Paragraphs 2 and 3

The main (key) problem (question) of the text (article) is …

The basic aim (purpose) of the text, in my opinion, is to show ….

Brief (full) information about ….. is given in …

The text is divided into 2 (3,4, etc.) parts

The first part is about ….

The second part tells (informs) us about …

Firstly, …

In the first place …

Secondly, thirdly, …

The text is organised into the following parts …

In the text the author gives interesting data about …

The text gives some interesting facts, for example, …

For instance, …

Then the text passes on the problem of …

It is necessary to point out that …

Special attention is given to …

The author gives numerous examples in order to illustrate …

There are some figures …

Figure 1 shows the scheme (diagram / graph / table) of …

In figure 2 you see …

On the whole …

On the one hand / on the other hand …

It is fact that …

A lot of people think (believe) that …

What is more /Moreover / Besides / Therefore / Thus …

Conclusion

In conclusion …

On the basis of the above information we come to the following conclusion …

I think / I believe …

In my opinion / To my mind …

It seems to me that …

As far as I am concerned …

Finally / To sum up …

Taking everything into account …

The main advantage (disadvantage) of this text is …

The best feature of this text is …

The only drawback I noticed is that …

I particularly enjoyed the second part, because …

I recommend this (well-written / topical) text (highly) to …

3.1 Choose the most important pieces of advice from the list below, that you think will help you to improve your academic writing.

● Write precisely: clearly and accurately.

● Use correct language: grammar, vocabulary, spelling, etc.

● Organise the writing carefully: introduction, main body, and conclusion.

● Write legibly: handwriting should be easy to read.

● Write in an academic style: without using colloquial language.

● Avoid very long sentences.

● Be rational, critical, honest and objective.

● Carefully paragraph the writing.

● Avoid too much repetition.

● Check details carefully.

● Ensure that the opening paragraph is not too long and that it creates a good impression.

● Pay as much attention to the conclusion as to the introduction.

● Avoid the use of jargon, propaganda, exaggeration, and emotive language.

● Ensure that ideas and items are logically connected.

● Finally add some advice of your own that is not covered in the list above.

3.2 Read the review below and answer the questions:

1 Which tenses are used?

2 What is the purpose of each paragraph?

3 What useful phrases are used in the review?

4 Is this a good example of the review or not? Give reasons.

Review

The title of the article I have just read is “Air Pollution”. It is published in a famous journal “National Geography” and once more proves the importance of the discussed topic.

The author begins the article with some historical background and then gives a detailed analysis of the problem of air pollution. The idea is not new, of course, but we must agree that it remains very topical nowadays. Generally speaking the article is organised into 6 parts. Part 1 recounts the history and gives some definitions, e.g. air pollution management and monitoring. Part 2 describes industrial processes causing pollution in such big cities as London and Tokyo. Part 3 clearly explains the sources of harmful emissions, mentioning industrial complexes, motor vehicles and power plants. Part 4 compares big cities, small towns and rural areas. Moreover it gives additional information about toxic and hazardous sources of pollution. I really enjoyed reading part 5 because it is a good bridge to the next part. Only 10 sentences long it presents impressive possibilities of antipollution measures. Unfortunately in the last section the author comes to a distressful conclusion: although millions of dollars are spent to reduce the amount of pollution emitted into the atmosphere, this battle is endless and often not very successful.

I personally believe that the main advantages of this article are the following: all problems are covered from many points of view and vivid examples are represented to support them. In addition to this it is well written from all standpoints: the content, topic, style and structure. That is why I heartily recommend this article for those who are doing ecology and geography – it will provide you with many things to think about.

3.3 And now read a similar review of the same article. This model is not a good one and your task is to explain why.

REVIEW

This article under the title “Air Pollution”, deals with one of the most essential problems of today. The article is divided into several paragraphs – each to describe the problem from different sides.

The author starts with the origin of the problem and the first steps taken to solve it. He mentions, that people did not consider air pollution as a problem a century ago, but nowadays almost everybody realizes it. Evidently to catch reader’s attention the author gives a comprehensive picture of a modern city. From my point of view this paragraph, the largest one, is the best one for its insight.

