Aircraft SafetyTips for Travelers

    There arecertain rows of the aircraft designatedas exit rows. You can tell that you are in an exit row if there is an emergencyexit around the window. People sitting in exit rows should be prepared toassist the flight attendants and other passengers should the aircraft need tobe evacuated in an emergency. Anexit row passenger should be physically capable of opening the heavy, bulky exit door, assisting passengersand hearing instructions shouted by the flight attendants. The passenger mustbe over the age of 15.

As the airplane ismoving out to the runway, the flight attendants will give you a brief safety demonstration. The highlight is the operation of the oxygen mask. If the cabin losespressure for any reason, the oxygen masks will drop down out of the smalloverhead compartment. If that happens, put the mask over your nose and mouth.You might have to tug slightly onthe gas line to start the flow of gas. There is anelastic band on the mask,which should go behind your head. Relax, and breathe normally.

Each seat is equippedwith a seat belt. You should buckle theseat belt when you sit down, and it should remain buckled during take-off,landing, or when there is turbulence. If you are unsure, there are illuminated “seat belt” signsthroughout the aircraft. If the sign is illuminated, then buckle up;if not, you can unbuckle it.

When you sit in yourseat, do a quick check to see where your nearest emergency exit is. In case ofan emergency, the cabin might be full of smoke, blocking your view while irritating your eyes. Therefore,mentally count the seats so you could find your way out in smoke.

There is one final,very important point to make. Smoking is prohibited. Some try to sneak a smoke in the airplane bathroom.This is very DANGEROUS. With the airplane bathroom full of paper and the wastebin filled with used paper towels, throwing a smoldering cigarette into the waste paper bin can easily set thebathroom on fire.

                        

New Words and Expressions

evacuate [ɪ'vækjʊeɪt]                    v. 撤离，疏散

bulky ['bʌlkɪ]                         adj.庞大的，笨重的

demonstration[demən'streɪʃ(ə)n]          n. 示范，演示

highlight['haɪlaɪt]                      n.最突出的部分，最重要的事情

tug [tʌg]                             v.用力拉

elastic [ɪ'læstɪk]                       adj.有弹性的

buckle ['bʌk(ə)l]                       v.扣住，扣紧

illuminate [ɪ'l(j)uːmɪneɪt]                v.照亮

unbuckle [ʌn'bʌk(ə)l]                   v.解开

irritate ['ɪrɪteɪt]                         v.刺激，使难受

sneak [sniːk]                           v.偷偷做，偷偷吃

smolder ['sməuldə]                      v. 闷烧，闷燃

 

Task 1 Go through the passage and completethe following sentences with the information in the passage.

1. People sitting in exit rows should be prepared to ________________________and___________________ in case of an emergency.

2. The passenger who sits in an exit row must be over theage of ________.

3. If the cabin loses pressure, the oxygen masks will drop down, and the passengersshould put the mask over their __________________________.

4. Your seat belt should remain buckled during ____________________, ________________,or when there is _______________________.

5. Smoking is ___________________in the plane.

 

Task 2 Talk about the following questionsafter reading the material and do some extended discussion.

1. Have you ever experienced anemergency in a plane? How was it? 

2. In emergencies, what should you do, eitheras a flight attendant or as a passenger?

 

Learn more professional terms for your further study.

lowvisibility                            能见度低

closure ofen route air path                 航路关闭

combustible [kəm'bʌstɪb(ə)l]             n. 易燃品

controltower                            管制塔台

emergency service                        急救站

emergency medical facility                 急救设施

extinguisher [ɪk'stɪŋgwɪʃə]              n.灭火器

heavyair traffic congestion                空中交通严