Step 1: lead-in.

T: what do the two pictures above tell us?

S: Terrible accidents happened.

T: Every day we go to school and come back home by bus, by bike or on foot. We should know how to protect ourselves form the road accidents. Today we will learn a passage which tells us something about the traffic accidents and road safety.

First, let’s discuss the following questions:

1. What should you pay attention to when you go to school by bike?

2. What do you need to do to avoid accidents on your way to school on foot?

3. If you are a bus driver, what do you think you should or shouldn’t do when you drive students to their school?

4. What are the possible reasons for the traffic accident? What do you think should be done to avoid a traffic accident?

Discuss them in your groups and write your group answers down, then report them to the class.

Step 2: Part A

1. Reading

Now we are going to read an article entitled Traffic Accidents and Road Safety. From the title, what information do you think the reading passage will give us? (It will mainly talk about two things: the causes of traffic accidents and how to be safe on the road.)

Now read the article carefully and find answers to first four questions in Part B.

Answers

1 Traffic accidents involving vehicles are mainly caused by drivers who make incorrect actions, such as not paying attention while driving, being impatient in a traffic jam, speaking on a mobile phone while driving, drinking alcohol, speeding and so on.

2 Accidents involving bicycles are usually caused because cyclists are not paying attention to the cars around them, or carrying a passenger. Sometimes accidents occur with bicycles when the brakes on their bicycles do not work properly or their bicycles do not use lights at night.

3 There should be a light on the bicycle.

4 Pedestrians should always cross roads on a crossing. While crossing, they should look both ways and listen for cars.

2. Let’s check your understanding of the reading passage by more questions.

1) What is the purpose of the notice?

________________________________________________________________________

2) What is the most common cause of accidents?

________________________________________________________________________

3) Why is it dangerous for drivers to speak on mobile phones?

________________________________________________________________________

4) Can cyclists ride on the pavement? Why (not)?

________________________________________________________________________

5) What can we do to prevent accidents?

_______________________________________________________________________

Answers

1) The notice is aimed at increasing people’s awareness of the traffic problem.

2) Drivers not paying attention.

3) Because speaking on the phone requires concentration and takes a driver’s attention from the road.

4) No, they can’t. Because riding on the pavement can be dangerous to pedestrians. When on pavement, cyclists should walk next to their bicycles.

5) Pedestrians, cyclists and drivers should all obey traffic lights and make sure that we avoid accidents by paying attention to road safety.

3. Read the article again and complete the following notes:

The notice was released because ____________. (the number of accidents and the deaths arising from traffic accidents has increased greatly over the past year)

In order to prevent accidents, drivers should

_____________________________________;( pay attention to the surrounding traffic)

_____________________________________; (be patient in a traffic jam)

_____________________________________; (not speak on a mobile phone)

_____________________________________; (not drink alcohol)

_____________________________________; (not drive too fast)

In order to prevent accidents, cyclists should

_____________________________________; (always obey traffic laws)

_____________________________________; (pay attention to the cars that surround them)

_____________________________________; (not carry a passenger)

_____________________________________; (have a light on the bicycle at night)

_____________________________________; (keep the bicycle in good condition)

In order to prevent accidents, pedestrians should

_____________________________________; (always cross roads on a crossing)

_____________________________________; (look both ways and listen for cars while crossing the street)

_____________________________________; (never ignore traffic lights)

Step 3: Part B

Work in groups of four or six to discuss the questions 5-8 in Part B. Write down your answers. Then one student from each group presents your answers to the class. Other groups can give your comments.

Step 4: Exercises:

Complete the sentences with proper words or phrases from the article on pages 62-63 of the Student’s Book. Change the form where necessary.

1) There were 39, 000 new cases last year - an ____________ of 7 per cent.

2) He is still standing under the tree, not ____________ the danger.

3) My father was ____________ for dangerous driving yesterday.

4) He has been ____________ from his job for dishonesty.

5) It would be____________ to ignore these warnings.

6) Leaving your house unlocked is an open ____________ to burglars

7) The western part of China is in great ____________ of teachers.

8) Whenever you come into his room, it is always ____________.

9) I found it hard to follow what the teacher was saying, and eventually I lost ____________.

10) In ____________ cases, the disease can lead to blindness.

Answers

1) increase 2) aware of 3) fined 4) dismissed

5) irresponsible 6) invitation 7) need 8) orderly

9) concentration 10) extreme

Step 5: Homework:

1. Finish D1 and D2 on page 129 of the workbook.

2. Read the newspaper article in Part B on page 131 of the Workbook to know about an aeroplane accident many years ago.