地震发生时该怎么办

夏越

地震是自然灾害的一种。当地震来临时，我们应该怎么做来保护自己呢？

If youre outside a building

Run to an open space. Quickly move away from buildings， trees， overhead wires， or anything else that might fall on you. The larger the open space you can find， the safer you will be. People are rarely injured during an earthquake simply by the ground moving.

Drive towards an open space. If you are in a car， find an open space， such as a large parking lot， and stop the car. Do not stop on a bridge， beneath an overpass， or beside tall buildings or trees. Stay in the car until the shaking stops.

If youre inside a building

Stop what youre doing. Even if you feel a very slight tremor， prioritize your safety until the allclear is given. You may simply have felt a foreshock that precedes a much more powerful earthquake.

Drop to the ground. If the shock is more severe， get down. This will lower your center of gravity and reduce the chance of being hit by debris.

Take cover. Get under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture for protection and hold onto it. If there is nothing suitable nearby， crouch down in a corner where two interior walls meet， well away from windows or other glass. Cover your head and face with your arms. Do not shelter in a doorway—if it doesnt have a loadbearing structure， it may collapse.

Stay where you are. Do not move until the shaking stops， even if the lights go out. Most people who are injured are those who move about during an earthquake.

If youre trapped under debris

Cover your nose and mouth. Avoid inhaling potentially harmful dust. Try to get your bearings and check yourself for injuries.

Get help. Listen for sounds of rescue and try to tap on something to alert rescuers. If possible， use your mobile phone to call someone or to generate intermittent music， beeps， or sound. Only shout as a last resort， as it is tiring and can result in inhaling more dust.

Warning： If you find yourself trapped， do not strike a match for light. Dustfilled air can be explosive and gas may have escaped from broken pipes.

Aftershocks

An earthquake is usually followed by a series of aftershocks. Their size and frequency is unpredictable， although generally， the bigger the main earthquake is， the greater the size of aftershocks is. Aftershocks are especially dangerous because they cause further collapse to already damaged buildings and infrastructure. Treat them seriously.

Reading Check

1. What should you do outdoors during an earthquake？

A. Get under a tree for protection. B. Find an open place for safety.

C. Discover a shelter in a doorway. D. Move away from an open space.

2. If youre inside a building during an earthquake， getting down helps you .

A. reduce your gravity B. listen for sounds of rescue

C. avoid being hit by debris D. use your mobile phone to call for help

3. What can you do if youre trapped under debris？

A. Keep shouting for help.

B. Light a match for light.

C. Keep breathing in and out.

D. Produce sound to draw rescuers attention.

Language Study

Sentence for writing

The larger the open space you can find， the safer you will be. 你找到的空地越大，你就越安全。

【信息提取】the + 比較级， the + 比较级意为“越……，就越……”。

【句式仿写】你越用功，进步就越大。