Vocabulary Exercise #7: Synonyms of "Windy"

Vocabulary Exercise #7

Communicative Objective: Describing Windy Conditions Boston Weather

Context: Boston Weather

Part 1, Definitions: The words listed below are all synonyms of the adjective “windy.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Review the definition and application of each word.

1.   blustery: (adjective) very windy  

Example: I dislike blustery politicians.

2.   breezy: (adjective) slightly, pleasantly windy       

Example: Picnicing on a breezy day is lovely.

3.   drafty: (adjective) windy indoors     

Example: Please close the door! It is drafty!

4.   gusty: (adjective) extremely windy         

Example: It is difficult to drive in open areas, such as highways, when it is gusty.

5.   windswept: (adjective) very windy in a particular area

Example: Cape Cod beaches are windswept in the winter.   

Part 2, Reading: Complete the passage below with the most appropriate vocabulary from the list.   

     Although Chicago is widely known by its nickname, “The Windy City,” Boston is actually windier, with winds ranging throughout the year from mild to severe across the _____ city and outlying areas.

    Clear days can be _____ and enjoyable, regardless of the time of year. Heavy rains and snowstorms can make the city _____, however. When the occasional hurricane passes near Boston or the more common Nor’easters blow through the city, winds become _____.  

    Finally, as the average age of homes in Boston is 63, with many being far older, it is not surprising that many houses are _____.

Vocabulary Class:
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!
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© James Doyle, 2012

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Exercise #6: Synonyms of "Wet"

Vocabulary Exercise #6

Communicative Objective: Describing Wetness

Context: Boston Weather

Directions: The words listed below are all synonyms of the adjective “wet.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Review the definition and application of each word.

Part 1, Definitions:

1.   damp: (adjective) very slightly wet, negative        

            Example: I hate it when my socks get damp.

2.   drenched: (adjective) extremely wet        

            Example: American salads are normally drenched with dressing.

3.   moist: (adjective) very slightly wet, positive        

            Example: Freshly-baked, moist chocolate cookies are scrumptious!

4.   soggy: (adjective) wet and retaining water, as sponges do

            Example: My wife likes to eat her cereal soggy.

5.   soaked: (adjective) very wet        

            Example: My student got soaked to the bone in the storm.

Part 2, Reading:

     Boston springs are usually wet as a result of the soil thawing out from the winter and light to heavy rains.

     This is often pleasant as the air is fresh and _____; watering lush foliage throughout the city and surrounding areas.

     If the ground is saturated, however, homeowners worry that their basements could become very ____, leading to mildew damage.

     Visitors to Boston and new residents are often caught unprepared by the rain, neglecting to carry umbrellas with them. It is possible to get _____, or even _____, in just a few minutes of walking in a shower without the benefit of an umbrella. The most unpleasant aspect of this is when one’s shoes become _____ and are damaged or ruined.

Vocabulary Class:
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!intermediate-reading-and-vocabulary/ccve

© James Doyle, 2012

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Exercise #5: Synonyms of "To Rain"

Vocabulary Exercise #5

Communicative Objective: Describing Rainfall
Context: Varieties of Rain

Part 1, Definitions: The words listed below are all synonyms of the verb “to rain.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Review the definition and application of each word.

1.   to drizzle: (verb) to slightly rain   

            Example: In normally drizzles in Boston in March.

2.  to mist: (verb) to gently rain in extremely fine, almost imperceptible, droplets   

            Example: It sometimes mists in Boston on the river in the morning.

3.   to pour: (verb) to rain heavily   

            Example: As the saying goes, “When it rains, it pours.”

4.   to spit: (verb) to rain in infrequent, fat drops

            Example: Hot summer rains often begin as spitting.

5.   to sprinkle: (verb) to very slightly rain    

            Example: In often sprinkles in Boston in April.

Part 2, Reading Exercise: Complete the reading passage with the most appropriate vocabulary.

