Lesson 44: Fire Safety
23May
DIALOGUE
In this lesson, your tutor will help you go over this topic: fire safety. First, read the following dialogue out loud with your tutor, then switch roles and try again.
Devin and Emily are having a conversation about fire safety.
Devin: Emily, did you hear about the house fire yesterday near my home?
Emily:Yes, I did. I heard the fire broke out in the kitchen
Devin:Yes, it started because of a bad electrical cord.
Emily:That’s what I heard. Also, I heard the smoke alarms didn’t work.
Devin:It’s true. That’s why it’s good to test the smoke alarms every month and check the batteries every year.
Emily:You’re right! It’s also good to have fire extinguishers in the house and prepare a fire escape plan.
Devin:In addition, you should always have the fire department’s phone number with you.
Emily:That sounds like a good plan to me.
Devin:I agree. Do you check your home for fire hazards?
Emily:Yes, I do. Fire prevention is really important.
VOCABULARY
Go over the following vocabulary and expressions with your tutor. Read the word/expression and definition out loud, and your tutor will go over anything you do not understand. Practice creating a sentence or two to make sure you know how to use the word/expression properly.
Vocabulary/ Expressions
broke out | (phrasal v) past tense of break out; start suddenly The fire broke out around 2:00 AM. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
electrical cord | (n) a cable used to transmit electricity to household items The electrical cord needs to be replaced so the lamp works. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
smoke alarms | (n – plural) a device that detects smoke in a building or home to alert the people inside Every home should have smoke alarms. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
test the smoke alarms | (phrase) to make sure the device is working properly You should test the smoke alarms every month to make sure they are working. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
batteries | (n – plural) a device that is placed inside a machine to give it power. The flashlight needs batteries to make it work. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
fire extinguishers | (n- plural) a metal container filled with chemicals used to put fires out The fire extinguishers were used to put out the fire. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
fire escape plan | (n) a method or way to exit a building when a fire starts The fire escape plan tells me to go out the window in case there is a fire. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
fire department | (n) a professional organization or group of people for preventing and putting out fires The fire department arrived just in time to put out the house fire. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
hazards | (n – plural) a source of danger Fire hazards need to be fixed to prevent fires. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
prevention | (n) the act or practice of stopping something bad from happening Fire prevention is necessary to stop fires from starting. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
EXERCISE
Practice answering the following questions with your tutors. You can use the sample answers to come up with your own answer.
- Where can fires break out in your home?
- In reality, they can break out anywhere in the home.
- I think fires can easily break out in garages because there are many dangerous things kept there.
- Your answer:
- Where can emergency phone numbers be kept?
- They can be kept in your cell phone.
- They can be written on a piece of paper and placed close to your home phone.
- Your answer:
- What are some ways to prevent fires?
- Keep electrical cords away from furniture.
- Make sure your hazardous materials are stored in a safe place.
- Your answer:
- How can fires be started?
- Fires can start because of bad electrical cords.
- Fires can start from sources other than electrical ones. They can start if children are playing with matches.
- Your answer:
- Do you think it’s important to educate children about fire safety?
- Yes, it’s very important to teach them at a young age.
- Everyone should be educated and re-educated about fire prevention.
- Your answer:
CONVERSATION
Use the following questions as a guideline to form an interesting conversation with your tutor. Feel free to diverge from these suggestions if anything interesting comes up.
Why is it important to have smoke alarms in your home?
Is it required in your country to have smoke alarms in buildings?
How would you escape from your home if it caught on fire?
Have you ever seen a building on fire? If yes, describe what you saw.
What equipment do fire departments need to put out fires?
WRAP-UP
Go over any new expressions or vocabulary that you learned today.
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