Pre-reading questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- How does the weather affect your mood?
- Which do you prefer, hot weather or cold weather? Why?
Vocabulary
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- go through (something) /goh throo/
- moisture /MOIS-cher/
- shrink /shringk/
- condition /kuhn-DISH-uhn/
- threefold /THREE-fohld/
[phrasal verb] – to experience a difficult or unpleasant situation
The majority of teens go through a rebellious phase.
[noun] – a liquid such as water in the form of very small drops, either in the air, in a substance, or on a surface
The roots of plants are used to draw moisture from the soil.
[verb] – to become smaller, or to make something smaller
Will this soap cause wool clothing to shrink?
[noun] – the particular state that something or someone is in
The car is old but is still in good condition.
[adjective] – three times as big or as much
Over the last five years, our rent has increased threefold.
Article reading
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
Parts of China, Europe, Africa, and the US have experienced extremely high temperatures this summer. The drought that Europe has been going through this summer may be the worst the continent has seen in 500 years, according to the EU’s Copernicus environmental program. Over half of Europe was impacted by the “soil moisture deficit” at the height of the dry spell in late August. In the meantime, due to the extreme heat and severe lack of rainfall in the nation, China’s main river, the Yangtze, has shrunk. Based on official Chinese data, in August, the river’s drainage basin received 60% less rain than average. However, in July, the Chinese government issued eight drought advisories in addition to more than 13,000 heavy rain warnings.
The drought conditions in eastern Ethiopia, northern Kenya, and Somalia have prompted the UN to issue a warning that 22 million people may be in danger of starvation. A 2021 World Bank estimate showed that “relative to 1970-79, the numbers of droughts and floods were nearly threefold and tenfold, respectively, by 2010-19.” Drought conditions are becoming the norm in the western US as a result of years of drier and hotter weather. According to a survey issued in February, the past 20 years have experienced the worst drought conditions in the American West in 1,200 years. In addition, the dry, hot weather this summer caused forest fires in a number of states and decreased water storage levels.
The drought conditions in eastern Ethiopia, northern Kenya, and Somalia have prompted the UN to issue a warning that 22 million people may be in danger of starvation. A 2021 World Bank estimate showed that “relative to 1970-79, the numbers of droughts and floods were nearly threefold and tenfold, respectively, by 2010-19.” Drought conditions are becoming the norm in the western US as a result of years of drier and hotter weather. According to a survey issued in February, the past 20 years have experienced the worst drought conditions in the American West in 1,200 years. In addition, the dry, hot weather this summer caused forest fires in a number of states and decreased water storage levels.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What did the EU’s Copernicus environmental program say about the drought in Europe?
- When was Europe affected by the “soil moisture deficit”?
- What happened to China’s main river as a result of the drought?
- According to the article, which countries are in danger of starvation?
- What were the results of the drought in a number of states in the US?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- When is the dry season in your country? Have you experienced a drought?
- What was the highest temperature recorded in your country? Please tell me more about it.
- What would you do in preparation for a possible food shortage?
- Do you think there are any ways to increase rainfall in drought-ridden areas?
- In your opinion, how can extreme weather conditions affect the economy and social life in countries?