那么进入正题，首先大家最常犯的错误就是在尚未确认其他逃生路线时，就是急着开门。
If fire is on the other side of a door preventing you from escaping, one of the worst things you can do is open the door. Fires need oxygen to sustain itself and opening the door provides oxygen flow [(which]) exposes people to dangerous heat levels and toxic carbon-monoxide gas. Rather than immediately flinging open a door, first check for alternative exits into rooms where the flames have not yet spread or try to escape through a window if it is safe to do so.
(如果火势在门口的对侧且阻碍你逃生，那么你能做的最糟的事之一就是开门。火需要氧气来继续燃烧，开门就会提供氧气助燃，而后置你于危险的高温和有毒的一氧化碳中。因此，要先确认是否有其他火焰尚未蔓延的出口，或者在安全的情况下尝试从窗户逃出。)
prevent
prevent 为动词，意思是「防止，阻碍」，而最常见的用法是 prevent sb. from doing sth.，意思就是「阻碍某人做某件事」。
Harry’s injury prevented him from playing in the game.
Harry 的伤势使他无法参加比赛。
This cream helps prevent sunburn.
这个乳霜可以防止晒伤。
fling
fling 为动词，意思是「猛地做…」而它也有「猛掷，猛投」的意思。此单字动名词同形，当作名词时表示「短暂的欢乐时光」。注意其动词三态为 fling-flung-flung。
The window was flung open widely by the wind.
风把窗户猛然打开了。
之后文章说到如果你一定得把门打开，请记得关上它。
“If you need to escape through an open door, remember to close the door behind you so that oxygen from other rooms doesn’t further fuel the fire,” said Kerber. New York City firefighter Christopher Doyle also told INSIDER that closing doors as you leave a burning area can make a huge difference for arriving firefighters.
(如果你一定要从门逃生，切记要关上它，以防止其他房间中的氧气帮助火势燃烧。纽约消防队的 Christopher Doyle 也告诉 INSIDER 离开火区前有没有把门关上对之后抵达的消防人员会有很大的影响。)
fuel
fuel 在此为动词，意思是「为…添加燃料；激起」，当作名词时意思是「燃料」。
This car can be fuelled by ethanol.
这辆车可以用乙醇来当作燃料。
文章第三段说到绝对不要为了提供受困者氧气，而打破窗户，你能做的就是赶紧通报相关单位，至于为什么呢？让我们往下看：
“In a house fire, don’t break out the windows thinking you might give the trapped occupants more air — it only increases the fire’s development and intensity”. The best thing you can do for anyone inside a burning structure is to immediately call emergency services and be ready to tell firefighters the number of and location of any people who may be trapped inside.
(房屋着火时，不要自认为能提供受困者氧气就打开窗户，因为这样只会加剧火势的燃烧与严重性。你最该做的就是立刻打电话给紧急服务人员，并准备好告诉消防员可能被困在里面的人数和位置。)
occupant
occupant 为名词，意思是「居住者；占有者」，是由动词 occupy 衍生而来，此单字本身就有「占据，占有」的意思。
The boy is the only occupant in this apartment.
这位男孩是这栋公寓唯一的住户。
第四件你不该做的事就是尝试移动着火的锅具。
“For cooking fires, do not take a flaming pan from the stove and run outside to discard the pan. This is very common behavior and usually causes the fire to spread by spilling burning grease.” Instead, place a lid or metal cookie sheet over the pan and turn off the heat source.
(应对着火的锅具，不要将着火的平底锅从火炉移开并跑到外面把它丢弃。这是最常见的行为，而这常会导致溢出的油脂使火势蔓延。你该做的事情是盖上锅盖或是金属烤盘，然后关闭热源。)
discard
discard 意思是「丢弃，抛弃」。此单字动名词同形，当作名词使用时，表示「被抛弃的人事物」。
People shouldn’t discard their litter on the street.
人们不该把垃圾乱丢在街上。
下一段说到当你衣服着火时，不要四处乱跑。
…as moving around only fans the flames and can cause the fire to spread more rapidly across your clothing. Instead, stop moving, drop to the ground, and repeatedly roll over the flaming area until it is extinguished.
