Taking part in a rainfall record

Two original fictional non-fiction texts for reading practice.

Text A: a project organiser’s account

The volunteers who stay with our rainfall project are not always those who arrive with the most expensive equipment. They are usually people who can make a small observation part of an ordinary routine. A modest record made consistently is more useful to us than a dramatic number with no date beside it.

We ask participants to report missed readings honestly. Some newcomers think an empty space will disappoint the project and are tempted to copy a nearby figure. We explain that a visible gap is information about the record, whereas an invented measurement hides something we need to know. People generally understand once the reason is clear.

The monthly meeting matters too. Volunteers compare difficulties, such as a container being moved during garden work, and learn what to record alongside a measurement. Some are keen to discuss patterns; others simply enjoy contributing one small part to a larger record. We do not require everybody to become an expert before their careful observations count.

Text B: a volunteer’s diary entry

I joined expecting the interesting part to be finding the wettest day. After a month, I was more interested in why my record was difficult to compare with someone else's. I had changed the time of my reading twice without noting it. The numbers looked more complete than the account behind them really was.

The organiser helped without making the mistake sound shameful. I now leave a gap when I miss a reading and add a note when something unusual happens. That does not make the gaps satisfying, but it stops me pretending the record is better than it is. I also need a reminder that fits around work; enthusiasm alone does not create a reliable morning routine.

I like seeing the combined record, though I do not understand every discussion at the meeting. Sometimes an explanation assumes knowledge I have not acquired. I want beginners to be able to ask what a term means, even if it slows the conversation. Feeling useful and feeling able to question the project are both reasons I would continue.

Compare what the two writers say about volunteers recording rainfall. Make it clear which text you are using.