LESSON (2) THE WEATHER (PART B) (Advanced)

THE WEATHER  (Part B) (Advanced)

Look at any book or website that teaches foreigners English and one of the first conversations you will learn is about is “the weather.” This is because being able to talk about the weather is extremely important. It is normally the first thing an English speaker comments about after they have met someone. There are rules to weather-related conversations, however. All writers on the subject agree that you must never contradict anybody when discussing the weather, as this would be very bad etiquette. Even if it is snowing outside and someone says, “Nice weather, isn’t it?” you must reply, “Yes, it is!”

Is there more to talking about the weather than passing the time of day? Throughout history, the weather has been both dreaded and respected for its influence over living creatures. Not only does it control our moods and activities but it has also played a role in England's cultural identity, concept of time, and economic development.  The weather is such a big part of our daily routines that many of us forget how much this powerful force shapes our customs

Weather Vocabulary

Study the forecast for New Zealand. Circle and then look up the words in a dictionary which you don’t know.

North Island:

Wednesday: Rain easing to scattered showers. Snow flurries to 1500 metres. Strong to gale northwesterlies easing, but tending light southerly in the south. Freezing Level: Lowering to 1800 metres.
Thursday: Scattered showers, mainly in the south. Snow flurries to 1500 metres. Westerlies turning southeast. Freezing Level: About 1800 metres.
Friday: Rain becoming widespread. Snow level rising to 1900 metres. Easterlies strengtheingin Freezing Level: Rising to 2200 metres.

South Island:

Wednesday: Outbreaks of rain in the north, with snow to 1300 metres. Snow showers elsewhere. Light winds. South to southeast winds becoming widespread, then easing. Freezing Level: 1600 metres in north, but lowering to 600 metres in south.
Thursday: Cloudy areas, with a few sleet or snow flurries in the north and south. South to southwest winds. Freezing Level: 1400 metres in the north, 800 metres in the south.
Friday: Mostly dry at first, but rain developing north of Arthurs Pass in the evening. Snow falling to 1200 metres. South to southeast winds. Freezing Level: 1500 metres in the north, 800 metres in the south.

Each example below contains an idiom related to the weather.  Can you guess the meaning of each idiom from the context?  Try to match each idiom (1-6) with its definition (a-f).

• John is a fair-weather friend.  He was nice to me when I had a good job and a lot of money, but ever since I lost my job, he has stopped seeing me.
• I've been feeling under the weather lately and have lost my appetite.
• I can't go to the party on Saturday because I'm snowed under with work.
• She has musical talent so learning to play the piano is a breeze for her.
• He is a very cautious person.  Every month he saves half of his salary for a rainy day.
• That politician is full of hot air. He makes a lot of promises but never keeps them.

Idiom	Definition
1.  a fair-weather friend	a.  sick
2.  under the weather	b.  something really easy for a person to      do
3.  snowed under	c.  very busy
4.  a breeze	d.  to be prepared for possible problems in       the future, usually by saving money
5.  to save something for a rainy      day	e.  talking a lot but never doing what one      says
6.  full of hot air	f.   someone who doesn't help when a       friend is in trouble

ANSWERS:

      1.(f)  2. (a)  3. (c)  4. (b)  5. (d)  6. (e)

• John is a fair-weather friend.  He was nice to me when I had a good job and a lot of money, but ever since I lost my job, he has stopped seeing me. (f)
• I've been feeling under the weather lately and have lost my appetite. (a)
• I can't go to the party on Saturday because I'm snowed under with work. (c)
• She has musical talent so learning to play the piano is a breeze for her. (b)
• He is a very cautious person.  Every month he saves half of his salary for a rainy day. (d)
• That politician is full of hot air. He makes a lot of promises but never keeps them. (e)

Weather Vocabulary Quiz

Put one of the following words into the gaps.

hurricane      puddle       drizzling        foggy        lighting

1.    I don’t think we need to bring an umbrella. It’s only _______________ now.
2.    A ____________________ is a dangerous tropical storm.

3.    I steeped in a _________________ and now my pants legs are wet.

4.    We had to stop playing baseball because we didn’t want to get struck by ________________

5.    It was too _____________________ for the pilot to land.

ANSWERS:

hurricane      puddle       drizzling        foggy        lighting

1.    I don’t think we need to bring an umbrella. It’s only drizzling now.

2.    A hurricane is a dangerous tropical storm.

3.    I steeped in a puddle and now my pants legs are wet.

4.    We had to stop playing baseball because we didn’t want to get struck by lighting.

5.       It was too foggy for the pilot to land.

TO PRINT