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Card VII — Mrs Ames, a clerk. She went to the US to visit
her relatives in California. It was very
hot.
Card VIII — Mrs James, a clerk. She went to Canada with
her husband to some sports events. The
weather was cool, but they liked it.
Card IX — Mr Flames, an accountant. He was unlucky
not to have had a leave, but to have gone on
business to Alaska. It was rather cold there.
Card X — Mr. Blames, a business manager. He went travelling to China. It was hot but rainy.
WRITING
Exercise 1
Prepare to write a dictation. Learn the spelling of the italisized words and phrases from Introductory
Reading and exercise 1 on page 274.
Exercise 2
Study the weather in your region for a whole week. Write down your observations. Use the following
models.
A.
Monday:Occasional drizzle, bright spells, cold.
Tuesday:
Scattered showers, hail and snow over high
ground.
Wednesday:
Snow showers heavy in the North, sunny pe
riods, cold.
Thursday:
Cloudy with showers of sleet or snow, rather
cold.
Friday:
Some rain in the South at first, early fog,
frost patches.
Saturday:
Mainly dry, some bright intervals, milder.
Sunday:
Rain at times, temperatures near normal.
B.
Monday:Fog early, followed by dry sunny day.
Tuesday:
Rather cloudy with some rain, bright periods.
Wednesday:
Changeable with rain at times, near normal temperatures.
Thursday:
Rain in places, mainly dry later.
Friday:
Showers at first, sunny spells, little change.
Saturday:
Rain chiefly in the North and West, sunny in tervals.
Sunday:
Normal temperatures, max. 20 °C, sunshine.
Exercise 3
Write an essay on one of the following topics.
1. A Lot of People Like Winter (Summer) but I Hate It.
2. How the Weather Can Help People in Difficult Situations.
3. Once I Was Caught in a Rainstorm/Snowstorm.
4. How the Weather Affects Me.
5. I Don't Believe Weather Forecasts; I Believe Weather Lore.
Exercise 4
Write a summary of the following text.
Cold? Britain Is Actually Getting Hotter
Most Britons could be forgiven for thinking a new Ice Age is upon us. Small comfort, then, as we
struggle through snowdrifts and cope with burst pipes, that the present cold is a sign the British climate is
generally getting milder.
Ironically, most scientists now believe the short sharp shock of severe cold that has struck Europe for
three winters running is an indicator that the world is growing warmer. The burning of fossil fuels is
building up a blanket of carbon dioxide in the atmospere, creating a "greenhouse" effect.
Britain and Europe have certainly experienced weather this cold before. In the 17th century, the Thames
froze solid so often that it became a regular winter sports attraction. The weather then was so severe that it is
sometimes referred to as the Little Ice Age. Even in the early 19th century, Britain's climate was still colder
than it is today. We still have a cherished picture of Charles Dickens's Christmases — although, in fact,
snow at Christmas has been a rarity in southern England for 150 years.
Studies of temperature trends around the world show that it has been warming up since the middle of the
19th century. Most experts agree that this is a result of human activities. By burning coal and oil, we are
putting carbon dioxide into the air. This acts like a blanket round the earth, trapping heat that would
otherwise escape into space. As long as we keep burning fossil fuel, the trend is likely to continue. So why