Personal Hygiene Hero
FoundationWash hands often, brush teeth morning and night, and bathe daily — then germs cannot easily make us sick.
- Germs are invisible but can make us sick.
- Always wash hands with soap before eating and after the toilet.
- Scrub for at least twenty seconds, including between the fingers.
文體小知識：說明文把一件事講得清清楚楚。這一篇一步一步教你保持身體清潔，做個健康的小衛士。
§Text Passage
1Our hands touch many things every day, such as door handles, toys and desks. There are invisible germs on them. Germs are tiny living things; when they get into our bodies they can cause tummy aches and fevers. So before eating and after using the toilet, we must wash our hands with soap.
2There is a right way to wash hands: wet your hands first, rub on soap, scrub the palms, the backs of the hands and between the fingers for at least twenty seconds, then rinse with clean water. Singing Happy Birthday twice takes about that long.
3Besides washing hands, we should bathe every day and brush our teeth morning and night. Brush for two minutes: top teeth brushed downwards, bottom teeth brushed upwards, inside and outside. Trim hair regularly and cut nails when they grow long, so germs and dirt cannot hide there.
4Good hygiene keeps us and others healthy. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow when you sneeze, do not spit anywhere, and put rubbish in the bin. Start today and be a personal hygiene hero!
1Summary 重點摘要
Wash hands often, brush teeth morning and night, and bathe daily — then germs cannot easily make us sick.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Keeping the body and surroundings clean, such as washing hands and bathing.
Tiny living things too small to see; they can make us ill when they enter the body.
Something used to clean hands; it washes away dirt and germs.
Cleaning the teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste, morning and night.
The hard part on the tips of fingers; cut it when long or it hides dirt.
A sudden burst of air from the nose; cover it with a tissue or your elbow.
Something we do every day until it becomes natural, such as washing hands before meals.
Free from dirt and germs.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Know when to wash handsOur hands touch many things every day and quietly pick up germs we cannot see. Always wash your hands before eating, after using the toilet, after coming home, and after touching pets — four moments that cannot be skipped. Washing first keeps germs out of your tummy with the food, so you do not so easily get tummy aches and fevers. Washing takes only a few minutes, yet it is the simplest and best way to stay healthy — start today and keep it up.
- Step 2: Wash hands the right wayWashing hands well needs the right way. First wet your hands and rub on soap; then scrub your palms, the backs of your hands and between your fingers, rub your fingertips on your palms, and do not forget the wrists — the whole process takes at least twenty seconds, about the time of singing Happy Birthday twice. Rinse well with clean water and dry with a clean towel. Only then are the germs between the fingers and on the wrists washed away, and you stay well.
- Step 3: Brush twice a day for two minutesOur teeth chew our food every day, so we must take good care of them. Brush after waking and before going to bed, for two whole minutes each time; brush the top teeth downwards and the bottom teeth upwards, covering the insides, the outsides and the chewing surfaces. After brushing, eat nothing more, especially before sleep; the germs of tooth decay fear nothing more than a thorough clean. Drive them away, and teeth stay white and strong and chew well.
- Step 4: Bathe daily and change clothesWhen we run and play every day, we sweat and pick up dust and germs. Bathe daily and change into clean clothes and socks after sweating, so bad smells and germs do not follow us. A clean body feels fresh and comfortable, and friends are happy to be close to us. After a bath, dry or blow-dry the hair thoroughly so you do not catch a cold; fresh hair lifts the spirit too, so bathing and changing clothes are for every single day.
- Step 5: Trim nails regularlyNails that grow too long trap dirt and germs, and scratching can hurt the skin and carry germs into the wound. Cut your nails about once a week; feel the edges afterwards — they should be smooth, not scratchy. Ask an adult to help or watch you cut, being careful not to cut too deep, and never tear off the hangnails with your fingers. Clean, tidy nails leave germs nowhere to hide, and play never scratches your classmates.
- Step 6: Cover coughs and sneezesWhen you cough or sneeze, tiny drops of spit fly into the air and carry germs to people near you. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, throw it in the bin at once, then wash your hands; if you cannot get a tissue in time, cover with the inside of your arm or your elbow, never with the bare palm. This protects others, and it is polite and thoughtful too; wearing a mask when ill is another kind habit that cares for those around us.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: Ming ate a biscuit with his hands right after playing on the slide. What did he do wrong, and what is the right way?
- On the slide his hands touched the rails and bars, which may carry invisible germs and dirt.
- Eating without washing lets the germs enter his tummy with the biscuit and easily cause a stomach ache.
- The right way: scrub both hands with soap for at least twenty seconds, cleaning between the fingers and the wrists.
- Dry the hands with a clean towel, and only then eat the biscuit — clean and safe.
- Answer: He was wrong to eat without washing after the slide, letting germs enter his body with the food. He should wash with soap for at least twenty seconds, dry his hands, and only then eat — always wash before eating.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What should we do before eating?
Q2How long should we scrub when washing hands?
Q3When should we brush our teeth?
Q4What should we do when we sneeze?
Q5How often should we cut our nails?
8Recap Recap
- Germs are invisible but can make us sick.
- Always wash hands with soap before eating and after the toilet.
- Scrub for at least twenty seconds, including between the fingers.
- Brush twice a day for two minutes; bathe daily and wear clean clothes.
- Cover sneezes with a tissue or elbow — be a hygiene hero!