People in the United Arab Emirates were surprised by a rare weather event – a hailstorm in the desert. Big balls of ice covered roads and caused damage to homes and cars. Some locals were really surprised by this strange thing. But is it really so weird for a desert country to have this kind of weather? BBC Weather’s Elizabeth Rizzini has the answer.

The video shows footage of the hailstorm and explains that while it might seem strange, hailstorms can happen in desert areas under certain conditions. Hail is made when there are strong winds in thunderstorms, which can happen in deserts too. These winds carry raindrops up into really cold parts of the sky, where they freeze and become hailstones. When the hailstones get too heavy, they fall to the ground.

Hailstorms in the desert are rare because there isn’t much moisture in the air. Deserts are known for being dry, with very little rain. But when the right mix of weather conditions happens, hailstorms can happen even in these dry places. That’s why people in the UAE were surprised by the recent hailstorm.

The video ends by saying that while hailstorms in the desert aren’t common, they aren’t unheard of either. It’s a rare weather event that can happen in certain situations. So, while people might have been shocked by the hailstorm, it’s not completely unexpected for a desert country like the UAE to have this kind of weather.

Original news source: UAE: A hailstorm in the desert? Rare weather phenomenon shocks residents (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Have each group read the article silently.
3. In their groups, students should discuss the main points and key details of the article.
4. Each group selects a spokesperson to give a concise summary of the article to the class.
5. Encourage the use of English language skills such as summarizing, paraphrasing, and presenting information clearly.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Have each group discuss their opinions on the topic of hailstorms in the desert.
3. Provide a list of discussion questions, such as: Do you think it is strange for a desert country to have hailstorms? Why or why not? Have you ever experienced a rare weather event? How did it make you feel?
4. Each group should take turns asking and answering the questions, recording their responses.
5. After the discussion, conduct a class-wide poll by having each group share their opinions and reasons.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Create a list of key vocabulary words from the article, such as hailstorm, desert, moisture, thunderstorm, etc.
2. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
3. Give each group a set of vocabulary words.
4. In a limited amount of time, each group must take turns drawing a picture to represent one of the words on their list.
5. The other groups must guess the word based on the drawing.
6. Encourage students to use English language skills such as describing, guessing, and using context clues.

– Headline Creation
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Instruct each group to create a catchy headline for the article about the hailstorm in the desert.
3. Encourage creativity and the use of English language skills such as summarizing, paraphrasing, and capturing attention in a headline.
4. After a designated time, have each group present their headline to the class.
5. Discuss the different headlines and why they are effective or interesting.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions:
1. Have the class read the article silently.
2. Instruct students to think about the article and come up with one question or comment about it.
3. Pair up the students and have them share their question or comment with their partner.
4. After the pairs have discussed, bring the class back together and ask for volunteers to share their thoughts with the whole class.
5. Encourage students to use English language skills such as forming questions, expressing opinions, and listening actively to their partners.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the rare weather event that surprised people in the United Arab Emirates?
2. How are hailstorms formed?
3. Why are hailstorms in the desert considered rare?
4. What happens when hailstones become too heavy?
5. Why were people in the UAE surprised by the recent hailstorm?
6. Are hailstorms in the desert common or uncommon?
7. Can hailstorms happen in dry places like deserts?
8. Is it completely unexpected for a desert country like the UAE to have hailstorms?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

People in the United Arab Emirates were (1)______ by a rare weather event – a hailstorm in the (2)______. Big balls of ice covered roads and caused (3)______ to (4)______ and cars. Some locals were really surprised by this strange thing. But is it really so weird for a desert country to have this kind of weather? BBC Weather’s Elizabeth Rizzini has the answer.

The video shows footage of the hailstorm and explains that while it might seem strange, hailstorms can happen in desert areas under (5)______ conditions. Hail is made when there are strong winds in (6)______, which can happen in deserts too. These winds carry raindrops up into really cold parts of the sky, where they (7)______ and (8)______ hailstones. When the (9)______ get too heavy, they fall to the ground.

Hailstorms in the desert are rare because there isn’t much moisture in the air. (10)______ are known for being dry, with very little rain. But when the right mix of weather conditions happens, (11)______ can happen even in these dry places. That’s why (12)______ in the UAE were surprised by the recent hailstorm.

