習慣用語：Weather Language 天氣成語（英語聽力）ZT
A British Obsession 英國人迷戀的話題
British people are famous for always talking about the weather, but the weather also affects the way we speak and the phrases we use.
As more winter weather batters the UK, this week’s Take Away demonstrates how the British obsession with weather has influenced our language.
The return of snowstorms to the UK proves that when it comes to bad weather it never rains but it pours.
The police have warned that unnecessary road travel is not recommended but some motorists have thrown caution to the wind and made their journeys anyway, claiming that it’s all a storm in teacup.
Kids see the silver lining in sledging to school
Those whose cars are stuck in the snow may consider themselves to be twisting in the wind.
There are problems too for local councils who are running out of sand and grit for the roads, having not saved enough supplies for a rainy day.
However it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good and breakdown services will be seeing an increase in business at this time of year.
And every cloud has a silver lining for plumbers too as the cold weather brings burst and frozen pipes in homes and businesses.
What has become apparent from the cold snap is that seasonal weather forecasting is not a precise science.
The UK Meteorological Officepredicted that this winter would be mild and warm so the bad weather came like a bolt from the blue, defying predictions.
It’s no wonder then that many people are feeling under the weather with flus and colds an ever-present danger, especially for the very old and very young.
The best thing to do then is to wrap up warm, stay at home and weather the storm and hopefully in a few weeks everything will be as right as rain.
Glossary 詞匯表 (收聽發音, 請單擊英語單詞)
- batters （惡劣天氣）困擾
- influenced 影響
- it never rains but it pours 禍不單行
- thrown caution to the wind 冒險
- a storm in teacup 大驚小怪
- twisting in the wind 孤立無援
- grit 砂礫
- rainy day 艱難的時刻/困境
- ill wind that blows nobody any good 有禍也有福/有人愁有人喜
- breakdown services （汽車）救援服務
- every cloud has a silver lining（每一塊烏雲後麵都有銀色的一麵） 困難中必有希望
- plumbers 管工
- burst 爆開/裂開
- cold snap 寒流
- seasonal weather forecasting 季節天氣預告
- Meteorological Office predicted 氣象局預測
- bolt from the blue 突如其來的
- under the weather 身體不舒服
- weather the storm 渡過危機
- as right as rain 萬事順利
