Seasons and Weather
The
year is divided into four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
In
spring nature awakens from her long winter sleep. The trees are filled with new
life, the earth is warmed by the rays of the sun, and the weather gets gradually
milder. The fields and the meadows are covered with fresh green grass. The
woods and forests are filled with the songs of the birds. The sky is blue and
cloudless. At night, millions of stars shine in the darkness.
When
summer comes the weather gets warmer still and sometimes it's very hot. It's
the farmer's busy season - he works in his fields from morning till night. The
grass must be cut and the hay must be made, while the dry weather lasts.
Sometimes the skies are overcast with heavy clouds. There are storms with
thunder, lightning and hail.
Autumn
brings with it the harvest-time, when the crops are gathered in and the fruit
is picked in the orchards. The days get shorter and the nights longer. The
woods turn yellow and brown, leaves begin to fall from the trees, and the
ground is covered with them. The skies are grey, and very often it rains.
When
winter comes, we're obliged to spend more time indoors because out-of-doors
it's cold. We may get fog, sleet and frost. Ponds, lakes,
rivers and streams are frozen, and the roads are sometimes covered with
slippery ice or deep snow. The trees are bare. Bitter north winds have stripped
them of all their leaves.
WEATHER
The naughtiest thing in the world is
the weather. It's like a capricious woman who always does the opposite
to what you ask her.
When you want to go for a picnic in
the open air you ask the skies to remain clear and the day to be
fine. Nervously you switch on the radio and listen to the weather
forecast. You tremble with joy to hear that it'll stay warm and
dry with bright sunshine, and moderate breeze. Your
imagination draws a hot summer afternoon and yourself saying: 'Nice
weather we are having today!' You take a lot of food and no warm clothes,
go to the countryside but... do not get anything sunny.
You get it cloudy and cool
with intermittent drizzle which ends with a thundery shower. The
sky is so heavily cast with clouds, the downpours follow one
another with such frequency, the rumbling of thunder and flashes of
lightning are so frightening that you've got no illusions left. You throw
away the food and go back hungry and angry. And when you are already
approaching your home soaked to the skin it suddenly brightens up.
Oh, Goodness!
Each summer every student survives
through the best time of his or her life — an examination session. Then many
students plead: 'Please, weather, stay cloudy, chilly or even cold
with brisk northerly wind and nun torrents leaving pools and
peddles everywhere, especially on the playground. And I'll be a good student'.
The radio promises: 'Patchy light drizzle with showery outbreaks of
rain.' But the "patch" is never in the right place. Instead the
skies send heat and excellent weather for a sun tan. Everyone
knows that sun tan never helps at exams.
And it is always like this. When you
go skiing and want to have frosty weather with a lot of snow, it
starts thawing and your skis sink in the slush. Instead of a
snowfall and hoarfrost on the trees you get excellent sleet.
The weather does not feel any pangs of remorse.
When you go in the car to the
country, enjoying nice weather and a beautiful view of a rainbow
in the blue sky, you pay no attention to some haze on the horizon. Some
time later a thin mist in the distance turns into a thick fog and
you spend a lovely two hours instead of one at the steering wheel.
When you plant some much-cared-for
flowers in the garden, either a ground frost or a hail storm
kills them. Digging muddy flowerbeds one feels exasperated: 'What
beastly weather we've had this week! And it keeps nasty! Wretched!'
To tell the troth, sometimes the
weather is ashamed and turns for the better. But not always. More often
it sticks to its own pattern and after a short warm spell turns bad
again. Why is it always like this? Maybe, because the weather likes surprises
and wants to bring in adventures to our life, breaking the boring routine with
marvellous happenings?
1. Do you agree that the weather is
like a capricious woman? Prove your point.
2. Say what weather you like best of
all and why.
BRITAIN FOR ALL SEASONS
The real Britain is a land of unspoilt beauty, where the mood and
rhythm of the countryside changes from one region to another, and from season
to season.
