Travelling and Climate

Acclimation means the process of becoming adjusted to a new environment or situation. Human beings need to acclimatize to the new climate of their arrival. If one plans to go on vacation, the country that ought to be chosen is the Republic of Singapore. It is said to be the best in South-East Asia. Moreover, one who hasn't been to Singapore had better know some facts about its favourable climatic conditions.

With the sea surroundings to moderate fluctuations in temperature, the weather of Singapore seems to be consistent all year round mainly due to its location near the equator. It has a warm tropical climate and an open season with sunshine throughout the year. Singapore has two levels of hot and wet in four seasons: hot, hotter, wet and wetter. So, Humidity is high. Rainfall is abundant.

It is known as equatorial climate. There are two specific seasons. The Northeast Monsoon Season prevails from December to the early March. Again the Southwest Monsoon Season lasts from June to September. The heavy downpours are possible to be frequent during this period. The thunderstorms also occur severely. After these periods the hot and wet appear respectively. Most buildings in Singapore are air-conditioned, and the hot-wet condition is easily done for acclimation.

December is usually the wettest month while February is the sunniest. July and August are the hottest months. On average, rainfall in Singapore begins to increase in October, peaking in December. Singapore has one of the highest rates of lightning activity in the world.

Rainfall and Lightning
Month       Monthly mean*(mm)       Mean lightning days # 

January           255.8                                   5.9
February         107.4                                   5.0
March             171.0                                 13.9
April               151.2                                 22.4
May                163.9                                 22.1
June                132.3                                 17.4
July                 150.0                                 14.5
August            151.9                                 12.3
September      157.3                                 13.5
October           158.8                                 19.6
November       262.4                                 23.5
December       329.5                                 15.7
*Calculated by averaging the monthly total rainfall for each month for the 27 year period (1982 – 2008) 

#Calculated by averaging the total number of days lightning is detected for each month for the 27 year period (1982 – 2008)
Source: Weatherwise Singapore. National Environment Agency, 2009.

Posted by Junk Guy

Animal Names and Their Usage (7)

Tiger:
(a) large Asian wild cat that has yellowish fur with black bands
(b) fierce or brave person
Turkey:
(a) bird rather like a large chicken, used for food
(b) talk turkey – speak seriously and plainly especially about business (c) play in theatre or film which does not succeed (c) stupid person
Turtle:
(a) sea animal with four legs and a hard horny shell
(b) turn turtle (of a ship) – turn over

Vulture:
(a) large tropical bird feeds on dead animals
(b) person who has no mercy and who uses people

Weasel:
(a) a small fierce furry animal
(b) weasel out – escape a duty by clever dishonest means
Whale:
(a) a very large animal that lives in the sea and looks like a huge fish
(b) a whale of a time – a very enjoyable time
Wolf:
(a) a wild animal that looks like a large dog and that kills and eats other animals
(b) eat quickly in large amount (c) keep the wolf from the door – earn enough to eat and live (d) cry wolf – call for help unnecessarily (e) a wolf in sheep's clothing – person who seems harmless but is hiding evil intentions (f) man who wants women for sex only
Worm:
(a) a small animal with a long thin body, no bones, and no legs, which lives in the soil
(b) move by twisting or effort (c) worm out – gradually find out (information) from someone who was trying to keep it secret (d) worthless, cowardly, etc., person

Yak:
(a) cow of central Asia with long hair
(b) talk continuously about unimportant things

Posted by Jade Dame

Animal Names and Their Usage (6)

Quail:

(a) a small bird which is often shot and eaten

(b) be afraid, tremble

Ram:

(a) an adult male sheep

(b) run into (something) very hard (c) force into place with heavy pressure (d) ram home (a fact or idea) – makes fully understand or accept

Rat:

(a) animal like a large mouse

(b) rat on – betray (c) worthless disloyal person

Rook:

(a) large black bird, like a crow

(b) one of the powerful pieces in the game of chess (c) cheat

Seal:

