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My Favourite Season

English Weather

This dialogue is a conversation between two girls, Alice and Julia. They came to London as tourists a week ago. Now they are walking along the street. So, the conversation begins.

- Isnt't it a beastly day, Julia?

- It is. It is so nasty and windy and this terrible fog! It is so thick that you can hardly see a yard in front of you.

- They say, in England it is frequently foggy in the mornings. As a matter of fact, dull weather is quite usual for this country. There're even days, when the rain falls heavily from morning till night.

- But there are fine days as well. On Monday I had an excursion over London, so I took a walk through the Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens and I enjoyed the weather so much. The day was simply wonderful! And the sun was shining brightly in the blue and cloudless sky.

- Yes, the English weather is very changeable. We may have a very close day when not a leaf is stirring and when there's hardly a cloud in the sky. But suddenly it gets darker, the sky becomes grey. There comes a flash of lightning and a thunderstorm begins.

- That's why the English have a saying about the weather: If you don't like it now, just wait a bit. But look! It seems to be clearing up, doesn't it?

- Now it looks like a real spring day.

- By the way, I'm so fond of spring. And I like April most of all because it's the time when everything is awakening from its long winter sleep. There are no snowstorms in spring and we cannot see snowdrifts in the streets. Snow melts and spring streams run merrily along the roads.

- But, Julia, when there're streams and pools everywhere our feet may get wet through. Besides, as cars and buses go along the streets they splash water and mud on the passers-by. To my mind, the most unpleasant time comes when the snow begins to melt.

- You don't say so! When spring comes everything is full of life and joy. The trees put forth little tender buds, the meadows grow green and the flowers begin to bloom. And in May all the shrubs are in blossom and the trees are the loveliest young green. The grass is dotted with yellow dandelions, and their sweet perfume fills the air as well as the songs of the birds.

- Well, as for me, I very much like winter with its frosty sunny days. It's a pleasure to go for a walk then. The ground is like iron and rings under your feet. The frost sparkles on the branches and icicles hang from the houses. And most of all I like the days when snowflakes are coming down as big as popcorn.

- But in winter we're obliged to spend more time indoors because out-of-doors it's cold.

- Oh, no! Winter is a delightful time for sports. Little children are fond of playing snowballs and making snowmen, older ones go in for skating, skiing and tobogganing, while grown-ups enjoy all these things even more.

- Sounds fine. However, I can really enjoy only warm days, especially in spring. Oh, don't you think it looks like rain?

- It does. And a moment ago the sun was shining. Now I know why English weather is something worth talking about.



- Well, let's go to one of those cafes and wait till it stops raining.

- OK. Come on.

Weather Forecasts

This dialogue is a conversation between two girl-friends, Alice and Julia. They decided to do some shopping together. And now they are walking along the street. So, the conversation begins.

- Lovely day today, isn't it?

- It is. There's hardly a cloud in the sky in fact.

- Yes, it's wonderful weather we're having. I hope it will keep fine. It seems almost too good to last.

- It does, but I'm afraid we're going to have rains, occasional local thunderstorms and a strong wind. I've heard it on the radio this morning.

- Nonsense! Today I've read in the local newspaper that it is going to be a warm, fine to set-fair day, much heat.

- Really? Oh, you see, this is the reason for me not to pay attention to such weather reports. I do think that of all the silly, irritating tomfoolishness by which we are plagued this "weather-forecast" fraud is about the most aggravating.

- Yes, my elder sister always says that they forecast precisely what happened yesterday or the day before, and precisely the opposite of what is going to happen today. But I do believe them and I usually make my plans for the day according to the weather reports.

- But haven't you ever got problems because of them? As for me, I remember a weekend being completely ruined by my paying attention to the weather forecast.

- And what happened that day?

- As it was reported, the day was going to be warm and fine, so my friends and I went for an outing, planning to have a very good time. But in the middle of the morning a terrible thunderstorm began and kept on steadily for two hours.

- Oh, I suppose all your plans were spoiled, and you had to return home.

- Moreover, we got wet through, and after that I came down with a bad cold and had to stay in bed for two weeks.

- Oh, I see. By the way, my granny was brought up in a village and she knows all the weather signs. For example, bees are usually active several hours before rain, but as the humidity increases, they return to their hives. Granny says that the longer the increased activity lasts the longer the rain will be. Plants are also good humidity indicators. Just before the rain many flowers, such as daisies, dandelions and tulips, close their blossoms. Thus my granny doesn't have to listen to any weather forecasts.

- Oh, I know one more way to forecast the weather. Some people are very sensitive to humidity. People, who have arthritis, are in a sense "living hydrometers". That is why many older people say: "It is going to rain. I can tell it by my bones." They actually can.

- Oh, don't you think it looks like rain?

- So, you see, I was absolutely right saying that it was silly to believe weather forecasts.

- Well, my report said that the weather would be fine and it was not true, but yours turned out to be absolutely correct. So, I still believe weather forecasts.

- Oh! The weather is a thing that is beyond me altogether. I never can understand it.



Date: 2015-12-11; view: 909


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