Summer is the season of long, long days,
when a variety of pastimes and pursuits can be enjoyed. The beach is a
favourite place to relax and the more active will find an exciting range of water
sports in Britain, from gentle sailing to the action-packed sport of
jet-skiing. The warm summer months are an ideal time to enjoy the delights of
eating outside, a stroll of peaceful rural surroundings or a leisurely round of
golf. Make the
most of the fresh air by cycling along pretty country lanes or by taking a boat
trip on one of Britain’s many rivers, canals and lakes. Or for the more daring,
how about taking a balloon trip and enjoying the view of the countryside from
the air. There are so many attractions to choose from in the summer months -
from pageant and tradition to a host of arts festivals.
In autumn the British
landscape assumes a breathtaking beauty and it is a perfect time of the year
for outdoor activities such as walking, golfing and cycling. The game shooting
season is also in full swing and many hotels can arrange for you to
participate.
As the days
become cooler you may prefer to make the most of the varied entertainment
provided by Britain’s towns and cities. Enjoy a visit to the cinema, theatre or
perhaps a classical concert.
In rural
communities, autumn is the time to gather in the crops. Take a peek inside some
of Britain’s churches and cathedrals, which will be decorated with flowers and
fruit for the harvest festival. Fireworks and bonfires will illuminate the sky
during the evening of November. This is to commemorate the unsuccessful attempt
to blow up the Houses of Parliament by Guy Fawkes in 1605.
Winter
heralds the season of Christmas festivities. Towns and cities countrywide are
brightly decorated for the occasion. Shopping is always a delight at this time
of the year, when the shops are full of fascinating Christmas goods and window
displays of large department stores will delight all ages. You will also find
many indoor shopping complexes around the
country, which make looking for gifts a real pleasure whatever the temperature
outside. After Christmas is the season of annual sales when both travel and
shopping bargains are to be found.
Britain has a vast array of museums and galleries countrywide, and winter
is an excellent time to see them when the flock of summer visitors has
dispersed. Many stately homes also remain open throughout the year.
Springtime
sees the countryside bloom and radiate with life. Daffodils, bluebells and
primroses can be seen on hillsides and in the fields everywhere. The brightest
warmer days see the return of many birds who migrated during the winter and the
woodlands and meadows come alive with their songs. It is one of the loveliest
times of the year to visit Britain and appreciate the outstanding countryside.
Riding is an
exhilarating pastime to enjoy in the spring months and keen fishermen will find
some of the world’s game fishing rivers in Britain.
Complete
the following chart about the weather of your region.
|
|
Advantages
|
Disadvantages
|
|
Spring
|
|
|
|
Summer
|
|
|
|
Autumn
|
|
|
|
Winter
|
|
|
Describe the weather where you live in different seasons.
ABOUT THE WEATHER
–
This, I suppose, is a typical winter's day. The streets
are covered with snow. The air is clear and cold. Certainly, we never
see anything like this in Cuba, where I come from.
–
Perhaps such a scene is typical for some sections of the
United States but not for New York City. The streets won't stay this way for very
long. As always in New York, the temperature will probably change
within a few hours; the snow will melt and then the streets will be
covered instead with mud and slush — not a very pretty signt.
–
How often does it snow like this during the winter in New
York?
–
Generally about three or four times. Usually they are all
light snowfalls of an inch or two. Sometimes the snow barely
covers the ground, and often during a snowstorm the snow will
change to rain and wash away by itself in a few hours.
–
But I have read various times in the newspapers about
heavy snowfalls in New York. There are photographs of certain
parts of the city completely blanketed in snow.
–
Perhaps once in every four or five years we have a heavy
snow storm
or blizzard, but such storms are the exception rather than the rule.
Temperatures in New York during the real winter months of January and February range between 25 and 40
degrees Fahrenheit, and that is not
cold enough for snow. One has to go up into the mountains or farther north to find real snow. In such sections there is snow on the ground from the beginning of winter
until the spring
thaws come. Then the snow gradually
melts and disappears.