All in all the paper is clearly written and relatively easy to read. The only drawback I noticed is that it says nothing specific about the problem. A primary goal is a list of organisations concerned with the quality of urban air. The readership if this article intends to attract students and all the people who want to get general information about air pollution. The epilogue of this article, however, remains the question of air pollution open.

3.4 Are the statements correct or incorrect?

1 Reviews do not include the writer’s view point.

2 The present tense is usually used in the description.

3 Each new topic is introduced in a new paragraph.

4 Linking words should be included in your writing.

5 The last paragraph never summarises the article.

6 Always justify your point of view.

7 The heading of the article should always be mentioned.

8 Students always have some difficulties writing in English.

3.5 Which verbs are similar in meaning?

1 analyse a) show

2 characterise b) make clear

3 classify c) demonstrate

4 explain d) describe

5 express e) examine

6 list f) propose

7 illustrate g) arrange into groups

8 suggest h) mention things one after another

3.6 Fill in the appropriate word from exercise 3.5. Mind grammar tense.

1 The report …….. various ways of solving the problem.

2 In 1918 W. Köppen …….. climates in 5 categories.

3 Last year British scientists …….. samples of leaves taken from the sea.

4 To put pictures in a book means to …….. it.

5 At the end of the course paper the books are …….. alphabetically.

6 The author …….. his own opinions in his books.

7 Bright colours …….. his paintings.

8 Science cannot …….. everything.

3.7 Match the two parts of the sentences.

A B

1 There is acid in that bottle, therefore a) the icy road continuous.

2 The accident occurred because of b) cold it is.

3 He passed his examinations because c) they had to turn round.

4 Lots of factories closed down, thus d) he worked hard.

5 She leaves all the windows open, however e) everyone played well.

6 We lost the game although f) many people lost their jobs.

7 A tree had fallen across the road, so g) the rain.

8 We went out in spite of h) it must be handled very carefully.

3.8 Fill in the words in bold. Remember that:

who / that – refers to people which / that – refers to things

where – is used for places

1 The article …….. I have just finished reading is very clearly written.

2 A professor is a person …….. works in a university.

3 The book …….. I finished last year has just been published.

4 A school is an institution …….. children are educated.

5 An encyclopaedia is a book …….. gives information on subjects.

6 There are a number of languages …….. are descended from Latin.

7 The difficulties …….. you have when writing in English may be in grammar and spelling.

8 A university is a place …….. students get higher education.

3.9 Match the definitions.

A B

1 survey a) an article that gives opinion about something

2 essay b) composition

3 review c) an examination of something

4 dissertation d) a list of questions

5 summary e) a long piece of writing on a particular subject that do for a university degree.

6 questionnaire f) a brief statement of some points

3.10 Read Ali’s essay. Then match the paragraphs A - I with these topics:

Conclusion / Crime and People’s Attitude / Environmental Problems / Introduction / Leisure Choices / Multicultural London / The Cost of Living / Famous Sights / Transport

MY HOME – LOVE IT OR HATE IT!

(by Ali Khazan)

A) I live in Blackheath in South London. London’s one of the largest and most exciting cities in the world, and there are advantages and disadvantages to living here.

B) The main advantage is that there’s a lot to do and see. In the centre of London there are tourist attractions like Madam Tussaud’s and the Science Museum, and there are all kinds of parks and historic buildings. I suppose that we don’t always make the most of it (use something for your benefit). We only visit places like the Tower of London when one of our relatives comes to visit!

C) Secondly, London is a great place for entertainment. All the new films come here first, and if we want to go to a pop concert or a big sports events, there’s always something right on our doorstep (very near to your home). And of course the shopping is great – there’s everything from department stores like Harrods to Camden Market.

D) Another advantage of living in London is that you can travel easily and quickly across the city on the underground. And we’ve got railway stations and airports to take you anywhere in the world.

E) Lastly, London is truly cosmopolitan. Kids at my school are from lots of different cultures, but that doesn’t stop us being friends. It’s good to mix with people from different backgrounds (the type of home and family that someone has). It stops you from becoming narrowminded (conservative and prejudiced).