The (13)______ ends by saying that while hailstorms in the desert aren’t common, they aren’t unheard of either. It’s a rare weather (14)______ that can happen in certain (15)______. So, while people might have been shocked by the hailstorm, it’s not completely unexpected for a desert (16)______ like the UAE to have this kind of weather.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. Have you ever experienced a hailstorm? If so, what was it like?
2. What do you think would be the scariest thing about a hailstorm?
3. How would you feel if you were driving in a car during a hailstorm?
4. Do you think it’s strange for a desert country to have a hailstorm? Why or why not?
5. What do you think caused the hailstones to fall to the ground in the desert?
6. Have you ever seen hailstones before? If so, what did they look like?
7. Do you think it’s important for people living in desert countries to be prepared for hailstorms? Why or why not?
8. How do you think the hailstorm affected the people living in the UAE?
9. Do you think the hailstorm caused a lot of damage to homes and cars? Why or why not?
10. What kind of weather conditions do you think are needed for a hailstorm to happen in the desert?
11. How do you think the hailstorm in the UAE compares to other weather events that have happened around the world?
12. Do you think it’s a good idea for people living in the UAE to have insurance for their homes and cars? Why or why not?
13. What do you think the locals in the UAE were thinking when they saw the hailstorm?
14. Have you ever been surprised by a weather event? If so, what happened?
15. Do you think the hailstorm in the UAE will make people more aware of the possibility of hailstorms in desert countries? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. surprised
2. rare
3. hailstorm
4. desert
5. damage
6. locals
7. conditions
8. thunderstorms
9. moisture
10. footage
11. freeze
12. heavy
13. shocked
14. unexpected
15. situations

Meanings:
(A) The specific way things are at a certain time, especially regarding the weather
(B) Feeling very surprised, almost to the point of disbelief
(C) Not anticipated or likely to happen
(D) A very dry, sandy area with little to no rain
(E) People who live in a specific place
(F) Harm or injury caused to something
(G) Feeling amazed or startled by something unusual
(H) The amount of water present in the air
(I) Weighing a lot, hard to lift or move
(J) Different scenarios or environments where something can occur
(K) To turn into ice
(L) Severe weather events with lots of lightning, thunder, and sometimes rain
(M) Recorded scenes or clips, usually shown in videos or on TV
(N) Not happening often
(O) A storm with balls of ice falling like rain
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What caused the hailstones in the desert?
(a) Excessive heat
(b) Sandstorms
(c) Strong winds in thunderstorms
(d) Heavy rain

2. Why are hailstorms in the desert rare?
(a) Deserts are too hot for hail to form
(b) Thunderstorms rarely occur in deserts
(c) There isn’t much moisture in the air
(d) The desert climate doesn’t allow for hail formation

3. What happens to raindrops in a hailstorm?
(a) They evaporate into the air
(b) They freeze and become hailstones
(c) They turn into sand
(d) They become lightning

4. Why were people in the UAE surprised by the hailstorm?
(a) It’s not common to have hailstorms in the desert
(b) They were expecting a sandstorm instead
(c) Hailstorms are a regular occurrence in the UAE
(d) They were not prepared for the strong winds

5. What happens when hailstones get too heavy?
(a) They turn into raindrops
(b) They melt into water
(c) They float in the sky
(d) They fall to the ground

6. What kind of weather conditions are needed for a hailstorm in the desert?
(a) Extreme heat and heavy rain
(b) Sandstorms and lightning
(c) Foggy conditions and high humidity
(d) Strong winds in thunderstorms and cold temperatures

7. How does the video describe hailstorms in the desert?
(a) Rare but not unheard of
(b) Completely unexpected
(c) Common and expected
(d) Impossible to predict

8. What does the video conclude about hailstorms in the desert?
(a) They are a regular occurrence in desert countries
(b) They can happen in certain situations
(c) They only occur in extremely hot deserts
(d) They are caused by sandstorms in the desert

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The recent hailstorm in the UAE was expected and completely unheard of.
2. Hail is formed when raindrops freeze in cold parts of the sky.
3. The hailstorm caused damage to homes and cars.
4. The United Arab Emirates experienced a hailstorm in the desert.
5. Some locals were surprised by the hailstorm.
6. Hailstorms in the desert are common due to the abundance of moisture in the air.
7. The video explains that hailstorms can happen in specific situations in desert countries like the UAE.
8. Hailstorms cannot occur in desert areas under any conditions.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What surprised people in the United Arab Emirates recently?
2. How are hailstones formed?
3. Why are hailstorms in the desert rare?
4. What does the video say about hailstorms in the desert?
5. Why were people in the UAE shocked by the hailstorm?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the rare weather event that surprised people in the United Arab Emirates?
A hailstorm in the desert.

