Text 2. THE SEASONS OF THE YEAR

In the depths of winter we have the habit of fantasising about seasons past, haunted

by memories of old springtime love affairs, of summer adventures on foreign shores

~ P and solitary strolls through autumnal woods. Perhaps we linger

^ f~^ ^^ <v most nostalgically over the season just passed, remembering how

vY we greedily gorged on raspberries and blackberries and exclaimed

£aV£j| X^v at the fiery colours of the last leaves of half naked trees as they

Y stood out brilliantly against the dark green conifers.

With the approach of winter, nights become chilly. We wake up to see frost on the lawn and edging the leaves of shrubs. Snow is unlikely at this time of year, but if you live near mountains you may have a dramatic view of snow-capped peaks while the valleys are still green.

Although winter begins officially on December 21st, it is usu­ally January before really cold weather sets in. When it comes there are compensations for the discomforts and restrictions. The beauty of the winter landscape deep in snow is overwhelming or heart-stopping or gives pause for thought or makes you wild with the desire to get out and paint it or play in it, according to your na­ture. Children go wild with joy, build snowmen, throw snowballs, go tobogganing, make slides on the treacherous ice of lakes and ponds, to their parents' terror, while adults plan skiing holidays or become nostalgic about winters past.

We suddenly become aware of animals, too, particularly hares, foxes and deer, as we see their tracks in the snow, hunger having driven them into urban areas. This brings us to the other, brutal side to winter. It is, of course, a very tough time for animals. Birds may migrate but the best thing that animals can do is to hibernate or, if not, build up winter supplies as squirrels do. Those not equipped with these skills have to survive as best they can - if they have managed to

survive the autumn hunting season. Transport becomes a prob­lem, too. Train schedules are interrupted by snow on the line and snowploughs have to be brought out when snowdrifts have made roads impassable. There is also the possibility of damage to win­ter vegetables or fruit trees, which gives gardeners something to worry about.

But long severe winters are rare in Western Europe. After a few weeks the temperature rises and the thaw sets in, often re­sulting in swollen mountain streams and flooding in the valleys. Eventually this water finds its way to the sea, and the earth pre-

Everyday Life

pares itself for another cycle. In other countries in different cli­matic zones, there is only a few degrees' difference between winter and summer. This may have many advantages, but a varied climate such as ours powerfully marks what is actually happening to our living world, failing strength, the going to ground of all signs of life, the beginning of activity in what seems dead, the extraordinary burgeoning of abundant life and the profligate and \. profuse generation of fruits and living creatures before energy ~~%. dwindles back to its roots. Not that things always happen so smoothly. Summer holidays are not always enjoyed in torrid heat and you may pick roses on Christmas day. Nature likes to be unpredictable but, as far as the ebb and flow of life is concerned, she always keeps her word.

at times,

shore

solitary

stroll

linger

shrub

toboggan

treacherous

aware

tough

hibernate

schedule

snowplough

snowdrift

damage

thaw

overwhelming

flood

burgeon

abundant

profligate

dwindle

haunt

gorge

conifer

torrid

ebb and flow

Glossary

land at the edge of a body of water

single, lone

leisurely walk

to stay, delay one's departure

a bush

a long narrow sledge

dangerous

knowing or realizing, conscious

very difficult

to spend the winter in a state resembling sleep

timetable

a device for removing snow from roads and railways

a smooth heap of snow blown together by the wind

injury or harm

the melting of snow or ice by rising temperatures

too powerful to resist

to fill or cover with water

to begin to grow or develop rapidly

more than enough, numerous

• using money, resources, etc. in a wasteful way

■to become gradually less or smaller

■to return repeatedly to somebody's mind

■to eat greedily

■a cone-bearing tree or shrub, e.g. pine, fir, etc.

•very hot and dry

•refers to the tides, but also used metaphorically of a regular rise and fall, coming and going

Unit 2

Exercise 7.

Discuss the following points and questions with a partner. Try to use your own words where possible.

Paragraph 1:

a) Why is memory important in this section?

b) Find a contrast that gives pleasure to the eyes.

Paragraph 3:

a) What are the 'compensations' of winter mentioned in the text?

b) Can you think of any others?

c) What do you think the 'discomforts' and 'restrictions' might be?

d) What looks safe but may not be?

Paragraph 4:

a) Three negative points about winter.

b) Find the two verbs which give contrasting ideas about how different animals es­cape from the cold.

Paragraph 5:

a) A process which begins when the temperature begins to rise.

b) Why does the writer like our climate? Do you agree?

c) Find, in the last two sentences, a general statement and two examples of it.

Exercise 8.

Point out compound nouns formed from the word snow.

Exercise 9.

Read the text. Divide it into logical sections, suggesting an alternative title for the text and a subtitle for each section.

Exercise 10.

Complete the following sentences, adding ideas of your own:

a) In winter people have the habit of fantasising about...

b) Snow is unlikely at the beginning of winter, but...

c) Although winter begins officially on December 21,...

d) Birds can migrate but the best thing that animals can do is...

e) Transport becomes a problem because...

f) After a few weeks the temperature rises and...

Everyday Life

Text 3. "UNTITLED"

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