F) But there are some major problems if you live in London. Like most other capital cities, it is noisy, polluted and congested with traffic. The traffic problem is so bad that they have recently introduced a congestion charge (demand of money) for central London. Drivers now have to pay if they want to take their cars to the city centre. Hopefully that will improve the situation.

G) Secondly, things are very expensive here – apparently it’s more expensive to live here than to live in any American city. For example, if you go to the cinema in the centre of London it can cost you £12. And to go just one step on the underground can cost you nearly £1.

H) But the worst problem about living in London is that, in general, people aren’t very friendly. Nobody will talk to strangers or help people in the street if they are in trouble. They don’t trust each other, and I think that’s because they are scared of becoming victims of crime. London has the highest crime rate in the country.

I) But in spite of (ignoring) these negative points, I still wouldn’t want to live outside of London. It’s my home – love it or hate it!

3.11 Complete the summary of the essay. Use these words:

Activities / expense / home / multicultural / principal / shops / unfriendliness / variety

For Ali, the (1) …….. advantage of living in London is the (2) …….. oа things that there are to see and do. He thinks that the (3) …….., the choice of leisure (4) …….. and the transport are good, and he likes the fact that London is a (5) …….. city. The disadvantages for him are the traffic, the (6) …….., people’s (7) …….. and the crime, but he doesn’t want to leave his (8) ……...

3.12 Write the review of the text “My Home – Love It or Hate It!”

3.13 Now read the four models of academic writing and define: a survey, summary, questionnaire and introductory paragraph of the essay.

Model 1 Britain is an island that is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. It consists of the mainland of England, Wales and Scotland. Ireland lies off the west coast of Britain. It comprises Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. The United Kingdom is composed of Britain together with Northern Ireland. The capital city is London which is located south-east England.

In 1998 the population of the UK was nearly 59 million. The density of population is 240 people per square kilometre. In the UK English is the first language of most people. In western Wales, Welsh is spoken by many of the people, but few people in Scotland speak Gaelic.

Model 2 This essay will examine the problems facing secondary education in Britain today. It will examine the background to the problems, starting with the 1944 Education Act, which established universal free primary and secondary education. It will then look at problems associated with comprehensive schools. After this, it will examine the concept of the National Curriculum, the extended responsibilities and powers of school governors and the local management of schools. Finally, there will be an analysis of the relationship between central government and local education authorities, and a discussion of the problems relating to the financing of schools.

Model 3 Several years ago, some research was conducted at Manchester University into the amount of time that overseas postgraduate students spent listening to spoken English and speaking English. Sixty students co-operated by completing questionnaires.

It was found that an average of 22¾ hours per week were spent listening to English and only 6¼ hours speaking English to English people. An analysis of the time spent listening to English showed that lectures accounted for 5 hours and seminars 2 hours. An estimated 2½ hours were spent in serious discussion while 2 hours were devoted to everyday small-talk. Watching television accounted for 5¼ hours and listening to the radio 4½hours. Going to the cinema or theatre only accounted for an average of 45 minutes per week.

Model 4

1 Tick the colour you like best from those listed below.
□ red □ brown □ orange □ yellow □ white	□ blue □ grey □ green □ purple □ black
2 Which is your lucky or favourite number? ____________ (if you do not have one, write none) 3 What do you consider to be the ideal age to get married? Tick one of the age groups below.
□ 16-20 years □ 21-25 years □ 26-30 years	□ 31-35 years □ 36-40 years □ 41-45 years
If none of these, state what you think here ________________ □ Tick here if you do not believe in marriage.
4 Tick below the three most important qualities you would look for in your ideal partner.
□ lively □ cheerful □ attractive □ intelligent □ honest □ thrifty □ homely	□ hard-working □ ambitious □ natural □ kind □ romantic □ serious □ confident
5 What do you consider to be the ideal number of children in a marriage? Tick one of the following.
□ 0 □ 1 □ 2 □ 3	□ 4 □ 5 □ more than 5
Are there any other categories and/or questions that you would like to add to the questionnaire? © Pearson Education Limited 1999

► You can photocopy a questionnaire, analyse the results and write a survey, based on the model above.