      Rain is the final stage of the water cycle and is essential for human life on Earth as it fills reservoirs and irrigates crops. A lack of rain produces droughts and can lead to desertification.

     Despite hosting a large population, it unfortunately almost never truly rains along the coast of Peru      -one of the driest areas of the world. Even in Lima, it merely _____ a few times a year in the heavily foggy winters. 

     In tropical areas worldwide, it can _____ frequently over the extended rainy periods. This is especially true in the Southeast Asian monsoon seasons and the Caribbean hurricane seasons.

     In most of the temperate zones, however, rain normally ranges from _____, as it is sometimes crudely referred to, to extremely heavy rains. Although most inhabitants of these areas regularly carry umbrellas with them, it is not uncommon to see people walking outside unprotected while it _____ and slightly more uncomfortably when it _____.     

Vocabulary Class:
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!intermediate-reading-and-vocabulary/ccve

© James Doyle, 2012

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Exercise #4: Synonyms of "Humid"

Vocabulary Exercise #4

Communicative Objective: Describing Humidity

Context: Weather in the Northeastern United States
              

Part 1, Definitions: The words listed below are all synonyms of the adjective “humid.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Review the definition and application of each word.

1.   balmy: (adjective) mild and refreshing, humid weather

            Example: I enjoy balmy, windy weather at night.

2.   damp: (adjective) cool or cold, and humid

            Example: I hate it when my socks get damp after walking through a puddle.

3.   moist: (adjective) warm and humid

            Example: This cake is deliciously moist.

4.   muggy: (adjective) hot and humid

            Example: The city is unpleasant when it is muggy.

5.   sultry: (adjective) very hot and humid

            Example: Florida is terribly sultry in the summer.

Part 2, Reading Exercise: Complete the reading passage with the most appropriate vocabulary.

     The term “humidity” refers to the amount of water vapor present in air. Humidity is an important element of our environment. Too low levels of humidity in the winter months and too high levels in the summer can be uncomfortable for humans. 

     Humidity increases in the northeastern United States in the spring, following frequent rains. March can be quite _____, with the cold of winter still lingering. April is warmer and _____. Pleasant May evenings can often be _____.

      This relatively mild humidity can become oppressive in the summer. June is often _____ but July and August can be positively _____. 

Vocabulary Class: 
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!intermediate-reading-and-vocabulary/ccve

© James Doyle, 2011

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Exercise #3: Synonyms of "Hot"

Communicative Objective: Describing Heat                   

Context: Boston Summers       

Part 1, Speaking: The words listed below are all synonyms of the adjective “hot.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Review the definition and application of each word.

1.   blistering: (adjective) very hot, especially in the sun

      Example: I was out in the sun too long and now my skin is blistering.

2.   boiling: (adjective) extremely hot

      Example: The water in this jacuzzi is boiling.

3.   roasting: (adjective) very hot, dry

      Example: A romantic Christmas songs begins, “Chestnuts roasting over an open fire…..”

4.   stifling: (adjective) very hot, especially in an enclosed space

      Example: My relationship is stifling.

5.   sweltering: (adjective) incredibly hot

      Example: Performing manual labor in 100 degrees Fahrenheit is sweltering.

Part 2, Reading Exercise: Complete the reading passage with the most appropriate vocabulary.

     Boston summers are brief, usually only really beginning in late June and normally ending by the first week of September. There are, fortunately, few extremely hot days as it is located in the northeastern U.S. and, as such, is far from the _____ equator. It is also cooled by northern winds and, although a major city, lacks the density to generate an extreme urban heat island effect, unlike New York.

    Some late July days can be _____ as temperatures build up, leading to some _____ days in early August. This is rare, however, as summer temperatures rarely exceed 30 degrees Celsius.  

     Finally, although Boston’s public transportation system is more than adequate, its infrastructure has begun to suffer in recent years from lack of investment. This is most obvious if an air conditioning unit occasionally fails on a dry day when it is ______ outside, leaving us in a _____ subway car.

