TEXT E Ask people to name a safe
place and most will say "home". But every year the British Government produces
its official Home Accident Survey. This shows that home can be a dangerous
place. Last year 7 British citizens died while putting up their Christmas
decorations. Over 1,600 needed medical help after falling off their chairs. And
70 people had fatal accidents while lying in bed. It is safe to say that no
activity is without danger. Some of these accidents are just the
risks of modern living. We prefer to risk having a washing hour cleaning our
clothes by hand. But most fatal accidents are not the result of mechanical
failure. The two most common are falling down the stairs and going to sleep in
the bath. This shows that we are more at risk when we feel safe. Research into
driving habits proves this. Cars adapted with driver safety features tend to be
involved in more accidents. It seems that drivers who feel safe don’t bother
driving safely. It may well be that we need risk as a kind of
mental discipline. It sharpens up the mind’s decision making processes. This may
date from the origins of human civilization. Our remote ancestors were laced
with a choice. Leaving their cave might mean being eaten by wild animals, But
staying in the cave meant starving for certain. They took the risk and society
was born. Modern societies are designed to be safe. Yet this
produces a desire in individuals to look for danger. "Extreme sports" have
rapidly gained in popularity throughout the 1990s, As life gets safer and more
predictable, people feel the urge to ski down cliffs or throw themselves off
bridges attached to elastic ropes. Psychologists call this "self-actualization".
They mean a desire to be different and stand out from the crowd.
Most people do not want to risk their lives. But they will take risks in
other areas. For example, they risk failure when they go for promotion at work
or start new businesses. This is a more acceptable risk than mountain climbing.
Even when people fail, they are still alive. They may even get paid.
It is possible to say that the whole global economy simply consists of
people deciding whether to take risks or not. We all know of people who behave
recklessly and lose their friends, family or even homes. The stories of
those who risked everything on some enterprise and failed can be seen in any
newspaper or magazine. So maybe it is safer to keep your head
down at work. Perhaps now is not the time for that great business idea.
Shouldn’t we just play it safe But this too is risky. If we refuse to take any
risks, then we threaten our ability to think clearly. According to the
Home Accident Survey, twice as many people fall from short ladders than from
long ones. It is implied that______.
A.home is the most dangerous place B.most people takes risks in many areas besides risking their lives C.risk awareness may contribute to safety D.if we don’t take any risks, we will be able to think clearly