CLIMATE IN GREAT BRITAIN

            The British Isles which are surrounded by the ocean have an insular climate.

            There are 3 things that chiefly determine the climate of the United Kingdom: the position of the islands in the tem­perate belt; the fact that the prevailing winds blow from the west and south-west and the warm current — the Gulf Stream that flows from the Gulf of Mexico along the western shores of England.

             All these features make the climate more moderate, with­out striking difference between seasons. It is not very cold in winter and never very hot in summer.

             So, the British ports are ice-free and its rivers are not fro­zen throughout the year. The weather on the British Isles has a bad reputation. It is very changeable and fickle. The British say that there is a climate in other countries, but we have just weather. If you don’t like the weather in England, just wait a few minutes.

             It rains very often in all seasons in Great Britain. Autumn and winter are the wettest. The sky is usually grey and cold winds blow. On the average, Britain has more than 200 rainy days a year. The English say that they have 3 variants of wea­ther: when it rains in the morning, when it rains in the after­noon, and when it rains all day long. Sometimes it rains so heavily, that they say «It’s raining cats and dogs». Britain is known all over the world for its fogs. Sometimes fogs are so thick that it’s impossible to see anything within a few meters. The winter fogs of London are, indeed, awful; they surpass all imagination. In a dense fog all traffic is stopped, no vehicle can move from fear of dreadful accidents.

             So, we may say that the British climate has three main fea­tures: it is mild, humid and very changeable.

QUESTIONS:

1. Does the Gulf Stream flow from the Gulf of Mexico along the western shores of England?

2. What kind of climate does Great Britain have?

3. Why does the United Kingdom have an insular climate?

4. What are three main features that determine the climate of Great Britain?

5. Why are the English ports ice-free?

6. Are the English rivers frozen during winter?

7. Is it very hot in Britain in summer?

8. What reputation does the weather of the United King­dom have?

9. Does it rain very often?

10. What happens when there is a heavy fog in Great Bri­tain?

VOCABULARY:

to surround — окружать

insular climate — островной климат

to determine — определять

temperate belt — умеренный пояс

prevailing winds — господствующие ветры

the Gulf Stream — течение Гольфстрим

to flow — течь, протекать

shores — побережье

moderate — умеренный

striking difference — зд. большая разница

throughout — по всей, повсюду, везде, в течение всего

fickle — непостоянный

wet — сырой, мокрый

to blow — зд. дуть

It’s raining cats and dogs — дождь льет как из ведра

fog — туман

awful — ужасный, пугающий

dense — плотный, густой

vehicle — транспортное средство, автомобиль

dreadful — ужасный, страшный