Dealing with the weather in London

Hi everyone!

Finally back after this forced break. But you know there's a period of frantic activity coming... exams are just round the corner so it's time for more frequent videos.

This is a short, funny guide on how to deal with the weather, whether (see what I did there?) you visit London in sunny summer or rainy autumn.

These are some expressions you may want to check before watching the video:

the odd ... ( = not usual)
spring has sprung
alfresco dining (yay! Our favourite word in action!)
unwind
thermals
duck into (the shops)
when the weather turns
to keep (the chills) at bay

The activity is a sentence completion. Disable closed captions (CC button) to do it, and then enable them to check your answers.

Careful in sentence 7, as it contains one feature of pronunciation we have only seen in the C1 course: the intrusive "r" (an "r" sound between one final vowel and one initial vowel).

Enjoy!

1. You must be ready to adapt, because the weather in London can be a little __________________.
2. Even if spring is mainly sunny, you might see the odd __________________.
3. If you get a bit hot under the collar, the best idea is to leave the bus and tube __________________ and hire a bike.
4. Don't forget a picnic! __________________ the blanket and enjoy some alfresco dining.
5. Even though the long summer days may be __________________, autumn is still a great time to be in London.
6. London is a top shopping destination, and some of its __________________ include Carnaby Street and Covent Garden.
7. As the nights __________________, find yourself a bar or go to a show.
8. During winter, there are many places that are __________________ from the cold outside.
9.A pub, in front of a roaring fire is a wonderful way to __________________ a winter's day.

The Short Transcript Challenge V: Desert Climates

Hello everyone!

As part of our long-forgotten Short Transcript Challenge, I propose this short video. It's a short description of desert climates and landscapes.

It's one minute long, but it's clear and the speed is quite reasonable. I would like to see your transcriptions in the comments, although I'll be posting a key soon (not too soon this time, though, to make sure you try!)

There are two words that you will need to know in advance, as they are very specific: erg and reg (better known as "desert pavement").


Go for it!

Understanding the weather

Hello again!

This is a video from a fantastic resource website, Education Scotland. Weather and climate facts and concepts explained in a lovely Scottish accent, starting by this video that goes through the most usual terms and symbols you are likely to hear in a weather forecast.

I give you the link so you can browse through their site: it's well worth a look.

To practice some listening comprehension, here's a collection of gaps with variying degrees of difficulty. Notice how some of the sentences are phrased very differently from the original recording, while others are almost verbatim. This is something that can make the activity more or less difficult, and you must gradually train yourselves to deal with any kind of rephrasing of the original text. Memory, note-taking strategies, and a good command of related vocabulary are essential to this purpose.

Here it goes. The link includes a transcript, but I'm also including this one, where you can find a key to the gaps.

Enjoy!

INTRODUCTION

(1)    Over the hills, heavy rain will be ________________________ (becoming).

(2)    What’s the expression they use to forecast sunny weather?

(3)    Where is there a risk of south-westerly gales?

(4)    The specific terms used in a certain field are called j___________.

(5)    To understand something better is to s______ t________ t_______ f________ (idiom).

WIND

(6)    South-westerly wind means ______________________________ the southwest.

(7)    Wind speeds can ______________________________ a gentle breeze blowing around 10 miles per hour that just rustles leaves in the trees to a strong wind at 25 to 30 miles per hour.

(8)    When wind blows at speeds between 39 and 46 miles per hour, it means we have reached ______________________________.

(9)    Storm force winds can _________________ and ____________________________.

PRECIPITATION

(10) If the cloud stretches ______________________________ it gets so cold that the water droplets freeze and become ice particles.

(11) Sleet is ______________________________.

TEMPERATURE

(12) The _____________________ daytime temperatures in Scotland range from around 6 Celsius in December to around 19 Celsius in July. 

(13) In summer, temperatures can be ______________________________.

MIST

(14) With fog or mist visibility ______________________________.

(15) The ______________________________ of visibility changes whether we refer to airports or to road traffic.

HUMIDITY

(16) In Scotland, we say it’s 'close' or 'muggy' ______________________________.

(17) Some of Scotland’s most humid days occur because ___________________________.

PRESSURE

(18) Air in the atmosphere is constantly rising and ______________________________.

(19) Areas of high pressure bring dry and settled weather, and on the map the isobar lines are __________________________, whereas the isobar lines for low pressure areas, which bring wet and windy weather, are often __________________________.

EXTREME WEATHER

(20) One consequence of climate change could be ___________________and ___________________ weather.

(21) Severe flooding can bring about blocked roads or even_________________________.

(22) The most extreme weather in the UK is be ___________________and ___________________, which can knock down trees and damage property.