© James Doyle, 2013

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Class: 
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!intermediate-reading-and-vocabulary/ccve

Answers: 
The answers to this exercise are available at the following link: 

http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!english-exercises-answers/c11f1    

Vocabulary Exercise #2: Synonyms of "Snow"

Vocabulary Exercise #2

Communicative Objective: Describing Snow
Context: Boston Winters 

Part 1, Definitions: The words listed below are all synonyms of the noun “snow.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Review the definition and application of each word.

1.   flurry: (noun, count)  light, infrequent snow        

      Example: It is always exciting to see the first flurries of the season!

2.   powder: (noun, noncount) ski slope snow, natural or artificial       

     Example: There is some sweet powder on that slope, man.             

3.   sleet: (noun, noncount) very wet, driving, snow      

      Example: Sleet is extremely uncomfortable to walk in.    

4.   slush: (noun, noncount) partially melted snow            

      Example: I hate it when slush gets in my shoes.           

5.   snain: (noun, noncount) wet snow (snow + rain = “snain”)        

      Example: Snain is sometimes referred to as “wet snow.”

Part 2, Reading Exercise: Complete the reading passage with the most appropriate vocabulary.

     Boston winters can be light some years, with hardly any snow, or extremely heavy, with multiple blizzards affecting the region. The first _____ can usually be seen in November, but sometimes as early as October.

     As the winter progresses, snow blankets the region. This has made the larger area, especially New Hampshire, popular with skiers across the United States.  If “Mother Nature” does not oblige, however, the resorts churn out their own _____.

     One unpleasant aspect of these winters is _____, which occurs when temperatures rise just enough to render snow soggy.

     More dangerously, _____ can produce slippery roads, leading to numerous car accidents each year as drivers’ fields of view are obscured.

     Another potential danger is when unshoveled snow becomes _____ over time. If this refreezes, it can become “black ice,” invisible to drivers and extremely hazardous.

© James Doyle, 2013

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Class: 
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!

http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!intermediate-reading-and-vocabulary/ccve

Answers: 
The answers to this exercise are available at the following link: 

http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!english-exercises-answers/c11f1 

Vocabulary Exercise #1: Synonyms of "Cold"

Vocabulary Exercise #1

Communicative Objective: Describing Coldness
Context: Boston Winters

Part 1, Definitions: The words listed below are all synonyms of the adjective “cold.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Review the definition and application of each word.

1.   chilly: (adjective) colder than nippy, uncomfortable

            Example: It is pretty chilly out. You should wear a heavier jacket.

2.   crisp: (adjective) colder than cool, refreshing

            Example: Crisp mornings are lovely for jogging along the Charles.

3.   freezing: (adjective) very cold 

            Example: It is freezing out. Let’s stay in tonight.

4.   frigid: (adjective) very, very cold

            Example: New Year’s Eve was really frigid this year!

5.   nippy: (adjective) colder than crisp, slightly uncomfortable

            Example: It is getting nippy! Time to break out the hats and gloves!

Part 2, Reading Exercise: Complete the reading passage with the most appropriate vocabulary.

     Boston is notorious for having unpredictable weather. It seems that no forecast more than a day out is accurate. As the saying goes, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait.”

     One thing is certain, however, as the Fall approaches and the Winter looms, the weather becomes increasingly colder. This is first noticeable in mid-September, when it becomes _____.

     October becomes _____ towards its end. This temperature drop is one of the factors responsible for the remarkable change in foliage, which draws thousands of tourists to New England each year for leaf peeping.

      November is ____ at its start, but by Thanksgiving, which traditionally marks the end of the Fall and the start of the Winter, it is usually colder.

     The winter really begins in December, which is sometimes cold, but usually _____. This is usually when the Boston area sees its first snows.

     As the winter progresses, biting winds make January positively _____. This continues into February, at the end of which the area begins to finally thaw out.

 Vocabulary Class: 
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!intermediate-reading-and-vocabulary/ccve

© James Doyle, 2012
www.mylanguagesolutions.com