3.14 Study the information.

Styles differ according to the purpose of the text. Styles may be formal and informal. They are characterized in the following way:

Formal style is impersonal, with well developed paragraphs; it uses complex sentences with passive voice and participles; never uses colloquial English.

Informal style is personal, uses colloquial English, simple sentences and short forms.

Remember! Don’t mix formal and informal language.

3.15 Fill the words from the list below:

Introduction / balanced / conclusion / mistake / formal / styles / title / questionnaires

1 It is important to remember, that writing …….. should not be mixed.

2 A common …….. is to add a conclusion that does not follow logically from what has been written before.

3 …….. may be a part of the survey.

4 A …….. is needed to show that the writing is finished.

5 At the beginning we write the …….. of the book and the author.

6 The …….. to many pieces of academic writing contains historical background.

7 Written English, like spoken English, may be …….. or informal.

8 When we discuss or argue in academic writing, we need to present a …….. view.

3.16 Read the three models and answer the questions:

1 Which model is the most formal? Why?

2 Which model consists of short forms?

3 Which model is informal? Give reasons.

4 Which model is a mixture of styles? Why?

Model 1 I’ve never really been keen on going out in the snow – and I can’t understand why people get so excited about it. Your feet get soaking wet, your fingers nearly freeze off, and where’s the fun in having a snowball pushed down the back of your neck? I’d love to have enough money to be able to get away from here when it snows.

Model 2 Moreover, the combination of harsh winters and warm summers has an interesting effect on the personality of those who live in the more remote, rural parts of my country. Inhabitants of these areas tend to withdraw into themselves between December and March, becoming shy and reserved. In spring, however, they undergo a transformation – it’s really amazing! They’re just so incredibly different – you’d almost think you were in another country!

Model 3 Huge waves crashed onto the beach, sending sand and stones high into the air. Gale-force winds caused destruction to buildings along the seafront, and made walking in the street extremely hazardous. We spent the day sheltering in the lounge area of our hotel, wondering when, if ever, the storm would die down.

3.17 Study the information.

It is well known that project is a very popular kind of written work at British universities. Students usually do projects on a topic by their own choice or by the agreement of a lecturer. It is a piece of work that involves collecting detailed information about something.

Group projects can be a kind of mini-research. You can divide yourselves into small groups (perhaps 2-3) with each person responsible for one aspect or part of the activity: you will need to agree on who does what. Afterwards you will need to put all your information together and write a joint report.

Your project may contain a questionnaire that you need to construct for a specific purpose (perhaps to collect data or to obtain people’s opinions on issues or matters of concern by means of interviews). It may involve investigating various sources of information or references, perhaps in libraries. It may also involve personal observation of certain matters and comparing these observations with other people. Finally, some kind of conclusion will need to be agreed upon.

► In your group select one of the following projects and decide on a framework for collecting data etc, and who will be responsible for which part.

● The main subjects studied at different levels at your university.

● The history and development of the university / town, etc.

● Types of pollution and resulting problems in the town.

● Environmental Tourist Guide. Choose any piece of nature (river, lake, park, etc.).

Your steps: 1 Define the problem.

2 Find the solution.

3 Find out everything you can about it.

4 Use information from all sources (library, the Internet, surveys, etc.)

5 Use photos, drawings, slogans, etc. Anything!

Under the agreement with your lecturer you could modify the topics. You can propose other projects suitable for your locality.

UNIT 4 CLIMATE AND WEATHER

INTRODUCTION

● What is the weather like today?

● What was the weather like yesterday?

● What will the weather be like tomorrow?

These three questions are the most common among people round the world, don’t you think so? Speaking about weather we mean blue skies, puffy white clouds, torrential rains with hail force winds, flashes of lightning; or snow gently falling on the ground. But if we open an English dictionary we find out that “the weather is the state of the atmosphere at any given time everywhere on Earth; it varies from place to place, day to day, season to season”. The long-term look at the weather in a place or region, the averaging of rainfall, the maximum and minimum temperatures is called climate.

