首先,...

Q: You are the chairperson of the school hiking club. Recently there have been several reports of accidents that have happened to people hiking on their own in remote areas.

Write an article for your school newspaper offering advice to students on safety measures that they need to take when they should do in case of an emergency. Give your article an title.

A: [這篇答案來自pilot 參考書.]

Hiking in the picturesque countryside is beneficial to both our mind and souls. Not only can you strengthen your body and willpower, you can also refresh your ind through escaping from the hustle and bustle of the city. Yet, every rose has its thorn. Hiking may cause tragedies if people cannot get hold of the situation. Recently there have been several reports of accidents that have happened to people hiking on their own in remote areas.- getting lost, being hurt by plants, being robbed by illegal immigrants are emergencies frequently encountered by hikers. Yet, if you are adequately equipped and know exactly what to do under such emergencies, you can prevent misfortunes from happening. This article will firstly introduce to you the necessary safety measures to be taken when hiking. Being well-prepared, among all other factors, is the key to a safe trip.

To commence with, you should never go hiking alone. Having companions is more than just having somebody to talk to. You can always discuss with the others when you sense something going wrong. In case of an emergency, your pals can give you a hand. In particular, we recommend you to hike in a group of four or more.

Secondly, you should plan your route properly before you set out. While the sense of achievement of conquering a demanding route is too overwhelming to resist, you should never choose a route which exceeds your competence. Sleeping well the night before is also a means to protect yourself from exhaustion. Before leaving for your trip, you should check again if weather is suitable for hiking. If that happens to be a rainy or foggy day, putting off your trip will be a more sensible decision.

You should also equip yourself with essentials like a mobile phone, a map, a compass, sufficient food and water as well as a first-aid pack. Communication devices are especially crucial as you will need them to stay in touch with others. It is equally important to make sure that there is mobile coverage where you go hiking. You may feel the need to wear short-sleeved shirts and shorts for hiking, but what you should do is just the contrary-long sleeved shirts and trousers should be worn instead to prevent you from being scratched by prickly vegetation and get burnt by the scorching sun. They can also keep you warm even if the temperature drops suddenly. The last thing you should do before you leave your home is to inform your family about your trip. Give a brief account of where you are going and the approximate time of return. Your family can then seek help and inform the police of your whereabouts if you do not return home as scheduled.

Making precautions, pitifully, does not guarantee that emergencies would never happen. What you should do is to acquaint yourself with the skills in coping with contingencies. The first and unbeatable rule is to stay calm. A clear mind is the cornerstone of sensible decisions. You should then call 999 to seek help and give accurate information clearly. Stating where you are is of utmost importance. If there is a distance post nearby, cite its number so that the rescue team can locate you more efficiently While you are waiting for rescue, stay where you are unless your present location is particularly inappropriate, to avoid wasting your energy unnecessarily. In case you are  bleeding, try to stop it as soon as possible with the first aid kit that you bring with you. For other types of injury, especially sprain and joint dislocation, avoid unnecessary movements.

All in all, hiking is fun and you are sure to get the most out of it if you are, mentally and physically, well prepared for accepting the challenge.

English note:
1. get hold of the situation: 查字典話get hold of即是to find someone or obtain something, 我懷疑這篇文章作者用錯字.

2. emergencies : 緊急情況

3. adequately: 香港學生好鍾意用enough表示足夠, 其實英文的enough很多時用係動詞,形容詞和副詞後,例如old enough, warm enough. 我覺得更好的字係用sufficient,和adequate.

4. measures: measures作為措施, 除了用introduce(實施),也可用take作動詞.

5. to commence with: 即to begin with. 在口語, 大部分人都用start, 書面語則用begin較多. 無論口語定書面, commence都係少用的字.

6. set out :set out有幾個解釋. 呢度解「起程」.

7. competence :能力, exceed your competence即超越自己的能力.

8. ...happens to be...: 即 ...碰巧是..., 這裡即「若那天碰巧是雨天或多霧」.

9. put off= delay

10. scratched by prickly vegetation: scratch 係割傷, prickly 係多刺的, vegetation即係plants.

11. scorching sun: 即好熱的sun.

12. of utmost importance= very important

13. contingencies: 我地經常聽到咩"contingency plan", 解緊急應變計劃, 但本身呢個字解意外事件.

14. sprain : 扭傷.