At any moment, you can find yourself in a crisis. Knowing what to do beforehand can determine how things turn out.
Here are tips that safety experts say could help you survive some tight spots.
You and your mom are driving along a slick road. The rain beats against the windshield. Your mom takes her eyes off the road and reaches for the radio. Suddenly, you hit a puddle that sends you skidding off the road. You see a lake ahead. You're going in. What do you do?
A car will not float for long. Roll down your window as soon as you see the water. You can also try to break the glass with your feet or a heavy object.
If you cannot open your window, wait for the car to fill with water. Unbuckle your seat belt. Take a deep breath when the water level reaches your head. Once the car is filled with water, you should be able to open the door.
Do not waste time taking anything with you. Delay your escape only if you are trying to help someone else in the car.
Each year, snakes bite about 45,000 people in the United States. About 7,000 of those are poisonous bites. Ten to 20 people die of poisonous bites. The chances of being bitten are slim. Still, it's good to know what to do just in case.
First, stay calm. You must think clearly. Act as if the bite were poisonous and let a doctor be the judge.
Have someone call for medical help.
Next, remove jewelry and clothing from around the bite. Keep the wound below your heart. That will help to slow the poison.
Your work is now done. You should keep still until help arrives. If it is going to be an hour or longer before help arrives, you may want to wash the bite with water. However, do not submerge the bite underwater.
Knowing how to handle fear can help you survive if you're lost in the wild. First, stay calm but yell for help. This will make it easier for other people to find you.
Next, check your supplies. Build a fire if you know how to keep it going safely. A fire will keep you warm and dry and make you easier to locate. Seek out a cave or fallen tree for shelter.
If you are stranded for a while, move to the highest point you can find. You may be able to spot rescuers. They will also be able to see you.
While in the woods, you should watch for bears. Like most wild animals, bears avoid human contact. However, there are times when people and bears cross paths.
When hiking in bear country, make plenty of noise. If you do come upon a bear, walk away. Never run from a bear. A bear moves as fast as a horse.
If a bear attacks, you should lie still and be quiet. If a bear thinks you are not a threat, it may leave.
If a bear continues to attack, fight back. Aim for its eyes. Most bears are good climbers, so do not climb a tree.
You never know when you might face a disaster. Here are some basic safety tips:
When you go out, always tell someone where you are going.
Take a first aid kit on long trips.
Carry a cell phone if you have one.
Know your local police, fire, and hospital phone numbers.
Extra socks. Toothbrush. Chewing gum. Toothpaste (to go with the toothbrush). Action figures. Lots and lots of action figures.
Toby looked at the pile with all his favorite stuff. He had arranged it into three neat rows. On the left was very important stuff. In the middle was kind of important stuff. On the right was not-so-important stuff.
“Action figures are very important,” he said. “Chewing gum is kind of important. Toothpaste is not so important.”
Toby was preparing for a trip to the moon. He didn’t know when he was going. He didn’t have any tickets. But he figured it had to be soon, and he wanted to be ready.
Earlier that night, Toby’s dad was watching the news. A lady with poofy hair talked to a scientist in a lab coat.
“When do you expect man will return to the moon?” asked the lady.
“Very soon,” said the scientist. “Very soon indeed.”
Toby usually ignored the news. But this made him look up from his homework. “Very soon…” he murmured to himself. “Very soon indeed!”
Toby had been excited about the moon ever since he first saw it in the night sky. It passed by his bedroom window at night, and when it was full, it filled Toby’s head with dreams. He wanted to fly in a spaceship. He wanted to vacation on the moon. He wanted to hike up mountains made of moon rock. He wanted to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in a space colony, while the earth spun overhead.
Toby wanted to live on the moon. And now, according to the man on the news, that was going to happen. Very soon indeed.
As soon as he finished his homework, Toby went to his room. He took out his blue, plastic suitcase, and began arranging things on his bed. There was no time to waste, but that didn’t mean he hurried. Packing for a trip to the moon was too important to rush.
Toby had always been a planner. At Christmas dinner, he thought about where they would go for summer vacation. On summer vacation, he thought about what he might like for Christmas. Toby’s sister teased him about it, but Toby thought there was no harm in looking ahead. Tonight he wasn’t just looking ahead. He was looking up—to the moon.
When his suitcase was filled, Toby closed it. He pulled the zipper. It would not zip. His suitcase was too full.
With hands as careful as an astronaut’s, Toby lifted each object from his suitcase. He would have to leave something behind, but what? Even the toothpaste was too important to leave behind.
“Let’s see,” he said, consulting his list. “I’ll need shoes on the moon. I’ll need a book to read on the way. I’ll need my camera in case there are any aliens. And I’ll definitely need my sunglasses. Since it’s never cloudy on the moon, the sun will be very bright.”
