5. How can extreme weather conditions affect the economy in your country?
Well, extreme weather can have dramatic consequences on agriculture and housing. In 2008,
some regions in China experienced a terrible snow storm that paralyzed whole areas for a couple
of weeks. It destroyed many roofs, and business in these areas was literally frozen. It happened
during Spring Festival, which is a very lucrative (- profitable) period of the year, but because
thousands of people were stuck in the bus or train stations, people didn't consume or travel as
much as expected. It represented a big loss of income for many companies. In addition, the
government had to allocate a lot of money to rebuild the destroyed houses. Last autumn, severe
droughts hit northern China, and the government also had to provide financial help to the farmers
who had lost everything in the sand storms.
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Snow
Tell me about snow.
You should say:
whether you have seen snow before
how you feel about snow
whether your country gets snow in the winter
and explain how snow can influence people’s lives
.
· South of China: I have never seen snow before.
.
Must be beautiful in the countryside
.
Causes problems in the city and on the roads
· Snow storm in 2008 in China
:
people were stuck in train stations during Spring Festival.
.
Dream: go skiing in the Alps or in Canada (Olympic Games)
I come from Fujian Province in southern China, and in my hometown, it never snows
.
My
parents told me they had seen snow once only when they were kids. But for me, I have never
experienced freezing weather, and as a result, I have never had a chance to play in the snow, to
make snow balls or a snowman.
However, I have seen stunning pictures of snowy landscapes in the countryside. It looks
spectacular and very peaceful. It seems like winter covers the whole natural world with a white
blanket. I know it must be extremely cold, but it looks so relaxing at the same time.
On the other hand, snowfall always causes serious problems in the city and on the roads in my
country. Last winter, the snow fell heavily in northern China, making it difficult and risky to drive.
In addition, due to the pollution and the exhaust fumes cars emit, snow turns all brown and black
in the city. It looks disgusting.
In 2008
,
a major snow storm hit central China. Many people died because of road accidents,
or because their roofs collapsed. What's more, tens of thousands of people were stuck in buses and
train stations over Spring Festival. You know, in China, it is the busiest time of the year in terms of
traveling, because everyone wants to go back to their hometown for the week-long
holiday
.
Unfortunately, the journeys were made impossible by the extreme weather conditions
.
A few months ago, I watched the Winter Olympic Games held in Vancouver, Canada, on TV
And I was stunned by the beautiful snowy mountains. One of my dreams is to go to the Rocky
Mountains in the U.S
.
or in Canada, or maybe the Alps in Europe, and learn how to ski or
snowboard. It would be without a doubt an unforgettable experience, and a great chance to try
some extreme sports like snowmobiling, or cross-country skiing.
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