4.1 The list of common weather words is very long and we start with some nouns and adjectives. Check your understanding.

noun	adjective		noun	adjective
sun	sunny	wind	windy
rain	rainy	ice	icy
cloud	cloudy		mist	misty
fog	foggy	snow	snowy
heat	hot	humidity	humid
warmth	warm	frost	frosty

And now you can use a dictionary to help you.

► Hot weather

close / stifling – hot and uncomfortable, you can hardly breathe

boiling / scorching – very hot (e.g. boiling day)

warm – pleasantly hot

mild – gentle (winter) weather, when it is not very cold

humid – the air is hot and wet

drought – a long period of time without rain

► Cold weather

cool – pleasantly cold

chilly – a little cold

freezing – extremely cold

sleet – a mixture of snow and rain

frost – a coat of ice

blizzard – a storm with a bit of snow and strong winds

slush – dirty half-snow, half-water (in the streets)

snowdrift – a deep bank of snow

► Wet weather

to drizzle – to rain a bit with very, very small drops of rain

to pour – to rain a lot

shower – brief fall of rain

torrential rain – heavy rain

light rain – little rain

the Monsoon – a rainy season

hail / hailstone – pellets of frozen rain falling from the sky

overcast – very cloudy and dark

thick fog – dense fog

mist – light fog

damp – not dry; slightly wet

flood – overflow of water on a place usually dry; great outpouring

► Windy weather

strong wind – powerful wind

breeze – gentle pleasant wind

gale – very strong wind

thunderstorm – a storm with thunder and lightning

hurricane – a typhoon

► Look at these three ways of talking about the weather.

With a verb	With a noun	With an adjective
It often rains.	There is often rain.	It is often rainy weather.

● Put the words into the correct column:

Sunny / sun / hot / snows / snow / snowy / wind / windy / cold / cool / cloud / cloudy / warm / foggy / fog / humid / wet / drizzle / flood / floods / storm

4.2 Match each word with a word from the box.

stones drift storm warning rain wave pour

thunder torrential down heat hail snow gale

4.3 Complete the scales which get stronger from left to right.

a) …….. → wind → …….. → …….. → hurricane

b) boiling → …….. → warm →…….. → …….. → cold → ……..

c) damp → …….. → pour down → …….. →……..

4.4 Correct or incorrect? If a sentence is incorrect, write a correct sentence about the weather conditions in the sentence.

1 It often pours with rain in the desert.

2 It gets quite chilly in the desert in the evening.

3 Thunder makes a noise.

4 Lightning can kill people.

5 Drought is a long period of rain.

6 A spell of hot weather may end in a thunderstorm.

7 If it is humid, the air will be very dry.

8 Below zero, water turns to ice.

9 Heavy rain means that it is pouring with rain.

10 When it’s foggy you need sunglasses.

11 A shower is a gentle breeze.

12 In the Tropics there is usually torrential rain most days.

13 In the Far North freezing weather often continues till September.

14 In the Tropics there is usually torrential rain most days, and the roads often get flooded.

4.5 Fill in the appropriate word from exercise 4.1.

1 A …….. is over 100km per hour and can be dangerous.

2 A period of very hot weather often ends with ……...

3 Rain for a short period of time is a ……...

4 When it is hot, you still get a lovely …….. off the sea.

5 We had really thick …….. this morning.

6 –2°C (two degrees below zero Celsius/Centigrade or minus two degrees) is very …….. and freezing for Brazilians.

7 +35°C (thirty five degrees above zero Celsius/Centigrade or plus thirty five degrees) is …….. for England and very unusual.

8 The first …….. arrive and the roads become icy.

9 …….. were battering the roof of our car.

10 I think it’s going to rain, the sky is ……...

11 We had a …….. last summer, it did not rain for six weeks.

12 Smog is a mixture of …….. and pollution.

4.6 Read these sentences (1-10) and then use the words in bold to complete the sentences below (a-j).

1 Have you heard the weather forecast for tomorrow? They say it’s going to be hot and humid.

2 “It’s pouring with rain” means that it’s raining heavily.

