牛津八年级下册Units14Travel precautions.docVIP

Travel precautions You’ve saved for years to visit Africa. And now, just weeks before your departure date, violence breaks out after the Kenyan elections. Should you take the risk of going or not? Even travelers who think they’re going to a safe place should stay alert (警惕的). Here are ways to make an informed (明智的) decision, keep yourself safe and possibly keep your savings intact (完好无损的) if the worst happens. 1. Find on-the-ground reports Obviously the most effective way to really know what’s happening is talking to people who are there. The key here is geography. Tourism bureaus can be useful. While it’s in their interest to attract visitors, it’s also in their interest to make sure tourists aren’t traveling into harm’s way. For more elaborate (精心计划的) trips, do the research before you book. 2. Check government warnings The first source to try is , the U.S. State Department’s website. Travel alerts tell you about short-term problems. Travel warnings are for ongoing danger. 3. Peruse (浏览) web forums As with any web search, you need to be selective about what’s reliable and what’s not. Try , an online visa and passport service that lists countries alphabetically and links to sources of information — newspaper websites, the State Department, web forums — about safety and a large number of other topics. You can get information from forums that may help you evaluate, but you can’t reliably get the whole picture here. 4. Get travel insurance Most policies (保险单) will cover some costs associated with canceling a trip, but vacations in a potentially dangerous place may need evacuation (撤出) insurance as well. Remember that the plan may not cover you if your destination is under a warning before you buy a policy. 5. Use common sense If you do decide to go ahead with your plans, pay attention. Don’t take flashy jewelry, don’t get drunk, and don’t hang out in dangerous places at night. Make copies of your passport and other important documents, and leave them with someone at h