(四处逃窜只会煽动火焰，且可能使火势更迅速蔓延至全身的衣物上。你应该做的待在原地不动、躺在地上，将衣物已着火的部位在地上重复滚动直到熄灭。)
rapidly
rapidly 为副词，意思是「快速地，迅速地」。近义词为 quickly。
The world is changing rapidly.
这个世界瞬息万变。
接下来提到当火灾发生时，不要经过着火的房间。
If you try to stand in a burning room without protection, the air you breathe may burn your lungs and your clothes may melt onto your skin. If there is a lot of smoke around you as you try to escape, stay as low to the ground as you can. If possible, drop to the floor and quickly crawl toward an exit.
(如果你在毫无保护的情况下，想要在燃烧中的房间站起来，那么你吸进去的空气可能会灼伤你的肺，且衣物可能会融化到你的皮肤上。当你要逃出时，四周浓烟密布，因此要尽可能地与地面越近越好，如果可以的话，尽量趴在地上并快速地爬向出口。)
crawl
crawl 意思是「爬行，匍匐前进」，另外也有「巴结，讨好」的意思。此单字动名词同形，当作名词使用时有「爬行」的意思。
Meggie’s child has just learned to crawl.
Meggie 的小孩刚学会爬。
文章也说到当火灾发生时，不要使用电梯。
During a fire, elevators can malfunction, be disabled, and experience electrical issues. Plus, they can get stuck or even open up on the floor where the fire is occurring.
(发生火灾时，电梯可能会故障，失灵和出现电力问题。此外，它们也可能会卡住或什至在着火的楼层开门。)
malfunction
malfunction 为动词，意思是「故障，运转不正常」，此单字也可作名词使用，意思是「失灵，故障」。
The high temperature may cause the equipment to malfunction.
高温可能会导致这个装置出现问题。
Can you help me find out the source of the computer malfunction?
你可以帮我找出这部电脑故障的地方吗？
下一点提到当使用灭火器时，不要对准火焰的中间或是上方。
When using a fire extinguisher, pull the pin, aim at the base of the flames, squeeze the trigger, and sweep from side to side. Think of it like trying to kill a weed by snipping the top; if you don’t attack it at the roots, it will just grow back.
(使用灭火器时，拉插销，对准火焰底部，压握把，然后向火源左右移动喷洒。把这想成是想藉由剪掉顶端来除杂草；不从根部处理它，否则它还是会重新生长的。)
fire extinguisher
「灭火器」的英文为 fire extinguisher，extinguisher 这个字由动词 extinguish (扑灭) 衍生而来。补充，表示「扑灭」的动词除了 extinguish 之外，也可以用动词片语 put out。
Having a fire extinguisher in or outside your home is a necessity.
在你家中或是家门外配备一个灭火器是必须的。
aim
aim 为动词，意思是「使瞄准」，例如：aim sth. at sb. (使某物针对某人；使某物瞄准某人)。
The robber aimed his gun at the man.
抢匪持枪瞄准该名男子。
文章也说到不要想一个人对抗烈火。
“Do not attempt to put the fire out yourself. Each second increases your likelihood of smoke inhalation. Stay lowand leave the fire area as quickly as possible,” Doyle told INSIDER.
(Doyle 告诉 INSIDER：「不要试图自行扑灭大火，因为你每分每秒都在增加你吸入烟雾的可能性，所以要保持低姿势并尽快逃离火区。」)
attempt
attempt 动名词同形，意思是「尝试，企图」，例如：attempt to do sth.。
I will attempts to finish the project before May.
我会试着在五月之前完成这项计画。
最后一点也是很常见的错误，那就是冲进火场救人，这么做不仅可能救不出人，连你自己都可能葬身火场。
It can take mere seconds for someone to become overwhelmed by smoke or heat and lose consciousness and you put yourself at risk for those things when you go back inside of a burning building.
(一个人仅需几秒就能因为浓烟或热能而失去意识，而这些都是你闯入燃烧中的建筑物时会遇上的危险。)
mere
mere 为形容词，意思是「只不过，仅仅」，后面需接名词。较常见的是此单字的副词形态，merely 为副词，意同于 only。
Although it’s a mere 200 meters from my house to the convenience store, I’m still too lazy to go out.
尽管我家到便利商店仅距离 200 公尺，我还是懒得出门。
