研究證明:男性更易遭雷劈
據相關資料顯示，與女性相比，男性更容易“遭雷劈”，這背後的緣由與男性魯莽草率的作風有關。
Of the 648 killed by the thunderbolts over 13 years across the U.S., 82 per cent were male, figures show.
有一項數據很能說明問題，在過去十三年間死於雷擊的648名遇難者之中，百分之八十二的人均爲男性。
And recreational activities or sports were involved in almost half of these deaths, according to research.
據研究，這其中將近一半的人都是在戶外放鬆休閒和進行體育運動時遭遇不測的。
Among the six killed by strikes so far this year - all men - one was playing golf in Shreveport, Louisiana, and another was playing baseball in Ruby, South Carolina.
在2011年以來在美國死於雷電襲擊的6人均爲男性，其中一人是在路易斯安那州打高爾夫球時喪命的，另一個人則是在那卡羅來納州打籃球時不幸身亡的。
‘Men take more risks when it comes to lightning,’ John Jensenius, a lightning safety specialist of the National Weather Service, told Popular Science magazine, which conducted the research along with .
“發生雷電情況時，男性的人身安全更爲危險，”美國氣象局的雷電安全專家John Jensenius這樣告訴一家大衆科學雜誌。
‘And men tend to have more outside jobs,’ adding that a behavioural issue may be at play: ‘Men don't wish to be inconvenienced by a nearby thunderstorm.’
“男性更傾向於從事戶外活動，”這位科學家補充到，個人行爲習慣在“遭雷劈”的過程中起到了重要的作用，“哪怕是附近都發生暴風雨了，但是男人們也不希望因此產生不便。”
But he cautioned: ‘It really doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman, you need to be inside when there's a thunderstorm in the area.
不過他也提醒到，“其實無論是男是女，這都不重要，關鍵的是在附近區域出現了雷暴時，大家都應該待在室內。”
‘Lightning safety is an inconvenience but at the same time, it's one you can live with.’
“儘管打雷閃電會給我的帶來諸多不便，不過同時，這也是我們所必須注意的，絕不能掉以輕心。”
July was the deadliest month in terms of lightning across the U.S – with on average 18 deaths.
在美國，每年的七月份都是雷電致死情況出現的高發時間段，在這段時間內，平均將有18人因此丟掉性命。
This is thought to be due to an increase in outdoor summertime activities coupled with storms peaking during this period.
造成這樣現象的原因一方面是在夏季人們逐漸增多了外出活動的頻率，另一方面還因這段時期是雷電暴雨頻繁出現時間。
The Fourth of July Independence Day weekend is traditionally one of the most deadly.
通常說來，每年的7月4日獨立日週末是雷擊死亡率最高的時間段。
The most dangerous part of the country is Florida due to its tropical climate. The state sees more thunderstorms and lightning than anywhere else in the U.S.
因爲熱帶性氣候的緣故，佛羅里達州是全美最容易發生雷擊情況的危險地區。該州發生雷暴和閃電的頻率要高於美國任何的一個地區。
South Florida, Tampa Bay and suburbs around Orlando are tied for seeing the most bolts per year, the National Weather Service said.
美國國家氣象局表示，在南佛羅里達最的坦帕灣和奧蘭多的郊區，每年都會遭受大規模的雷電襲擊。
Tampa Bay once recorded up to 50,000 flashes in June alone.
歷史中所記錄下來的坦帕灣在六月份最多的閃電次數竟然高達50000次。
In south Florida – mainly around Miami - 94 people have been killed by lightning since 1959 - an average of about two per year.
在南佛羅里達州，特別是邁阿密區域附近，自1959年以來已經有94死因遭受雷擊而喪命，平均每年就有兩人遭遇不幸。
In and around Tampa, more than 110 people were killed in the same time perio
而在坦帕，該時期死於雷電襲擊的人數已經超過了110人。
Statewide, lightning kills an average of 10 people and injures an additional 30 per year.
在該州，每年會有10人因雷暴死亡，另外還會有30人因此受傷。
Those aged between 10 and 19 are struck more than any other age group, as they are on school holiday and children frequently play outside, the weather service said.
在遭受雷擊者的年齡段分佈情況中，10到19歲得人羣最爲危險，氣象局表示，在遇難者常常是那些學校放假並且經常在戶外玩耍的孩子們。
Forecasters stress thunderstorms can shoot lightning up to 10 miles from their cores, even into areas where there might not be rain.
氣象預告警告到，閃電在覈心區域的輻射範圍達到了10英里，而有的時候甚至是再不下雨的情況下發生的。
‘The common perception is lightning happens only when it's really dark and stormy out,’
meteorologist Robert Molleda told the Orlando Sun Sentinel.
氣象學家Robert Molleda說：“人們通常認爲，只有在天色變暗狂風大作時纔會出現閃電。”
‘But lighting can travel a pretty good distance from where the rain is falling.’
“但是閃電可以從下雨的區域以極快的速度跨越相當長的一段距離。”
So be warned.
所以在夏季雷電的高發季節，大家應該格外注意。
