TAPESCRIPT

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 542.

Ex. 2c, 2e.

Lesson 5. How is weather predicted?

Ex. 4c.

Ex. 3a - in the Student's Book

Lesson 4. Are you weather-wise?

Fog is a cloud, like you see in the sky, only the one that forms on the ground. There are many different types of fog, depending on how and where they form, but they all are made in the same way: hot or warm water vapour goes over cool air and produces condensation around pollutants, dust, ice and even sea salt crystals in the air, which form tiny, very little droplets, that are called fog. You have made fog in a jar using simple hot water and ice, which produced condensation when they got in contact with each other.

Meteorologist: Hello, everybody. I'm Mark Brown. I hope you're all fine today, that is, you are not under the weather. Right?

Students: Yes. We're fine, thanks.

Meteorologist: I'll show you round this weather station. Have you got any questions before I show you round the station?

Student: How did you become a meteorologist?

Meteorologist: To tell the truth, weather has never left me cold. It's hard to believe that when I was a child I used to hide in the wardrobe every time a thunderstorm would blow up or the wind would get up strong. I don't know why but I always knew before anyone that the wind was going to get stronger. I guess that's what stimulated my interest in the weather. I was always into weather and its secrets. My interest in weather became very strong when I had a weather class in high school. My project was to build an anemometer and wind vane … And here I am now, at this weather station.

Student: When was this weather station opened?

Meteorologist: This weather station has been in the same location for over 100 years. Official weather observations began here in March of 1898, and have been made ever since by one observer or another. Before we go inside the office, let's see our instrument shelter.

Student: It looks small.

Meteorologist: Right! We can't say it's big. There are a few rules. An instrument shelter must be made of wood and painted white so that sunlight is reflected and heat is not absorbed to give false readings. It should also be over a grassy area and not too close to buildings. The centre of the shelter should be about 1.5. m high.

Student: What tools are there?

Meteorologist: The instrument shelter is used to house thermometers and humidity sensors. You know very well that thermometers are used to measure the temperature.

These instruments, or tools, as well as some others, are used to collect information, called data. Air pressure changes usually tell us that the weather is going to change. Thus, the air pressure should be measured, because it can tell us a lot about the weather. Air pressure is measured with a barometer. Wind speed is measured with the help of an anemometer. The humidity, or moisture, in the air is measured with a psychrometer. A rain gauge is used to measure the amount of precipitation that has fallen. Computers and satellite images are also used by professional meteorologists. But these can be seen in my office. So let's go to my office now. Here's my computer. You can see a picture of the weather conditions, which is taken by a satellite from space.

Student: Can I ask you a question?

Meteorologist: Yes, sure.

Student: How does a weatherman predict the weather?

Meteorologist: When preparing a weather forecast, the meteorologist looks at satellite images of precipitation. Barometric pressure changes are also considered. Then, all of the data is taken, studied, and a prediction is made. Naturally, with all this data a weather map is designed.

As you know, the weather is not always predicted accurately. Even with all of his special tools and knowledge, a meteorologist still has to make an educated guess about what will happen. I hope that one fine day weather will be predicted very accurately.