5. Read and translate the following phrases.

to blow from the north the air is very damp to end with a thunderstorm little sunshine fairly cold average temperature at a time it is windy and cold it is common for …

long daylight a time of fine weather the weather is humid the fog is dense after very heavy rain clear blue skies the weather is boiling (freezing) maritime climate occasional thunderstorms

6. Complete the text about the weather in Britain, using the words and expressions in the box below. The Weather in Britain

In Britain, …… is very changeable , it …… a lot, but the sun often …… too. Winters can be fairly …… and damp, with an average …… of 5°C in the south; there is often snow. Summers can be cool or warm, but the temperature …… not usually go above 30°C. It is …… cloudy, and there are sometimes grey …… for days or weeks …… . Days are …… in summer and …… in winter. There is sometimes fog, especially in spring and autumn, But it is not so common as foreigners think. Thunderstorms are quite common in mountainous areas. British …… never …… what tomorrow’s weather will be …… .

at a time does know like long cold often people rains shines short skies temperature weather

• Say what the best season to visit Britain is. Explain your reasons.

7. This chart shows anyone who wants to visit the West of Ireland what weather to expect at different times of the year. Make a similar chart for the Murmansk region.

Dec – March	April – June	July – Aug	Sept - Nov
coldest months; usually quite wet; snow on high ground	generally cool; often wet and windy but improving	warmest months; bright with showers; cool sea breezes	often mild; becoming cold; mist and fog

• Say what the best season to visit Murmansk is. Explain your reasons.

8. Listen to the recording. What do Cheryl and Marcus say about the weather in South Africa and the north of England? When is the best time to go? lesson 3

1. Read the text “Winter in Murmansk” Winter in Murmansk

The climate in the area of the Kola Inlet is maritime. Summers are cool and winters are mild. But in fact the climate is very hostile for a man. The winter is rather long. It lasts from October till May. Temperatures in winter range from 0 to -15C; 5 below zero is a normal winter temperature. The temperature sometimes falls down below 20C. It is very cold, but only for a week or two at a time. It often snows heavily and there is much snow everywhere. Most of the time the weather is cloudy with overcast grey skies. October and November have the least sunshine.

In winter warm days with temperatures above zero are not rare. The snow melts, it quickly turns into brown slush with all the people walking on it. But it lasts for some days not more and then the weather changes for better, it becomes frosty with occasional blizzards. Such a weather makes people drive very carefully on icy roads and can paralyze a whole city in less than an hour and close roads completely. Winter must be winter after all.

On the 2^nd of December the Polar night starts which lasts 40 days. The skies are dark the whole day long with a short interval of weak grey twilight. It is the best time to watch the northern lights. In the middle of January the sun rises above the horizon. And in March there is a lot of sunshine. It is the sunniest month of all. But the temperature is still below zero and it is the best time for outdoor sports, especially skiing.