Comprehension and Discussion

Ex. 1. Say whether the following statements are true or false. Justify your answers with information from the text. For the statements you consider to be false, provide the correct information.

1. Climate is the average condition of the atmosphere.

2. There is no agreement on the approach to the classification or the kind of classification of climatic belts to be used.

3. The most important elements of any climate are humidity of the air and cloudiness.

4. Due to the daily and yearly movements of the earth the sun’s heat is unevenly distributed.

5. The oceans don’t influence climate.

6. Proximity to large water bodies affects precipitation levels.

7. Climate depends on position of the particular place on the earth with respect to the sun at different times of the year.

Ex. 2. Do you strongly agree or disagree with the following statements. Explain your answers. Here are the possible openings for you.

Agreeing	Disagreeing
absolutely so really so it can’t be denied as far as I know	That is only partly true on the contrary it is absolutely wrong as far as I remember (from the text)

1. The weather is very important to me.

2. I feel at my best when it rains cats and dogs.

3. The weather influences the way I feel in general.

4. I believe that weather conditions can influence people’s well-being and their behavior.

5. It’s hard to stand the heat when it’s damp.

6. The weather in Belarus is very changeable.

7. Talking about the fashion is a good way to “break the ice” when you meet someone new.

8. Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get.

Ex. 3. Complete the following sentences.

1. Climate is …

2. The most important elements in determining climate are …

3. Climatic patterns depend on …

4. Continentality means …

5. Interior lands experience …

6. Maritime locations have smaller …

7. Summer and winter extremes in coastal communities are moderated by …

8. Proximity to large water bodies influences …

9. The third prime geographic influence…

Ex. 4. Talk to a partner and find out.

• how he / she understands the term climate

• what principal categories of climate he knows

• why there are different climates

• what part of the world has no winter

• in what climate trees don’t grow

• what category Belarus (the UK) comes in

• what continentality means

• what precipitation level depends on

• how oceans influence the climate

• how continental climates differ from marine climates

• the difference between hot and temperate climates

• how topography influence the climate

Ex. 5. Speak on:

1. Climate and its classification: aggregate, weather conditions, to determine, temperature and precipitation, belts (zones), to be distinguished, average temperature, rainfall.

2. Three geographic controls:

1. latitude, sun’s heat, to be distributed, to be exposed to direct rays of the sun, daylight period, short, long.

2. contitentality, to experience, seasonal extremes of temperatures, water bodies; maritime locations, temperature ranges, extremes, to be moderated by, proximity, influence, precipitation levels, water bodies, provide, evaporation, increase, the amount of moisture, coastal locations, to receive.

3. topography, the relationship between elevation and temperature, to lie astride a normal wind direction, to force the air to rise and cool, the amount of moisture, to be reduced, the relative humidity, to reach 100 percent, the windward side, the lee.

Ex. 6. Draw a scheme of climatic belts using any approach to the climate classification you know and describe it.

Ex. 7. Choose one of the following items and write an essay. Use additional material.

1. Climatic change and its origin.

2. Climatic controls.

3. Ocean currents.

4. Global warming.

Text B

Task. Read the text and get ready to discuss various climates.