CAMBRIDGE
ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED
UNIT 29
Weather and climate
A
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Weather
conversations
Here are some less common but
nonetheless useful words about weather, so that you can have typical weather
conversations where you agree with someone by using a near-synonym. In these examples,
B replies using more informal language.
A: Bit cold today, isn’t it?
B: Yes, it’s chilly/freezing/nippy, isn’t it?
A: It’s hot, isn’t it?
B: Yes, it’s boiling/sweltering/roasting!
A: It’s a bit windy today!
B: Yes, really blowy/breezy, isn’t it?
A: What oppressive/sultry weather!
B: Yes, isn’t it stifling/heavy/close?
A: What a downpour/deluge!
B: Yes, it’s chucking it down / it’s pouring!
A: Isn’t it humid today?
B: Yes, horrible muggy/clammy/sticky weather!
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B
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Climate and metaphors
Climate
metaphors are often used, particularly in written English.
The
word climate can refer to the general atmosphere or situation in
society.
His
secrecy and dishonesty created a climate of distrust.
The
government reforms have contributed to a climate of change.
The
words cultural, current, economic, financial, moral,
political, social and prevailing all collocate strongly
with climate in this social sense.
She
has a very sunny disposition – she’s hardly ever miserable.
Though
they won the championship last year, the outlook for the team is less sunny
this year.
Unfortunately,
our plans met with a frosty reception.
I’m
snowed under with work – I’ll never get through it all in time.
After
the company accounts were examined, the manager left under a cloud.
Don’t
let your love for him cloud your judgement.
The
soldiers were hit with a hail of bullets.
The
Prime Minister was greeted with a hail/storm of abuse.
I’ve
only a hazy memory of my first day at school.
The
truth is hidden in the mists of history.
The
article sparked a whirlwind of speculation.
They
had a whirlwind romance and got married just a month after they met.
The
horses thundered down the racetrack.
Thunderous
applause followed his speech.
(Note
that thundery is used to describe stormy weather while thunderous describes
a loud, deep noise.)
The
winds of change/discontent/democracy are blowing across
the country.
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29.1
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Respond
to these statements about the weather. Agree using slightly more formal language
like that of speaker A in the conversations on the opposite page.
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29.2
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What
are the metaphorical meanings of these words from B opposite?
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29.3
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Find
collocations for these words. You will find some on the opposite page, but
use a dictionary to find more if necessary.
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29.4
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Read
the text below and find words in it which mean the following.
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29.5
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Over
to you
•
What words can you use to describe the climate in your country?
•
How would you describe the economic climate?
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ANSWER KEY
29.1
Possible answers:
1 Yes, extremely chilly / cold. 2 Mm. Isn’t it hot! 3 Yes, terribly humid. 4 Very windy! 5 Yes, it’s very oppressive / sultry. 6 Yes, what a deluge / downpour! 7 Yes, it’s very humid. 8 Yes, isn’t it oppressive / sultry!
29.2
Suggested answers:
2 unfriendly, unwelcoming 3 to confuse 4 having too much of something 5 rapid, moving quickly 6 lots of hard, unpleasant things that one can’t stop or escape from 7 general atmosphere or situation 8 unclear 9 to move, making a loud, deep noise
29.3
Possible answers:
1 moral, social, economic, current, mild, harsh climate 2 prevailing winds, view, climate, opinion, mood 3 to cloud the issue, the horizon, someone’s judgement, someone’s thinking, someone’s vision 4 the winds of change, democracy, discontent 5 a frosty reception, look, glance, response 6 a hail of bullets, gunfire, abuse, missiles, insults
29.4
1 mean 6 solar radiation
2 arid 7 moderates
3 elevation 8 continental
4 latitude 9 seasonality
5 precipitation
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