The troubling ways a heatwave can warp your mind

This is a list of key vocabulary and expressions from the article in order of how useful they are. The expressions in italics are additional and cannot be found in the article. The student must choose 6 items from the list to study in the lesson. 

To lead to 

To sunbathe

Grumpy

To (go on) strike (meaning to protest by not working)

Unprecedented

To melt

Straightforward

Widespread

To peak

Rioting

Regardless of

Stuffy

To trigger

To be prone (to something)

To shrink

A drought

To kick in

A spike in (something) (meaning a sudden increase in something)

To honk/ beep your horn

To pile up

To undergo

To swarm

An uprising

To hurl (something)

To crank up

15 conversation-provoking questions related to the article.

1. How does the temperature affect the murder rate in South Africa? Why?

2. How are uprisings affected by the weather? Why?

3. How does the weather affect your mood and behaviour?

4. Can the climate affect culture and personality?

5. How does the weather affect your diet and general health?

6. Do you think that climate can influence people’s quality of life?

7. How does the climate affect a country's economy?

8. Which type of climate would you most like to live in?

9. Which type of climate would you least like to live in?

10. How would you describe the summer and the winter in your own country?

11. Can you describe the hottest place you’ve ever been to?

12. Can you describe the coldest place you’ve ever been to?

13. Is there a link between the climate and alcohol consumption?

14. Is climate change something that you often worry about?

15. How different would the world be if the weather was constantly mild and pleasant?