Учебное пособие по темам "SEASONS AND WEATHER" и "TIME". Волошина Г.Н - 50 стр.

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over the Atlantic. Northern Ireland can expect the same, but the rain will end be-
fore dark. But again very cold, with temperatures not going above freezing.
And that’s all from me.
2.4. Writing Practice
Exercise 1.
Write a summary of the following text.
Cold? Britain Is Actually Getting Hotter.
Most Britons could be forgiven for thinking a new Ice Age is upon us.
Small comfort, then, as we struggle through snowdrifts and cope with burst
pipes, that the present cold is a sign the British climate is generally getting
milder.
Ironically, most scientists now believe the short sharp shock of severe cold
that has struck Europe for three winters running is an indicator that the world is
growing warmer. The burning of fossil fuels is building up a blanket of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere, creating a “greenhouse” effect.
Britain and Europe have certainly experienced weather this cold before. In
the 17
th
century, the Thames froze solid so often that it became a regular winter
sports attraction. The weather then was so severe that it is sometimes referred to
as a little Ice Age. Even in the early 19
th
century, Britain’s climate was still
colder than it is today. We still have a cherished picture of Charles Dickens’
Christmases - although, in fact, snow at Christmas has been a rarity in Southern
England for 150 years.
Studies of temperature trends around the world show that it has been warm-
ing up since the middle of the 19
th
century. Most experts agree that it is a result
of human activities. By burning coal and oil, we are putting carbon dioxide into
the air. This acts like a blanket around the earth, trapping heat that would other-
wise escape into space. As long as we keep burning fossil fuel, the trend is likely
to continue. So why have we had such severe cold spells in Europe recently?
According to the researchers of the University of East Anglia, it is all part of the
same process. When the climate of the globe changes, it doesn’t do so evenly.
Britain and Western Europe are just unlucky in being in the path of a particu-
larly significant wind shift.
By comparing the weather in different seasons, during the 19
th
century and
the coldest years of the 20
th
century, the researchers have built up a picture of
what is going on. Their key new discovery is that although spring, summer and
autumn are all warmer, severe cold spells in winter are most likely over the
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