Unit2 Weather

Part A:

1. The weather today: a fine day is in store nearly everywhere, with the best of the sunshine in southern and central areas of Britain. A pleasant day, then, with long sunny periods developing. Light winds. There will be light winds with a maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
Looking at the outlook for the next few days, it will become mostly cloudy with heavy showers moving in from the west.
2. A storm in Changchun, capital of Northeast China's Jilin Province, claimed four lives on Sunday. The storm lasted about three minutes from around 8 p.m. The winds reached speeds of over a hundred miles an hour, causing serious damage and a widespread power failure.

Part B:
Did You Hear the Weather Forecast?
Alan: Oh, look at the sky, Michelle! It's starting to get cloudy.
Michelle: I see it. I hope it doesn't rain. I thought it was going to be a fine day today.
Alan: That's certainly what the department was hoping for when they chose today as the date for the annual picnic.
Michelle: You can't have a picnic without good weather. You need sunshine for all the eating and games and entertainment.
Alan: Yeah, sunshine -- but not too much! Do you remember last year?
Michelle: I sure do. It was so hot all we did was look for shade, look for ways to escape from the sun.
Alan: And no one wanted to participate in any of the planned activities. All we wanted was cold drinks. And then dozed off.
Michelle: If there had just been the tiniest breeze to cool us off...
Alan: But there wasn't. Just that burning sun, without a cloud in the sky, and the temperature just seemed to climb higher and higher.
Michelle: Well, we don't have that problem this year, apparently. Alan, did you hear the weather forecast? Is it supposed to rain?
Alan: I don't know. I didn't catch the weather report. But maybe if it rains, it will only be a short shower which cools things off a little. That might not be bad.

Part C:

A Thunderstorm
Lili: Look, Betty, the sky has turned completely black!
Betty: Oh, wow. A big thunderstorm is coming. But I guess it won't last long.
Lili: Yeah, maybe for about twenty minutes or so it's going to seem like it's the end of the world. And then the sun will come out again.
Betty: I like storms like this. Summer is dramatic. What do you think, Lili?
Lili: Yes, these storms do come quite suddenly in the summer. I often seem to get caught without an umbrella.
Betty: But it's not so terribly getting caught in the rain occasionally in the summer. Now if you got all wet during a cold, dreary winter day -- that really would be horrible.
Lili: True. Ah, it's starting to rain now. Here it comes. Yes, it's starting to pour.
Betty: Here comes the lightning and thunder too.
Lili: At least it's supposed to clear up later this afternoon, and to be fine this evening.
Betty: That's good, because I'm going to meet some friends tonight.
Lili: Well, most likely you will have a very pleasant evening, because this storm should take some of the humidity from the air.
Betty: Yes, I must admit that these Chinese summers are very humid.
Lili: More humid than in the US?
Betty: Well, I can't speak about the whole country. But as far as New York goes, I'd say that the weather here in Shanghai tends to be hotter and more humid.
Lili: But I think our winters are milder.
Betty: Yes, I'm sure they are. We probably also get more snow in New York than you do here.