Finally, there was only one thing left in his suitcase. As soon as he picked it up, Toby knew it would have to stay behind. It was an authentic moon rock, brought home by his brother from space camp. It was his most prized possession. It lived on his desk, and every time he saw it, his heart sang a little song. But he would find plenty of rocks on the moon.
Toby zipped up his suitcase and put it beside the door. When the time came to go to the moon, he would be ready.
One day in 2011, in Phoenix, Arizona, a woman was getting in her car, which was parked in her driveway. Suddenly, her husband ran out of the house. He was waving his arms and yelling.
Without another word, the woman ran back in her house and shut the front door. The husband and wife stood at their front window. A few minutes later, the sky began to darken. And then, sand began to swirl around the house. Soon, sand and dust were everywhere, blowing all around the house. This lasted for almost an hour.
The woman and her husband were watching an especially violent type of dust storm. A dust storm is a kind of storm where wind picks up clouds of sand and dust from the desert and blows them into the air. Phoenix is built in the middle of the Sonoran Desert. It gets several dust storms every year. Most of the dust storms are very small, but some of them are very big. A large, thick dust storm hit Phoenix in 2011. It was more than a mile tall and 50 miles wide. Severe dust storms can last for up to three hours.
These dust storms happen in other areas too. Countries in the northern part of Africa can get very violent dust storms that last a long time. If this type of dust storm strikes near a farm, it can cover the farm with dust and sand. This means the farmer can no longer plant crops. Often the farm must be abandoned.
Dust storms can be very dangerous. When a dust storm hits, it makes it difficult to see. If you are outside during a dust storm, you may not be able to see more than a few inches in front of you. When a dust storm is approaching Phoenix, the local weather stations start broadcasting warnings for people to get off the street. People are told to park their cars, so they don’t crash. Airplanes are not allowed to take off from or land at the Phoenix airport because the pilots cannot see well.
The dust in a dust storm can also make people sick. Some of the dust can carry pesticides and toxins. People go inside during a dust storm so that they do not inhale the dust. People with pets, like dogs and cats and horses, also bring their animals inside so that they do not get sick.
Weather forecasters are always trying to get better at predicting when a dust storm will happen. The sooner they know a dust storm is coming, the sooner they can warn people about it. The sooner people are warned about a dust storm, the more lives will be saved. This is because more people will be able to get to safety before the dust storm strikes.
Paul Fisher and his family have lived in Arizona for more than 20 years. He can remember seeing many intense dust storms during that time. One time, he was out walking his dog, Jimbo, shortly after he had moved to Phoenix. As he was walking, he looked out at the desert and saw what looked like a big, dark wall. He stared at it for a few minutes. Suddenly, he realized what he was looking at. He grabbed Jimbo and ran back to the house. He was just able to get inside before the storm hit.
“Once you’re in a [violent dust storm], you never forget it,” he said. “It’s like a thunderstorm, but instead of rain, all you can see is sand.”
Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.
During a dust storm, it is important to take precautions, staying indoors.
When someone says they have “cold feet,” it means they are afraid to do something they’re supposed to do. That wasn’t Louis’ problem. Louis actually had cold feet. They felt like icicles. Icicles on top of ice cubes. Inside of ice water.
It was very cold in his bedroom.
“I wonder if this is what Antarctica is like,” Louis said. “I’m glad I’m not a penguin.”
Louis lay in his cowboy pajamas, curled into as tight a ball as he could. He was supposed to go to sleep, but to go to sleep meant he had to stretch out his legs. And even though he was supposed to do that, he was afraid. So maybe he had both kinds of cold feet, after all.
That afternoon, it had snowed for the first time all year. Louis and his friends spent the whole day outside. They built snowmen. They sledded down the hill behind the school. They had snowball fights with Louis’ neighbor. All day long, they had so much fun that Louis didn’t notice how cold his feet were.
After a while, in fact, he didn’t notice his feet at all. They were totally numb!
When he got home, Louis kicked the snow off his boots, unzipped them, and yanked them off his feet. He peeled off his socks, and was shocked by what he saw. His feet were as white as the snow outside! He poked his left foot. He poked his right foot. He didn’t feel them at all.
“Uh…Mom!” he said.
Louis’ mom told him to run a hot bath. He stuck his feet in the steaming water and gradually, feeling returned. The feeling that returned was hot.
“Too hot!” said Louis, and yanked his feet out of the tub. He dried them as well as he could, but he must not have done such a good job. By the time he climbed into bed, his feet were still a little damp. It was cold in his room—very cold—and cold air, plus wet feet, can only mean one thing.
His feet had frozen again.
“Brrrr!” said Louis. “Brrrrrrrrrr!”
He thought if he “brrrr-ed” loud enough, his mother would hear him. If she knew how cold his feet were, she would bring warm socks. She would bring extra blankets. She would bring hot water bottles. Louis trembled at the thought of how wonderful a hot water bottle would be.
