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Bam! The bathroom door slamming against the wall woke me out of a sound sleep. Groggily wending my way in the dark to the bathroom, I secured the door latch to make sure I would have no further interruptions of much-needed sleep. I then lumbered back into bed and started to drift off.
砰！浴室門重重關上的聲響驚醒了熟睡中的我。我摸黑一路搖搖晃晃地走到浴室將門栓閂好，免得再次打斷我寶貴的睡眠，然后又蹣跚地回到被窩進入夢鄉。
Not for long. My body, the bed and the whole bedroom began shaking. After a few confused and frightening seconds, I realized "Earthquake!" "Big one," I added, noting that the neighborhood dogs had joined in the weird sounds the hills around my house were making. Within moments I was out of bed and on my feet, contemplating leaving the house. "I'll wait," I comforted myself. "Even these big ones pass in a few seconds." 不一會兒，我的身體、床和整個臥室開始搖晃。在搞不清狀況下害怕了幾秒鐘后，才了解到是“地震”。“而且是個大地震！”我接著又道，注意到附近的狗狂吠著加入房子四周山丘所發出的怪聲。我很快地下床站起來，考慮要不要往屋外移動?！暗纫幌掳?！”我安慰自己?！熬退愦蟮卣鹨膊贿^幾秒鐘就結束了。”
This one wouldn't. It kept coming; everything was shaking and trembling, rattling. I heard a pane of glass crash onto the floor. The walls of the house and the things attached to them seemed to heave, not just shudder. I then noticed that the street lights had failed and my heart was pounding harder than when I used to lift weights. I acknowledged my fear.
但這次不一樣。它不停地搖晃；每樣東西都在搖動而且震得嘎嘎作響。我聽見一片玻璃掉到地板上摔碎的聲音。房子的墻壁及附在墻上的東西似乎不只是顫動，而是上下猛烈晃動。然后我注意到路燈都已熄滅，而我的心跳得比我過去舉重時還劇烈。我承認自己很害怕。
Realizing that there was no time to flee the house, I simply waited and waited. The nearly one-minute long temblor finally subsided, and my reasoning came back to me. All was well, or well enough. I walked unsteadily to another room and looked outside. A neighbor with a flashlight was checking on his and others' homes for damage.
我了解到已經來不及逃到室外，便乖乖地等著。將近一分鐘的地震終于平息，我的理智也逐漸恢復。一切平安，或者說還好吧。我步履不穩地走到另一個房間往外一瞧。一位鄰居拿著手電筒正在檢查他家及鄰舍有否損壞。
I knew it had been a major quake, though not centered where I lived. The next day I learned that a 7.6 Richter-scale earthquake had devastated the lovely rural communities of central Taiwan. For the next few weeks, everyone's life was centered around the quake due to the constant media coverage and electricity rationing.
雖然我住的地方并非震央，但我知道這是個大地震，。第二天我得知臺灣中部許多偏遠而可愛的鄉間都遭到里氏七點六級大地震的蹂躪。接下來的幾個禮拜，因為媒體報道及限電措施，每個人的生活重心都圍繞在地震這件事上。
Taiwan is but one of many places situated along the "Ring of Fire" encircling nearly half the globe around the Pacific Ocean. Constant volcanic and earthquake action occurs here, sometimes with cataclysmic results. In this century alone, major earthquakes have taken more than one million lives. Many more have been injured and made homeless. The economic, social, and personal costs are immeasurable.
臺灣是諸多太平洋邊緣環繞近半個地球的“火環”地區之一。這地區頻繁的火山活動及地震時而造成慘重的后果。光是在廿世紀就有一百多萬人在大地震中喪命；有更多人因地震受傷或無家可歸；對經濟、社會及個人更造成難以估計的損失。
Over the past quarter century, many countries in earthquake-prone areas have begun to educate their citizens on how to take appropriate precautions for earthquakes. The following list has been compiled from experience.
過去二十五年來許多位于地震頻繁地區的國家已開始教育其人民如何采取適當的防震措施。以下是從經驗中得出來的防震措施。
Before the earthquake:Prepare an "earthquake kit" near everyone's bed; these kits should include drinking water, a flashlight with fresh batteries, and dry food.Place an extra pillow, blanket, or quilt near the bed to be placed over the head during the earthquake and for warmth if trapped afterwards.
地震前：在每人床邊準備一個“地震包”，內有飲水、備有新電池的手電筒及干糧。在床邊額外準備一只枕頭、毛毯或棉被；地震發生時可用來保護頭部，震后若遭困亦可用來保暖
During the earthquake:
If possible, get out of the building you are inside of and into a clear area.If escape from a building is impossible, get away from windows and doors; try to find shelter under structural beams or under any heavy piece of furniture, like a large table or bed.
地震時：若可能，立即離開室內到空曠處。來不及逃離建筑物時，應遠離門窗；并在主梁或較重的家具下尋找掩護（例如大型桌子或床）。
After the major earthquake (remember that aftershocks will occur):When shaking ends or subsides, turn off gas lines.Leave the building (never use elevators) quickly but not in a panic.If uninjured, be ready to assist rescue workers with information or labor.When a Big One happens, there is little anyone can do. The above contingency preparations, however, could make the difference between life and death.
主震過后（別忘了余震）：地震停止或平息后，關閉煤氣管道。盡速鎮靜地離開建筑物（不可搭乘電梯）。若未受傷，隨時準備協助救難人員提供信息或出力援救。當特大地震發生時，任何人都無能為力，但上述防范措施卻能決定一個人的生與死。
