如今，外语教材已突破以语言知识点为线索的编排体系，倡导以“话题”(Topics)（如“节日”“音乐”“电影”等）为主线安排教学内容，外语课堂也必将以“话题”为中心展开。“教学指导”专题每月选取一个“话题”，摘编最流行的词汇和最新的相关报道，为教师提供更丰富、更新鲜的教学资料和课堂活动设计方案，帮助教师营造轻松有趣的课堂气氛，让学生在体验真实语言的同时扩展视野。　　Bird Flu　　THE 9-year-old girl in east China's Zhejiang Province has died from bird flu, bringing China's death toll of the disease to 10.　　The girl, surnamed You, died on night of March 6 after all rescue efforts failed, according to the information office of the Ministry of Health.The girl was from Anji county, Huzhou city in the province. So far, no bird flu outbreak in poultry or new suspected human case has been detected in Zhejiang.　　The virus has spread rapidly since February. As of March 7, the Chinese mainland had reported 15 confirmed human cases of bird flu, among whom 10 have died. Globally, 175 human cases involving 95 deaths had been reported to the World Health Organization by March 6.　　Gas Blast in Mine　　A COLLIERY gas blast on February 1, 2006 killed at least 23 miners and sickened 53 others in North China's Shanxi Province.　　Altogether 697 miners were working in the pit when the blast went off around 7 p.m. at Sihe Coal Mine under the State-owned Jincheng Mining Group, said an official.　　The sickened miners were taken to a local hospital for observation and treatment. They were affected by carbon monoxide. One poisoned miner was still in critical condition. It was not clear if the 23 who were killed died from the blast or poisoning　　Despite repeated central government call for workplace safety, some local officials and mine owners have ignored safety rules in pursuit of profits at the expense of lives of workers.　　Ferry Disaster　　AN AGING Egyptian "roll-on roll-off" ferry named "Al-Salam Boccaccio 98"carrying more than 1,400 people has sunk in the Red Sea off the Saudi coast. Most of the passengers were Egyptian workers returning from their jobs in Saudi Arabia.　　The "roll-on roll-off" ferry has notorious safety records and easily sinks if it takes on water. It remains unclear exactly when Egyptian authorities first received the notice that the ferry had sunk. The boat disappeared from radar screens around 5 p.m. on Thursday, and no distress signals were sent out from the ferry. Survivors have reported that there was a shortage of life-saving equipment on board although the ship had a passenger safety certificate recording ample life jackets and boats.　　Floods　　MORE than 800 people have died in western Pakistan since early February due to flooding and landslides caused by heavy rain and snow.　　At least 2 million people have been affected in Balochistan and the North West Frontier Province by the disaster. Many of the victims are still waiting for government assistance and compensation. Throughout the province, there is an extensive damage to water supply and sanitation systems, electricity supplies, roads, bridges and communication networks. More than 40,000 acres of land under cultivation have been destroyed.　　Earthquake　　A MAJOR earthquake struck off the west coast of Indonesia late Monday, killing hundreds of people. On Indonesia's Nias Island at least 300 people died and hundreds more were reported injured or trapped.　　Between 10,000 and 15,000 people ran to hilltops for safety in case of a tsunami. Many doctors and nurses who normally would staff the hospital fled to higher grounds as well. Residents within 1,000 kilometres were urged to leave. Aid workers and officials were sent to the disaster sites after daylight broke in the region.　　

灾难报道常见词汇 survivor n.幸存者 victim n.受难者 rescue worker n.救援人员 escape v.逃离 ambulance n.救护车 relief centre n.救援中心 death toll n.死亡人数 damage v.破坏，损坏 the bereaved n.失去亲人的人（家庭） the disaster site n.灾难现场 casualty n.伤亡者 injure v.受伤 emergency room n.急诊室 a distress signal/beacon n.求救信号 Bird Flu pandemic n.传染病 domestic poultry/flock n.家禽 symptom n.症状，病症 slaughter n.（大面积）屠宰，屠杀 Maritime tragedy life boat n.救生艇 life jacket n.救生衣 sink v.下沉 capsize v.（使船）颠覆 Mining Accident landslide n.塌方，滑坡 poisonous gas n.有毒气体 blast n.爆炸 leak v.渗漏 Air crash black box n.黑匣子 parachute n.降落伞 radar system n.雷达系统 a midair collision n.空中相撞