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.
Kevin and Dorothy are having a conversation about fire safety.
Kevin:
Dorothy, did you hear about the house fire yesterday near my home?
Dorothy:
Yes, I did. I heard the fire broke out in the kitchen
Kevin:
Yes, it started because of a bad electrical cord.
Dorothy:
That’s what I heard. Also, I heard the smoke alarms didn’t work.
Kevin:
It’s true. That’s why it’s good to test the smoke alarms every month and check the batteries every year.
Dorothy:
You’re right! It’s also good to have fire extinguishers in the house and prepare a fire escape plan.
Kevin:
In addition, you should always have the fire department’s phone number with you.
Dorothy:
That sounds like a good plan to me.
Kevin:
I agree. Do you check your home for fire hazards?
Dorothy:
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. |
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| electrical cord | (n) a cable used to transmit electricity to household items The electrical cord needs to be replaced so the lamp works. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| batteries | (n – plural) a device that is placed inside a machine to give it power. The flashlight needs batteries to make it work. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| hazards | (n – plural) a source of danger Fire hazards need to be fixed to prevent fires. |
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| prevention | (n) the act or practice of stopping something bad from happening Fire prevention is necessary to stop fires from starting. |
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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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