Lesson 5 Ex.3a, 3b

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 431.

(Host, Bill Nye, Mike Davidson)

Host: Hello, this is me, Bill Nye, the Science Guy and my today's guests, a well-known meteorologist Simon King and a folklore expert Mike Davison. And what I'm going to find out today is how our great-grandparents predicted weather and how accurate those predictions were. So Bill, my first question is for you. What methods do you as a professional meteorologist use to make a weather forecast?

SK: Well, of course the preparation of any weather forecast involves a lot of people and gadgets. For example, we use the information from the satellites and from hundreds of meteorological stations all around the British Isles and on European and American continents. So I can state that today predicting the weather is a hi-tech job.

Host: That's right. But our grandparents and great-grandparents didn't have any of the devices and instruments you were talking about. However, the first weather forecast appeared in Britain more than 150 years ago.

SK: That's true! But its forthcoming was connected with the invention of telegraph and a bunch of barometers. As a result of these inventions people were able to share the weather updates across the continent.

Host: Mike, then we need your help here. Could you please tell us about the weather forecasts centuries ago? Did people two or three hundred years ago have any forecasts?

MD: Weather prediction goes back well over two thousand years, with the ancient Chinese and Babylonians both having a crack at it. But the most they could do was identifying general weather trends, often with more than a little help from astrology. Actually, we can say that there were three ways of predicting weather.

Host: Only three? It sounds quite easy. Probably the first was watching the stars?

MD: Yes, you are right. But not only stars. I'd say watching the sky!

Host: Oh, I think I know this! If the sky is overcast it will rain soon!

MD: For example, if the sky is red in the morning, this is an indication that dryer air has moved past you towards the east and humid air is coming in behind you from the west, likely bringing rain or bad weather with it.

Host: That's where the rhyme "Red sky at night, shepherd's delight, red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning" comes from!

MD: Exactly! To tell the truth, a lot of weather observations are hidden in folk rhymes. Let's remember “Circle around the Moon; Rain or snow soon”. This circle is created by humid air.

Host: So, watching the sky can give us some ideas about tomorrow weather. What's the second way?

MD: The second thing you can do is checking the grass for dew in the morning and the wind direction.

Host: When the dew is on the grass, rain will never come to pass? Simon, is it right?

SK: Yeah, because if it is cloudy or windy, the grass will likely be dry. This indicates possible bad weather with upcoming rain. If the grass is wet, there are chances you are going to have a dry day.

Host: Even professional weathermen know and use folk beliefs.

SK: Why not! They can be very helpful! However, we shouldn't overestimate them.

Host: Let's come back to your three ways, Mike!

MD: Oh, right, so in addition to watching the sky, the wind and the grass you can also watch the animals. Of course it's much easier if you live in the countryside. But even in the city you can observe birds, for example.

Host: If crows fly low, wind's going to blow; if crows fly high, wind's going to die.

MD: Not only crows. Ants build the walls of their hills higher just before bad weather. Turtles also feel the coming downpour. They become a bit overexcited and overactive. Even your cat can become a weather indicator. Cats will clean behind their ears before a rain.

Host: So, you see that if you missed the weather programme with Simon you can remember Mike's advice. Go out of your house, and look around carefully! Thanks Mike, thanks Simon! It was Bill Nye , hope you've learned something new from us today.