《Unit 3 Weather》.doc

Unit 3 Weather Part A Listening Strategy Listening for Important Details Besides understanding the main idea of a listening text, we often find it necessary to grasp the important details as well. What counts as important details depends on the kind of information we want. Generally speaking, if we are listening to the narration of an event, we need to sharpen our ears not only for what happened, but also when and where, how and why it happened. In listening to a weather report, on the other hand, the important details we should watch out for are the current weather conditions, temperature, and weather outlook. You’re going to hear two short passages about weather. While listening, pay attention to such details as the weather conditions, temperature, weather outlook, damage caused by bad weather and so on, and write them down in note form. Then complete the exercises in your book. 1. a. General weather conditions for today: Fine and pleasant. b. Temperature: High: 18 °C (64 °F) c. Weather outlook: Mostly cloudy with heavy showers moving in from the west. 2. a. When did the storm start and how long did it last? It started around 8 p.m. and lasted for about three hours. b. How damaging was the storm? It caused four deaths and serious damage including a widespread power failure. Script: 1. The weather today: a fine day is in store nearly everywhere, with the best of the sunshine in southern and central areas of Britain. A pleasant day, then, with long sunny periods developing. There will be light winds with a maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, 64 degrees Fahrenheit. Look at the outlook for the next few days: it will become mostly cloudy with heavy showers moving in from the west. 2. A storm in Changchun, capital of Northeast China’s Jilin Province, claimed four lives on Sunday. The storm lasted about three hours from around 8 p.m. The winds reached speeds of over a hundred miles an hour, causing serious damage and a widespread power