I. Lexics to the text:
1. an ant – ìóðàâåé
2. weather clue – êëþ÷ ê ðàçãàäêå ïîãîäû (ïîêàçàòåëü ïîãîäû)
3. a huge mound – îãðîìíàÿ êó÷à, íàñûïü
4. holes – õîäû, íîðêè, ëàçû
5. a downpour – ëèâåíü
6. to break up – ðàçáèâàòü, íàðóøàòü
7. to scurry into nests – ïîñïåøíî çàáðàòüñÿ âõîäû
8. to build dams – ñòðîèòü äàìáó, ïëîòèíó, ïðåãðàäó
9. to prevent smth. from – ïðåãðàäèòü îò ÷åãî-ëèáî
10. a bee – ï÷åëà
11. humidity – âëàæíîñòü
12. a hive – óëåé
13. a buttefly – áàáî÷êà
14. to disappear – èñ÷åçàòü
15. to hide – ïðÿòàòüñÿ
16. a tree trunk – ñòâîë äåðåâà
17. to seek shelter – èñêàòü óáåæèùå
18. to protect – çàùèùàòü
19. a firefly – æóê-ñâåòëÿê
20. locust – ñàðàí÷à
21. daisy – ìàðãàðèòêà
22. dandelion – îäóâàí÷èê
23. tulip – òþëüïàí
24. to close the blossoms – çàêðûâàòü ñîöâåòèå, áóòîí
25. clover plants – êëåâåðíûå ðàñòåíèÿ
26. to draw leaves together – ñâîðà÷èâàòü ëèñòû
27. leaf stalk – ÷åðåøîê ëèñòà (óñòüèöå ëèñòà)
28. curly hair – êóäðÿâûé âîëîñ
29. sensitive – ÷óâñòâèòåëüíûé
30. living hydrometre – æèâîé ãèäðîìåòð
31. joints – ñóñòàâû
32. cause to increase – âûçûâàòü óâåëè÷åíèå, ïðèâîäèòü ê óâåëè÷åíèþ
33. painful - áîëåçíåííûé
II. Read and translate the text:
Some people watch ants for weather clues. Anytime you see ants industriously building huge mounds around their holes, prepare for rain. About two hours before a downpour, all kinds of ants – but especially large black or red ants – will break up their caravants, scurry into their nests, and begin building dams around the ant hill. These mounds, which are sometimes several inches in height, prevent rainwater from running into the ant hills.
Bees give weather clues, too. They are usually active several hours before a rain, but as the humidity increases, they return to their hives. Some American Indians say that the longer the increased activity lasts, the longer the rain will be.
Other insects are also good humidity indicators. Butterflies usually flit from flower to flower all day long. When they suddenly disappear and can be found hiding on tree trunks or on the underside of leaves, they are seeking shelter to protect their fragile wings from a hard rain.
Fireflies fly very low when there is a high relative humidity. But an old saying states:
When fireflies are about in large numbers,
The weather will be fair for the next three days.
And if you hear lots of locusts singing, you can be sure the air is dry, because locusts sing only when it is hot and dry.
Plants are also handy humidity indicators. they are affected in different ways. Just before a rain many flowers – like the daisy, dandelion and tulip – close their blossoms, and clover plants draw their leaves together. It is believed that the absorption of moisture from the air causes a change in the leaf stalk, making the leaves turn over. It may be that the rough underside of the leaf can absorb rain better than the smooth topside.
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Some people are very sensitive to humidity. People who have arthritis are, in a sence, “living hydrometers”. High humidity causes the fluids in their tissues and joints to increase, making movement difficult and painful. That is why many older people say. “It’s going to rain. I can feel it by my bones.” They actually can.
By learning to read weather sings, you can get a few hours advance warning if a storm is headed your way. It may keep you from getting’ your new shoes ruined in the rain, from having a family picnic spoiled, or your garden beaten down by a storm. If you are backpacking camping, boating or doing similar outdoor activities it might even save your life.
III. Answer the questions:
1. How do ants prepare for rain?
2. When do beers return to their hives?
3. Where do butterflies seek a shelter?
4. Are plants also humidity indicators? (Give examples).
5. What is the meaning of reading weather sings?