LINGUAWIRE
Fog made travel harder in Ireland, while planned London Tube strikes could disrupt journeys before Christmas.
A current English news story adapted for language learners at A2, with audio, transcript, vocabulary and comprehension work.
This is our Sunday special, with stories from across the English-speaking world from the past week.
This week, we look at fog warnings in Ireland and planned Tube strikes in London before Christmas.
Everything we say today is written out for you, with the vocabulary explained, at linguawire.com.
A fog warning brought a risk of difficult weekend travel across much of Ireland.
Noah is LinguaWire’s correspondent for transport, and he has been covering the weather warning.
Hello, Daniel. On Saturday morning, Met Éireann issued a yellow warning for dense fog in much of Ireland.
Which parts of the country were included?
The warning covered Leinster, Munster, Connacht, and the counties of Cavan and Monaghan. It included 25 counties in the State. Donegal was the only county not included.
So this was a warning for almost the whole country.
Yes, Daniel. The warning began at 9pm on Saturday and was due to end at 11am on Sunday. It warned that visibility would be poor and travel could be difficult.
What does poor visibility mean for people on the roads?
It means people cannot see very far ahead. Dense fog can make driving more difficult, especially during the night and early in the morning.
When was the fog expected to become more widespread?
Much of Saturday was expected to be clear, although there could be patchy rain and some fog from earlier. The fog was expected to spread as Saturday evening went on.
What is a yellow weather warning?
A yellow warning means the weather is not especially unusual. However, it can still cause danger in some local areas. In this case, the danger was dense fog.
Was cold weather also part of the forecast?
Yes. Saturday temperatures were expected to reach between 7 and 11 degrees Celsius. Overnight, temperatures could fall to as low as one degree in some places.
What was expected on Sunday morning?
The fog was expected to lift gradually during the morning. It could stay longer in some places, so some Sunday morning journeys could still be affected.
And what was expected after the fog had lifted?
Sunday was expected to stay cool, with temperatures again between 7 and 11 degrees. Breezes were expected to become stronger during the night. Wetter and breezier weather was expected later in the week.
Thank you, Noah.
London Underground drivers planned strikes that could disrupt travel before Christmas.
Sophie is LinguaWire’s correspondent for transport, and she has been following the planned strikes.
Hello, Daniel. Tube drivers in the RMT union have called eight 24-hour strikes over 16 days. Six of the strikes are planned before Christmas.
When is the first strike due to begin?
The first 24-hour strike is planned to start at noon on 26 November. There are also two strikes planned in early January, with more planned in February.
Why has the RMT called the strikes?
The dispute is about plans for a four-day working week for drivers. Transport for London, known as TfL, has said the four-day arrangement would be voluntary.
What is the union worried about?
The RMT says the plan could weaken existing agreements and worsen working conditions. It says drivers have not received guarantees that they can remain on their current five-day working arrangements.
What changes does the union believe drivers could face?
The union believes drivers could have worse shift times and less certainty about when they work. It says drivers could spend more time driving trains and have longer, less predictable shifts.
Do all Tube drivers support the four-day week plan?
No. Most drivers represented by Aslef, the main drivers union, have warmly welcomed the proposal. TfL has said the plans are completely voluntary.
Which strike dates could be especially difficult for passengers?
Strikes are planned from noon on Thursday 17 December and again on Saturday 19 December. These are during the last shopping weekend before Christmas, when there could be few Tube trains.
That could affect more than commuters.
Yes. Shoppers and visitors could also face problems. Business groups said the news was deeply concerning because the days before Christmas are important for thousands of London businesses.
Have earlier strikes caused major disruption?
Similar strikes in April and June caused widespread disruption on the London Underground. However, trains still ran on most lines.
What happens next for travellers?
If the strikes go ahead, passengers could face disruption from late November and during the busy period before Christmas. The December dates could be especially difficult for people travelling, shopping, or visiting London.
Thank you, Sophie.
Part one: vocabulary.
Dense.
Dense means thick and difficult to see through; in the story, “On Saturday morning, Met Éireann issued a yellow warning for dense fog in much of Ireland.”
Dense smoke filled the room.
Visibility.
Visibility means how far people can see; in the story, “It warned that visibility would be poor and travel could be difficult.”
Visibility is poor in heavy rain.
Gradually.
Gradually means slowly, over time; in the story, “The fog was expected to lift gradually during the morning.”
The sky gradually became clear.
Part two: the grammar.
Comparatives with -er: in the story, “Breezes were expected to become stronger during the night.”
We use an adjective ending in -er to compare. Here, “stronger” means having more strength than before.
Listen again: “Breezes were expected to become stronger during the night.”
The wind is stronger today than yesterday.
Repeat after me: Breezes were expected to become stronger during the night.
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