Inside Out

Weather challenge!
WORKSHEET A

Exercise 1
Match the definitions in the table below with the words on the right.

1. a continuous period of unusually hot weather drizzle

2. a brief period of rain drought

3. a storm with a lot of snow and strong winds heatwave

4. partly melted falling snow (some people think of it as half-way

mist
between rain and snow)

5. a thick cloud that forms close to the ground or to water and is breeze
difficult to see through
6. an informal adjective meaning cold, usually used in reference
hail
to the weather

7. used to describe weather which is warm and pleasant, especially sleet

warmer than usual for the time of year
8. the loud noise that you sometimes hear in the sky during a storm fog

9. rain that falls in small, light drops hurricane

10. a large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry thunder

11. a light wind flood

12. a thin fog chilly

13. a long period of time when there is little or no rain and crops die lightning

14. rain that freezes in the sky and falls to the ground as small balls
shower
of ice
15. the bright flashes of light that you see in the sky during a storm mild

16. a violent storm with extremely strong winds and heavy rain blizzard

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 Inside Out
Weather challenge!
WORKSHEET B

Exercise 2
Below are the thoughts of a British person on the subject of the weather. Complete the
text with the words in the table.

One aspect of the British stereotype is that were always talking about the weather.
Thats an exaggeration, of course, but Id say theres a bit of (1) _______ to it. For
example when you see older people greet each other in the street, it seems that hello
is often (2) _________ straight away by a comment about the weather perhaps
something like, its turned out nice again or a bit chilly today, isnt it?
In my opinion there are two possible (3) _________ for this preoccupation with the
weather. Firstly, the weather in Britain is very changeable and often disappointing, so
people tend to be more (4)________ of it. Secondly, the weather (5)_________ a
safe topic of conversation that fits in with the supposedly reserved nature of many
British people.
For some British people, however, the weather is a much more serious (6) _________
than just the subject of small talk like farmers, for example, or the thousands of
people who had to leave their homes in last years (7)_________.
I suppose its a good thing that we have a generally (8)________ climate, though.
Sure, ten hours of (9)_________ can be a bit depressing, and it would be nice if the
summers were a bit hotter, but at least we dont have hurricanes like the one in New
Orleans a couple of years ago, or frequent droughts that destroy all the
(10)_________.

provides aware crops issue followed

explanations floods truth drizzle mild

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 Inside Out
Weather challenge!
WORKSHEET C

Exercise 3
In each case below, what word can be placed before each of the other words?
Example: _ _ _ _ y cloud / rain / snow
The word is heavy.
1. _ _ _ _ t cloud / rain / snow
2. s _ _ _ _ g wind / sunshine
3. _ _ _ ck fog / cloud

Now, what word can be placed after each of the other words?
4. rain/hail/thunder/snow _ _ _ _ _

Exercise 4
Below are some quotes that refer to the weather. Can you guess what the incomplete
words might be?

1. If the rain spoils our pi _ n _ c but saves a farmers cr _ _ s, who are we to say it
shouldnt rain?
Tom Barrett, American politician (1953-)

2. Ra_ _ st _ _ ms will travel thousands of miles.for the opportunity to rain on a

t _ _ t.
Dave Barry, American writer (1947-)

3. Fr _ e _ d _ are the s _ n _ h _ ne of life.

John Hay, American writer (1838-1905)

4. Some people w _ _ k in the rain, others just get w _ t.

Roger Miller, American singer (1936-1992)

5. Those who bring sunshine into the l _ _ es of others cannot k _ e _ it from

themselves.
James M. Barrie, British playwright (1860-1937)

6. Some people are making such thorough p_ _ _ s for r _ i _ y days that they arent
enjoying todays sunshine.
William Feather, American writer (1889-1981)

7. The first fall of _ _ _ w is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to b _ _ in

one kind of a world and wake up in another quite d _ _ _ _ r _ _t
J. B. Priestley, British writer (1894-1984)

8. I think g _ _ f is a waste of time and a waste of a sunny af _ _ _ n _ _ n.

Jay Mohr, American actor (1970-)
This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net.
It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright Macmillan Publishers Limited 2008.
 Inside Out

This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net.

It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright Macmillan Publishers Limited 2008.