高考英语模块8―阅读理解D

What Should You Do When an Earthquake Hits？

If you find the ground shaking beneath your feet， theres an international consensus on how you should act. Earthquake safety boils down to three basic steps：

1. Drop to the ground．

2. Take cover by getting under a sturdy deck or table．

3. Hold on to it until the shaking stops．

If there isnt a table or desk near you， drop to the ground in an inside corner of the building and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms. Do not try to run to another room just to get under a table．

If you are in bed， hold on and stay there， protecting your head with a pillow. You are less likely to be injured staying where you are: Broken glass on the floor has caused injury to those who have rolled to the floor or tried to get to doorways．

If you are outdoors， move to a clear area if you can safely do so; avoid power lines， trees， signs， buildings， vehicles， and other hazards: If youre at the movies ox a sports game， stay at your seat and protect your head and neck with your arms. Dont try to leave until the shaking is over. Then walk out slowly watching for anything that could fall in the aftershocks．

If youre driving a car， pull over to the side of the road， stop， and set the parking brake. Avoid overpasses， bridges， power lines， signs and other hazards. Stay inside the vehicle until the shaking is over: If a power line falls on the car， stay inside until a trained person removes the wire．

If youre by the shore， drop， cover and hold on until the shaking stops. Estimate how long the shaking lasts. If severe shaking lasts 20 seconds or more， immediately evacuate to high ground as a tsunami（海啸） might have been generated by the earthquake. Move inland 3 kilometers（2 miles） or to land that is at least 30 meters（100 feet） above sea level immediately. Dont wait for officials to issue a warning. Walk quickly， rather than drive， to avoid traffic， debris and other hazards

If you live downstream for a dam， you should know floodzone information and have prepared an evacuation plan. Gatastrophic failure is unlikely， but dams can fail during major earthquakes．

The main point is to try not to move and to immediately protect yourself as best as possible where you are. Earthquakes occur without any warning and may be so violent that you cannot run or crawl; you therefore will most likely be knocked to the ground where you happen to be. You will never know if the initial jolt will turn out to be start of the big one

In addition， studies of injuries and deaths caused by earthquakes in the US over the last several decades indicate you are much more likely to be injured by falling or flying objects（TVs， lamps， glass， bookcases， etc.） than to die in a collapsed building. “Drop， Cover， and Hold on” offers the best overall level of protection．