环球英语 — 281：Fire Safety

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Welcome to Spotlight 1. I'm Adam Navis.

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And I'm Marina Santee. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

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We use it to cook. We use it to heat our homes. Using it, we can see in the dark. And for hundreds of years people have sat around it telling stories. What is this thing? It is fire.

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While fire is amazingly helpful, it is also very dangerous. Today's Spotlight is on using fire in a safe way.

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Fire can cause a lot of damage. Fire can reduce a home to nothing but ashes. Even when a fire does not burn a whole house, the damage from smoke can ruin clothing, food, books, and pictures. When people use water to fight a fire, the water can damage floors, walls, paper, blankets and beds.

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House fires are particularly damaging because they destroy the very place we feel safe. There is no place to come home to! Personal things are gone. A child's ball, family pictures, and favourite clothing are all lost. Even worse, are those times when a fire kills a person we love.

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But fire is an important tool for many people. And there are some simple things you can do to use fire safely. First, use your head. Think about what ishappening around you. This is simple, but so important. When we are around something a lot, we can become careless. If you have a fire in your house, for cooking or heating 2, look around for possible dangers. Is there anything near that could catch on fire? Are children playing too near the heat? Knowing what is happening around you is an easy way to stay safe.

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Another simple thing to do is to create an escape plan for each member of your family. Decide on a path for each person. This path should lead them safely outside. Once outside, choose a place where everyone will meet together. Make sure it is far enough away to be safe. But it should be close enough to get to quickly. Try your plan by acting 3 it out. Then you can be sure that everyone knows what to do.

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Smoking 4 cigarettes can also be a fire danger. If you smoke cigarettes, be sure to use them safely. Many fires begin when cigarettes fall on to furniture or beds. Cigarettes are small, but they burn at a temperature of 700 degrees Celsius 5. This is more than hot enough to burn paper, cloth, or skin.

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In the same way, be careful if you use candles. Candles are useful for seeing in the dark, especially without electricity. They can also create a good feeling for love. But do not let your love cause you to forget about them. If a candle falls it can burn for a long time. This gives it plenty of time to light other things on fire.

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Cigarettes and candles are small fires that can grow out of control. But it is even easier to lose control of a large fire. Many people deal with unwanted leaves, branches, or waste by burning it. These things burn very easily and fast. With an unexpected 6 wind, a fire can get out of control in seconds. If you are going to burn waste or leaves, follow these rules.

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Make sure you are away from buildings and people. Do not burn things on a windy day. The wind can blow the fire out of your control. Have dirt, sand, and water around to put out the fire if it gets too big. Do not burn everything at once. Instead, add things to the fire slowly. But most importantly, do not leave a burning pile unattended. Make sure someone is watching at all times.

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There are some things that can make your home even more safe. See if these things are available in your area.

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Smoke detectors 8 are small electronic 9 devices 10. A smoke detector 7 makes noise if it senses smoke. Because smoke rises, these are placed high up in most rooms. Putting these in your home will signal 11 you to the first sign of a fire. If a fire starts when you are sleeping, the noise of the smoke detector will wake you from sleep. You will have a better chance of escaping if you have a smoke detector.

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Fire extinguishers are another good tool for fighting fire. They all look about the same. They are two metre cans with a handle and a tube 12. They are used to put of fires. But not all fire extinguishes 13 put out the same kind of fire. There are three main kinds of fire extinguishers.

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Class A fire extinguishers are for fires made from wood, cardboard 14, and plastics. They use water to put out fires. These are the most common fire extinguishers.

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Class B fire extinguishers are used for liquid sources 15 like gasoline 16, grease 17, and oil. They use a white substance 18 to put out fires. If you use a Class A extinguisher on a Class B fire, you will spread the fire and make it worse.

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A Class C fire extinguisher is for fires from electricity. If you use a Class A fire extinguisher on a class c fire, you risk giving yourself, or someone near you, an electric shock.

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If you are caught in a fire you should try to cover your mouth with a wet cloth. Breathing in smoke can cause you to become light-headed. If this happens, you may not be able to make good decisions. Also, stay low to the ground. Heat and smoke rise up. Near the ground, it is cooler and there is less smoke.

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If you do catch on fire, you need to remember three steps. First, stop. Do not try to run away. Second, you need to drop. Fall onto the ground. And third, roll. Roll around on the ground. This movement cuts off air from the fire and will make it go out. So remember: stop, drop, and roll.

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Fire is very useful. No other creature on earth has learned 19 to use fire the way humans have. However, fire can be like a wild animal. It can get out of control and do damage to people and property 20. But as long as you use your head and respect the power of fire, you and your family will stay safe.