Practice English Listening A2 Exercises – Earth Science: news program about running in the rain

A

a

B

Answers may vary slightly.

1   It seems like you’ll get wetter if you walk in the rain because you will be in the rain longer.

2   You might get wetter when you run because the rain hits the front of your body more.

3   Wind could make a difference because it blows rain at you.

4   If you run in a light rain without wind, you stay 16% drier.

5   If you run in a heavy rain with a lot of wind, you stay 40 to 44% drier.

6   Two scientists found this difference by weighing their clothes after one walked and the other ran in the rain.

A = Female Newscaster, B = Male Newscaster

A:   Well, here’s an interesting story. Have you ever been caught in a rainstorm without an umbrella and wondered how to stay driest? Should you run or should you walk through the rain?

B:   You mean, like if I’m in a parking lot, it’s raining and I have to get to the building, will I get less wet if I run versus if I walk?

A:   Yes, that’s right.

B:   I’ve always thought it made more sense to run.

A:   Well, that seems to make sense. It seems like if you’re out in the rain for a longer period of time because you’re walking, you’ll get wetter. But, it’s a little more complicated. When you run, rain hits the front of your body more, so then you have to calculate how much of your body is exposed and for how much time.

B:   I guess it is more complicated than it seems at first.

A:   And then there’s wind. If it’s windy, it seems like that would make a difference.

B:   I hadn’t thought of that. If the wind is blowing rain at you, then you’d probably get wetter.

A:   Well, some scientists have spent a lot of time on this question and they finally have an answer. If you run in light rain without a lot of wind, you stay, let’s see … 16% drier.

B:   Only 16%? I expected more benefit. Maybe it isn’t worth the effort of running.

A:   Maybe not, but there’s more benefit to running if it’s a heavy rain, especially with a lot of wind. In those conditions you stay 40 to 44% drier if you run.

B:   OK, that’s better. So it’s worth running when it’s windy.

A:   Yes, and when the rain is heavy.

B:   What I want to know is, how did they do this research?

A:   Well, at first they did equations to calculate the different conditions in a rainstorm. Scientists worked it out mathematically. But then, two scientists in North Carolina decided to actually do an experiment. First, they went out and bought identical clothes – shirts, pants, and hats – then they measured out a 100 meter track outside their office building and waited for a rain storm. When there was finally a good rainstorm with wind, they went out and one man walked around the track while the other ran. After they finished, they weighed the clothes to find out how much water had been absorbed, and they found that the person who ran got less wet. His clothes were 40% drier. You know, the two scientists actually say that the experiment was kind of a joke. They weren’t really taking it seriously. But, in the end, other people were interested in the results.

B:   That’s interesting! Of course, if you just carry an umbrella, you wouldn’t have to think about any of this.

A:   Yes, but who always remembers an umbrella?