Reading Aloud 3

Don't abuse ambulance service

Some Hongkongers call for an ambulance even though it is not an emergency. This cannot be solved by grading calls according to their urgency. It is difficult for paramedics to classify emergency calls without the public's co-operation.

People who call the service usually want the ambulance to come as soon as possible. So some of them might lie about their condition to the paramedics. The problem is "bogus" emergency calls put the lives of people who really need medical assistance in danger.

We need to be more disciplined to prevent the abuse of ambulance services. All of us have the responsibility to ensure the resources are used only in a real emergency.

Milly Tsang (7B)
South China Morning Post ( November 5, 2008 )

Vocabulary

1. ambulance (n) 救護車
2. emergency (n) 緊急情況
3. paramedics (n) 醫務輔助人員
4. bogus (adj) 虛假的
5. responsibility (n) 責任

Useful Sentences

1. difficult to do sth 困難的
   Her behaviour became increasingly difficult to understand.       

2. lie about 撒謊
He had to lie about his age to get into the army.

3. put sb’s life in danger 危害某人生命
  A medical blunder may put the patient’s life in danger.

4. abuse of power/position濫權/職權
  What she did was an abuse of her position as manager.

5. responsibility to do / doing sth 有責任
  They have responsibility for ensuring that the rules are enforced.

6. come to sb’s assistance 來幫助
  Despite her cries, no one came to her assistance.