He “brrrr-ed” as loud as he could, but Mom didn’t hear.
Louis looked across his room at the closet. There were no hot water bottles in there, but there were socks. There were blankets. If he could get to his closet, he could save himself. But he couldn’t get out of bed. He wasn’t sure his feet were any good to walk on anymore. And the hardwood floor, shiny in the moonlight, looked as cold as the inside of a freezer. It was too cold to sleep, and too cold to walk across the floor.
“This is a pickle,” said Louis. “Brrrr,” he added, just to himself.
A shiver hit him. A bad one, that went down his spine like lightning across the night sky. He straightened his legs all the way, sending his feet right down to the coldest part of the bed, and then curled back up into his ball.
“Yikes!”
It was cold down there. Cold like the deepest, darkest part of a cave. Cold like the bottom of the ocean. Cold like outer space. And he was going to have to stick his feet down there. There was no question of getting up and getting a blanket. Socks were not coming to help. Louis was not getting out from under his blanket, and that meant he’d have to warm the bottom of the bed up himself.
He kicked his legs out. He kicked them around, running in place. He tried to rub the cold sheets as much as possible to make them warm. This, he had learned in science class, is called friction. Friction makes heat, and he needed as much heat as he could get.
He ran in place until his legs were tired, and then he stopped. He paused. Would his feet freeze again?
It was cold down there. Not as cold as it was before—not very cold—but still chilly. He felt the warmth fade. About to panic, he looked around for something to help. Beside the bed, just within arm’s reach, were the clothes he had been wearing that afternoon. He grabbed his pants, shirt, long underwear and big winter coat. He piled them on top of his feet. They locked in the heat, and he knew his feet would eventually get cozy under there.
Now, Louis could sleep. He was feeling warmer already.
The author begins the article by asking what question?
The text is divided into sections with subheadings. What do the sections "Escape from a Sinking Car," "Surviving a Snakebite," "Lost and Found," and "The Bear Facts" describe?
Read this sentence from the text.
"Knowing what to do beforehand can determine how things turn out."
What evidence from the text supports this statement?
The sections with the subheadings "Surviving a Snakebite!" and "Lost and Found!" both describe a crisis event and tips for surviving the crisis. What else do these two sections have in common?
What is the main idea of this text?
Read this sentence from the text.
"Here are tips that safety experts say could help you survive some tight spots."
What does the phrase "tight spots" mean here?
Read these sentences from the text.
"The chances of being bitten are slim. Still, it's good to know what to do just in case."
What word could replace "Still" in the second sentence without changing the meaning of the sentence?
What motivated Toby to begin packing his suitcase?
Read these sentences from the text.
Toby had been excited about the moon ever since he first saw it in the night sky. It passed by his bedroom window at night, and when it was full, it filled Toby’s head with dreams.
[ . . . ]
Toby wanted to live on the moon. And now, according to the man on the news, that was going to happen. Very soon indeed.
Based on this evidence, how does Toby most likely feel about the possibility of going to the moon very soon?
Read these sentences from the text.
At Christmas dinner, [Toby] thought about where they would go for summer vacation. On summer vacation, he thought about what he might like for Christmas. Toby’s sister teased him about it, but Toby thought there was no harm in looking ahead.
What conclusion can you draw about Toby based on this evidence?
What is a theme of this story?
Read these sentences from the text.
It was an authentic moon rock, brought home by his brother from space camp. It was [Toby's] most prized possession. It lived on his desk, and every time he saw it, his heart sang a little song.
Why might the author have said that Toby's "heart sang a little song"?
Read this sentence from the text.
It was an authentic moon rock, brought home by his brother from space camp.
How could you rewrite this sentence without changing its meaning?
What happens during a dust storm?
The author lists different things people do to protect themselves during a dust storm. What is one of these things?
The text states that dust storms can be very dangerous. What evidence from the text best supports this statement?
Paul Fisher was out walking his dog Jimbo in Arizona when he saw an intense dust storm approaching. The passage says that he grabbed Jimbo, ran back to the house, and was able to get inside just before the storm hit. How can Paul’s actions best be described?
What is the main idea of this text?
Read the following sentences:
“Weather forecasters are always trying to get better at predicting when a dust storm will happen. The sooner they know a dust storm is coming, the sooner they can warn people about it.”
As used in the passage, what does the word “predicting” mean?
How does Louis first try to solve the problem of cold feet?
Putting his feet in a hot bath helps Louis warm up his feet. Which details from the story support this conclusion?
How could Louis have prevented cold feet in bed?
What is this story mostly about?
Read the following sentences:
“It was cold down there. Not as cold as it was before—not very cold—but still chilly. He felt the warmth fade. About to panic, he looked around for something to help. Beside the bed, just within arm’s reach, were the clothes he had been wearing that afternoon. He grabbed his pants, shirt, long underwear and big winter coat.”
What does “fade” mean as used in this sentence?