Speaking

Exercise 47. Translate the following proverbs. In what circumstances would you say the following? Make up small situations to use the proverbs.

It never rains but it pours.

It is raining pitchforks

Small rain lays great dust

After rain comes fair weather

Everything is good in its season.

It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

If there were no clouds, we should not enjoy the sun.

After rain comes fair weather.

Exercise 48. Think of your favourite season add not less than 5 arguments in its favour. List the arguments against other seasons. Discuss the topic in the group.

Exercise 49. Make up dialogues between:Use patterns from ex. 45.

1. You and your friend. Your friend invites you to go for a walk, but the weather is not good. Refuse the suggestion, give your arguments referring to the weather

2. You and your parents. Your parents warn you about the weather.

3. You and your letter friend. You friend from the UK asks you about the weather in Russia. He/she is coming and wants to know what to take.

Listening

Exercise 50. Listen to a small dialogues. Complete the gaps.’

1.

A: Fairly (1)____________________ for the time of the year.

B: Yes. Quite different from the (2)____________________.

A: They say we’re (3)____________- _______________ snow

B: Let’s hope it (4)_____________________ fine for the weekend

2.

A: It seems to be (5)__________________________ up

B: It makes a (6)______________________, doesn’t it?

A: Apparently it’s going to (7)_________________________ colder.

B: Still another month should see us through the (8)________________________ of it

3.

A: (9)_______________________ and (10)_________________________ this morning

B: Yes. Much better than yesterday.

A: The (11)_________________________’ll probably get up later.

B: As long as it doesn’t (12)____________________________.

4.

A: It’s good to see the (13)____________________________ again.

B: A big (14)____________________________ on what we’ve been having.

A: It’s supposed to (15)_____________________________ over this afternoon.

B: I didn’t think it would (16)_____________________________.

Exercise 51. There is part A given to you. Make up part B by your own. Listen to the Student A and react in an adequate way as Student B. You must fit in the pause left for you.

Ellen: ____________________________________________________________________

John: Yes, much better then yesterday.

Ellen: ____________________________________________________________________

John: Let’s hope, it keeps fine for the weekend

Ellen: ____________________________________________________________________

John: It makes a change, doesn’t it?

Ellen: ___________________________________________________________________

John: I didn’t think it would last.

Part b Reading and Comprehension Text 3 Advancements in Forecasting

When George Cowling became the first television weatherman in 1954, he was assisted by a great deal of experience and scientific understanding, some statistically-developed 'rules' and little else.

His main tools were pencils (and a rubber) for analysing the charts plotted by his assistant, and a pair of dividers for measuring isobar spacing to give wind speeds. He worked at the London Weather Centre - then in Kingsway - and had to transport a large bundle of rolled charts across London to the BBC's Lime Grove Studios in Shepherd's Bush.

One of the first technological developments was the receipt of charts via a large fax machine. The modern era arrived for forecasting when the first electronic computer was installed at Met Office headquarters, then in Bracknell, in 1962 and the first operational guidance from this computer increased the accuracy of the forecast.

From faxes to satellites

In 1964 the first operational pictures from satellites became available. But it was not until 1973 that the biggest single increase in accuracy was seen. A new and more powerful computer producing a detailed 10-level numerical model of the Earth's atmosphere doubled the accuracy of the three-day forecast. Information was now arriving regularly from satellites and the forecaster's world was expanding.

Supercomputers

The CDC Cyber 205 was the first Met Office supercomputer and was installed in 1981. This introduced a 15-level atmospheric computer model. Further developments included the installation at Met Office HQ of two Cray Y-MP super computers (one of the world's largest computers) in 1990 and 1991. These allowed the introduction of a new 19-level model and further improved the representation of atmospheric processes.

Both machines were replaced by a single Cray C90 in May 1994 with a six-fold increase in the speed of processing. Then in 1996 a Cray T3E supercomputer was installed, five times more powerful than the Cray C90, followed by a second T3E in 1999.

These huge changes in processing speed and computer power, have continued to improve the accuracy of the weather forecasts. Some measures of accuracy showed an improvement from 79% before 1980 to 86% in 1996.

In 2004 the Met Office introduced its next supercomputer made up of 30 NEC SX-6 nodes running at its new HQ site in Exeter. This provided six times the power of the previous supercomputers.

More recently, in 2008 the Met Office upgraded to the next-generation supercomputer, which achieves even more accurate and detailed short range weather forecasts through high-resolution computer simulations.

