Vocabulary lesson plan & materials

Emergency

Accidents, emergency response and safety through vocabulary, reading, discussion, role-play and creative writing.

Accidents
Emergency
Vocabulary
Reading
Speaking
Writing
Grammar in Context
Road Safety

Active Vocabulary

injury
emergency
paramedic
collision
witness
crash
damage
casualty
unsafe
rescue
ambulance
alert
to pull over
to get injured
car accident
minor injuries
serious condition
recovery
happen
occur

B2 — Match the Words with the Definitions

1. alert — i. a warning signal or message that indicates a potentially dangerous situation

2. injury — a. physical harm or damage to the body caused by an accident or violence

3. minor injuries — g. physical harm or damage to the body that is not severe or life-threatening

4. serious condition — k. a state of being severely ill or injured and requiring urgent medical attention

5. damage — n. physical harm caused to something which makes it less useful, attractive, or valuable

6. crash — c. a sudden violent impact of one object against another, typically in a vehicle accident

7. to pull over — j. to move a vehicle to the side of the road and stop

8. rescue — f. saving someone from a dangerous or difficult situation

9. recovery — m. the process of returning to a normal state of health, mind, or strength after an illness or injury

10. occur — q. to happen or take place

11. casualty — p. a person killed or injured in a war or accident

12. happen — l. to take place or occur without being planned or expected

13. witness — o. a person who sees an event happen and can provide information about it

14. emergency — b. a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action

15. collision — h. an accident that happens when two objects hit each other with force

16. to get injured — s. to sustain physical harm or damage to the body as a result of an accident or violence

17. ambulance — d. a vehicle equipped for taking sick or injured people to and from the hospital

18. car accident — t. a collision involving one or more vehicles on a road or highway

19. paramedic — e. a healthcare professional who is trained to give emergency medical treatment before a patient reaches the hospital

20. unsafe — r. not safe; likely to cause harm or danger

Answers

1 i · 2 a · 3 g · 4 k · 5 n · 6 c · 7 j · 8 f · 9 m · 10 q · 11 p · 12 l · 13 o · 14 b · 15 h · 16 s · 17 d · 18 t · 19 e · 20 r

Accidents

Text 1

Accidents

B1–B2

Accidents can happen anytime and anywhere. A car accident is one of the most common types of accidents that can cause injury or damage to property. If you witness a collision, it's important to pull over to the side of the road and call for help. You should also alert the emergency services and wait for them to arrive.

When the paramedics arrive, they will assess the situation and provide medical attention to those who have been injured. If someone has minor injuries, they may be treated on the scene. However, if someone is in a serious condition, they will be taken to the hospital by ambulance.

It's important to remember that accidents can be prevented by being safe and following traffic rules. Always wear your seatbelt and avoid using your phone while driving. If you see an unsafe driver, keep a safe distance and report them to the authorities.

If you get injured in an accident, it's important to seek medical attention right away. Even minor injuries can become serious if left untreated. Recovery from an injury can take time, so it's important to rest and follow the doctor's instructions.

In conclusion, accidents can occur at any time and it's important to be prepared. If you witness an accident, call for help and stay calm. Follow safety guidelines to prevent accidents from happening and seek medical attention if you get injured.

Task 1 — Fill in the Blanks

Accidents can _____(1) anytime and anywhere. A _____(2) is one of the most common types of accidents that can cause _____(3) or _____(4) to property. If you _____(5) a _____(6), it's important _____(7) to the side of the road and call for help. You should also _____(8) the _____(9) services and wait for them to arrive.

When the paramedics arrive, they will _____(10) the situation and _____(11) medical attention to those who have been injured. If someone has _____(12), they may be treated on the scene. However, if someone is in a _____(13), they will be taken to the hospital by _____(14).

It's important to remember that accidents can be prevented by being _____(15) and following traffic rules. If you see an _____(16) driver, keep a safe distance and _____(17) them to the authorities.

If you get injured in an accident, it's important to _____(18) medical attention right away. Even minor injuries can become serious if left _____(19). _____(20) from an _____(21) can take time.

In conclusion, accidents can _____(22) at any time. If you _____(23) an accident, call for help and stay calm. Follow safety guidelines to _____(24) accidents from happening.

