Listening

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Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. informed
    • ex. Betty watched the news every day to stay informed.
  2. a forecast
    • ex. The weather forecast says it will be sunny this weekend.
  3. supplies
    • ex. We bought extra supplies, like water and batteries, before the storm.
  4. evacuation
    • ex. Please follow the evacuation plan to stay safe during an earthquake.
  5. rule of thumb
    • ex. The rule of thumb for cooking pasta is to boil it for 10 minutes.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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For many Floridians, preparing and listening to warnings could save their lives when a violent storm comes. According to emergency management director Jaime Hernandez, people should do three main things to survive storms: make a plan, have an emergency kit, and stay informed.

First, an emergency plan should consider the changing forecasts. “You don’t know what the impacts are going to be,” Hernandez said. A plan should also include evacuation areas and how to get there. Second, prepare an emergency kit. It should include at least seven days of supplies, like food, water, and medical items. A rule of thumb for water is 1 gallon per day per person. Also include cash, flashlights, batteries, and important documents, such as birth certificates or IDs. Pet owners are also urged to include items for their pets, such as food, medicines, and toys.

And third, stay informed by paying attention to instructions from local authorities and weather forecasts. People who live in low areas might experience floods, so they should evacuate early. Evacuation orders may come days or hours before the storm, so it is crucial to be ready and stay informed.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Emergency Plans

  • Do you have an emergency plan? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • How early do you think people should have an emergency plan (ex. when they hear the news about a coming disaster, even before any warning)? Why? Discuss.
  • What do you think is the most important thing to include in an emergency plan (ex. evacuation plans, having enough supplies)? Discuss.

Staying Informed

  • During a disaster, why is it important to be informed? Discuss.
  • What steps do you take to stay informed? Discuss.
  • Aside from disasters, what topics should we stay informed about (ex. international health issues, environmental issues)? Discuss.