–
The changes of season and weather are very interesting.
In the United States one can find every type of
climate and weather. In Cuba, of course, the weather changes very
little. We have only two seasons, summer and winter, with a
difference in temperature of only 15 or 20 degrees.
–
One does not have to go out of New York City to find
examples of every type of climate. The changes that occur in the
weather here are often as sudden as they are unpleasant. A
change of temperature of forty degrees within a single day is not
uncommon.
–
But you have said that winter temperatures do not go
very low in New York.
–
Normally winter temperatures here range between 25 and 40
degrees, but that does not mean that they do not go lower. Sometimes we
have temperatures below zero. Thus there are times during a snowstorm
when the temperature will suddenly drop and the snow will change
to sleet and hail. Again the snow may begin to melt normally but the temperature drops, and before the streets can be cleaned, the water has all changed to ice. Then it is almost
impossible to drive or walk. Cars
are sliding all over the streets. People slip and fall everywhere on the sidewalks.
–
That sounds like a lot of fun.
– It's
not very funny when you slip and fall on the ice. You go down suddenly
and there is no way of catching yourself.
–
I want to take some photographs of myself standing in the
snow in Central Park. I want to send them home
to my friends in Cuba. Most of them have never seen snow.
–
In New York one enjoys of suffers all kinds of climate.
In the spring it rains frequently, and there is a great deal of wind. In summer
the heat becomes sometimes almost unbearable. It is a heavy, humid
heat that is almost suffocating. New York, because of its proximity to the ocean,
is quite humid. This same humidity also makes
many winter days unpleasant because the air, instead of being dry and brisk, is
damp and penetrating. The cold seems to go right into one's bones.
–
I suppose that there is nothing much one can do about the
weather here except to accept it philosophically. New York is such a
wonderful place otherwise.
–
Most New Yorkers love their city and accept such minor inconveniences.
But it is even difficult to dress properly for such weather.
If you dress in heavy clothes in the morning, the weather may turn hot
suddenly. If you dress lightly because the morning seems warm,
the temperature drops and by night you are shivering with cold. Yet
New Yorkers learn even to joke about such things. To any visitor
to the city who complains about the weather, they say, "If you don't
like our weather, wait a minute. It will change." They also say that
no woman is permitted to work in the office of the local weather bureau
because the weather is changeable enough as it is.
1. The
streets won't stay this way for very long. — Улицы не будут долго оставаться такими.
2. change to rain and wash
away by itself in a few hours — снег перейдет в дождь и смоется через несколько часов
3. completely
blanketed in snow — полностью укутан снегом
4. once
in every four or five years — раз в четыре или пять лет
5. the
exception rather than the rule — исключение, а не правило
6. range
— колеблется
7. often
as sudden as they are unpleasant — они часто также внезапны как и неприятны
8. within
a single day — в течение одного дня
9. do
not go very low — не падает очень низко
10. the
water has all changed to ice — вода превратилась в лед
11. there
is no way of catching yourself— нет способа удержаться
12. a
great deal of wind — ветрено
13. because
of its proximity to the ocean — из-за своей близости к океану
14. cold
seems to go right into one's bones. — кажется холод пронизывает до костей
15. is
nothing much one can do about the weather — ничего нельзя поделать с погодой
16. may turn hot — может стать жаркой
17. you
are shivering with cold — дрожжите от холода
18. complains
about the weather — жалуется на погоду
Answer the questions:
1.
Between what two persons does the above dialogue take
place?
2.
From what country does Juan come?
3.
What kind of climate, does Cuba have?
4.
Does Juan say that in Cuba there are four seasons in the
year or two seasons?
5.
Which system of measuring temperature is used in Cuba
and in South America: Farhenheit or Centigrade?
6.
What system is used in the United States?
