Today’s Sunday lesson uses a BBC News feature on how stronger storms, heat, flooding, and turbulence could make air travel less predictable.
Title: Aviation faces hotter, stormier skies – and passengers might have to accept more disruption
Source: BBC News
Published: September 5, 2026
Original article: BBC article link
BBC News reports that aviation experts are increasingly worried about how climate change may affect flying. A summer storm episode around London caused hundreds of delays and cancellations, showing how quickly busy airspace can become crowded when aircraft must avoid dangerous weather.
The article explains that hotter air can support more moisture and stronger storm conditions, while airports may also face flooding, rising seas, and more clear-air turbulence. Experts disagree about the level of risk, but many expect passengers and airlines to plan for more disruption, higher costs, and occasional diversions.
BBC News 報導，航空專家越來越擔心氣候變遷對飛航的影響。倫敦周邊夏季暴風雨曾造成數百班航班延誤與取消，顯示飛機必須避開危險天氣時，繁忙空域很快就可能變得擁擠。
文章指出，更熱的空氣能容納更多水氣，也可能形成更強烈的暴風雨條件；機場還可能面臨洪水、海平面上升與更頻繁的晴空亂流。專家對風險程度看法不一，但許多人認為旅客與航空公司都必須準備面對更多干擾、更高成本與偶發改降。
a situation in which normal plans, services, or activities are interrupted and cannot continue smoothly.
In article: “Aviation faces hotter, stormier skies – and passengers might have to accept more disruption.”
干擾、中斷；原本正常的計畫、服務或活動被打亂，無法順利進行的情況。
too crowded or blocked for people, vehicles, aircraft, or systems to move efficiently.
In article: “As air traffic controllers struggled to route aircraft around the storms, airspace became heavily congested and many planes due to fly were simply forced to wait on the ground.”
擁擠的、堵塞的；人、車、飛機或系統過度集中，導致運作或移動效率下降。
examined very carefully, especially in order to notice risks, errors, or important details.
In article: “Their progress is tracked on large radar screens, while at the same time weather forecasts are carefully scrutinised.”
仔細審視、嚴密檢查；為了發現風險、錯誤或重要細節而非常仔細地查看。
irregular, violent movement of air or water; in flying, sudden bumps or drops caused by unstable air.
In article: “Even though aircraft are designed to cope with severe conditions, storms can produce intense turbulence, capable of damaging the structural frame of the plane.”
亂流、湍流；空氣或水不規則且劇烈的移動，在飛行中常指因不穩定氣流造成的顛簸或下墜。
relating to convection: the movement of warm air, liquid, or gas as it rises and cooler material sinks.
In article: “Thunderstorms are caused by what is known as convective activity, where moist air close to the ground warms rapidly and rises quickly.”
對流的；與暖空氣、液體或氣體上升、較冷物質下降的流動現象有關。