2. How are hailstorms formed?
Hailstorms are formed when there are strong winds in thunderstorms. These winds carry raindrops up into really cold parts of the sky, where they freeze and become hailstones.

3. Why are hailstorms in the desert considered rare?
Hailstorms in the desert are considered rare because there isn’t much moisture in the air. Deserts are known for being dry, with very little rain.

4. What happens when hailstones become too heavy?
When hailstones become too heavy, they fall to the ground.

5. Why were people in the UAE surprised by the recent hailstorm?
People in the UAE were surprised by the recent hailstorm because it is not common to have hailstorms in a desert country like the UAE.

6. Are hailstorms in the desert common or uncommon?
Hailstorms in the desert are uncommon.

7. Can hailstorms happen in dry places like deserts?
Yes, hailstorms can happen in dry places like deserts under certain weather conditions.

8. Is it completely unexpected for a desert country like the UAE to have hailstorms?
No, it is not completely unexpected for a desert country like the UAE to have hailstorms, although they are rare occurrences.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) surprised
(2) desert
(3) damage
(4) homes
(5) certain
(6) thunderstorms
(7) freeze
(8) become
(9) hailstones
(10) Deserts
(11) hailstorms
(12) people
(13) video
(14) event
(15) situations
(16) country
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. surprised
Answer: (G) Feeling amazed or startled by something unusual

2. rare
Answer: (N) Not happening often

3. hailstorm
Answer: (O) A storm with balls of ice falling like rain

4. desert
Answer: (D) A very dry, sandy area with little to no rain

5. damage
Answer: (F) Harm or injury caused to something

6. locals
Answer: (E) People who live in a specific place

7. conditions
Answer: (A) The specific way things are at a certain time, especially regarding the weather

8. thunderstorms
Answer: (L) Severe weather events with lots of lightning, thunder, and sometimes rain

9. moisture
Answer: (H) The amount of water present in the air

10. footage
Answer: (M) Recorded scenes or clips, usually shown in videos or on TV

11. freeze
Answer: (K) To turn into ice

12. heavy
Answer: (I) Weighing a lot, hard to lift or move

13. shocked
Answer: (B) Feeling very surprised, almost to the point of disbelief

14. unexpected
Answer: (C) Not anticipated or likely to happen

15. situations
Answer: (J) Different scenarios or environments where something can occur
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What caused the hailstones in the desert?
Answer: (c) Strong winds in thunderstorms

2. Why are hailstorms in the desert rare?
Answer: (c) There isn’t much moisture in the air

3. What happens to raindrops in a hailstorm?
Answer: (b) They freeze and become hailstones

4. Why were people in the UAE surprised by the hailstorm?
Answer: (a) It’s not common to have hailstorms in the desert

5. What happens when hailstones get too heavy?
Answer: (d) They fall to the ground

6. What kind of weather conditions are needed for a hailstorm in the desert?
Answer: (d) Strong winds in thunderstorms and cold temperatures

7. How does the video describe hailstorms in the desert?
Answer: (a) Rare but not unheard of

8. What does the video conclude about hailstorms in the desert?
Answer: (b) They can happen in certain situations
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The recent hailstorm in the UAE was expected and completely unheard of. (Answer: False)
2. Hail is formed when raindrops freeze in cold parts of the sky. (Answer: True)
3. The hailstorm caused damage to homes and cars. (Answer: True)
4. The United Arab Emirates experienced a hailstorm in the desert. (Answer: True)
5. Some locals were surprised by the hailstorm. (Answer: True)
6. Hailstorms in the desert are common due to the abundance of moisture in the air. (Answer: False)
7. The video explains that hailstorms can happen in specific situations in desert countries like the UAE. (Answer: False)
8. Hailstorms cannot occur in desert areas under any conditions. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