7.
In
the Farhenheit system, at what temperature does the water boil?
8.
In what city does the above dialogue take place?
9.
Does it snow seldom or often in winter in New
York City?
10.
What is the average range of temperature in New
York City during the winter months of January and February?
11.
On what date does spring officially begin?
12. Why does the heat in New
York City in the summer sometimes become suffocating?
13. Why is it difficult in
New York City to dress properly for the weather?
14.
What do New Yorkers say jokingly to any visitor who
complains about the weather?
Do you listen to the weather
forecasts? Do you trust them? Have you heard the weather forecast for today?
Was it right?
Below you see examples of several
weather forecasts from English newspapers. Read and translate them.
I. General situation: Many eastern
coastal areas of England will; stay cloudy and cool, with patchy light drizzle
during the morning. Western parts of Wales and south-west England
will be cloudy with showery outbreaks of rain, although western Wales
will brighten up during the afternoon. The rest of England and Wales
will stay warm and dry with hazy sunshine, although there will be a brisk easterly
breeze. Showery rain over Northern Ireland will clear during the afternoon. Scotland will be dry with sunny periods, but eastern coasts will be cloudy and western
areas may have rain during the morning.
"The
Independent"
II. Cloud and outbreaks of rain
over England and Wales will clear during the morning. The afternoon will be
mostly dry with bright or sunny spells, although wintry showers will develop at
times in the north and north-west. Scotland and Northern Ireland will have
another cold day with sunshine and blustery showers expected. The showers will
be heavy in places and falling as snow over the high ground.
Outlook: Bright with wintry showers
at times, especially in the north. Rain spreading eastwards on Monday.
"Daily
Express"
III. Forecast: A dry, sunny start
over England and Wales, but there may be light showers adjacent to the southern
North Sea. Western Scotland and Northern Ireland will become cloudy during
the morning with outbreaks of rain moving to these areas by midday.
This weather will spread south-eastwards to all parts of Scotland,
north-west England and north Wales by the evening. Temperatures: 8 C° (46 F°)
in East Anglia, 10 C° (50 F°) in Northern Ireland.
Outlook: Little change in southern
and eastern parts of England during Tuesday and Wednesday. There will be cool
nights with frost and possibly patchy fog, but day with sunny spells during
daylight hours. Early cloud and rain in north-western districts will gradually
die out during Tuesday.
"The
Independent"
IV. Weather: England
and Wales will start cloudy with outbreaks of rain. However, brighter, showery
weather already over Scotland and Northern Ireland will slowly spread south and
east throughout the day. The showers will be heaviest and most frequent in the
north, falling as sleet or snow over hills and mountains, with drifting
occurring in places. It will feel cold in the blustery and strong westerly
wind.
Outlook: Sunny intervals and showers
are expected. Feeling colder than of late in the north-westerly wind.
"Daily
Express"
Match the Russian phrases from list A with their English
equivalents from list B.
A.
Местами дожди/туман;
ожидается сухая тёплая погода; на востоке области пройдут сильные проливные
дожди; на почве возможны заморозки; ветер северный, умеренный, 10—15 м/сек; в
дальнейшем холодный характер погоды сохранится; облачная, дождливая погода; к
концу недели погода изменится.
В.
The showers will be heavy in the
East; we are in for a warm dry spell; moderate northerly wind, 1—15 metres per
second; a change in the weather by the end of the week; patchy rain/fog; the
weather will stay cold; ground frosts are possible; cloudy and wet.
Make up your own weather forecast for the next day.
Look at the following patterns,
expressing one's delight with the weather or dislike of it. Use these patterns
to respond to the following.
|
For
good weather
|
For
bad weather
|
|
It's absolutely marvellous!
|
It certainly is horrible.
|
|
Isn't it gorgeous!
|
Nasty day, isn't it?
|
|
It's so nice and hot!
|
Isn't it dreadful?
|
|
Personally I think it's so nice
when it's hot, isn't it?
|
I hate rain.
|
|
I adore it. Don't you?
|
I don't like it at all. Do you?
|
A.
