Discussion Topic - Cold weather

Details: Written by IELTS Mentor

Discussion Topic - Cold weather.

Part 1: Introduction & Interview

Q. 1. Have you ever been in very cold weather? [When?]
Answer: Yes, I have been in very cold weather about 3 years ago when I visited Canada to see my cousin, who was working there at that time, in the month of December (probably it was the coldest month there). Of course, the sight of snowfall was great to look at, but the shivering cold was just unbearable, to say the least.

Q. 2. How often is the weather cold where you come from?
Answer: Where I come from, the weather usually remains cold for about 4 to 5 months, from October to February. While December and January are the coldest months of the year with temperature as low as 5 to 12 degree Celsius and the remaining months are moderately cold during the winter season.

Q. 3. Are some parts of your country colder than others? [Why?]
Answer: Yes, some parts, specially the northern part, of my country is colder than other parts because it is very close to one of the tallest mountains of the world from where a stream of cold air flows after getting blocked by the mountain and then moving upward and thus becoming cold before entering the northern part of my country.

Q. 4. Would you prefer to live in a hot place or a cold place? [Why?]
Answer: I would prefer to live in a hot place primarily because I am always used to living in hot weather for the most part of my life. Besides, I consider it to be a really “difficult” to wear tons of clothes (and then taking them off as well) in order to remain warm during the cold weather. Finally, I like hot weather because I catch a cold easily during the winter season and I am allergic to show.

Part 3: Details Discussion

Q. 1. Do you think cold weather changes people's behaviour? How?
Answer: Apparently, cold weather doesn’t only keep us indoor but also changes our behaviour. For example, during cold weather, some people, including myself, feel a bit more depressed and isolated from the normal social gatherings and activities, as opposed to the warm weather. Besides, studies have found that cold weather also affects how we tend to judge other people around us. Researchers have also found that people like to watch romantic type of movies during the cold weather more than during the warm weather. Cold weather, interestingly, can also reduce our trust in other people, which is quite interesting.

Q. 2. Does cold weather bring seasonal flues and other diseases? How?
Answer: Well, it is not actually the cold weather that brings flues and other diseases, but rather it is the virus and bacteria that cause flues diseases. But, of course, it is usually during the cold weather that we like to spend more time indoor, and as a result, we run into the increased risk of getting an infection. After all, the more we spend our time in a closed environment, the lesser immunity we grow for our bodies. Besides, the most common cold-causing viruses survive better in low-humidity environments, caused by cold weather. Finally, cold weather may dry out the inside lining of our noses, making it more susceptible to penetration by a virus.

Q. 3. Many people prefer the winter season over the rainy or summer season. Why is it?
Answer: Well, in my opinion, many people prefer the winter season over the rainy or summer season, mainly because it is a matter of their personal choice and preference, and maybe because it suits their lifestyle better. But, to be more precise, they prefer winter season probably because their bodies and minds don’t respond well to the hot temperature and high humidity of the rainy or summer season. But, of course, it also depends on where they live. If they live and grow up in extreme and uncomfortable hot and humid weather, where winter is mild and pleasant, then there is every reason for them to prefer winter season.

Q. 4. Does the cold weather affect the lifestyle of people in the area where you live? How?
Answer: Well, for better or worse, where I live, we have mild cold weather, and as such, I can’t really say that the “cold” weather affects our lifestyle of people in the area, where I live, in any significant way. In other words, things are pretty much “as usual” in the area where I live. Of course, it is worth mentioning here that we have some traditional cake making and new harvest festivals in my country, attended by a large number of people in the rural and urban areas, which take place only during the winter season. But, other than that, I don’t really think that “cold” weather affects us in any other ways.

Q. 5. Climate change is affecting the world severely. How can we prevent it?
Answer: Climate change indeed is a serious matter of concern for the entire world, and we ought to be dead serious about preventing it. To do so, we first need to put a “check” on our immense desire to extract as many resources as possible from mother nature. We also must limit carbon emission in our atmosphere to prevent the greenhouse effect while curtailing our industrial waste in order to keep our water toxic-free and clean. Finally, government authorities from all the countries in the world should encourage their citizens, or offer incentives wherever applicable, to take care of their own environment.

Q. 6. Is the human primarily to blame for climate change? Why? Why not?
Answer: If we check the data and history of the last two centuries, from the time when the industrial revolution was at its peak, then there is every reason to believe that it is the human who is primarily to blame for the climate change. After all, it is since that time of the industrial revolution, human has indiscriminately “used” (or I can say “abused”) the resources of the mother nature in the name of living a modern and comfortable life while completely disregarding the dangerous and negative environmental effects.