Advanced English Conversations (2) - Robert Allans, Matt Edie, A. Mustafaoglu 2020

Set 12 - a tough winter is knocking at the door

James: It’s freezing outside and the worst is yet to come! They say an intense cold front is hitting the region in the upcoming days.

Steve: Yeah. That’s right. A polar vortex threatens to drop temperatures even further in what has already been a record-breaking deep freeze for some parts of the country.

James: Can we go inside? I feel like my toes are starting to go numb. Look; I’m shaking like a leaf. Apparently! I might have underestimated the impact of this frosty weather. I should have put on thicker clothes.

Steve: Come in! I’ll start the fire place. There's nothing like the glow of a fire to warm up a winter evening. I used to have inefficient single-pane windows and uninsulated doors. I’ve recently replaced all of them to boost the energy efficiency of my home.

James: Good job! I had better follow your example and make some modifications. Sounds like a tough winter is knocking at the door.

Vocabulary

the worst is yet to come: the worst thing has not happened yet

cold front: the zone separating two air masses, of which the cooler, denser mass is advancing and replacing the warmer.

polar vortex: is an upper-level low-pressure area lying near one of the Earth's poles.

record-breaking: (adjective) surpassing a record or best-ever achievement.

go numb: unable to feel anything in a particular part of your body especially as a result of cold or anesthesia.

shake like a leaf: to tremble violently with fear, cold or nervousness.

glow: a steady radiance of light or heat.

inefficient: not achieving maximum productivity; wasting or failing to make the best use of time or resources.

uninsulated: (adjective) not insulated with a nonconducting material to prevent or reduce the transmission of electricity, heat, or sound.

boost: to help or encourage (something) to increase or improve.

follow someone’s example: to behave in the same way as they did, or in a similar way.

knock at the door: to be very close to achieving or happening.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words;

1. Another cold .......... passed through the north state Monday night and early Tuesday, chilling the region with November-like temperatures.

2. The setting sun cast an orange .......... over the mountains.

3. The main problem of this city is the .......... transport system.

4. He died after leaning on an .......... electricity wire connected to a post linked to a transformer.

5. You need to take your time before taking such a decision. I don't want you to follow my .......... and rush into marriage.

6. The magazine misreported its sales figures in order to .......... advertising revenue.

7. Glover felt how the entire lower half of himself was beginning to .......... numb.

8. I was shaking like a .......... when I went up to deliver my speech in front of all those people.

9. Consumer investment in dog breeding has been at record-.......... levels in recent years.

10. There are two polar .......... in the Earth's atmosphere, overlying the North and South Poles.

11. When opportunity knocks at your .........., always be willing to take a chance, because you never know how perfect something could turn out to be.

12. So far we’ve lost most of our reliable players and the worst is yet to ..........

1. front 2. glow 3. inefficient 4. uninsulated 5. example 6. boost 7. go 8. leaf 9. breaking 10. vortexes 11. door 12. come