3 A drought is a shortage of water. Usually because it hasn’t rained for a long time.

4 A blizzard is a severe snowstorm.

5 In a thunderstorm, you see lightning and you hear thunder.

6 A Mediterranean climate is generally hot in the summer and mild in the winter.

7 The sky was overcast, it wasn’t very bright and all you could see was cloud.

8 Temperature is measured in degrees.

9 When there’s a gale, the wind is blowing very strongly.

10 120° Fahrenheit is equivalent to about 49° Centigrade/Celsius.

a) It must have been at least 45 …….. in the shade.

b) The world’s …….. was very different when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

c) Maybe we should postpone the match; the …….. is really bad for tomorrow.

d) Do you remember the …….. of 1997? We were snowed in for days.

e) There’s no reason to be afraid of the ……..; as long as you stay indoors there’s no danger of being struck by lightning.

f) It was blowing a …….. when I cycled home last night; it was hard to stop the bike from getting blown over.

g) The South West can expect a top temperature this afternoon of 38 degrees ……...

h) “Don’t go out yet. It’s ………. You’ll get soaked.”

i) …….. and famine are not the most serious problems facing East Africa; war and corruption are.

j) Even though it was the middle of summer, it was so …….. every day that we didn’t get a chance to sunbathe once.

4.7 Choose the correct word.

1 Before we set off, we listened to the climate / weather forecast.

2 Paul saw a flash of lightning / thunder and then heard a lightning / thunder clap.

3 The traffic had to slow down because of the thick fog / vapour.

4 There won’t be much rain. It’s only a short shower / stream.

5 Spring is my favourite season / term of the year.

6 Last summer was very hot, and there was a real heatwave / temperature.

7 Look at those clouds! There’s going to be a blast / storm.

8 On a hot day in summer, I look forward to the chilly / cool evening.

9 We were caught in the rain and damp / soaked to the skin.

10 In the morning there was half a metre of ice / snow blocking the road.

4.8 Choose the correct answer.

1 There’s been a …….. in Germany and a village was completely destroyed.

a) flood b) drizzle c) shower d) smog

2 Dinosaurs have been …….. for millions of years.

a) endangered b) extinct c) threatened d) disappeared

3 It’s sunny, but there’s a very cold …….. so don’t forget your coat.

a) blowing b) air c) wind d) gas

4 If you ask me, …….. waste is a much bigger problem than ordinary household waste.

a) industrial b) business c) working d) employer

5 As towns grow, they tend to destroy the surrounding …….. areas.

a) urban b) commercial c) land d) rural

6 Jill put her Wellington boots on and, as soon as it stopped raining, went out to play in the ……...

a) reservoirs b) lakes c) puddles d) ponds

7 The weather was …….., I was wearing two pairs of gloves and my fingers were still cold.

a) foggy b) freezing c) damp d) boiling

8 Let’s go outside and enjoy the …….. while it lasts.

a) breeze b) blizzard c) sunshine d) neighbourhood

4.9 Fill in the appropriate word:

Conditions / spells / seasons / climate / degrees / temperature / forecast

On the whole, the a) …….. in Britain is fairly mild. Although there are four b) …….. – summer, autumn, winter and spring – many people say there are only two: cold and not-so-cold! The c) …….. today is around five d) …….. Centigrade, although the weather e) …….. has promised sunny f) ……... I can’t wait! I suppose the weather g) …….. aren’t bad for the time of year.

4.10 Complete the following text with the correct derivation of the word in bold.

WEATHER CONTROL

Forecasts might warn us about threats posed by the weather but imagine if we could take control of the weather and prevent (1) …….. weather conditions in the first place.	DANGER
Controlling the weather may be the (2) …….. technological	BIG
challenge we face. For a long time, (3) …….. have dreamed	SCIENCE
of (4) …….. artificial clouds to bring rain to areas hit by drought,	CREATE
but it’s much (5) …….. to do than they expected, with each part	HARD
having an (6) …….. on all the others. The scientists may feel they	EFFECTIVE
are (7) …….. their time, but success could save millions of lives.	WASTE

