Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have hot summers made daily life hard in your town? If so, what problems did it cause? If not, why do you think it did not?
- Have you ever heard about climate change on the news or in school? If so, what did you learn? If not, would you like to learn more?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- dangerous /DEYN-jer-uhs/
- critical /KRIT-i-kuhl/
- destructive /dih-STRUHK-tiv/
- urgent /UR-juhnt/
- significant /sig-NIF-i-kuhnt/
[adjective] – a dangerous person, animal, thing, or activity could harm someone
Driving in heavy rain is very dangerous.
[adjective] – very important for the way things will happen
Water is critical for staying alive in hot weather.
[adjective] – causing a lot of damage
The destructive storm broke many trees.
[adjective] – very important and needing attention immediately
The sick child needs urgent care.
[adjective] – important or noticeable
There was a significant rise in temperature today.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
In May 2025, the World Meteorological Organization and the U.K. Met Office gave a new forecast. They said Earth will have more years of very hot weather. These temperatures may cause stronger and more dangerous weather events. There is an 80% chance that a new record heat year will happen by 2030. Experts also said there is an 86% chance that one year will go over 1.5°C above the old global temperature. This level was the goal of the Paris Agreement in 2015 to stop dangerous climate change. There is also a small chance that a 2°C rise will happen before 2030. That rise would be even more alarming and critical for the planet.
Experts explained how the heat can cause problems. There may be more heatwaves, strong rains, long dry seasons, and destructive wildfires. A hotter atmosphere can hold more water and energy. This makes these problems happen more often. The Arctic may become warm 3.5 times faster than other parts of the world. This will melt more ice and make sea levels rise faster. Climate scientists said that unprecedented heat may become normal. The forecast used over 200 computer simulations from climate research groups. The results are reliable, and they help people make better plans to stay safe. Climate action is now urgent and significant for all.
Experts explained how the heat can cause problems. There may be more heatwaves, strong rains, long dry seasons, and destructive wildfires. A hotter atmosphere can hold more water and energy. This makes these problems happen more often. The Arctic may become warm 3.5 times faster than other parts of the world. This will melt more ice and make sea levels rise faster. Climate scientists said that unprecedented heat may become normal. The forecast used over 200 computer simulations from climate research groups. The results are reliable, and they help people make better plans to stay safe. Climate action is now urgent and significant for all.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- Who gave the new weather forecast in May 2025?
- What type of weather is expected to continue?
- What is the chance of a new record heat year before 2030?
- What temperature rise may go over the Paris Agreement goal?
- What type of weather events may become stronger?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you ever experienced very hot weather? If so, what did you do? If not, how would you prepare for it?
- Have you ever seen a wildfire on TV or online? If so, what did it look like? If not, do you want to learn more about wildfires?
- Do you agree that hot weather can be dangerous?
- Why do experts think the heat may be dangerous for people and nature?
- What actions can people take to reduce dangerous climate change?