DESCRIBING THE WEATHER

Objectives
After studying this lesson, you should be able to
Describe the weather;
Identify the characteristic of weather
Situation 1
Anwar and Carol happen to share the same bench seat in the train from Bandung to
Jakarta. Its 7.00 a.m. Carol starts a conversation.
Carol
Anwar
Carol
Anwar
Carol
Anwar
Carol
Anwar
Carol
Anwar
Carol

Anwar

: Nice, weather, isnt it? I like it. Its beautiful.

: Yes, here in Bandung, the weather is fantastic. Its not like Jakarta. Jakarta is
hot and humid. Its a hectic place, hustle and bustle. By the way, where are
you from?
: From Adelaide, Australia.
: Whats the weather like there?
: Todays weather is hot, its summer
: Whats the temperature in summer?
: Well, in general its 30 degree Celsius. But sometimes, its up to 35 degrees.
: Ohits very hot. But in Jakarta, its 25 degrees on average.
: Do you get much rain here?
: Yes. In Bandung we get a lot of rain. But, in Jakarta its not as much as in
Bandung. Whats it about in Adelaide?
: It depends. In Adelaide, we have four seasons, i.e. winter, summer, autumn,
and spring. Only in winter we get a lot of rain. And the weather is cold. In
summer we dont get much rain. Its hot. You get sweaty all the time. In
autumn, the leaves are falling, the trees are dry. Spring is the best season.
Trees are shooting up. Leaves are green. Flowers are blooming. The sky is
clear. Everything is nice. People say spring is the lovely season, because
people go dating a lot.
: I see.

Instructions
1. List and describe in your own words the four seasons in Australia.
2. List and describe the two seasons in Indonesia.

Study these conversations:

Weather Forecast
A: Hasn't the weather been strange this year?
B: Yeah really...the summer was so hot.
A: Do you think this rain will let up today?
B: It might clear up in the afternoon. If it does, I'm going to do some shopping.
Snowy Day
A: Hi, Chris.
B: Hi, Eric.
A: Are you ready for the trip to Korea next week?
B: No, I've still got a few things to buy.
A: The weatherman said there should be plenty of snow.
B: Well, I hope so. The skiing is going to be hopeless otherwise.
A: I wouldn't worry about that.
Rainy Day
A: Wow, it certainly is an awful day.
B: Yeah, I'm really fed up with all this rain.
A: Well, it was only drizzling when I got up at 7, but this is too much!
Sunny Day
A: It's good to see the sun again.
B: Better than yesterday.
A: They say it's going to cloud over again this afternoon.
B: As long as it doesn't rain.
Expressions to ask about the weather:
Whats the weather like in (Adelaide, summer, winter, autumn, spring)?
Do you get much rain in (Jakarta)?
Study the example.
A
: Whats the weather like in Adelaide?
B
: Its hot /bad /good /nice /warm today.
Its hot and humid in summer
It rains a lot in winter
A
: Does it rain much in Australia?
(Do you get much rain in Australia?)
B
: Not much.
(Yes, it is quite a lot in winter. It depends).

Practice 1
Take turn asking and answering questions about the weather in some cities in Indonesia;
Denpasar, Jogyakarta, Malang, Medan, Pontianak. Use the above example as a model.
Practice 2
What is the weather like in summer, autumn, winter or spring in other cities you have
been to before or that you know. Study the examples.
In dry season its always hot in Jakarta. And its humid.
Its cold in wet season. Theres sometimes a little fog.
Practice 3
Below is a list of chart that tells you about the weather and various activities in London
during different seasons. Study the chart about London below and work in pairs and
take turns to ask and make a comment about the weather based on the chart. Use the
following questions.
Whats the weather like..?
What do people do during the?
What sport is popular during the.?
Study the example.
A:
B:
A:
B:

Whats the weather like in London during the winter?

Its cold. It rains a lot.
What do people usually do during the winter?
People usually go skating and skiing?

Weather London
Season
Winter
Weather
Cold
Rainy
Cloudy
Things to do
Arrange
Christmas tree
Sports

Go skiing
Go skating

Spring
Clear
Warm
Sunny
Go dating
Plant flowers
Walk
Have barbecue
Play baseball

Summer
Hot
Humid
Sweaty
Go to the beach
Do Traveling
Do sun-bathing
Go hiking
Play football

Autumn
Windy
Cool
Stormy
Watch TV
Set the fireplace
Play football

Practice 4
Work in pairs. Read the weather forecast below and do the exercises.

Take turn asking questions about the weather today and tomorrow. Student A uses the
complete global weather table. Student B uses the incomplete global weather table.
Student A
Shower over several areas in the afternoon. Temperature (C) up to 5 a.m. tomorrow; 30
maximum, 25 minimum, sunset today: 6:50 p.m. Sunrise tomorrow; 6:50 a.m.
Global Weather for Tomorrow:
Amsterdam
Bangkok
Beijing
Brisbane
Jakarta
Paris

12
24
9
14
23
15

/ 18 C
/ 32 C
/ 16 C
/ 22 C
/ 31 C
/ 20 C

Rain
Clear
Cloudy
Clear
Rain
Cloudy

Student B
Study this example and use the incomplete global weather table below.
B
A
B
A
B
A

:
:
:
:
:
:

Whats the weather like today in Amsterdam?

