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進入《中英對照讀新聞》FEMA suggests Christmas gifts for the disaster age 美國聯邦急難管理署推薦因應災變時期的耶誕禮物
◎魏國金
Imagine tearing open that large present under the Christmas tree with your name on it and finding inside... a fire extinguisher. Or a foldable ladder. Or a smoke alarm in that smaller box.
設想拆開聖誕樹下有你名字的大禮物，結果發現裡面是…一個滅火器。或摺疊式梯子。或在小盒內是煙霧警報器。
Those, plus a home disaster kit including food, water and prescription medications for 72 hours, or a first aid certification course are just some of the gifts that the US Federal Emergency Management Agency （FEMA） is suggesting Americans give their loved ones this holiday season.
那些，加上裝有維持72小時所需的食物、水與處方藥品的家庭急難包，或一期的急救證書課程，正是聯邦急難管理署（FEMA） 建議美國人民在此耶誕假期給予所愛的一些禮物。
"Giving a gift of a fire extinguisher might not be the first thing that springs to mind, but for the guy who has everything, it might be perfect," FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said.
FEMA署長傅格特說︰「送一個滅火器禮物或許不是心裡閃現的第一個想法，但對於什麼都有的傢伙，它可能很理想。」
FEMA also advised that, in addition to reading "The Night Before Christmas" to the kids, you take the occasion of having the whole family together to "develop a family disaster plan."
FEMA也建議，除了給孩子唸「平安夜」的故事外，你可趁此全家團圓的機會，「擬定家庭災難應變計畫」。
"What we’re saying is that the holidays are the only time families really get together. So it’s the ideal time to talk about a family plan in the event of a disaster," Fugate said.
「我們說的是這個假期是家人真正團聚的唯一時刻。所以是討論家庭災難應變計畫的理想時刻，」傅格特指出。
新聞辭典
disaster kit︰急難包。kit即是工具包、用品箱。比如，a first-aid kit（急救箱）。
spring︰在此有突然閃現之意。例句︰A rude remark sprang to my lips, but I managed not to say it.（一句無禮粗話突然來到我嘴邊，可是我總算沒說出來。）
take（seize）occasion︰趁機。例句︰I take occasion to tell him my work.（我趁機對他談談我的工作。）
