4 . My friend James did some first-aid training last week to learn the fundamentals of the CPR. And he asked if I’d ever done the same.

“Yes,” I said, “…and no.”

Because, yes, I’ve attended several resuscitation (复苏) sessions over the years.     1     In fact, despite being shown all the key information at various points in my career, I don’t think I can remember any of it now.

What’s the problem? Every time I’ve had this type of training, it’s been a perfectly good opportunity to learn: an important topic, taught well, in a focused environment, with plenty to see, hear and do. I’ve always taken it seriously, too, and been focused. And I’ve always come away with a wealth of information.     2    

Here’s what I should have done — and what you can do now — to make sure any training doesn’t go to waste.

•     3     You might be surprised to find that you’ve got some foundations of knowledge to build on. Pre-testing sparks your curiosity and puts you in a frame of mind to remember.

• Challenge your recall later.     4     If it’s hard to remember, but just about possible with effort, then that’s perfect. You need that little bit of struggle to start embedding (把……嵌入) information in your brain.

• Keep coming back. Put a note in your diary to test yourself again in a week, then ten days after that, then a month on…leaving longer gaps between checks.     5    

Talking to James has inspired me to book myself onto yet another CPR course. But this time I’m determined to do it right. Remember that it’s the next day when the real training begins.

5 . Practicing general water safety

A day at the pool or the beach can be a very relaxing activity.    1    By practicing water safety rules, you can keep both you and those around you safe.

Strengthen your swimming skills.

    2    If you do not know what you are doing, it is possible you could make the situation worse, despite your best intentions. If you are going to be near water, or plan to be, it’s a great idea to take an advanced swimming course.

Practice caution.

Accidents happen, and it is certainly not possible to ensure that drowning incidents don’t occur. However, there are many steps you can take to reduce the possibility.    3    If possible, take a cellphone with you to the pool beach so that you can call for help if necessary.

Swim in designated (指定的) areas,

It is always best to swim with a lifeguard on duty. This is important for everyone, even strong swimmers. If you are going to be swimming in a pool, look for one with a regular lifeguard. Do not go in natural bodies of water if the conditions are unfavorable. For example, do not go in a lake if it is especially windy and the waves are strong. You should avoid going in the ocean when the tides are very strong. Many beaches post signs or flags advising you of conditions.    4    

    5    

While anyone can drown, children are especially susceptible (易受伤害的). If you have kids, make sure that you teach them to act responsibly around water. Have a set of rules for family swims, and make sure that your children understand them.

7 . In recent years, more and more people begin to receive some first aid training.     1     Ask any individual who has taken a first- aid training program if it is worth it and their answer will be “Yes!”

Besides saving lives, it does more. It’s true that having first-aid training helps save lives.     2     Giving appropriate first aid immediately can help to reduce a person’s recovery time and make a difference between whether the patient has a temporary or long-term disability.

It encourages healthy and safe living. One of the first things you will learn during your first-aid training is that you must look after yourself and ensure your own safety as a priority. It’s not being selfish but practical.    3    

It enables you to increase a patient’s comfort. Not all accidents, injuries or illnesses require a trip to the hospital.     4     A child crying because of an injured leg or with a fever is in pain and is suffering. By knowing how to act, you’ll help to reduce the child’s discomfort.

    5     In some situations if a patient doesn’t receive basic first aid care immediately their situation will become worse——often rapidly. A trained person would know how to keep the situation from becoming bad to worse. By being able to provide basic care you can stabilize (稳定) a patient until emergency medical services arrive.

10 . The organic (有机的) food market is made up of the sale of organic foods, drinks and related services. These food products do not use a lot of food additives or industrial solvent (溶剂).

Increasing health concerns about the growing number of chemical poisoning cases globally is acting as a driver in the organic food market. People are paying more attention to health because of the harmful effects caused by the presence of chemical pesticides (杀虫剂) in food products.

The chemical pesticides in food products can cause cancer. According to a UN report, around 200,000 people die every year due to bad effects of pesticides in food products. This is causing people to change their focus towards organic food products.

Are organic foods safer? We cannot say yes immediately. Some data show possible health benefits of organic foods. Some studies have shown differences between the organic foods and the traditional ones. But there is little information to prove how these differences can give overall health benefits.

Compared with the traditional foods and drinks, short shelf life of organic foods is controlling the organic food market. For example, a study conducted by a research team shows that the shelf life of organic food products is shorter than traditional products. Similarly, some researchers find that many organic foods have higher levels of bacteria than traditional products, which cause food to go bad. As organic foods don’t have the similar amount of preservative (防腐剂) to that of traditional foods, organic foods are easier to gain bacteria attacks and have a shorter shelf life, which in turn makes it difficult for people to keep them. Thus, people will experience a high risk of buying the bad organic foods.

The organic food market is controlled by authorities such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to ensure high-quality standards of food products. Also, the authorities have come up with strict food labeling rules for the organic food market.