Everyday Words and Expressions

What is the weather like today? - Какая сегодня погода?

Today it is hot. - Сегодня жарко.

It is windy today. - Сегодня ветренно.

It is raining. - Идет дождь.

It is snowing. - Идет снег.

It is cloudy. – Пасмурно.

It is damp. – Сыро.

The weather is fine. - Отличная погода.

I got wet through. - Я насквозь промок.

It is slippery today. - Сегодня гололед.

What is the temperature today? - Какая сегодня температура?

It is ten below (above). – Минус (плюс) десять.

What nasty weather! - Ну и погода!

Do you know the weather forecast? - Вы знаете прогноз погоды?

Tomorrow it will be raining (snowing). - Завтра будет дождь(снег).

What is the hottest (coldest) month in your country? - Какой у вас самый жаркий(холодный) месяц?

In Russia the hottest month is July and the coldest – February. В России самый жаркий месяц - июль, а самый холодный – февраль.

season - время года

winter - зима

spring - весна

summer - лето

autumn – осень

1. Read the following texts. Give your own arguments in favour of each season.

WINTER

There are four seasons in the year: winter, spring, summer and autumn. Each of them lasts three months.

Every new year begins in winter, on the first of January. This day is a holiday in our country and people decorate their flats with New Year trees. Winter begins in December and ends in February. It is cold in winter in our region and it often snows. It gets dark early in the evening and gets light in the morning. In winter we have the shortest days and the longest nights. It is rather unpleasant to get up early in the morning in winter because it is dark and cold. But winter is a good time for sports. In winter we can go in for such kinds of sport as skiing, skating and tobogganing. It is very pleasant to go skiing on a bright frosty sunny day. At the end of winter the sun begins to shine as brightly as in spring, but it is not so warm as in spring yet.

It often snows; the rivers and lakes are frozen over. The average temperature is about 5 degrees below zero. The most unpleasant thing about winter is that the sun sets early and rises late – especially in December and January. The days are short, the sky is often grey, nature is sleeping and sometimes it gets rather boring. In fact every season has its fine days and is pleasant in its own way. And it is not difficult to see this beauty.

Everything is covered with snow: the houses and streets, the fields and forests. Everything looks so beautiful in its white attire.

It often snows very hard; snowflakes fall thick and fast covering the ground with a vast white sheet.

As usual the roads are slippery and one must be careful when crossing the roads. But sometimes there are sunny days. The snow on the roofs begins to melt and icicles hang from the roofs of the houses. When it gets warmer it often sleets. The unpleasant time comes when the thaw begins. In the frosty morning we can see frosted branches of the trees. The ground rings like iron under people’s feet. Toward the end of winter the weather grows milder, the snow begins to melt, the sky becomes blue and the days grow longer. Gradually winter is being replaced by spring.

I like winter with its frosty sunny days. It is a pleasure to go for a walk then.

SPRING

The most pleasant season in Europe is spring, which lasts from March till June. The Earth is warmed by the rays of the sun. The weather gets gradually milder. The sky is blue and cloudless. Under the bright sunrays snow and icy sheets of the rivers and lakes begin to melt and soon there is no more snow and ice but plenty of water. Little streams run (flow) merrily in the streets, woods and fields. The days grow longer. The sun rises at 5 a. m. and sets at 7 p. m. Nature awakens from its long winter sleep. The white snowdrops appear. How lovely it is!

The air is fresh, it smells of the damp earth and the young buds on the trees. The birds have come back from warm lands, they get their nests ready for summer and sing songs among the trees.

The trees are filled with new life and soon they will come into leaf.

The fields and the meadows dress in green. Soft spring showers of late April and of early May water the earth and make the grass grow.

But really spring-like weather sets in May. Different kinds of fruit-trees flower at the same time. The orchards are in blossom.

It does not rain often but sometimes first thunderstorms break out. Everything looks so new, bright and fresh.

Some people call spring the season of hope and happiness.

But the weather in spring can be still changeable. Sometimes it is cold enough and even rather frosty at night.

SUMMER

The warm spring Sundays gradually become hotter and hotter and little by little summer replaces spring. Summer sets in June. The days are the longest as the sun rises early and sets late in the evening. The trees are in leaf, flowers begin to blossom and their sweet perfume fills the air.

Summer brings us a lot of flowers, berries, fruit, and vegetables. It is the farmers’ busy season, as they must work in the fields. In June summer is in its beauty. On most days the sky is cloudless, the sun shines brightly. Everything looks so beautiful and attractive that one cannot help admiring its beauty. It is very pleasant to get out of town on days like these. The river glittering in the sun is calling us to go bathing, boating, fishing.

Many of us are fond of lying in the sun. Picking berries and mushrooms is one of the most favourite pastimes of many people.

But if the summer is hot and dry and there are long periods without rain, the heat becomes oppressive. The dust covers the grass and the leaves. But all of a sudden black clouds overcast the sky and at the same time we have a storm with thunder and lightning.

It usually brings relief. The rain cools the air and lays the dust. The hot sun ripens the corn and fruit. Everything is ready for the harvest.

Summer is the time when the most people have their holidays. Some of them are fond of country landscapes, others – seacoasts or hiking.

AUTUMN

In September summer yields to autumn. It is a season of gradual transition from the warmth of summer to the cold of winter. When autumn begins it is still warm, when it ends it is cold. First it gets cooler, then colder. Autumn often opens with fine weather. September has fewer rainy days than October. The sun sends down the soft light. The sunrays although bright are not so warm as they were in summer. The green leaves turn yellow. The countryside is clothed in gold, red and brown. When the light wind blows the leaves begin to fall down from the trees in a shower of gold and red, covering the ground with the beautiful, soft, colored carpet. Warm days of early autumn are called “Indian Summer” or “Golden Autumn”. People enjoy being out-of-doors in such weather. They go to the country to admire the landscape and go to the forest to pick nuts and berries and to gather mushrooms. But the weather is rather changeable. It often rains and frequently drizzles. The weather becomes nasty. In late autumn the landscape becomes gray and dull. A cold wind drives heavy low clouds across the sky. The roots are wet and the streets are muddy. People are dressed in raincoats and carry umbrellas, as they do not want to get through. Autumn brings with it the harvest time when the crops are gathered in and the fruit is picked. Apples, pears, plums are ripen now. The farmers work hard. It is necessary to finish work before the weather gets rainy and cold.

Autumn is a season of beautiful sunsets and bright colours and the season of fogs, biting winds and miserable chilly days. People prefer to stay indoors as it is so unpleasant to go out.