THE WEATHER(The conversation starter)

• On Christmas day, the BBC reported that more than 50,000 homes were without electricity.

• The Coastguard rescued 76 people from a flooded caravan park in Yalding on Christmas Eve, moving residents by boat.

• Some 150 properties have been flooded in England, mainly in Surrey and Kent, with numbers expected to rise - the EA has said.

• Fire crews rescued 25 people trapped in their cars in Dorset.

• A 73-year-old man has died after trying to cycle through floods in Oxfordshire.

• Britain's insurers are preparing to pay out hundreds of millions of pounds in claims following a run of winter storms that have flooded homes and disrupted travel, though the absence of major damage should limit the impact on their 2013 results.

• Snow Costs UK Economy '£500m A Day‘ (SKY News)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2HDHSd72ts (2mins 30)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS• Have you ever been caught in bad weather? If so, what did

you do?• Should the government spend more to prepare for severe

weather conditions? • Do you prefer hot or cold weather?• What is your favourite weather/season? Why?• What month gets the most rain in your country?• What's the average temperature in your country in the

summer time?• Do you think that in recent years we are losing our four

distinct seasons?• What kind of climate do you prefer when choosing a place to

go on holiday?• What is the best season to get married, in your opinion?• In your opinion, which season is the most beautiful?• Do you think weather affects the way people feel?• How do you get your weather information? Do you depend on

the weather reports given on the television?• What is your favourite winter/summer activity?

DEBATE…

Flood-hit UK must prepare for more extreme weather, says climate adviser

Sir David King says government needs to increase spending on flood defences, as storms continue to cause disruption

SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT SPEND MORE TO PREPARE FOR SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS?