Weather Vocabulary Quiz

1. I don’t think you need to bring an umbrella. It's only … now.

1. drought

2. drizzling

3. sleet

4. raindrop

2. A … is a dangerous tropical storm.

1. snowstorm

2. blizzard

3. hurricane

4. precipitation

3. I stepped in a … and got my pantlegs all wet.

1. peddle

2. paddle

3. piddle

4. puddle

4. There was a … in the middle of summer; we didn't have to turn our airconditioner on for weeks.

1. forecast

2. cold spell

3. humidity

4. rainbow

5. We had to stop playing baseball because we didn't want to get struck by … .

1. thunder

2. frost

3. drizzle

4. lightning

6. It was too … for the pilot to land the plane.

1. snowstorm

2. cats and dogs

3. dizzy

4. foggy

7. If you let me borrow your … I'll be able to see better.

1. thermometer

2. shade

3. suntan lotion

4. degree

8. Don't be surprised if you get a light … every afternoon on that island.

1. shower

2. hail

3. tornado

4. sunny

9. When I looked at the … it said ten degrees.

1. sun

2. scorcher

3. thermometer

4. UV

10. … will prevent you from getting a burn.

1. sunshine

2. sunscreen

3. tanned

4. umbrella

Reading and speaking section

Task 1.

Read the text and write down advantages and disadvantages of every season.

Seasons and weather

"If you don't like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes."

Mark Twain's famous quote holds a grain of truth. While New England is considered a year-round destination, the weather often varies from day to day. It also varies by location; in general the coastal regions remain milder than inland, and the northern extremes of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are cool throughout the year. The following are meant only as guidelines, and only for Massachusetts; travelers to the region should be sure to pack for a variety of weather conditions.

Spring

Spring is at its peak in New England from April until the middle of June. To the north and west of Boston many towns host maple syrup festivals and the gardens of southern Massachusetts are alive with color as their flowers come into full bloom. This time of year the temperature varies a good deal but typically offers mid 60 degree days followed by brisk evenings. The Spring offers some of the best travel values in the New England countryside. Shopping, museums, bike riding, horseback riding are many of the popular activities this time of year. A sweater and a jacket, in addition to lighter clothes, are recommended. Springtime can be a little damp in New England.

Summer

The summer season lasts from mid-June to the beginning of September. This is a tremendously popular time for both international and domestic travelers to visit Massachusetts. During the warm days of Summer travelers and natives alike flock to New England's popular lakes, beaches, and coast. The Atlantic Ocean will be at its warmest late in the summer, around 75 degrees. Back in Boston the city undergoes a sea change. Boston empties as its large student population departs for Summer vacation, and the city comes alive with innumerable outdoor concerts and festivals. Music lovers take advantage of the balmy 80-90 degree days to sit and be serenaded at these concerts in the city's parks. In the hills and mountains of western and northern New England the temperature is a little cooler (70's to mid 80s) and the entertainment options a little more unique. The Berkshires, Massachusetts' westernmost region, play host to world renown Summer theater and serve as the seasonal home of the Boston Symphony. In the north the White and Green Mountain National Forests offer exception hiking, biking, boating and camping opportunities. In the hills the temperature at night can dip into the 50s and 60s.

Autumn

Autumn is the most popular season to visit Massachusetts. The season lasts from early September until November. The state's brilliant autumn foliage from (which lasts from September through the end of October) is the primary reason to visit during this time of year. The foliage peaks at different times in different regions. Northern regions generally peak early in the season, with the foliage in the south in full force towards the middle of October. Other attractions include the region's numerous harvest festivals, and Salem's Haunted Happenings the primer Halloween celebration in the U.S. As in the spring, the temperature can range from 55-75 degrees during the day, while nights can drop to around 45 degrees. In October the region is often treated to an "Indian Summer." During this time the temperature rises several degrees and for a few weeks it almost feels as if summer has returned. However, sweaters and jackets are recommended throughout the season.

Winter

In Massachusetts, winter lasts from December through March. While it is decidedly chilly during these months (typically 20-40 degrees F), Winter is still a great time to visit Massachusetts if the visitor is interested in fabulous shopping in Boston, a host of winter sports and activities (from alpine and cross country skiing to ice fishing and sled dog racing), or just sitting in front of a fire at a cozy New England inn. Local Christmas celebrations in Boston and Nantucket draw numerous visitors for caroling, wassail and other New England Christmas traditions. On December 31st Boston celebrates New Year's Eve like nowhere else in the world. The First Night festival, America's largest New Year's party entertains participants with ice sculptures, a parade, and the performances of thousands of musicians and entertainers. Hundreds of thousands of revelers flood Boston's streets for the ten hour long celebration. Visitors should dress warmly.

Task 2.

Read the text, write down and translate into Russian the unknown words or phrases. Write the summary of the text.

The Peculiarities of the British Weather.

The UK's weather is strongly influenced by the sea which surrounds the British Isles (Britain and Ireland). The sea warms up and cools down more slowly than land, keeping winters relatively warm but also making the summers cooler. Britain also benefits from a warm sea current called the Gulf Stream which originates in the Gulf of Mexico - this keeps the sea on the west side of Britain warmer (frosts are rare in these areas). Temperatures are cooler as you move further north or nearer to the coast (in Edinburgh average temperatures are on average 2°C below those in London) or as you move to higher land. For every 500 feet (150 metres) of altitude the average temperature falls by about 1°C. You may be wise to bring something warm to wear in the evenings even during the summer months. Very hot days (over 30°C) are not common, so air conditioning is not as widespread as in warmer countries. If it is very hot when you are in the UK you may find it uncomfortable on underground trains or buses, and may want to carry some water with you. During the winter people will often wear several different layers of clothing. This allows them to keep warm when walking outside, but to remain comfortable when inside a heated building. Most buildings use central heating during the winter, although the heating may only be on for a short time each morning/evening in some private homes (to save heating costs).

Temperatures in the UK are usually expressed in degrees Celsius (sometimes known as Centigrade). If you come from a country which uses degrees Fahrenheit instead you may find this conversion table useful:

Celsius:	-10°C	-5°C	0°C	5°C	10°C	15°C	20°C	25°C	30°C	35°C
Fahrenheit:	14°F	23°F	32°F	41°F	50°F	59°F	68°F	77°F	86°F	95°F

Daylight hours. Days can seem very short during the winter. In London in late December the sunrise time is after 8am and sunset is before 4pm, so it is only light for about 8 hours. The day is even shorter further north - at the same time of year in Edinburgh it is light for 7 hours and in the Shetland Islands (off the north coast of Scotland) for just 6 hours. The opposite effect is experienced in summer. In mid-June it is getting light in London as early as 4:30am (if you are a light sleeper you may be woken by the light or by the sound of the birds). Sunset is not until nearly 9:30pm, so it is light for 17 hours of the day. The day is even longer further north - in Edinburgh it is light for 18 hours and in the Shetland Islands for 19 hours. Early in the morning on the last Sunday in March watches and clocks are put forward by 1 hour as the country changes to British Summer Time (GMT+1). Visitors need to be careful because they may miss their flight or travel connections if they forget to make the change. Early in the morning on the last Sunday in October watches are put back by 1 hour as the country changes back to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). If you forget this time you may arrive 1 hour too early for appointments.

Rain and wind. In the UK the most common winds (known as the prevailing winds) are from the west or south-west. These winds arrive in Britain after crossing the Atlantic Ocean, from which they pick up moisture. The air rises as it reaches higher ground, cools and falls as rain. The map below shows the location of hills and mountains. To the east of higher ground it is drier. Some of the wettest parts of the British Isles are south-west Ireland, Wales, the Lake District (in north-west England) and the western islands of Scotland. Many people from overseas believe that it rains a lot in London, but in fact its rainfall is similar to that in other European capitals. Rainfall is evenly spread during the year, so even in summer a visitor is likely to experience some wet weather. In spring and autumn there are likely to be some heavy showers, often followed by sunshine. In winter the rain is usually lighter but may last for longer. In the summer if there are a few days of particularly hot weather these are often followed by a thunderstorm. It is because the weather can change very quickly that many British people carry an umbrella with them throughout the year, even when it appears to be a fine day.

Snow is not very common in London (expect snow to settle on the ground maybe two or three days during the year). It is more common away from the cities and coasts and in particular on higher land and further north. In the Scottish Highlands snow is common between December and February - this area has the only ski resort in the UK, at a place called Aviemore. Snow is most likely to fall when winds at this time of year come from the north (from the Arctic) or from the east (from Siberia).

Winds from the Atlantic can become strong, so gales can be quite common along the western coastlines, especially in the north. The area in East Anglia (around Cambridge or Norwich) can become windy, because the land is very flat. Coastal areas can also be quite windy at any time of year (the temperature difference between the sea and the land causes sea breezes). Extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes are rare. UK weather forecasts show average wind speeds (in miles per hour), but when there are strong winds there may be gusts of more than twice this speed.

WEATHER in the UK

The weather. It's always a talking-point in Britain. Why is that? Is it something odd about British people? Well it's nice to think that a lot of British people are eccentric, I mean, the place is famous for it. But really, it's the weather that's the point of note. The UK has some of the most interesting weather in the world. "Britain does not have a CLIMATE. It just has WEATHER" In hot countries most of the indoor places that need to be comfortable are air-conditioned, and in cold countries most of the places that need to be comfortable are properly heated and insulated. The UK is the exception, since the weather is often interesting and no-one really takes heat and cold seriously. So although the weather can be very cold, very hot, very wet, or just wildly chaotic, it always takes people by surprise.

When it gets to winter and there is actually some SNOW, it always takes the people by surprise. It is frontpage news, and even a few inches of nice fluffy white stuff brings the country to a standstill. But then, what happens next is even more surprising and catches the folk off guard completely. And who could possibly have predicted it?! IT MELTS! Flooding! What a surprise! Then in the summer, it gets very hot. If it had been Thailand or Australia there'd be no problem. It is supposed to be hot, so, there is air conditioning. But in the UK, just total bafflement at the sudden hot weather. Shock, health problems, and despite the fact that the country is considered to be where it always rains, summertime brings drought! But do people have cisterns and reserve water tanks? Wouldn't it make sense for people to stockpile rainwater in case of drought? Of course it would, but it is a dependency-culture where people have been trained to be dependent on the state, which then means that in emergency people are stuck!

Why is the British weather so odd? It is something to do with the combination of an almost Arctic latitude (Manchester is the same latitude as Moscow) combined with being an island and having the Gulf Stream bringing warm weather from the tropics on an intermittent basis. Helpful people in the know on geographical meteorology have commented that the general situation with the UK weather is even more complex, as many different factors contribute to the changeable weather. As well as the North Atlantic drift, and the topography, there is the fact that the UK is affected by five major air masses: The tropical maritime Gulf Stream, the Polar Maritime air from the North, the Arctic Maritime, the Polar Continental (from Siberia), and the Tropical Continental (from Northern Africa). There's also fast flowing air in Jet Streams (which although shown in weather reports in the USA, are oddly kept secret in UK weather reports). Air goes around in convection currents in Hadley Cells and in Ferrel Cells. Because the British Isles can get weather coming from hot or cold zones and from land or sea, a changeable hot/cold wet/dry weather is found.

Task 3.

Read the following text and compare Russian weather with the British one.