Asking a host for local tips, restaurant recommendations, hiking trails, swimming holes, "not to be missed" things, etc, is really quite different from asking a host general questions that could be easily answered by doing some research, but it seems like some people are too lazy to do that and just ask questions instead.
Local climate and recent temperatures, what form of electric is used in a country not your own, endemic wildlife and insects one might encounter, what is considered appropriate attire in various cultures so as not to offend, are all things that travelers can and should research for themselves, rather than take up a host's time answering.
I don't mind being asked the same question by guests, though, if it seem a reasonable question to ask. For instance, several of my single female guests have asked if it's safe to walk the 20 minutes from my house to the center of town and the beach, which is a fair concern, IMO.
@Katie