Is black clothing really too hot for summer?

Nick's ESL News Lessons

A printable worksheet for news-based English conversation classes.

Date: 2026/07/17

Difficulty: Upper Intermediate B2

PDF: Is black clothing really too hot for summer?

Vocabulary Match

reflects •• takes in
absorbs •• clothes
discovered •• bounces
researchers •• touched
robes •• found
reached •• scientists

Vocabulary Answers

reflectsbounces
absorbstakes in
discoveredfound
researchersscientists
robesclothes
reachedtouched

Article

Most people believe that wearing white clothes in hot weather is better than wearing black. White reflects sunlight, while black absorbs it. However, scientists discovered that this is not always true.

In 1980, researchers studied Bedouin people living in the desert, where many wear loose black robes. They found that people wearing black and white robes gained almost the same amount of heat. The extra heat absorbed by the black robe was carried away before it reached the skin because air could move freely inside the loose clothing.

This means that the style and fit of clothes can be just as important as their colour.

Quiz

  1. What do most people believe about wearing white clothes in hot weather?
  2. What did scientists discover about wearing black clothes in hot weather?
  3. Who did researchers study in 1980?
  4. What did the researchers find about the heat gained by black and white robes?

Quiz Answers (examples)

  1. Most people believe wearing white clothes is better because they reflect sunlight.
  2. Scientists discovered that it's not always true that black clothes are hotter.
  3. Researchers studied the Bedouin people in 1980.
  4. Researchers found that black and white robes gained almost the same amount of heat.

Conversation

A:Did you hear about the study on black robes in the desert?
B:Yeah, I did! Who knew style could beat science?
A:Right? Loose black robes are just as cool as white ones!
B:I guess it's all about the air moving around inside.
A:Maybe I should try wearing black to the beach!
B:Just make sure it's loose, or you'll be cooking yourself!

Discussion

  1. Do you prefer wearing white or black clothes in hot weather? Why?
  2. What's your favorite clothing style for hot weather?
  3. What is the hottest place you have ever visited?
  4. What things can people do to stay cool in hot weather?
  5. If you lived in a desert, what would you do differently?

Source Material

https://www.thehindu.com/children/is-wearing-black-in-summer-always-a-bad-idea-maybe-wearing-black-is-actually-cool/article69919692.ece

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