22 March - Reading Comprehension
Goal: to write complete sentences with all main
ideas covered.
Title: Forecasting the Weather
1. Weather forecasting is important for many reasons, some of
which are:
a.
Forecasts of rain or snow and
temperature are used in agriculture and horticulture and could affect a farm or the country's economy.
b. Power companies use forecasts
to plan power supply and to ensure there is enough for all users, especially if
it is going to suddenly be very cold
c. Hunters and boaties should always check the weather
forecast before going into the bush or out to sea
d.
People everywhere plan their
clothing and outdoor activities according to the weather forecast for the
following day or week.
2. Weather forecasting has changed markedly over the years,
with the development of satellites, and the use of computers for climate
scientists to model weather predictions with much more accuracy. Previously, people relied on barometers to
check the barometric pressure, checked the sky for what they could see, and
checked the current weather pattern to give an often-incorrect forecast.
 |
| A Barometer (Check the one on our classroom wall.) |
3. Weather forecasting
is most likely to be inaccurate when the measuring of the conditions is not
right, when the atmospheric processes are not understood, or if the forecast is
for a long way ahead, e.g. more than a couple of days. This is because atmospheric conditions can be
very chaotic and it takes huge computer power to solve the complex forecasting
systems accurately.
