Calling for Safe Celebrations This Fourth of July

　　Last Fourth of July, Pete, a 14-year-old boy, was enjoying the lit-up skies and loud booms from the fireworks being set off1 in his neighborhood. Suddenly, the evening took a terrible turn2.A bottle rocket shot into his eye, immediately causing him terrible pain. His family rushed him to the emergency room for treatment. As a result of the injury, Pete developed glaucoma and cataracts. Today, Pete has permanent vision loss in his injured eye because of his bottle rocket injury.

　　June is Fireworks Eye Safety Awareness Month, and through its Eye Smart campaign the American Academy of Ophthalmology wants to remind consumers to leave fireworks to professionals. "There is nothing worse than a Fourth of July celebration ruined by someone being hit in the eye with a bottle rocket," said Dr. John C. Hagan, clinical correspondent for the Academy and an ophthalmologist at Discover Vision Centers in Kansas City. "A safe celebration means letting trained professionals handle fireworks while you enjoy the show."

　　According to the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 9,000 fireworks related injuries happen each year. Of these, nearly half are head-related injuries, with nearly 30 percent of these injuries to the eye. One-fourth of fireworks eye injuries result in3 permanent vision loss or blindness. Children are the most common victims of firework abuse, with those fifteen years old or younger accounting for4 50 percent of fireworks eye injuries in the United States. Dr. Hagan estimates that his practice sees more than 30 injuries each year from fireworks.

　　Even fireworks that many people consider safe represent a threat to the eyes. For children under the age of five, apparently harmless sparklers account for one-third of all fireworks injuries. Sparklers can bum at nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

　　词汇：

　　Fireworks n.烟火 professional n.专业人员

　　Glaucoma 凡.青光眼 abuse n.伤害

　　Cataract n.白内障 sparkler n.花炮

　　ophthalmology n.眼科学 Fahrenheit n.华氏

　　注释：

　　1.set off：点燃

　　2.took a terrible turn：发生恶转

　　3.result in：导致

　　4.accounting for：(指数量)占 ‘

　　练习：

　　1. What happened to Pete last Fourth of July?

　　A He was burned in a house fire.

　　B He was caught in a rain.

　　C He was injured in a fight.

　　D He was hit in the eye.

　　2. The American Academy of Ophthalmology calls on consumers to___________.

　　A celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks.

　　B leave fireworks to professionals in their celebrations.

　　C stop celebrating the Fourth of July altogether.

　　D set off fireworks together with trained professionals.

　　3. How many fireworks eye injuries occur in the US each year?

　　A About 9,000.

　　B About 4,500.

　　C About 1,350.

　　D About 30.

　　4. Fireworks eye injuries can result in each of the following EXCEPT____________.

　　A blindness.

　　B permanent vision loss.

　　C glaucoma and cataracts.

　　D head-related injuries.