Unit 6. Going Places
Paraphrase the following statements:
"When we travel we learn about ourselves as well as the places we visit"
"Home is where the heart is"
( Upstream,2003, p.99 )
Which one do you agree with?
To be discussed in class two texts:
'Ten Tips for a Trouble-Free High-Tech Vacation'
'Satying Safe on the Road More Traveled' by Pamela Mohr
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Text 1
'Staying Safe on the Road More Traveled'by Pamela Mohr
With the approach of warm weather and falling fuel prices, more people will be taking to the highways in their vehicles as they head off to vacation destinations. Interestingly, surveys reveal that approximately 99 per¬cent of drivers consider themselves "safe."
Worldwide statistics, however, indicate that as many as 1.2 million people die every year from traffic-related incidents. More than 40 times this number are injured in crashes. Many of these are single car accidents in which drivers run off the road, roll over or otherwise render a vehicle inoperable.
As one would guess, a good number of these involve a lack of concentration or operator error. In the United States, more than 300,000 serious injuries in the last five years have been the result of drivers not watching the road as they talked on cell phones. Another 13,000 injuries are attributed to "loose item" crashes, in which a driver's attention is diverted while trying to pick up a soda can, coffee cup, bag or other article of distraction.
With air travel rules becoming more stringent and delays longer, an increasing number of people are turn¬ing to their own garages to find a way to get from one far place to another. The 2006 holiday season saw an estimated 50 million people on the road who traveled more than 50 miles from home to reach their desired destinations.
As all vehicles are not created equal, the same can be said for drivers. Accidents happen for a variety of reasons in all different kinds of conditions. Clear skies or stormy weather, roads made impassable by flooding or heavy snow, driver inattention - unfortunately, the rea¬sons may vary, but the outcome is the same. Being pre¬pared for an emergency, however, does give a healthy edge to the safety-conscious.
The National Safety Council states that only nine per¬cent of drivers conduct a safety check before embarking on a road trip. In addition to making sure your vehicle is in optimal operating condition, there are other factors that play into a safe journey.
In late 2006, news of a family stranded in the snowy, treacherous back roads of Oregon became a gripping saga for a nation rooting for a happy ending. Tragically, the father lost his life while attempting to find help for his wife and children, who were eventually
found in their disabled vehicle and rescued.
Packing some special supplies together in a vehicle may not save someone stranded in extreme weather con¬ditions, but it's just one more way to focus attention on the small things that could help in an emergency.
Ordinary things can provide an extraordinary boost in a crisis situation. Duct tape? Better than rope in some situations and as everyone knows, it has a multitude of practical purposes.
A first aid kit is essential, but a so pack a few power bars to boost energy and some bottled water. A pack of waterproof matches and perhaps a lighter in working condition should be included, too.
A flashlight is a definite "must have" item. Instead of relying on one that uses batteries, invest in one of the newer models available with hand cranking to provide power. They're readily available in many retail and hardware stores and cost less than $20. A few twists of the handle and you have plenty of long lasting light. Some also come equipped with sirens and radios, so you'll be able to learn critical information about weather conditions.
Taking it even a step further, look for a model that comes equipped with different types of cell phone charg¬ers. Plug the right one into your flashlight, crank away and you'll be in touch with the world if your cell phone loses its original charge and your car battery is dead.
Always keep a reflective emergency blanket in your trunk. It'll give you some warmth on a cold night and can also serve as a beacon for searchers with its silvery coating. A good rain poncho, cheap but sturdy, is another good item to throw into your emergency kit.
Some other things to consider including would be either a small hatchet or stout knife to hack off branches if needed for a fire, a compass, paper and indelible marker to leave notes for rescuers if you leave a strand¬ed vehicle.
The most commonly given expert advice is to stay with a disabled vehicle rather than venturing off in unfa¬miliar and possibly dangerous terrain to find assistance. Circumstances may dictate another course of action, however, and if the time comes to that, be prepared.
The best defense, as they say, is a good offense.
Text 2
Ten Tips for a Trouble-Free High-Tech Vacation by Mike Wendland
Are you heading off for vacation soon? Following are my top 10 tips for a trouble-free high-tech vacation - things to do before you leave and what to do while on vacation to enjoy your gizmos and gadgets.
Unplug. Yes, I know - that's what you had hoped to do on your getaway. But give your gadgets a break, too. Unplug your computers and printers. This protects them against power surges or nearby lightening strikes while you're away. Same with your cable modem, router and wireless hub.
Auto-respond your work e-mail and phone. If you use Microsoft Outlook through an exchange serv¬er at work, go into "Options" and compose an auto-response that tells people you will be out of the office for a while and won't be answering them. Give them the name of some¬one at your place of employment that they can contact in your absence. Don't forget to do the same for your workplace voicemail.
Don't advertise that nobody's home. Work is one thing - but don't ever put a "we're not here" mes¬sage on your home telephone. Just as a pile of mail in your mailbox tells thieves that nobody's home, so can an answering machine that informs callers you're on vacation. Instead, keep the same recorded message but make sure you have the playback code so that you can retrieve your messages from another phone.
Pack your chargers - for your cell phone, your camcorder, your digital camera and your iPod. Some people even bring along an extra power strip to free up electrical out¬lets in their hotel rooms when vaca¬tioning.
Stay away from water - not you, but your gadgets. I have a friend who bought a camcorder for a Florida vacation. At Sea World, Shamu jumped and he thought he'd gotten a great shot of his child get¬ting splashed. The problem was that his camcorder got wet, too. It was ruined.
Hold onto your cameras. Use the straps. I just lost a brand new digital camera. I was taking pic¬tures of my grandkids and one of them ran by and bumped my arm.
The camera fell to the cement, shat¬tering the lens and the body. Use the strap that comes with the cam¬eras. Wrap them around your hand or neck so they'll be secured.
Think storage. Make sure you have a big enough memory card to store all the pictures you take. I'd suggest a minimum of 512 MB to hold around 1 25 good quality pic¬tures. A 1GB card holds around 250 images.
Bring a laptop. For one thing, you can transfer some of those pho¬tos to your laptop and free up more memory. For another, the laptop is great for reviewing pictures at the end of each day on your vacation. Create a slideshow of the day's highlights. Looking over your photos is a great way to pass time on a rainy day Most resorts and hotels now offer free Internet hookups. If not, a library or nearby coffee shop probably offers wireless access so you can send family and friends a picture or check e-mail.
Bring clear plastic bags for the beach. Sand can cause almost as many problems as water. When you take your iPod, mobile phone or other electronic gizmos to the beach, keep them in bags that can be sealed to protect the outside from getting in. And don't keep them in the sun for long stretches of time.
Create a vacation blog - today's version of going over to a friend's house to see their vacation pictures. Instead of using a projector, share your vacation memories using a blog.
Hi,
May I ask that which course book did you use?
I mean the one which include "Unit 6 Going Places".
Thanks....
Bob Obee-Virginia Evans, Upstream Upper Intermediate,Students' Book, Express Publishing,2003
Unit 6 pp 99-114
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