英语博客(A cup of English):009 And the rain came down!

　　And the rain came down.
Beginners.
Yesterday it rained most of the day. Last night it rained all night. And now, this morning, it is still raining. It doesn't often rain in this valley. Wenatchee is called a desert, and I suppose it is. However, about this time, in November, the rain comes. Sometimes it stays for a few days. It prepares us, and the ground, for the snow. At the end of November the snow comes. It stays for about four months. Some people who live in rainy Seattle get tired of the rain, but here, it is a treat. Children can put on their rubber boots and splash in the puddles¹. Getting wet isn't a terrible thing. You can always get dry afterwards. But you do need to be prepared: rubber boots, a long coat, and, perhaps, an umbrella.
Grammar notes.
To rain is a regular verb: it rains, it is raining, it rained, it was raining, it had rained.
Associated words: wet, clouds, puddles, splash, soaked, drip, rubber boots, umbrella.
Useful words: However, sometimes, about, I suppose.
Advanced.
Drip, drip, drip, pitter, patter, plop. These are the sounds that I have heard on the roof and all around the house for the past two days. It has rained consistently, even during the night. For me, it is pure nostalgia². Being from England, I am used to puddles, drips, drops, and splashes. As a child, I played in the rain, went to school in the rain, watched the rain from steamed-up windows, and even built forts in the rain. English kids don't let a little water get in the way of their fun. Mind you, Seattle gets much more rainfall than England. My Sister-in-law who lives there, told me that, in the Winter, they can get a whole month of non-stop rain. Now that might be too much even by english standards! It certainly is a transformation³ for our valley that would be totally dry were it not for irrigation. The low clouds, dull light, and soft sounds of the droplets⁴ falling everywhere, together create a story-like setting. It's time to get cozy⁵ on the sofa with the children, share cookies and drink hot chocolate, and read good books all afternoon.
Grammar notes.
'I won't let a little ....... get in the way of .............' examples: I won't let a little illness get in the way of my plans; He didn't let a little mistake get in the way of his career etc.
'Were it not for....' examples: Were it not for the fire-fighters, I would have lost my house OR I would have lost my house, were it not for the fire-fighters.

1 puddles   

n.水坑， （尤指道路上的）雨水坑( puddle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The puddles had coalesced into a small stream. 地面上水洼子里的水汇流成了一条小溪。
• The road was filled with puddles from the rain. 雨后路面到处是一坑坑的积水。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 nostalgia   

n.怀乡病，留恋过去，怀旧

参考例句：

• He might be influenced by nostalgia for his happy youth.也许是对年轻时幸福时光的怀恋影响了他。
• I was filled with nostalgia by hearing my favourite old song.我听到这首喜爱的旧歌，心中充满了怀旧之情。

3 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

4 droplets   

n.小滴( droplet的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Droplets of sweat were welling up on his forehead. 他额头上冒出了滴滴汗珠。 来自辞典例句
• In constrast, exhaled smoke contains relatively large water droplets and appears white. 相反，从人嘴里呼出的烟则包含相当大的水滴，所以呈白色。 来自辞典例句

5 cozy   

adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的

参考例句：

• I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯，因为他们是舒适的。
• We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。