Big bad bullies
Why Read This
What Makes This Article Worth Your Time
Summary
What This Article Is About
Veteran columnist Jug Suraiya uses his signature wit to introduce readers to El Niño, a climate phenomenon he characterises as a “big bad bully” threatening the world. First identified by Peruvian fisherfolk in the 19th century, El Niño works alongside its partner, the Southern Oscillation (SO), to form ENSO—a duo that disrupts the monsoon system critical to hundreds of millions of South Asian farmers.
The article explains how El Niño raises Pacific Ocean temperatures while the SO increases atmospheric temperatures, together disrupting wind currents that carry monsoon clouds to the mainland. With meteorologists in both the US and India warning of an ENSO event in early summer 2026, Suraiya notes the anticipated consequences: prolonged heat waves, drought, and crop failure. He concludes with a politically barbed joke suggesting El Niño deserves a more fearsome name—perhaps “El Donaldo.”
Key Points
Main Takeaways
El Niño Is Unpredictable
Experts note that El Niño’s only predictable trait is its unpredictability—behaving in whimsical, capricious ways that defy rationality and logic.
ENSO Is a Dual Phenomenon
El Niño (ocean warming) and Southern Oscillation (atmospheric warming) work together as ENSO to disrupt global weather patterns.
Monsoon Disruption Mechanism
The combined ocean and atmospheric warming in the Pacific disrupts wind currents that propel rain-bearing monsoon clouds to South Asia.
Hundreds of Millions at Risk
The monsoon supports hundreds of millions of farmers in India and South Asia, making ENSO events a threat to national economies.
2026 ENSO Warning Issued
Meteorologists in the US and India have simultaneously warned of an ENSO event expected in early summer 2026, urging governments to prepare.
Expected Consequences
The anticipated ENSO event threatens prolonged heat waves, widespread drought, and significant crop failure across affected regions.
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Article Analysis
Breaking Down the Elements
Main Idea
El Niño Threatens South Asian Monsoons
The article warns readers about an impending El Niño-Southern Oscillation event that threatens to disrupt monsoon patterns critical to South Asian agriculture. By personifying the climate phenomenon as a “bully,” Suraiya makes abstract meteorology accessible and urgent.
Purpose
To Inform with Entertainment
Suraiya aims to educate readers about ENSO while entertaining them with his characteristic wordplay and political humour. The column serves as popular science communication, making climate information digestible for a general newspaper audience while slipping in satirical commentary.
Structure
Hook → Explanation → Punchline
The article opens with dramatic imagery of a threatening “bully,” pivots to reveal this is a climate phenomenon, explains ENSO’s mechanism and consequences, and closes with a satirical suggestion to rename El Niño after political figures. Classic column structure with a twist ending.
Tone
Playful, Witty & Sardonic
Suraiya employs his signature irreverent style, mixing serious climate warnings with whimsical metaphors (“cuddly cute”), pop culture references (AI flights), and political jabs. The tone keeps readers engaged while the underlying message remains sobering.
Key Terms
Vocabulary from the Article
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Tough Words
Challenging Vocabulary
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Playfully quaint or fanciful; acting on sudden unpredictable impulses rather than logic; erratic in an amusing way.
“…the only thing it can be predicted to do is the unpredictable, being whimsical, capricious, and contrary to all rules…”
To drive, push, or cause to move forward or onward; to provide the force that moves something in a particular direction.
“…plays merry havoc with the wind currents that propel the rain-bearing monsoon clouds to the mainland.”
An evil influence or hex; a powerful negative force or setback. “Double whammy” means two simultaneous negative effects.
“This double whammy plays merry havoc with the wind currents…”
People who earn their livelihood by fishing; a collective term for fishing communities, often implying traditional or small-scale fishing practices.
“…a name that was given to it by Peruvian fisherfolk, who first noted it in the 19th century.”
To illegally seize control of something; metaphorically, to take over or disrupt a system or process against its normal operation.
“The disastrous duo work in tandem to hijack that huge weather machine, called the monsoon…”
To bring or call to mind; to summon or produce a memory, feeling, or image through suggestion or association.
“El Nino is too cuddly cute for something that evokes fears of such epic fury.”
Reading Comprehension
Test Your Understanding
5 questions covering different RC question types
1According to the article, the name “El Niño” was given by American meteorologists who first studied the phenomenon in the 20th century.
2What is the relationship between El Niño and the Southern Oscillation as described in the article?
3Which sentence best illustrates the author’s use of humour to deliver serious information?
4Evaluate each statement about the expected consequences of the 2026 ENSO event:
The ENSO event is expected to cause prolonged heat waves.
Governments are being urged to prepare for the event.
The article states that only Indian farmers will be affected.
Select True or False for all three statements, then click “Check Answers”
5Based on the author’s suggestion to rename El Niño “El Donaldo” with “Bibi” as its companion, what can be inferred about the author’s political perspective?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
El Niño is a climate phenomenon characterised by unusual warming of ocean waters in the south-central Pacific. Named by Peruvian fisherfolk who observed it in the 19th century, “El Niño” means “Little Boy” in Spanish. When El Niño occurs, it raises sea surface temperatures, which—combined with the Southern Oscillation’s atmospheric warming—disrupts normal wind patterns and affects weather systems globally, particularly monsoons in South Asia.
ENSO stands for El Niño-Southern Oscillation. It refers to the combined effect of El Niño (which warms Pacific Ocean waters) and the Southern Oscillation (which affects atmospheric temperatures in the same region). The article describes them as working “in tandem” like a “disastrous duo” that disrupts monsoon patterns critical to South Asian agriculture.
The monsoon is vital for hundreds of millions of farmers in India and other parts of South Asia. According to the article, it’s important “not just for farmers, but for entire national economies.” When ENSO events disrupt the monsoon—causing delays, diversions, or reduced rainfall—the consequences include heat waves, drought, and crop failure, which can devastate agricultural output and food security across the region.
Readlite provides curated articles with comprehensive analysis including summaries, key points, vocabulary building, and practice questions across 9 different RC question types. Our Ultimate Reading Course offers 365 articles with 2,400+ questions to systematically improve your reading comprehension skills.
This article is rated Intermediate difficulty. While the vocabulary includes some challenging words (capricious, oscillation, inordinately), the author’s conversational style and use of extended metaphors make the content accessible. The main challenge lies in recognising the author’s satirical tone and understanding the political references embedded in the humour, which requires cultural awareness beyond literal comprehension.
Jug Suraiya is a veteran Indian columnist who writes the “Juggle-Bandhi” blog for The Times of India. Known for his witty, sardonic style, he typically addresses serious topics—politics, society, environment—through humour and wordplay. His columns blend information with entertainment, making complex subjects accessible to general readers while often including pointed political commentary.
The Ultimate Reading Course covers 9 RC question types: Multiple Choice, True/False, Multi-Statement T/F, Text Highlight, Fill in the Blanks, Matching, Sequencing, Error Spotting, and Short Answer. This comprehensive coverage prepares you for any reading comprehension format you might encounter.