4.11 Find the odd word out.

breeze gale blustery frost

damp hazy wet humid

scorching stifling boiling chilly

drought tornado flood thunder

shower drizzle rain downpour

snow blizzard rain snowdrift

4.12 Match the two parts of the sentences.

1 A sudden gust of wind	a) and she had forgotten her umbrella.
2 It was a hot, humid day,	b) under the shadow of the trees.
3 It was pouring with rain	c) and matches are never cancelled.
4 We stopped at a cool, grassy area	d) mountains were veiled in mist.
5 I think I’ll walk to work –	e) blew the paper out of his hand.
6 Hurricanes happen in the Western Atlantic Ocean,	f) because of sleet and snow.
7 The team now have their own all-weather stadium	g) and the only sound was the buzzing of insects.
8 We couldn’t see anything	h) because the car was stuck in a blizzard.
9 The scenery was mysterious,	i) it’s only drizzling.
10 We were very upset	j) typhoons happen in the Western Pacific Ocean.

4.13 What types of weather are bad and good for doing these things?

Model: Skiing bad: mild weather which makes the snow melt;

good: cold, clear days

1 Planting flowers in a garden

2 Having an evening barbecue

3 Going out in a small sailing boat

4 A day of sightseeing in a big city

5 Camping out in a tent

6 Looking at ships through binoculars

4.14 This chart shows anyone who wants to visit the West of Ireland what weather to expect at different times of the year. Make a similar chart for your country or home region.

December – March	coldest months usually quite wet; snow on high ground
April – June	generally cool, often wet and windy but improving
July – August	warmest months bright with showers; cool sea breezes
September – November	often mild becoming cold; mist and fog

4.15 What kinds of weather do you think caused the following to happen? Write a sentence which could go before each of these.

1 We had to sit in the shade every afternoon.

2 The sweat was pouring out of us.

3 I can hardly breathe; I wish it would rain to cool us down.

4 Cars were skidding out of control.

5 Even the postman had to use a boat to get around.

6 They had to close the airport; the snow was a metre deep.

7 We were able to sit in the garden in the middle of winter.

8 The earth became rock-hard and a lot of plants died.

9 It blew the newspaper out of my hands.

10 A row of big trees had been uprooted like matchsticks.

11 I could hardly see my hand in front of my face.

4.16 Read the text “The Russian Climate” and check your understanding doing the exercises after it.

THE RUSSIAN CLIMATE

Even a quick glance at an atlas will show you just how big Russia is. For people who are not familiar with the country, it’s hard to imagine the distances involved. The city of Vladivostok on the east coast, famous for being the final stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway, is over 9,300 km from Moscow and is seven hours ahead. The total area of Russia is 17,075,200 square kilometers, which is over 130 times the size of England. Anyone interested in the weather will not be disappointed by the range of climates that Russia has to offer. You might expect the south of the country to be generally warmer, and you’d be right. Temperatures in the south average 20°C in the summer, and the record high is 38°C. And most people are aware of the fact that Siberia can be cold, with some areas covered with snow for half of the year, but do you know how cold? The record low is –94°C, recorded at Verkhoyansk.

The wind blows from the south in winter and the north in summer, except for in the Far East, where it’s the opposite way round. This area experiences monsoons and visitors need to be warned about the heavy rains, which can bring potentially dangerous floods.

The country is certainly not short of extremes of weather – but nothing prevents people from enjoying themselves, whatever the weather!

► How do you pronounce: glance, final, hour, area, half, monsoon, warn? Use a dictionary to help you.

► Find in the text the words which have the same meaning as:

demonstrate, v group, n

town, n pour, n

territory, n difficult, adj

suggest, v

4.17 Fill in the words in bold from the text above.

1 A bitter …….. …….. from the East.

2 During the …….. rains, the river is at its highest.

3 The …….. temperature in summer is 24°C.

4 The rainfall …….. 36 inches a year.

4.18 Describe the Siberian climate (or the climate of the area you live) using the phrases from the text.

4.19 Match the definitions:

A B

1 principal, adj a) change

2 variation, n b) to be more

3 rainfall, n c) most important

4 exceed, v d) changing into steam

5 evaporation, n e) affect

6 distinct, adj f) the amount of rain

7 survive, v g) the amount of rain, snow, etc. that falls

8 influence, v h) to live in spite of difficulties

9 precipitation, n i) clear

4.20 Read the text “Types of Climate” carefully, then do the exercises below.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-26