General English Level 5 GELEV5 Unit 03 Topic 03.doc  READING 02 Being prepared Read the pamphlet Sophie picked up from the library on self-defence and first aid. Crime Prevention There are many things you can do to prevent a mugging. First of all, never show large amounts of money or valuables. If you are a woman, you should carry your handbag tucked close to your body, so that a thief cannot grab it. If you are a man, you shouldn’t carry your wallet in the back pocket of your trousers. Instead, you should put it in an inside jacket pocket. If you are attacked for your money, give it to the thief, or you could be seriously hurt. Self Defence One way to defend yourself against a mugger is to use a pepper spray – this is pointed at the mugger’s eyes and causes pain and blindness for a few minutes. You can also use a shrill alarm, to bring attention to what is happening. If you see another person being mugged, first assess the situation. You can try to stop the mugger, but the best thing to do is call the police. Try to memorise as much as possible about what happened, and you mustn’t forget the appearance of the mugger. First Aid If you find a victim of a mugging or accident, there are many things you can do before the ambulance and/or police arrive. Take charge of things if necessary. First check if the victim is conscious. If not, check for a pulse and clear the airway. Probably the victim will be in shock and may be injured. If they are bleeding, try to stop the bleeding and apply a dressing. Strap up any broken bones with bandages. If they are in shock, try to maintain body temperature (37.5 o C) by wrapping them in a blanket. Continually check pulse, breathing and skin colour. Dictionary valuables to memorise maintain to tuck to grab Assess shrill Vocabulary take charge control strap up wrap tightly 102 QUESTLANGUAGE