EFL Tech - France a Site for Teachers of English ( as a Foreign Language) for  Engineering

[Back to Contents of the Databank - frameless version]

# 29

1. Dressing for cold weather:
Wear several layers of loose fitting, lightweight clothing.
Wear mittens instead of gloves.
Wear a hat.
 Remember  that entrapped, insulating air, warmed by body heat is the best protection from the cold.

2. Avoid Overexertion:
The strain from cold temperatures and heavy labor such as shoveling, pushing a car, or walking in deep snow may cause a heart attack in older and less physically fit individuals.

3. Winterize Your Vehicle Early:
Be prepared against the first blast of winter. Avoid automobile gas line freeze ups by keeping your tank greater than half full at all times.
Make sure that your car has adequate antifreeze.
 Make sure that your tires have good traction and are inflated to the right pressure.
 Make sure that your heater and defroster work properly.
Make sure that your battery is not more than 3 years old and that it can carry a full charge.
Make sure that you have a good ice scraper.

4. Carry a Winter-Survival Safety Kit in your vehicle:
Bring along blankets and a bright piece of cloth to tie on your antenna if you become stranded.
Flashlight with spare batteries.
Extra change of clothing to keep dry.
 Non-perishable foods such as candy bars, canned goods. or high calorie food like Power Bars.
A can and waterproof matches (used to melt snow for drinking water).
A compass, shovel and sand., tow rope, and jumper cables.

5. Before traveling:
Check the latest forecast!
Check the latest road conditions before You head out into Winter weather.
Let someone know where you are going and when you think you will reach your destination.

6. If you become stranded in your vehicle during a Winter storm:
Stay in your car, truck, or minivan.
Run the engine at 10 minute intervals for heat.
 Maintain proper ventilation by making sure the exhaust pipe is not plugged.
Leave the windows open slightly to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
Make yourself visible to rescuers.
Tie a bright cloth to your antenna or door handle.
Turn on the dome light at night, but only when running the engine.
 

"Blizzard Attack" created by Meteorologist Roger Evans
http://weathereye.kgan.com/e.xpert/blizzard/WinterSafe.html
 

1 - Read the text twice. Do not stop when there are words or passages you do not understand.
2 - Underline the ‘transparent ‘ words and the easy ones.
3 - Underline ( use another colour) the words of the headline that are found in the text.
4 - Write a sentence that sums up the text.
5 - Make a list ( in French) of the vocabulary that you are likely to find in the text.
6 -  Look at the text and find the English equivalents of the words you have just listed.

B - Rephrase the text

1 – Predicting: What will happen if...

the car’s gas tank is almost empty?
The car’s battery is old?
The car’s exhaust pipe is blocked?

2 – How? ...by + ing
Example from the text: Avoid automobile gas line freeze-ups by keeping your tank greater than half-full ...

How do you make yourself visible to rescuers?
How do you keep warm?
How do you keep dry?
How do you avoid carbon monoxide poisoning?

3 - Explain why it is necessary -or at least recommended- to take such precautions
Use phrases expressing ADVICE, OBLIGATION / PROHIBITION

4 -  Take up the ideas you have just thought of and now use CAUSE / CONSEQUENCE/ HYPOTHESIS , PURPOSE and MEANS  to express them again
 

C- Information transfer
1 -  Discuss orally ‘Sahara Safety Rules’.

2 - Write down a few other safety rules  (for instance during a thunderstorm, or when using electrical machines or when sailing) using the phrases you have studied in exercises 2.1 to 2.4.

3 - Choose one operation in the list below and

a - give oral instructions to perform it as well as warnings when necessary.

? Replacing a bulb that has just burnt out;
?  Replacing a defective electrical plug;
?  Changing the oil in your car engine;
? Changing a punctured tyre ( un pneu crevé).

[Back to Contents of the Databank - frameless version]