(a) a large shiny animal without legs,which eats fish and live partly on land and partly in the sea

(b) fasten or close (as if) with a seal (c) make (more) certain, formal or solemn (d) set the seal on – bring to an end in a suitable way (e) seal someone's fate – make someone's death or punishment certain (f) seal off – close tightly so as not to allow entrance or escape

Sheep:

(a) animal that eats grass, farmed for its wool and meat

(b) black sheep – person who is easily led (c) black sheep of a group – everyone else in the group is good except that one person is bad

Shrew:

(a) very small mouse like animal

(b) bad-tempered angry woman

Skunk:

(a) small North American animal which gives out an unpleasantly smelly liquid when attacked

(b) person who is bad, unfair, etc.

Sloth:

(a) animal of South America that moves slowly

(b) to be a sloth – lazy

Slug:

(a) a small, slow-moving creature with a long, slimy body, like a snail without a shell

(b) hit hard (c) amount of strong alcoholic drink taken at one swallow (d) bullet

Snake:

(a) a long, thin reptile with no legs

(b) move twistingly (c) a snake in the grass – a false friend

Shark:

(a) large dangerous fish with sharp teeth

(b) a person clever at getting money from others in dishonest ways

Posted by Jade Dame

[To be continued]

Animal Names and Their Usage (5)

Kite:
(a) kind of hawk
(b) frame covered with paper or cloth, for fly in the air
Kitten:
(a) young cat
(b) have a kitten – be in a very nervous anxious condition

Lamb:
(a) young sheep
(b) give birth to lamb (c) harmless gentle person
Lark:
(a) a small brown bird that has a pleasant song
(b) do (something) for a lark – do for fun rather than for any serious purpose (c) lark about – enjoy doing silly things
Leech:
(a) worm like creature that sucks blood
(b) person who makes profits from others
Lion:
(a) large, wild member of the cat family
(b) the lion's share – the biggest part (c) famous and important person
Louse:
(a) insect that lives on people's and animals' bodies
(b) worthless person

Monkey:
(a) a small animal with a long tail that climbs trees
(b) monkey around – play foolishly (c) make a monkey (out) of someone - make someone appear foolish (d) monkey business - secret behaviour which causes trouble (e) child full of playful tricks
Mouse:
(a) furry animal with a long tail, like a rat but smaller
(b) quiet nervous person

Oyster:
(a) flat shellfish, often eaten
(b) the world is one's / someone's oyster there are – no limits on where one / someone can go etc.

Parrot:
(a) a tropical bird with a curved beak and brightly-coloured or grey feathers
(b) repeat someone else's words or actions without thought or understanding
Pig:
(a) a pink or black animal with short legs and not much hair on its skin
(b) pig out – eat too much at one meal (c) make a pig of oneself – eat or drink too much (d) person who is dirty or eat too much
Pigeon:
(a) fairly large, light grey-coloured bird 

(b) person who is easily deceived

Posted by Jade Dame

[To be continued]

Animal Names and Their Usage (4)

Game: 

(a) wild animals and birds hunted for food and sport
(b) form of play or sport (c)single part of a match in tennis etc. (d)secret trick (e) profession or activity (f) brave and willing
Germ:
(a) bacterium carrying disease
(b) beginning of an idea, etc.
Goat:
(a) horned animal like a sheep
(b) get one's goat – annoy one
Goose:
(a) bird like a large duck
(b) silly person
Grouse:
(a) small fat bird which is shot for food and sport
(b) grumble
Grub:
(a) insect in the worm like stage
(b) food (c) dig with hands or paws
Guinea pig:
(a) small tailless animal sometimes used in scientific tests
(b) person on whom something is tested