Answers

1 happen · 2 car accident · 3 injury · 4 damage · 5 witness · 6 collision · 7 to pull over · 8 alert · 9 emergency · 10 assess · 11 provide · 12 minor injuries · 13 serious condition · 14 ambulance · 15 safe · 16 unsafe · 17 report · 18 seek · 19 untreated · 20 recovery · 21 injury · 22 occur · 23 witness · 24 prevent

Task 2 — Choose the Correct Answer

What is one of the most common types of accidents that can cause injury or damage to property?
- AA plane crash
- BA car accident
- CA boat collision
- DA train derailment
What should you do if you witness a collision?
- ADrive away quickly
- BIgnore it
- CPull over and call for help
- DPost pictures online
What should happen if someone has minor injuries?
- AThey must always be taken by ambulance
- BThey should be left at the scene
- CThey may receive medical attention on the scene
- DCall the police only
What should you do if you see an unsafe driver?
- AFollow closely
- BReport them to the authorities
- CIgnore them
- DSpeed up and pass them
What should you do if you get injured in an accident?
- ASeek medical attention right away
- BWait a few days
- CIgnore it
- DTreat it yourself
What can happen if minor injuries are left untreated?
- AThey always heal alone
- BThey can become serious
- CThey disappear
- DThey never heal
What should you do to prevent accidents?
- AFollow traffic rules
- BDrive as fast as possible
- CUse your phone while driving
- DIgnore safety guidelines
What should you do if you witness an accident?
- APanic and run away
- BCall for help and stay calm
- CPost pictures online
- DDrive away
What should you do if you get injured in an accident?
- ASeek medical attention right away
- BWait a few weeks
- CTreat it yourself
- DIgnore it
What is the main message of the text?
- AAccidents can happen anytime and anywhere
- BAccidents are not a big deal
- CYou should ignore accidents
- DYou should never seek medical attention

Answers

1 b · 2 c · 3 c · 4 b · 5 a · 6 b · 7 a · 8 b · 9 a · 10 a

Task 3 — Answer the Questions

What is one of the most common types of accidents that can cause injury or damage to property?
What should you do if you witness a collision?
Who will assess the situation and provide medical attention?
How are minor injuries treated on the scene?
What happens if someone is in a serious condition?
How can accidents be prevented?
What should you do if you see an unsafe driver?
Why is it important to seek medical attention right away?
What should you do to recover from an injury?
What is the main message of the text?

Answers

A car accident.
Pull over, call for help, alert emergency services, and wait.
Paramedics.
They may be treated on the scene.
They are taken to hospital by ambulance.
By being safe and following traffic rules.
Keep a safe distance and report them.
Even minor injuries can become serious if untreated.
Rest and follow the doctor's instructions.
Be prepared, prevent accidents where possible, and seek medical attention if injured.

John’s Accident

Text 2

John’s Accident

B1–B2

It was a beautiful day and John was driving his car to work. Suddenly, he heard a loud noise and felt a jolt. He had been in a car accident! He quickly pulled over to the side of the road and got out of his car to see what had happened.

Another car had collided with him. The damage to both cars was very bad. A witness called the emergency services and an ambulance was on its way. John had some minor injuries, but the other driver was in a serious condition. The paramedics arrived quickly and took the injured driver to the hospital.

The police came too and asked John and the witness what had happened. They explained that the accident had occurred because the other driver was driving unsafely. The police alerted the tow truck to remove the damaged cars from the road.

John was shaken by the accident but he was grateful that he wasn't seriously hurt. He hoped that the other driver would make a full recovery soon.

Task 1 — Fill in the Blanks

He had been in a _____(1)! Another car had collided with him. The _____(2) to both cars was very bad. A _____(3) called the _____(4) services and an _____(5) was on its way.

John had some _____(6), but the other driver was in a _____(7). The police asked John and the _____(8) what had happened. They explained that the accident had occurred because the other driver was driving _____(9). The police _____(10) the tow truck.

John hoped that the other driver would make a full _____(11) soon.

Answers

1 car accident · 2 damage · 3 witness · 4 emergency · 5 ambulance · 6 minor injuries · 7 serious condition · 8 witness · 9 unsafely · 10 alerted · 11 recovery

Task 2 — Choose the Correct Answer

What was John doing when the accident happened?
- AWalking to work
- BRiding his bike
- CDriving his car to work
- DTaking the bus
What did John hear and feel?
- AA loud noise and a jolt
- BA soft noise and a push
- CA loud noise and a push
- DA soft noise and a jolt
What did John do after the accident?
- ADrove away
- BGot out to see what had happened
- CCalled emergency services
- DWent to work
What had collided with John's car?
- AA truck
- BAnother car
- CA motorcycle
- DA bicycle
What was the condition of the other driver?
- ANo injuries
- BMinor injuries
- CSerious condition
- DUnconscious
Who called the emergency services?
- AJohn
- BThe witness
- CThe other driver
- DThe police
What did the police do after they arrived?
- ATook John to hospital
- BAsked John and the witness what happened
- CArrested John
- DLeft the scene
Why did the accident occur?
- AJohn drove unsafely
- BThe witness drove unsafely
- CThe other driver drove unsafely
- DThe police drove unsafely
What did the police do next?
- ALeft the scene
- BArrested John
- CAlerted a tow truck
- DTook John to hospital
How did John feel after the accident?
- AAngry
- BHappy
- CGrateful he wasn't seriously hurt
- DSad that he caused it