Forecasting online

The BBC Weather website launched in 1997. Since then, developments in technology have allowed it to evolve to the dynamic database driven site you see today.

The first BBC Weather website was designed like an online magazine. It focussed on written features that were updated each week. The forecast information flowed directly from the Met Office with no manual intervention by BBC Weather Broadcast Meteorologists.

As the forecast evolved during the course of a day, it wasn't possible to send updates through to the website. As a result there was often inconsistency between the details seen on TV and online.

In 2005, BBC Weather introduced a new weather graphics and data management software called Weatherscape XT supplied by Metra. It produces broadcasts for TV and graphics for the web. It ingests data into a central database and uses this to produce graphics visualising the weather forecast and data feeds for use online, on mobile and on interactive TV.

For the first time we were able to ensure that the latest forecast is available on all of our output. The Weatherscape software also made it possible for the weather charts used in our TV forecasts to be published online. These charts are updated by our Broadcast Meteorologists throughout the day, and these edits are also sent to the online services.

In 2006, BBC Weather embarked on a series of audience research studies into what was liked and disliked about the BBC Weather website. The results of these informed the largest redesign the BBC Weather site had seen to date.

A Beta version of the site, which showcased the new features, was launched in September 2008. Development continued in response to audience feedback and new features were added over the following few months.

The 2009 redesign brought a total change to the navigation and design on the site, as well as introducing new features.

It is now possible to search once and find all your forecast information on one page. Forecast updates are faster and more regular. A new feature allows you to set your own weather homepage and save quick links to six favourite locations.

The colour and banner of the page reflects the state of the weather for the location you are looking at. Regional video forecasts broadcast on TV are now available online alongside other information for your location.

Exercise 52. Find Russian equivalents for the words or word combinations from the text given below.

a weatherman scientific understanding to analyze charts to measure isobar spacing to give wind speeds to receive via a fax machine to forecast headquarters the first operational guidance to increase the accuracy a detailed 10-level numeric model to expand to be installed a six-fold increase speed processing computer power

the next-generation of supercomputers to launch a website to evolve a dynamic database an online magazine to focus on to be updated manual intervention inconsistency to produce graphics visualizing to embark on in response to audience feedback to save quick links favourite locations.

Exercise 53. Correct the following statements. When expressing disagreement make sure you begin your answers with such commonly accepted phrases. Do not repeat them.

I do not agree that …, I disagree that…, in my opinion, to my mind, as far as I remember, as far as I know, the text reads the opposite; it’s not true, it’s not right, vice versa, it’s quite the opposite, according to …

1. When George Cowling became the 1^st television weatherman he received a bundle of charts via a large fax machine.

2. It was George Cowling who became the first weatherman who brought technological developments.

3. It was not until 1973 that the first operational pictures from satellites became available.

4. Some measures of accuracy showed little improvement in 1986.

5. It was not until 1990 that the website was launched.

6. The website is focused on written features updated daily.

7. A new software ingests data into a central database and uses this to produce graphics that follows the weather forecast for use online, on mobile and on interactive TV.

8. We still are unable to be sure that the latest forecast is available online.

9. In response to audience feedback the development continued and we are expecting a redesign in the nearest future.

Exercise 54. Complete the sentences using the information from the text.

1. George Cowling was assisted by… .

2. George Cowling worked in … .

3. In 1973 a new powerful computer produced … .

4. In the following years new more powerful computers were installed to … .

5. More recently, in 2008 the Met Office upgraded to the next-generation supercomputer, which … .

6. The forecast information flowed directly from the Met Office with … .

7. Weatherscape XT produces … .

8. In 2006, BBC Weather embarked on a series of audience research studies into … .

9. The 2009 redesign brought… .

Exercise 55. Look up for more information in additional sources if necessary. Answer the questions.

1. When was weather forecast first?

2. When did the era of weather forecast on TV begin? How did they forecast the weather

3. What brought changes to the technics of forecasting?

4. What is a supercomputer? What was the first supercomputer an Met Office HQ?

5. Follow the evolution of the supercomputers that model weather.

6. How did the accuracy change?

7. When did BBC launch their website? What were the disadvantages of the first websites?

8. Why did BBC Weather have an opinion poll? What was the result of it?

9. How did the website change in 2009?

Exercise 56. Write out all the dates from the text. Look at the structural pattern below. Analyse it. Make up your own sentences using the pattern and the information from the text.

It was not until 1973 that the biggest single increase in accuracy was seen. – Только в 1973 году появилось заметное улучшение в точности прогнозов.