(任務;工作) 的複數
	techniques	第三級	[名詞] technique(技巧;技術) 的複數
	tend	第三級	[動詞] 走向;趨向;照料
	thoroughly	第四級	[形容詞] thorough(徹底的;完全的) 的衍生的副詞
	threat	第三級	[名詞] 威脅,恐嚇
	truth	第二級	[名詞] 事實;真相
	typhoon	第二級	[名詞] 颱風
	various	第三級	[形容詞] 各種各樣的;好幾個的
	victims	第三級	[名詞] victim(受害者) 的複數
	vocabulary	第三級	[名詞] 字彙
	wallet	第二級	[名詞] 皮夾
	wallets	第二級	[名詞] wallet(皮夾) 的複數
	warning	第三級	[動詞] warn(警告) 的現在分詞
	witnessed	第四級	[動詞] witness(目擊;為...作證) 的過去式及過去分詞
	workshops	第五級	[名詞] workshop(作坊;研討會) 的複數
	worst	第二級	[形容詞] 最壞的;最差的; [形容詞] ill(生病的) 的最高級; [副詞] 最壞地,最惡劣地;最不利地; [名詞] 最壞者;最壞的部分;最壞的情況

 

3 Post-reading

I. Reading Skill: Making Inferences

Inferring involves making guesses about a text. We infer only while we are reading, never before. We use context clues (information from the words and ideas in the text) to draw conclusions about a wide range of things. Inferring involves guessing intelligently about more than just what the writer will say. We may also make inferences about the author's underlying attitude about the topic or contents of the text.

 

Test Your Skills

Reread "Disaster Response 101: Preparing for the Worst" with the following questions in mind. You may want to reread the entire article or just parts of it. Which part of the article helped you answer each question?

1. Who is the writer?

2. Who is this blog post written for? Who does the author want to read his work?

3. What motivated the writer to write this article? What makes you think so?

 

II. Reading Comprehension:

(   ) 1. Which sentence sums up the article's main idea?

a. Most people instinctively know the correct way to react to a natural disaster.

b. Natural disasters can be prevented, and we should all learn how to prevent them.

c. The best way to respond to a disaster is to be prepared for them.

d. Always wait for the help of emergency responders, instead of saving yourself.

(   ) 2. What are some people known to have done in the event of house fires?

a. Run back to retrieve a personal possession

b. Call a loved one to say that they're safe

c. Return to the scene of the fire to look for their pets

d. Forget to call for emergency assistance

(   ) 3. According to the writer, what should a disaster pack include?

a. A first aid kit  b. Warm clothing       c. A flashlight            d. A cell phone

(   ) 4. Which is not covered in the Disaster Response 101 workshop?

a. CPR               b. Fire prevention      c. Earthquake response drills     d. Road safety

(   ) 5. How many times a month will the workshop be held?

a. One                b. Two                       c. Three                     d. Four