Answers

1 c · 2 a · 3 b · 4 b · 5 c · 6 b · 7 b · 8 c · 9 c · 10 c

Task 3 — Answer the Questions

What happened to John while he was driving?
How did John react?
What caused the accident according to John and the witness?
Was anyone seriously injured?
Who called the emergency services, and what happened after they arrived?
Did the police come to the scene? Why?
How did John feel about the accident?

Answers

He was in a car accident.
He pulled over and got out to see what had happened.
The other driver was driving unsafely.
Yes, the other driver was in a serious condition.
A witness called; the injured driver was taken to hospital.
Yes, to investigate what had happened.
He was shaken but grateful he wasn't seriously hurt.

A Car Accident

Text 3

A Car Accident

Dialogue

Tom: What has happened here? Why is the traffic backed up?
James: Looks like a car accident. There's an ambulance and paramedic over there.
Tom: Oh no, I hope nobody got injured.
James: Unfortunately, it looks serious. The paramedics are checking on the driver now.

Tom: Did you see what had happened?
James: No, I didn't witness the collision, but that car seems to have hit the fence really hard. The airbags went off.
Tom: Look at all the damage! I wonder how fast they were going...
James: It's always unsafe to speed, especially in residential areas. Let's pull over and see if we can help somehow.

Tom: Good idea. Do they need any assistance?
Paramedic: Hello gentlemen, thanks for stopping. We've called for backup. One person is in a serious condition; three others have minor injuries. Can you please stay with them until the recovery team arrives?
James: Of course. Is there anything else we can do?
Paramedic: Just keep everyone alert and calm. And make sure nobody moves or gets out of their vehicle unless we say it's okay.

James: Hey, Tom...this could be a good opportunity to teach our kids about road safety and accidents. Maybe we should talk to them about this later.
Tom: Yeah, absolutely. It's important for them to learn how to react in emergencies and avoid getting hurt in situations like these.

Task 1 — Fill in the Blanks

James: Looks like a _____(1). There's an _____(2) and _____(3) over there.

James: No, I didn't _____(4) the _____(5), but that car seems to have hit the fence really hard.

Tom: Look at all the _____(6)!

James: It's always _____(7) to speed.

_____(8): We've called for backup. One person is in a _____(9), three others have _____(10). Can you please stay with them until the _____(11) team arrives?

_____(12): Just keep everyone _____(13) and calm.

Answers

1 car accident · 2 ambulance · 3 paramedic · 4 witness · 5 collision · 6 damage · 7 unsafe · 8 paramedic · 9 serious condition · 10 minor injuries · 11 recovery · 12 paramedic · 13 alert

Task 2 — True or False

1. There was a car accident causing traffic to back up.

TrueFalse

2. The paramedics have already taken the injured to the hospital.

TrueFalse

3. James witnessed the collision.

TrueFalse

4. The car hit a pedestrian.

TrueFalse

5. The airbags didn't go off.

TrueFalse

6. James says speeding is especially unsafe in residential areas.

TrueFalse

7. The recovery team has already arrived.

TrueFalse

8. The paramedic asked James and Tom to stay with the injured until the recovery team arrives.

TrueFalse

9. The text explicitly states that speeding caused the accident.

TrueFalse

10. James and Tom thought the accident was a good opportunity to teach their kids about road safety.

TrueFalse

Answers

1 True · 2 False · 3 False · 4 False · 5 False · 6 True · 7 False · 8 True · 9 False · 10 True

Five Opinions

Text 4

Jack

“Accidents happen because people are not careful. It's their own fault. Last year, I was driving to work and saw a car swerve out of its lane because the driver was on their phone. They hit another car head-on. Luckily, nobody was seriously hurt, but it could have been avoided if they were more attentive.”

Samantha

“Accidents are terrible. I've personally experienced the impact of one. Two years ago, my cousin and I were swimming in the ocean when a big wave hit us. She hit her head on a rock and suffered a major concussion. It was scary seeing her like that and it took months for her to fully recover.”

Chris

“I don't know what to think about accidents. They can happen anytime, anywhere and to anyone. I always ride a motorcycle to work, and my co-workers tell me that it's dangerous. But my dad has been doing it his whole life without any issues. I'm really confused about it all.”