This afternoon the sun will set. It will rain this evening.
What will the weather be like tomorrow?
It will rain.
What will the temperature be tomorrow?
(18) Eighteen degrees Celsius.

Incomplete Global Weather for tomorrow

Amsterdam

Bangkok
24/32 C

Beijing

Brisbane
..
Clear
Jakarta
23/31 C
..
Paris
.
.
Practice 5
Write down same predictions about tomorrows weather in your city and compare it with
your partners.
For example:
I think it will be cloudy in the afternoon and it will rain in the evening.
Practice 6
The adverbs of frequency are always, usually, often sometimes, rarely, never. They are
also used to modify the weather. Make some sentences with the adverbs of frequency to

describe the weather where you live. Use the names of each month if necessary, for
examples:
1. In Bandung, in August, its (sometimes) rainy.
2. Theres usually) a lot rain in April.
3.
It (often rains in September
Activity: Work in group of five.
Find out:
1. What plants grow well in a cold/hot area?
2. What color of clothes do people usually wear in every season?
3. What do people usually do? What do the people usually feel in every season?
4. What sport do usually people do in every season?
Read the text below:
The Story of the Seasons
This is a story of an ant and a grasshopper. They were both in the spring time.
They were very good friends and played together all day long. They were very young
and they both thought that playing all day was better than working. So they played in the
cool spring days. The weather began to get warmer and warmer. Finally, summer came.
(63)
One day, an old grandfather ant came walking by. He saw the little ant and the
little grasshopper playing together in the grass and he smiled at them. Thats good, my
children, said the old ant. Have a good time now. It is summer and the time to play, but
autumn is coming soon, and thats time to work. When autumn comes, dont forget.
Theres a time to work and a time to play. (73)
Thank you, Grandfather, said the little ant. When autumn comes, Ill
remember and start to work, but now is the time to play. The little grasshopper just
laughed. Whats he talking about? he asked. Look, theres plenty of food for us. We
can run in and out among the flowers and find all the food we need. What does that old
ant mean? I dont really understand, either, said the little ant, because Ive never
seen autumn and Ive never seen winter. But, grandfather ant is very old and very wise,
and we should listen to him. (97)
The grasshopper just laughed. But pretty soon, the weather began to change. It
began to get cooler and cooler. The mornings and the evenings were quite cool. Then
little ant knew that it was autumn. Autumn is here, my friend, he said to the
grasshopper one day. The summer is over and winter will come soon. Now is the time
to work. Now is the time to get ready for the long cold winter. Im going to the fields
with the other ants, to look for food. Ill put it in my little house in the hole in the
ground. Then therell be plenty of food for us in the winter time. Lets work together,
and then well have plenty of food to eat in the long, cold winter. (129)
But the little grasshopper just laughed at him. Im not going to work. I like to
sing and dance and play. Come and play with me. Theres plenty of food to eat. We dont
have to work, said the little grasshopper. The little ant said, But dont you remember

what Grandfather said? Theres a time for work and a time for play. Theres plenty of
food now, but winter will come and snow will cover the ground and we wont be able to
find any food at all. Thats what my grandfather, my father and mother, and all my older
friends have told me. Now is the time to work. Now, its the time to get ready for the
cold winter. Come and gather the food with me. (128)
But, the little grasshopper would not listen to him. You can do your work, he
said to the little ant, but Im going to play and have a good time. Come and play with
me. But, the little ant did not listen to him. He went here and there trying to find food
for the winter. He was busy all day long. When he found something to eat, he took it to
his little home in the hole in the ground. Then he hurried back to the field to look for
more. He worked all day, from morning till night. But his friend the grasshopper just
played and danced and sang all day. (113)
After a while the weather began to get colder and colder and at last the winter
came. Then it began to snow. It snowed and snowed and pretty soon the snow covered
everything. There were no more leaves and flowers, and there was no more grass in the
fields. There was nothing to eat anywhere. The little ant was down in the hole in the
ground. His little house was nice and warm and dry, and he had plenty of food. But the
poor little grasshopper was not ready for the winter and he did not have any food. He did
not sing and dance and play any longer. He got thinner and thinner, and weaker and
weaker. At last he thought, I must go to my friend the ant. Perhaps he can help me. Im
sorry now that I didnt work in the autumn and get ready for this cold winter. Why didnt
I listen to my friend, to the old grandfather? (163)
The little grasshopper went to find his friend the ant. He looked and looked for
the ants hole in the ground but alas, he could not find it. The snow covered everything.
After a while he was too weak and too tired to move. Finally, he died and the soft white
snow covered him, too. (55)
The little ant, down in his hole waited and for the spring. March came, and the
snow began to melt. The weather got warmer and warmer. The leaves came out, and the
spring flowers began to appear. At last the little ant came out of his hole in the ground.
He enjoyed the bright sunshine after the long dark winter in the ground. He was ready to
play in the sun among the flowers and grass. (76)
(Go to the ant thou sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise. King Solomon)
Instructions:
1. List all words of seasons in the text.
2. Write when each season comes in the whole year.
3. Write the summary of the text in your own words in about 50 words.