新西兰英语 810 Scooter helmets
英语课
Do you think children should wear helmets when riding scooters? Many children these days ride scooters to school. It’s quicker than walking and safer than biking because children ride their scooters on the footpath 1.
However, there are sometimes accidents. A scooter may hit a bump and the child can fall over the handlebars. ACC figures show the number of injuries from scooter accidents has risen from 697 in 2008 to 6474 last year.
Of course some of the accidents are caused by children having fun on a skateboard ramp 2. Sometimes children try silly things like riding their scooter down steps.
It is compulsory 3 to wear a helmet while riding a bike. A child safety group called Safekids wants to make helmets compulsory for scooter users. Do you think it should be compulsory to wear a helmet while riding a scooter?
Vocabulary
?scooter – sometimes a 50cc moped is called a (motor) scooter. This text refers to children’s push scooters.
?handlebars – where you put your hands
?ACC – Accident Compensation Corporation (like insurance)
?skateboard ramp – made of concrete, shaped like a wide U.
?compulsory – a law says you must do this
1 footpath
n.小路，人行道
- Owners who allow their dogs to foul the footpath will be fined.主人若放任狗弄脏人行道将受处罚。
- They rambled on the footpath in the woods.他俩漫步在林间蹊径上。
2 ramp
n.暴怒，斜坡，坡道；vi.作恐吓姿势，暴怒，加速；vt.加速
- That driver drove the car up the ramp.那司机将车开上了斜坡。
- The factory don't have that capacity to ramp up.这家工厂没有能力加速生产。
3 compulsory
n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的
- Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
- Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。