It’s not easy to survive in the wilderness. If you have to do so one day, don’t trust these survival myths, which may even get you killed.

Myth: You can suck the venom out of a snakebite.

Fact: If a bite delivers venom, it’ll immediately enter the bloodstream. Putting your mouth on the bite will deliver extra bacteria to the wound and may simply get venom into your mouth and esophagus. If someone gets bitten, try to keep the person’s heart rate low and hold the affected limb below heart level while getting to a hospital.

Myth: Always play dead when you are attacked by a bear.

Fact: If you are out in the woods and you see a bear, the general advice is to quietly back away. If it’s in your yard or around your campsite, make yourself large and loud, which hopefully will scare it off.

But in the case of an actual attack, your reaction strategy should depend on the bear and on the type of attack. Never play dead if a black bear attacks — always fight back.

Myth: You need to find a food supply immediately if you are lost in the wilderness.

Fact: Not even close. You can survive up to six weeks without food. The exact amount of time might vary, depending on starting point and other health issues, but water and shelter from the elements are far more important.

Myth: The fluid in a cactus can save you from dying of thirst.

Fact: If you’re experienced enough to pick out the one kind of barrel cactus that you can filter water from safely, this may work. But most of the time, cactus fluid will make you sick, causing you to vomit up precious liquid and leaving you more dehydrated.

Myth: Moss grows on the north side of a tree.

Fact: Moss can grow on all sides of a tree, depending on environmental conditions. Don’t depend on this bit of folklore for navigation.

Myth: If a shark attacks you, punch it in the nose.

Fact: It’s really hard to land a solid punch on the nose of a moving shark. In the rare cases in which a shark comes in for a bite, try to put a solid object between you and animal. If that fails, claw at its eyes and gills.

Words to Learn 相关词汇

【食道】shídào esophagus a tube that connects the throat (pharynx) and the stomach

【使...脱水】shǐ ...tuōshuǐ dehydrate cause to lose water or body fluids

在野外生存下去不是件易事，如果有一天你不得不荒野求生，不要相信这些“生存技能”，有一些甚至可能置你于死地。

千万别信：被蛇咬之后，可以用嘴吸出毒汁。

事实：如果被毒蛇咬了一口，毒汁就会立即渗入血液。用你的嘴去吸蛇咬处会让伤口感染更多细菌，而且只会让毒汁进入你的口腔和食道。如果有人被蛇咬了，在送医的路上应尽力让受伤者的心跳平静下来，让被咬的肢体低于心脏的位置。

千万别信：被熊攻击就装死。

事实：如果你在森林里看到一头熊，一般建议安静地向后撤退。如果熊在你家院子或露营地周边，装出强大的样子大声喊叫也许能把它吓走。

如果熊真的要攻击你，你的应对策略取决于哪一种熊以及熊所采取的攻击方式。如果一头黑熊攻击你，永远不要装死，一定要奋起反击。

千万别信：如果你在荒野中迷失，你需要立即找到食物来源。

事实：远非如此。没有食物你可以存活六周之久。存活的时间长短取决于你起初的身体状况和其他健康因素，但水和遮风挡雨的住所比食物重要得多。

千万别信：仙人掌的汁液可以让你免于渴死。

事实：如果你很有经验，能够挑出可安全过滤出水的桶形仙人掌，仙人掌的汁液也许有用。但大多数情况下，仙人掌的汁液会让你恶心和呕吐，导致你失去体内宝贵的水分，从而让你脱水更严重。

千万别信：苔藓生长在树的北面。

事实：苔藓会在大树的四面生长，取决于周围的环境条件。不要靠这种谣传来指导方向。

千万别信：如果鲨鱼攻击你，就重击它的鼻子。

事实：想要打到移动中鲨鱼的鼻子确实很难。万一有鲨鱼要咬你，设法在你和鲨鱼之间放一块固体，如果做不到，就抓鲨鱼的眼睛和鳃。

(Chinadaily.com.cn)