Winter
Insert the following words into the text belowwords: autumn, Germanic, calendar, shift, hemisphere, equinox, daylight, latitudes The name "winter" comes from an old 1)................................ word that means "time of water” and refers to the rain and snow of winter in middle and high 2)................................ Winter is usually the coldest season of the year occurring between 3)................................. and spring. In the Northern 4)............................... it is commonly regarded as extending from the winter solstice to the vernal 5)............................. (this corresponds to the period between 21st or 22nd December and 20th or 21st March). Also, many mainland European countries tend to recognize St. Martin's Day (11th November), as the first 6).............................. day of winter. The winter solstice is the day of the year which has fewest hours of 7)............................... Depending on the 8)................................ of the calendar it is either the 21st or the 22nd of December. After the solstice the days lengthen as the season progresses. In most European countries, December, January and February are considered the winter months. |
Winter weather
Find synonyms for the following expressions in the text belowexpressions: |
Winter is characteristic for high precipitation. However, many factors influence the form precipitation will take — atmospheric temperatures are influential as well as ground conditions.
Freezing rain is caused by rain droplets that freeze on contact with the ground (with temperature below freezing). Freezing rain can lead to slippery roads causing extremely hazardous driving conditions. Sleet is an expression that describes a mixture of snow and rain that falls from the sky.
Snow is frozen precipitation in the form of crystals. In places where there are blizzards or winter storms a lot of transportation problems are faced. The snow brings also secondary dangers that can affect us thoroughly, e.g. avalanches. An additional danger, following a snowy winter, is spring flooding if the snow melts suddenly due to a dramatic rise in air temperature.
Winter has the lowest average temperatures. In the Czech Republic, the lowest temperatures (-5°C to -10°C, less in higher elevations) can be expected in January and February.
Winter activities
• Snow castle building
• Snowball fight
• Snowman building
• Ice sculpture
• Sledging
Winter sports
Fill the gaps with the names of sports• a).................................... — teams make timed runs down a hill on a track that's full of twists and turns. |
There are also some uncommon and more adventurous winter activities and sports such assports: |
Winter festivals
During the winter months – December, January and February – we celebrate for example the following festivals:
Insert the dates on which the following festivals are celebrateddates: a) 6th January, b) Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25, c) 14th February, d) 31st December, e) 5th December, f) 25th December |
Test your knowledge HERE |
Correct answersInsert the following...: 1) Germanic, 2) latitudes, 3)autumn, 4) hemisphere, 5) equinox, 6) calendar, 7) daylight, 8) shift Find synonyms...: 1) due to, 2) slippery, 3) elevation, 4) thoroughly, 5) ground, 6) to influence, 7) flooding, 8) hazardous Fill the gaps...: a) bobsledding, b) skiing, c) snowboarding, d) curling, e) ice-hockey, f) ice-skating There are also...: 1-e, 2-c, 3-a, 4-f, 5-b, 6-e Insert the dates...: 1-e, 2-b, 3-f, 4-d, 5-a, 6-c |
Jazyková agentura SkřivánekSkřivánek je největší jazykovou agenturou ve střední a východní Evropě. Na trhu jazykových služeb působí již od roku 1994. Kanceláře a učebny agentury Skřivánek najdete v 22 městech ČR a v dalších 13 zemích světa. |