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Monday 6 January 2014

Extreme weather conditions
(Level: Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate / B1 to B2 / ** to ***)

You are going to watch three news reports, all focusing on extreme weather conditions but in different parts of the world, i.e. respectively in the USA, in the UK and in Australia.

Report 1  (Sky News / Situation on 3 January 2014)

Extreme weather claimed several lives in the USA as wind chill reached up to -26°C in parts of the north-east.


Photo credit: BBC


Photo credit: BBC



 Before watching:

The following words could be useful:
to heed...: to take... into account    prendre... en compte
outreach teams: teams which provide services to people who would not otherwise have access to those services; such teams are mobile and aims at meting those who are in need
équipes de proximité / équipes mobiles ... 
to be sworn in:to be bound / pledged (by an oath)    être assermenté / avoir prêté serment...   
slick: slippery     glissant
bone-chilling: intensely cold  glacial / d'un froid intense
a plough (US: plow): vehicle for clearing snow    chasse-neige


While watching:

Answer the following questions in French:
  • What are the weather conditions like in the north-east of the USA?
  • What are the consequences? (Give 5)




 

For an update (5 January), you can also watch this:
http://news.sky.com/story/1189937/us-weather-16-dead-as-snow-batters-eastern-us




Report 2 (BBC / Situation on 4 January 2014)

The ferocious weather has caused chaos in many parts of the UK.
A dangerous combination of high tides and strong winds led to flooding in areas already affected over Christmas while coastal towns were being severely battered with huge waves. 
 

Photo credit: BBC

Photo credit: BBC

Photo credit: BBC



Before watching:

The following words could be useful:
a tidal surge: tidal wave / unusual, often destructive rise of water along the seashore   raz-de-marée
inland: relating to the interior part of a region e.g.   à l'intérieur des terres
 

 
 
 
While watching:


Answer the following questions in French:
  • What happened to Harry martin? Where was he? What was he doing there?
  • What was the situation like in Aberystwyth, Wales?
  • Why aren’t people really happy in the Somerset Levels in spite of the pumps that were installed there? What does Mrs sadler fear?



the Somerset Levels
map credit: commons.wikimedia.org
 
 
Aberystwyth, Wales
Map credit: postcode-info.co.uk






For more information  (Sky News report - 4 January 2014)

http://news.sky.com/story/1190085/weather-dozens-join-search-for-missing-teen



Report 3  (Sky News / Situation on 3 January 2014)

January 2013 saw Australia's hottest year on record.
2014 begins there with another heatwave.



Before watching:

The following words could be useful:
the outback: the remote, arid part of Australia      région éloignée / fin fond / brousse / l'outback australien
soaring: getting to a level markedly higher than the usual     (for temperatures e.g.) en forte hausse / exceptionnellement élevé(es) 
drought:  the absence or shortage of water / rainfall for a (very) long period      sécheresse
to slaughter: to kill a large number (of...)       abattre 
the livestock: cattle      bétail



Birdsville, Queensland, Australia
Map credit: outback track tours



Photo credit: The Guardian

Photo credit: The Guardian

Photo credit: The Guardian


While watching:

Answer the following question in French:
  • What were the devastating effects of the 2013 heat wave in Australia?


 
 
 




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