2 . Can you survive an unannounced storm? Although there is expert broadcasting and we are equipped with cell phones, there’re still some instances(情况) when the violent weather takes us by surprise.

While most Atlantic hurricanes form off the coast of Africa giving plenty of early warning, sudden Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico hurricanes form and move rapidly in less than a day’s time, endangering everyone and everything in their path.

Oil workers were trapped off the shore when sudden storms appeared. Natural scientists have been stuck in coastal areas without storm warning. Ten years ago a Texas National Guard group was trapped on the beach by rain-forced flooding and had to ride out(经受的住) a major hurricane during a training exercise. There’ve been a few instances when travelers were trapped on an island or in a coastal area and unable to escape in time.

Escaping from the storm-threatened areas is generally a choice for most of us—but not for all. Each year thousands of islanders across the Caribbean face the danger of hurricanes without so much as a public shelter to hide in. Most ride out the storm in their homes.

But there’re a few things you can do to prepare yourself for some unexpected emergencies. Being prepared for the unexpected may be your best and only defense. If you’re headed outdoors for a few days or weeks, you should always carry a flashlight (手电筒) with extra batteries, a Beidou device (装置), and a basic medical box. If you’re traveling in your car, remember you may suffer high winds. You’d better not stay inside to avoid being blown away along with your car. Keeping your head and your courage up is essential to survival in any type of danger. Let common sense guide you and always be prepared for the worst.

Both of my parents worked full-time when I was a little girl, so my grandmother would stay at our house during the day. We would watch game shows in the living room. Our favorite was The Price is Right. We would call out our answers along with the players.

When I got older and started going to school, we couldn't watch our game shows regularly. That was okay with me, though, because the one thing I liked better than watching game shows with my grandmother was helping bake. Watching her in the kitchen was amazing: she never seemed to need the recipes but everything she made tasted delicious.

At first I would just sit in the kitchen and watch, even though I didn’t understand what she was doing. As I got older, she let me help with the easy parts, such as measuring the sugar. The day she let me separate the eggs. I felt like I had found complete pleasure.

At last. my parents decided that I could take care of myself, and my grandmother stopped coming over every day. The love of baking, however, stayed with me. I started baking by myself, and even if the cookies ended up being burnt sometimes, more often they turned out pretty well. I tried out new recipes, and whenever I got to a thorny part. I would call my grandmother for advice. Sometimes I would call her just to talk, too. I felt like I could talk to her about anything.

My grandmother passed away ten years ago, but I still think of her every day, Last week, I found a recipe book she made for me. It included her recipes for brownies, cookies, and my favorite, lemon pie stout anything. As I looked through the pages, I thought I could hear her voice. She was the one who taught me not just about baking, but about life.