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Valeria |
Daniel |
Extreme Weather
Valeria talks about different types of weather you can face in Argentina.
Daniel: So how about the weather in Argentina?
Valeria: Well the weather in Argentina depends on the part of Argentina that we are talking about.
Daniel: Uh-uh.
Valeria: For instance, the north is very dry and extreme.
Daniel: OK.
Valeria: Like in summer, the temperature can go till forty, forty five and very dry.
Daniel: Wow.
Valeria: Right and you can have like minus zeros, minus zero temperatures in winter as well but very, very dry. In the east it's tropical, mainly summer most of the year, a lot of rain, everything is green.
Daniel: Wow.
Valeria: The center where Buenos Aires, the capital, is located is moderated but Patagonia which is the south of Argentina is very cold, dry and there is snow.
Daniel: OK.
Valeria: Which means that in the same moment we can be, if you are in the north it will be very dry and hot or it could be snowing or it could be raining in a rain forest.
Daniel: Wow. Do you get, when you said extreme weather, do you get this thunderstorm, thunder lighting?
Valeria: It's not common, maybe it's like once in a while a thunderstorm.
Daniel: OK.
Valeria: But not more than this. We don't have El Nino and monsoon, this kind of things or rainy season. We don't have this kind of weather.
Daniel: What happens when you get thunderstorms? What happens with the people? Do you like them? Do you get scared?
Valeria: I think that if you are a kid, you get a little scared because you are not used to but if you are an adult you are cool.
Daniel: OK. How about you?
Valeria: I had a very bad experience that was like I experienced a twister when I was a kid.
Daniel: Wow.
Valeria: That was kind of unusual, very unusual in my country and so I get a little scared.
Daniel: OK. I hope it doesn't really happen any more.
minus zero
You can have minus zero temperatures in winter.
A temperature that is 'minus zero' is below zero or in negative digits. Notice the following:
- Once the temperature is minus zero, it's not fun to be
outside anymore.
- It's horrible to have car trouble in minus zero weather.
once in a while
Once in a while there will be a thunderstorm.
'Once in a while' is a frequency phrase that means 'occasionally.' Notice the following:
- I try to only eat fast food once in a while.
- Even in the winter, it's important to get outside once
in a while.
monsoon
We don't have El Niño and monsoons.
A 'monsoon' is the seasonal winds of areas around the Indian ocean that usually carry heavy rains. Notice the following:
- That was my first experience with a monsoon.
- Monsoon season is the worst time to travel in this part
of the country.
thunderstorm
What happens when you get thunderstorms?
A 'thunderstorm' is a rainstorm that has thunder and lightning. The thunder is the loud sound that you hear during these storms. Thunderstorms usually happen when hot and cold air meet. Notice the following:
- There are many thunderstorms around here in the spring.
- Did you hear the thunderstorm last night?
twister
I experienced a twister when I was a kid.
A 'twister' is another name for a tornado, which is a powerful cyclone of wind that can be very destructive. Notice the following:
- All the schools in this area have to do emergency
practices for twisters.
- There are many movies about twisters.
Vocabulary Quiz
thunderstorm • twister
