Views #725 | Low-Intermediate 4

Canadian Winter

Lisa talks about life in her city of Montreal when the weather gets really cold.

Script
Vocab
Quiz


Lisa	Adrienne

Adrienne: So, Lisa, you're from Montreal. I think when I think of Canada, I think of cold. Is it very cold in Montreal?

Lisa: In the wintertime, Montreal gets very cold. With the wind chill factor, which is the scale to measure how cold the wind is, literally, it can get down to minus 25 degrees celsius at night.

Adrienne: Wow!

Lisa: Yes, but it's different than a lot of other countries that only go down to zero because in Montreal you dress warmly, whereas in places like New York or Tokyo or London, maybe you don't dress as warmly cause the temperature doesn't go down as low, but in Montreal in the wintertime, you're wearing hats, you're wearing mitts, you're wearing winter boots.

Adrienne: So what can you do in the winter? Just stay inside all the time?

Lisa: Surprisingly, even though it's so cold, there's a lot to do in Montreal in the wintertime. Some great activities are you can go for a sleigh ride in old Montreal. Old Montreal is probably about five or six hundred years old, from around the time that the city was founded, and they have horse drawn sleigh rides. There are outdoor skating rinks, that you can go skating. It's very romantic. You can drive forty-five minutes away and go skiing and go ice-skating or stay in little auberge, little lodges, on the ski hills or close to the ski hills. It's actually really nice and lends itself to a very cozy winter cause it's so cold outside and yet you can get nice and warm by the fire inside.

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson

wind chill factor

Montreal gets very cold with the wind chill factor, which is the scale to measure how cold the wind is.

The 'wind chill factor' is the idea that strong wind will make the temperature feel colder than it really is.

Notice the following:

The wind chill factor makes the winter days feel a lot colder.
It is very cold outside today because of the wind chill factor.

dress warmly

It's different than a lot of other countries that only go down to zero but in Montreal you dress warmly.

When you 'dress warmly,' it means that you wear clothes that will keep your body temperature up even though the weather is cold.

Notice the following:

You need to dress warmly when it snows.
Please make sure that you dress warmly tonight, as it is very cold.

wear mitts

In Montreal in the wintertime, you're wearing hats, you're wearing mitts, you're wearing winter boots.

'Wearing mitts' is the same as 'wearing mittens.' Mittens are accessories worn on your hands to keep them warm that have one section for your thumb and another section for all of your other fingers together.

Notice the following:

I used to wear mitts when I went skiing.
I think they advise you to wear mitts, as it is that cold.

stay inside

In the winter do you just stay inside all the time?

When you 'stay inside,' it means that you do not go out of the house.

Notice the following:

I think I will stay inside today, as I do not feel well.
If we stay inside today, it means that we can get a lot of housework done.

cozy

It's actually really nice and lends itself to a very cozy winter because it's so cold outside.

'Cozy' means that something is warm and comfortable.

Notice the following:

I like to wear big, cozy jumpers.
It is a very cozy house.

Vocabulary Quiz

wind chill • dress warmly • mitts
inside • cozy

It's so cold out today that I just want to stay and read a book.
This is the best room in the house, because it's nice and when the sun shines in.
The temperature is normal for this time of year, but the factor makes being outside kind of uncomfortable.
The winter months are cold, but if you you can still enjoy being outside.
It's hard to get used to wearing when you drive.