Being in the school’s science lab can be exciting, because you’re doing something different from sitting at your desk listening to your teacher. But fun as lab work is, you have to observe the safety rules if you don’t want to hurt yourself or your lab partner.

The first rule is to behave responsibly in the laboratory at all times. When your teacher is showing you lab equipment, listen to what he is telling you, because some of the equipment can be dangerous. Become familiar with your lab assignment (任务) before you start doing it. This means reading everything the teacher has written down and asking questions if you don’t understand an instruction or a term. Do not try to work alone. If your partner is absent, let your teacher know so she can assign another student to work with you. And don’t do any other experiments other than what you have been assigned. Wear your lab apron (围裙) and safety goggles (护目镜) whenever you are working on a lab assignment. On lab days, wear old clothing that you won’t mind getting damaged. Make sure this clothing covers as much of your skin as possible. Keep your hands away from your skin, face, eyes and mouth when you are working with dangerous chemicals. You will be working with fire in the lab with an alcohol lamp. Use gloves when handling hot lab equipment. If you have long hair, pull it back in a ponytail (马尾辫) and roll up long sleeves. Don’t put paper, chemicals, lab equipment or any part of your body in the flame. When you use a sharp instrument, treat it with care. Do not point it at yourself or any one of your fellow classmates during the experiment.

A teacher decided to let her class play a game. She told each child in the class to bring along a bag with several tomatoes. Each tomato would be given a name of a person that the child hated. So the number of tomatoes in his or her bag would depend on the number of people the child hated.

When the day came, every child brought some tomatoes with the name of the people he or she hated. Some had two tomatoes. Some had three tomatoes. Some even had five tomatoes. The teacher then told the children to carry the tomatoes with them wherever they went for a week. Days passed, and the children started to complain because the rotten (腐烂的) tomatoes let out terrible smell. Besides, those having five tomatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After one week, the children were very happy because the game had finally ended.

Then the teacher told them the meaning behind the game. The teacher said, “This is the same situation when you carry your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The terrible smell of hatred will pollute your heart, and you will carry it with you wherever you go. If you cannot stand the smell of rotten tomatoes for just one week, can you imagine what it is like to have the smell of hatred in your heart for your lifetime?”