Vocabulary

occasional local ['loukal] thunderstorms временами местные грозы

precisely [pri'saisli] в точности

I don't believe [bi'li:v] я не верю

opposite ['opazit] противоположный

completely совершенно

ruined ['ru:ind] испорчен

be expected можно ожидать

stopped indoors остались дома

passed проходили мимо

coaches экипажи

it was clear было ясно

there was not a cloud in the sky в небе не было ни облачка

with the sun pouring into the room солнце заливало всю комнату

we wondered мы недоумевали

a landlady хозяйка квартиры

not a drop of rain ever fell не выпало ни капельки дождя

put on light clothes надели легкую одежду

gave up бросили, оставили /мысль о чем-л/

picnic ['piknik] пикник

a bitterly cold wind ужасно холодный ветер

to blow дуть

with colds and rheumatism ['ruimatizsm] с простудой

Weather Forecasts

George took the newspaper and read us the weather forecast: "Rain, cold, wet to fine, occasional local thunderstorms, east wind." I don't believe this weather forecast business. It forecasts precisely what happened yesterday or the day before, and precisely the opposite of what is going to happen today.

I remember how our plans were completely ruined one late autumn day. We had been planning to go to the country for a picnic, but then we looked at the weather report in the local newspaper. "Heavy showers, with thunderstorms, may be expected today," it said, so we gave up our picnic and stopped indoors all day, waiting for the rain. Many people passed by our house in cars and coaches. It was clear that they were going to the country. The sun was shining, and there was not a cloud in the sky. "Ah!" we said as we stood looking at them through the window, "they will come home wet to the skin!"

And we smiled, thinking how wet they were going to get. By twelve o'clock, with the sun pouring into the room, the heat became quite oppressive, and we wondered when those heavy showers and occasional thunderstorms were going to begin. At one o'clock the landlady came and asked if we weren't going out, as it seemed such a lovely day. I "No, no," we replied, "not we. We don't want to get wet through — no, no."

But not a drop of rain ever fell, and it was fine till late night.

The next morning we read that it was going to be a "warm fine day, much heat," and we put on light clothes and went out, and half an hour after we had started, it began to rain hard, and a bitterly cold wind began to blow, and it lasted for the whole day, and we came home with colds and rheumatism and went to bed.

(from “Three men in a boat” by Jerom K Jerom)

Ex.21 Say what weather you like best of all and why.

Ex.22 Do you listen to the weather forecasts? Do you trust them? Have you heard the weather forecast for today? Was it right?

Ex.23 Look at the pictures and say what the weather is like in them.

MEALS