III. Vocabulary: Match each vocabulary word with its synonym.

(   ) 1. overwhelmed      a. sensible

(   ) 2. tsunami              b. defeated

(   ) 3. denial                 c. various

(   ) 4. diverse               d. paper

(   ) 5. odds                   e. disaster

(   ) 6. comprehensive f. broad

(   ) 7. workshop           g. encounter

(   ) 8. confront             h. chance

(   ) 9. document           i. study group

(   ) 10. levelheaded       j. rejection

	字詞	程級	釋義
	according	第五級	[動詞] accord((與...)一致;調解) 的現在分詞
	aid	第二級	[動詞] 有助於; [名詞] 幫助;助手;助聽器
	article	第二級	[名詞] 文章;報導；論文;物件;條款
	assistance	第四級	[名詞] 幫助,協助
	attitude	第三級	[名詞] 態度
	author	第二級	[動詞] 開創,發起;著作,編寫; [名詞] 作者;作家
	broad	第二級	[形容詞] 寬廣的
	cell	第二級	[名詞] 單人牢房;細胞;蜂房的巢室;電池
	clothing	第三級	[動詞] clothe(給...穿衣;為...提供衣服) 的現在分詞
	clothing	第二級	[名詞] (總稱)衣服,衣著
	clues	第三級	[名詞] clue(線索,跡象,提示) 的複數
	comprehension	第五級	[名詞] 理解;理解力
	comprehensive	第六級	[形容詞] 廣泛的;綜合的
	conclusions	第三級	[名詞] conclusion(結論;推論) 的複數
	confront	第五級	[動詞] 面臨;遭遇
	contents	第四級	[動詞] content(使滿足) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] content(內容,要旨) 的複數
	context	第四級	[名詞] 上下文;文章脈絡
	defeated	第四級	[動詞] defeat(戰勝,擊敗) 的過去式及過去分詞
	denial	第五級	[名詞] 否認;拒絕
	disaster	第四級	[名詞] 災害,災難,不幸
	disasters	第四級	[名詞] disaster(災害,災難,不幸) 的複數
	diverse	第四級	[形容詞] 互異的;多變化的
	document	第五級	[動詞] 用文件證明; [名詞] 文件;證件
	drills	第四級	[動詞] drill(鑽(孔);在...上鑽孔) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] drill(鑽,鑽頭;鑽床) 的複數
	earthquake	第二級	[名詞] 地震
	emergency	第三級	[名詞] 緊急情況
	encounter	第四級	[動詞] 遭遇(敵人);遇到(困難,危險等); [名詞] 遭遇,衝突
	entire	第二級	[形容詞] 全部的,整個的
	event	第二級	[名詞] 事件
	flashlight	第三級	[名詞] 手電筒
	following	第二級	[形容詞] 接著的,其次的;下面的; [介系詞] 在...以後; [名詞] 一批追隨者;下列事物(或人員)
	include	第二級	[動詞] 包含
	infer	第六級	[動詞] 推斷,推論
	inferring	第六級	[動詞] infer(推斷,推論) 的現在分詞
	information	第三級	[名詞] 資訊
	instead	第二級	[副詞] 反而,卻
	instinctively	第六級	[形容詞] instinctive(本能的;直覺的) 的衍生的副詞
	intelligently	第三級	[形容詞] intelligent(有才智的) 的衍生的副詞
	involves	第四級	[動詞] involve(使捲入,連累;牽涉) 的第三人稱單數現在式
	kit	第三級	[名詞] 成套工具;配套元件
	match	第二級	[名詞] 比賽,競賽;對手;相配者;火柴
	motivated	第四級	[動詞] motivate(給...動機;刺激) 的過去式及過去分詞
	natural	第二級	[形容詞] 天然的
	odds	第五級	[名詞] 機會;可能性;投注賠率;不和
	overwhelmed	第五級	[動詞] overwhelm(壓倒;征服;使受不了) 的過去式及過去分詞
	personal	第二級	[形容詞] 個人的
	possession	第四級	[名詞] 擁有;佔有;所有物
	post	第二級	[動詞] 郵寄;登入(分類帳等);發表; [名詞] 郵件;柱;樁;崗位;站;交易所
	prevent	第三級	[動詞] 防止,預防
	prevented	第三級	[動詞] prevent(防止,預防) 的過去式及過去分詞
	prevention	第四級	[名詞] 預防,防止
	range	第二級	[動詞] 排列; [名詞] 範圍;等級;多爐爐灶
	react	第三級	[動詞] 作出反應
	rejection	第四級	[名詞] 拒絕;退回
	respond	第二級	[動詞] 作答,回答
	response	第三級	[名詞] 回答;答覆
	retrieve	第六級	[動詞] 收回;檢索;使恢復
	return	第二級	[動詞] 回;還; [名詞] 回答;收益;利息;來回票;退貨
	safety	第二級	[名詞] 安全
	saving	第三級	[名詞] 挽救;節儉,節約;儲金,積蓄
	scene	第二級	[名詞] 景色;場面
	sensible	第三級	[形容詞] 有知覺的;明顯的
	skill	第二級	[名詞] 技能
	skills	第二級	[名詞] skill(技能) 的複數
	sums	第三級	[動詞] sum(計算...的總和) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] sum(總和,總計) 的複數
	synonym	第六級	[名詞] 同義字;同物異名
	text	第二級	[名詞] 正文,本文
	underlying	第三級	[形容詞] 在下面的;基本的;暗含的；潛在的
	various	第三級	[形容詞] 各種各樣的;好幾個的
	vocabulary	第三級	[名詞] 字彙
	workshop	第五級	[名詞] 作坊;研討會
	worst	第二級	[形容詞] 最壞的;最差的; [形容詞] ill(生病的) 的最高級; [副詞] 最壞地,最惡劣地;最不利地; [名詞] 最壞者;最壞的部分;最壞的情況