Emily

“Accidents are a nightmare. My aunt was in a car crash and she's still traumatized. She won't even drive anymore. She gets panic attacks just thinking about it. I wish there was a way to completely eliminate accidents.”

Jared

“What's wrong with people? Why wouldn't you be careful and pay attention? Accidents are horrible! You're just minding your own business and then BAM! you're in the hospital fighting for your life. It's ridiculous. People need to wake up and realize that their thoughtless actions can kill someone.”

Facts

1

Accidents are the leading cause of death for people between ages 1–44.

2

More than 90% of all road accidents are caused by human error.

3

Distracted driving leads to more than 3,000 deaths and 400,000 injuries each year.

4

Falls are the leading cause of accidental death in people over the age of 65.

5

Workplace accidents cost the U.S. economy more than $50 billion annually.

6

Most accidents occur within 25 miles of home.

7

Being drowsy while driving is a leading cause for 100,000 car accidents every year.

8

On average, distracted driving increases the chance of an accident by 23 times.

9

More than 5,000 pedestrians are killed each year in traffic accidents in the United States.

10

There's a car accident every 60 seconds in the United States.

Role-Play Games

A Car Accident

Instructions

Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
Assign roles to each student: Driver (D) and Witness (W).
Provide each group with prompts or cues to guide their dialogue.
Encourage students to use the vocabulary related to accidents in their conversations.
After the role play, have a class discussion to reflect on the scenario and vocabulary used.

Driver (D)

You were driving your car when the accident happened. Describe what happened and how you feel. Ask the witness for their contact information and whether they saw what happened.

Witness (W)

You saw the accident happen and rushed to help. Describe what you saw and how you feel. Provide your contact information and offer assistance.

Example Dialogue

D: (Shaken) Excuse me, I was involved in an accident. Could you please help me? I'm not sure what to do.
W: Of course! I saw the accident happen. Are you okay? Can you tell me what happened?
D: I was driving down the street when suddenly another car crashed into me from the side. I'm a bit shaken, but I think I'm alright.
W: That sounds scary. I'm glad you're okay. Did you get the other driver's contact information?
D: No, I didn't. I was so overwhelmed by the situation. Do you think you could help me with that?
W: Absolutely. I saw everything. I can provide a witness statement and give you my contact information if needed. Also, should we call the emergency services?
D: Yes, that's a good idea. Let's call the emergency services right away. Thank you for your help.

Discussion Questions

Have you ever been in an accident before?
What kind of accidents are common in your country?
Do you know anyone who has been in a serious accident?
How can we prevent accidents from happening?
What should you do if you witness an accident?
Have you ever witnessed a car accident?
What is the most dangerous type of accident?
Can you think of any famous accidents that have happened in history?
What safety precautions do you take when driving or riding a bike?
Have you ever had a close call with an accident?

More Advanced

Have you ever been in a serious accident? If so, can you tell me about it?
What are some common causes of car accidents in your country?
Should people be required to take regular driving tests throughout their lives?
How has technology impacted the number of road accidents?
Have you ever witnessed an accident happen? What did you do?
What is the most effective way to reduce the number of road accidents?
Are there any safety measures that you always follow when driving or traveling as a passenger?
Can you think of any famous accidents that have happened in history?
Are accidents mostly caused by human error or external factors such as weather?
Have you ever had to deal with the aftermath of an accident?

Creative Writing

Personal Essay Topics

My scariest accident and how I overcame my fear.
The importance of wearing a helmet while riding a bike.
How I learned to be more careful after an accident.
The role of first aid in helping someone who has had an accident.
The funniest thing that happened to me after an accident.

General Essay Topics

Accidents can happen to anyone, anytime. Do you agree?
Accidents are caused by carelessness. What do you think?
Some people believe that accidents can be avoided. Do you agree or disagree?
Accidents can have serious consequences. What are some ways we can prevent them?
Accidents can teach us important lessons. What have you learned from an accident you had?

More Advanced — Personal Topics

My experience surviving a car accident and how it changed my perspective on life.
The lessons I learned from a near-death experience while hiking in the mountains.
How a workplace accident led me to pursue a career in occupational safety and health.
Overcoming the fear of getting back on the road after a motorcycle accident.
The impact of a sports injury on my athletic career and mental health.

More Advanced — General Topics

Accidents happen every day, but who is responsible when they occur? Is it always the fault of the person involved?
With the rise of distracted driving, to what extent should governments regulate phone use while driving?
Many people believe accidents can be prevented if everyone follows the rules. Others argue that taking risks is necessary for progress and innovation. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Some people say accidents are a part of life and cannot be avoided. Others believe education and training can prevent most accidents. Which view do you agree with?
To what extent are helmet and seat-belt laws effective in preventing accidents?