Podcast

Early heat wishful thinking

Updated: 2010-10-27 13:00

Heating in Beijing is unlikely to be turned on early this year as three local government departments agreed on Tuesday that the weather is unlikely to drop below 5 C before November.

Ding Deping, head of the Beijing Special Meteorological Observatory, said at a weather conference on Tuesday that the temperature will probably rise from Wednesday morning and remain relatively high until the end of the week.

"It is impossible that the heating will come on before Nov 1, since the average temperature for the coming five days will be above 10 C, with the highest between 15 C and 17 C," Ding told METRO.

The three departments - the Beijing Municipal Commission of City Administration and Environment, the Beijing Meteorological Bureau and Finance Bureau of Beijing - will continue to keep their eyes on the weather and the next meeting will be held on Nov 1 or Nov 2, Ding added.

"We will start to supply heating any time between Nov 1 and Nov 15, if the average temperature is below 5 C for five consecutive days," said Guo Weiqi, director of the Beijing heating office of the Beijing Municipal Commission of City Administration and Environment.

However, some residents are already complaining about the cold weather and want the heating turned on before Nov 1.

Yuan Yuan, a 26-year-old office worker in Beijing, said it is too cold to take a shower at home and she has to use the shower at her gym.

She said many of her friends turn their air conditioners on to heat their homes.

Questions:

1. What will be the highest temperature predicted for the next five days?

2. When will the next weather meeting take place?

3. What temperature is needed for five consecutive days before the heating is switched on?

Answers:

1. 15 to 17 degrees C.

2. Nov 1 or Nov 2.

3. Below 5 C.

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（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

Early heat wishful thinking

About the broadcaster:

Early heat wishful thinking

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.