Hare:
(a) an animal like a large rabbit with long ears, long legs, and a small tail
(b) hare off / hare away – run off very fast
Hawk:
(a) a large bird with a short hooked bill and sharp claws
(b) watch (someone) like a hawk – watch very carefully (c) hawk around – sell (goods) on the street or at the doors of houses
Hog:
(a) pig
(b) person who eat too much (c) go the whole hog – do something thoroughly (d) take and keep (all of something) for oneself (e) road hog – fast selfish careless driver
Horse:
(a) large animal with four legs, that people ride on, etc.
(b) play roughly or waste time in rough play
Hound:
(a) hunting dog
(b) chase and worry
 

Posted by Jade Dame

[To be continued]

Animal Names and Their Usage (3)

Dog:
(a) common animal with four legs, useful to humans
(b) go to the dogs – be ruined (c) a dog's life – a very unhappy life (d) let sleeping dogs lie – leave something alone
Dinosaur:
(a) large reptile which lived in prehistoric times and which are now extinct
(b) something very large and old-fashioned that no longer works well
Donkey:
(a) animal like a small horse, with long ears
(b) fool
Duck:
(a) a very common water bird with short legs, webbed feet, a short neck, and a large beak
(b) lower (one's head) quickly (c) push (someone) under water (d) try to avoid responsibility (e) duck into – move (into a place) in order to escape danger (f) sitting duck – one easy to attack or cheat

Ferret:
(a) a small, white, fierce animal
(b) ferret out – find by searching thoroughly
Fish:
(a) a creature that lives in water and that has a tail and fins
(b) bring out or up (c) fish for – search indirectly (d) drink like a fish – drink too much alcohol
Flea:
(a) a very small jumping insect that feeds on the blood of humans and animals
(b) with a flea in ear – speak to (someone) angrily and reject his / her suggestion or attempt to do something
Fly:
(a) a small insect with two wings
(b) go fast (c) raise (a flag) (d) fly at / let fly – attack with words, bullets or blows (e) fly into a rage / temper – become suddenly angry (f) fly off the handle – become suddenly and unexpectedly angry (g) fly in the ointment – something that spoils the perfection of something (h) like flies – in very large numbers
Fox:
(a) a wild animal which looks like a dog and has reddish brown fur
(b) confuse, deceive
Frog:
(a) a small creature with smooth skin, big eyes, and long back legs which it uses for jumping
(b) frog in the throat – difficulty in speaking because of roughness in the throat or emotion

Posted by Jade Dame

[To be continued]

Animal Names and Their Usage (2)

Cat:
(a) a small, furry animal with a tail, whiskers and sharp claws which is often kept as a pet
(b) let the cat out of the bag – tell a secret (usually unintentionally) (c) rain cats and dogs – rain very heavily (d) a game of a cat and mouse – treat someone in an unfair or cruel way (e) fat cat – wealthy person with a bad influence or way of life
Caterpillar:
(a) worm like creature that eats leaves
(b) vehicle with endless chain of plates on the wheels
Calf:
(a) a young cow
(b) the thick part at the back of leg between ankle and knee
Chicken:
(a) common farmyard bird, especially a young one
(b) chicken out – decide not to do something because one is frightened (c) a chicken and egg situation – impossible to decide which of two things caused the other one (d) count one's chickens before they're hatched – make plans depending on something which has not yet happened
Clam:
(a) large shell fish
(b) clam up – become silent
Cock:
(a) an adult male chicken
(b) raise up (c) cock up – ruin (d) keep ears cocked – listen very carefully for something
Cow:
(a) female of cattle and some other large animals
(b) frightened into obedience
Crane:
(a) tall water bird with long legs
(b) stretch out (one's neck) to see better

(c) machine with a movable arm for lifting heavy objects
Cricket:
(a) jumping insect that makes a loud noise
(b) an outdoor game played between two teams. Players try to score points, called runs, by hitting a ball with a wooden bat
Crocodile:
(a) large tropical river reptile
(b) crocodile tears – insincere sorrow
Crow:
(a) large shiny black bird
(b) crow about / crow over – speak proudly (c) as the crow flies – in a straight line (d) eat crow – admit one is wrong

Posted by Jade Dame

[To be continued]