Материал: 2507

In spring you’d better take a raincoat or an umbrella when you go for a walk.

In summer you can catch a cold.

12. Match the words:

1) strong; 2) pouring with; 3) icy; 4) cloudless; 5) weather; a) rain; b) sky; c) wind; d) forecast; e) roads.

13. Read the weather forecast and write your own one for the next two days.

Weather: England and Wales will start cloudy without breaks 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

took shelter in a shepherd’s hut. “YourАcountryДis very fine,” said the traveler to the shepherd, “but thereбare often storms and it rains always.”

“No, sir,” said the shepherd, “the weather in Scotland is not so bad; it does not always rain, it snowsиsometimes.”

2. -Why, Tommy, why do you have your umbrella open? It isn’t raining. -Well, you see, when it rains, Dad always takes the umbrella. I get it only when we have fine weather.

3.-What do we see over our heads in fine weather? -The blue sky, sir.

-And when it rains? -An umbrella, sir.

4.MOTHER: Get up, you lazy boy. See, the sun is up and you are still in bed.

BOY: Yes, but the sun goes to bed at six o’clock, and I go to bed at nine.

5.“How did you find the weather in London?” asked the friend of the returned traveler.

“You don’t have to find the weather in London,” replied the traveler. “It bumps into you at every corner.”

6.A local forecaster of the weather was so often wrong in his predictions that he became the laughing stock of the community. He, therefore, askedС

41

headquarters to transfer him to another station. A brief correspondence ensued.

“Why,” asked headquarters, “do you wish to be transferred?”

“Because,” the forecaster promptly replied, “the climate doesn’t agree with me.”

7. “Is this a healthy climate?” asked a stranger of a native of a certain region in the West.

“It sure is,” replied the native. “When I came here I couldn’t utter a word; I had scarcely a hair on my head. I hadn’t the strength to walk across the room, and I had to be lifted from my bed.”

“That is wonderful,” exclaimed the stranger. “How long have you been

“That’s nothing,” said his rival. “Where we were the words came out of

our mouths in pieces of ice, and we had to fry them to see what we were talking about.”

States,” said the American. “I canАrecollect one winter when a sheep, jumping from a hillockиinto a field, became suddenly frozen on the way,

9. An American and a Scotchman were discussing the cold experienced in winter in the north of Scotland.

“But, man,” exclaimed the бScotchman, “the law of gravity wouldn’t allow that.”

“Why, it’s nothing at all compared to the cold we have in the United

and stuck in the air like a mass of ice.” С

“I know that,” replied the American, “but the law of gravity was frozen, too.”

10. - What is the weather like? - It’s so cloudy I can’t see.

15. Study the following dialogue. Underline the correct word to complete each sentence. The first one has been done for you.

STUDENT FROM SIBERIA: Oh! The heat/hot is just awful! I’m being roasted alive by this sun/moon.

STUDENT FROM AFRICA: But it’s not so hot!

STUDENT FROM SIBERIA: Suppose you will laugh at me, but I love the cold/coldest. I’ve lived all my life in Siberia, and although the winters/winds are severe, they are exhilarating.

42

STUDENT FROM EGYPT: Is it really so coldest/cold there?

STUDENT FROM SIBERIA: Not to me, of course. I’m used to it, and can bear the cold very well, whereas I can’t stand the heat. Where I live it’s never very hot. You sleep/see, we’re exposed to the cold north wind, and snow.

STUDENT FROM FRANCE: That’s so. I remember enough of my chemistry/geography to know that. You have extremes in summer and winter temperatures which we of Western Europe haven’t got.

STUDENT FROM CRIMEA: Now, we, on the southern shore/shoe of the White/Black Sea, have an exceptionally warm climate, because there we are protected from the northern winds by mountains. It’s like the Mediterranean/ Meditirranean climate, with a maximum of rainfall/snowfall in

STUDENT FROM EGYPT: I don’t mind/kind it either. Not a bit. On the

STUDENT FROM THE FAR NORTH: Well, no wonder, the greater part

of Africa is within the tropics/topics. We all like the climate we are accustomed to.

Where I live, however, on the Mediterranean,А close to the bank of Nile, it is simply wonderful. иYou would call it hot, no doubt, but there are cool

STUDENT FROM EGYPT: Of course, I fully agree with you. But the

STUDENT FROM THE FARбNORTH: There is much mixture/moisture, isn’t there?

scorching heat of the Desert of Subaru/Sahara is too much even for me.

breezes/freezes from the sea, - at least we consider them cool. С

STUDENT FROM EGYPT: Oh, yes, and because of that the soil is remarkably fertile/versatile. You should see the luxuriant vegetation/vegetables! You have never seen the like of it. You must all come and visit us!

16. Circle in the text the synonyms to the words in italics.

1. I can’t stand the heat. 2. We are separated from the warm southerly winds by mountains. 3. We have a great amount of rainfall in winter, and a small amount in summer. 4. I don’t object to the heat at all. 5. This climate is just what I like. 6. And what is your opinion? 7. We get used to our own climate and like it. 8. I have the same opinion as you. 9. I’ve never seen anything like this luxuriant vegetation.

43

17.Compose short dialogues (about climate) between: 1) an inhabitant of Siberia and a guest from Cuba;

2) a student from the Crimea and a student from California; 3) an inhabitant of Georgia and a guest from Romania;

4) a student from Latvia and a guest from England.

18.Read the following letter from a London student.

April 28th, 2009

Dear Helen,

I have just come back from Russia. Every one of us had such a wonderful time, and learned so much about your country and people!

You promised to come in the autumn, and so I’ll be expecting you. If you could

mate is much milder than yours, on the whole. I must admit that sometimes I shiv-

manage to pay us a visit in the spring, or even in the winter, it would be so much better. I don’t say it will be cold in November; notИat all. You know that our cli-

ered with cold in Moscow and in St. Petersburg. In the Crimea it was more pleasant, of course. I think the climate of London isДabout the same as that of the Crimea

and the south of Russia. But London has a more even climate than either of these places.

Well, anyway, in spite of the fact thatАa London fog, especially in November, is as thick as pea-soup; it’s worth seeing!

All the same, whenever you come, you will be welcome. We’ll make a trip to Ire-

land, where the climate is just perfect. I often spend my summer holidays there.

lamps are lighted even иin broadбdaylight, fog signals are heard on the Thames and the trains are out of schedule.

You know Ireland is called “The Emerald Isle” because the grass is green there al-

most all the year round.

When a fog appears suddenly, the traffic gets hopelessly disorganized, the streets С

But never mind; after all, it’s not so bad as I’m painting it. Anyhow, it will be a great experience for you and we’ll go sightseeing together. I’ll show you everything worth seeing in and about London.

Give my love to your mother.

Your friend,

Sam.

44

ADDRESS

Name and surname

Number and name of the street

Name of the town

Post code/ Zip code

Country

D. How to end a letter

I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.

I hope we’ll see each other very soon.

Have a good time and write often.

Take good care of yourself.

Best regards.

Please give my love to everyone.

45