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England and Wales are currently grappling with an unprecedented weather crisis as July 2026 concludes as the driest month since record-keeping began nearly two centuries ago. Data from the Met Office reveals that England received a mere 5.6 millimetres of rainfall, a figure that shatters the previous record set in 1911. Wales has been similarly impacted, recording less than a tenth of its typical precipitation for the month. This extreme lack of moisture has created a challenging environment for both nature and the economy.

Due to these extreme conditions, official drought status has been implemented across the entirety of Wales and over half of England. Meteorologists have categorised this event as a ‘flash drought’, a phenomenon where water consumption significantly outpaces natural replenishment. In regions like Surrey, which saw 44 consecutive days without rain, the consequences are stark. River levels have plummeted, and farmers have been forced to initiate their harvests prematurely as crops wither in the parched fields, failing to reach their full potential.

To combat the diminishing water supplies, authorities have enforced hosepipe bans affecting more than twenty million residents. However, the environmental risks extend beyond water shortages. The countryside has become ‘tinder-dry’, meaning vegetation is so dehydrated that it ignites with ease. This has exacerbated the risk of wildfires, including a massive blaze in Suffolk covering an area equivalent to two hundred football pitches, which required an emergency response on a vast scale.

The crisis has been further intensified by exceptionally high temperatures throughout the month. While daily peaks did not surpass the absolute records of 2022, mean temperatures—the average over a twenty-four-hour period—remained consistently high. In southern England, these averages were more than three degrees Celsius above the long-term norm. As these prolonged dry spells become increasingly common, they pose significant questions for the future. Society may need to rethink urban planning and daily water consumption habits to adapt to a changing climate where such extreme weather events are no longer anomalies but regular occurrences.

1. What is the main purpose of the article?

• A.To explain the scientific causes behind the recent heatwave.
• B.To report on the record-breaking drought and its various impacts.
• C.To argue for stricter laws regarding water usage in urban areas.
• D.To compare the current weather crisis with the records set in 1911.

2. What does the term ‘flash drought’ describe in the text?

• A.A sudden period of heavy rain following a long dry spell.
• B.A situation where water is used faster than nature can replace it.
• C.A type of weather caused by record-breaking daily temperatures.
• D.The process of crops drying out before they can be harvested.

3. What can be inferred about the farming situation in July 2026?

• A.Farmers were happy to finish their work earlier than usual.
• B.Crop yields were likely lower because they were harvested early.
• C.The low river flows made it impossible to start the harvest.
• D.Harvesting early was a strategy to prevent wildfires on farms.

4. Regarding the temperature in July, the author suggests that…

• A.it was the hottest month ever recorded in British history.
• B.new daily maximum temperature records were set in southern England.
• C.the overall daily averages were more unusual than the peak temperatures.
• D.the weather was actually cooler than the record-breaking summer of 2022.

5. What does the phrase ‘tinder-dry’ mean in the third paragraph?

• A.Extremely difficult to manage.
• B.In need of urgent irrigation.
• C.Likely to burn very easily.
• D.Damaged by high temperatures.