The weather Comprehension - Higher

Read an extract from Dearbhail's essay.

Léigh sliocht as aiste Dhearbhail. Bain triail as na ceisteanna thíos.

Is breá liom an geimhreadh gach bliain mar tagann an Nollaig sa gheimhreadh agus faigheann muid a lán bronntanas. Chomh maith leis sin, bíonn sneachta ann de ghnáth agus ciallaíonn sé sin go mbíonn an scoil druidte ar feadh cúpla lá. Cuireann sin gliondar ar mo chroí mar thig linn dul amach ag súgradh sa sneachta. Má bhíonn sé iontach fuar, bíonn oighear ar an loch in aice lenár dteach. Chuaigh mé amach air uair amháin ach bhí mo mhamaí ar buile mar thig leis a bheith fíorchontúirteach.

Ar an lámh eile, thig leis a bheith iontach go deo fuar agus fliuch sa gheimhreadh. Bíonn na laethanta gairid, mar sin bíonn sé dorcha nuair a éiríonn tú ar maidin agus dorcha arís thart ar a ceathair a chlog agus tú ag filleadh ón scoil. Cuireann sé sin drochspionn orm. Is feirmeoir é mo dhaidí agus tá trua agam dó mar bíonn air dul amach ag obair san fhuacht i rith an gheimhridh. Bíonn an talamh fliuch báite agus bíonn air éirí go luath gach lá sa dorchadas chun bia a thabhairt do na hainmhithe. Nuair a thagann sé abhaile san oíche, bíonn sé conáilte agus traochta.

Translation

I love winter every year because Christmas is in winter and we get a lot of presents. As well as that, there is usually snow and that means that school will be closed for a couple of days. That makes me really happy because we can go out to play in the snow. If it is very cold, there is ice on the lake beside our house. I went out on it once but my mum was very angry because it can be very dangerous.

On the other hand, it can be extremely cold and wet in winter. The days are short, so it is dark when you get up in the morning and dark again around four o’clock when you are returning from school. This puts me in bad form. My dad is a farmer and I pity him because he has to go out to work in the cold during the winter. The ground is always soaking wet and he has to get up very early every day in the dark to feed the animals. When he comes home at night, he is freezing and exhausted.