Nice day, isn't it?
What a glorious morning!
Fancy such a day in December!
It's so nice when it's warm.
What a beautiful winter evening!
This breeze is so refreshing!
It's so surprisingly warm for this
time of the year!
What a fine day we are having!
I love the sun. Isn't it wonderful?
B.
Dull morning, isn't it?
Nasty day, isn't it?
I hate snow.
What a horrible day!
The heat is unbearable.
I can't stand this wind.
The weather is turning bad.
Rain all day long. Isn't it dreadful?
It's pouring again. Isn't it
wretched?
Discuss with a partner the weather
you are having at present. Choose questions and answers from the models given
below.
|
Questions:
What do you think of the weather?
What's the weather outside?
I wonder what the weather is going
to be like.
Will the weather keep?
Do you think it will clear up?
Do you think it is going to turn
out fine?
What is the weather forecast for
today?
|
Answers:
We
are in for a spell of good weather.
It
looks like rain.
The
weather is turning bad.
It'll
change for the better.
The
weather is fine/nice/lovely/beautiful.
The
weather is nasty/wretched/awful/dull.
The
day is rainy/windy/bright/sunny.
The
weather is favourable.
The
sky is overcast/cloudy/clear.
It's
snowing/pouring/raining/drizzling.
The wind
is rising.
It
has been raining on and off for ...
The
fog is lifting.
|
Say what mood in you prevails when
1) it is a cold winter day;
2) it is a hot summer night;
3) it is a warm spring evening;
4) it is a cool autumn morning.
Think for five minutes and write what
you like to do in good and bad weather.
Fill in the gaps in the sentences
below-with one of the following idioms:
to catch the wind with a net, not to
have the foggiest idea,
to chase rainbows, a bit of blue sky, to be snowed under, to be on
cloud nine, a storm in a tea cup, thunderous applause, to save for a rainy day,
under the weather, to snowball, out of season.
1. When the audience like a performance,
they show it with...
2. When you feel that you'll never
finish your work, you're ...
3. When you are completely in the
dark about something, you ...
4. When a project gets bigger and
bigger, it...
5. When you are ecstatically happy,
you are ...
6. When you feel unwell, you say that
you are ...
7. When you pursue illusory goals or
hopes, you ...
8. When you get yourself busy with a
useless thing, you ...
9. When you lay up money for the
future, you ...
10. When something is absolutely out
of place, it is ...
11. When somebody gets some hope at last, he or she gets …
12. When there is a lot of fuss about
a small mishap, it is ...
Role Play
"Office Gossip after the Summer
Vacation"
Setting: The offices of the famous international corporation "Rich People
Banks".
Situation: The first working day after a summer
vacation. Lunch time. The people speak about their tours to different places
during their leaves. They mainly speak about the weather.
Characters:
Mr Merryweather, the boss's assistant. He stayed
with his wife in a hotel on the Canary Islands for three weeks. The weather was
very nice.
Cleopatra, the secretary of the boss. She went
hiking to the Pennine Mountains in Great Britain. The weather was changeable.
Nina and Tina, two typists. They went together to
a youth camp in France. The weather was warm and sunny.
Ted and Ned, two computer programmers. They went
fishing to the lakes of Norway. The weather was rainy.
Mrs Ames, a clerk. She went to the US to visit her relatives in California. It
was very hot.
Mrs James, a clerk. She went to Canada
with her husband to some sports events. The weather was cool, but they liked
it.
Mr Flames, an accountant. He was unlucky not
to have had a leave, but to have gone on business to Alaska. It was rather cold
there.
Mr. Blames, a business manager. He went travelling to China.
It was hot but rainy.
Оставьте свой комментарий
Авторизуйтесь, чтобы задавать вопросы.