LEISURE TIME
*The text under consideration deals with the problem of choosing leisure activities.
There are a lot of ways to spend your free time. As the proverb says, “Tastes differ.” “So many
teens; so many kinds of activities.” Some of my friends are passive, others are creative and full of plans
and ideas.
Most people take up different hobbies. A hobby is an activity that you do in your spare time for
pleasure and relaxation. Hobbies can be divided into four large classes: doing things, making things,
collecting things and learning things.
The most popular of all hobby groups is doing things. It includes a wide variety of activities from
gardening to travelling and from chess to volleyball. I’ve never heard of a teenager who is fond of
gardening but playing sports, going to the cinema and playing computer games are very popular with my
friends. (See 1, 3.)
Making things includes drawing, painting, cooking, knitting, sewing, designing costumes,
handicrafts and so on. Some hobbyists write music or play musical instruments.
As for collecting things, almost everyone collects something at some period of his life: stamps,
coins, matchboxes, books, compact discs, postcards, toys, watches and other things. These collections can
be interesting but usually they have no real value. Rich people often collect expensive paintings, rare
books and other art objects. Their collections become so large and valuable that they are housed in
museums and galleries.
We can learn a lot by reading books, watching educational TV programmes and visiting galleries
and museums. As a result, we broaden our outlook and become more cultured people.
To sum up, hobbies make our life more interesting. Besides, they teach us all sorts of things in a
pleasurable way. For example, going in for sports helps us to be fit. Stamp collecting is our entry into the
world of culture and history. Handicrafts teach us practical skills. Gardening and music teach us to enjoy
the beautiful.
I can’t say that today teenagers have much time for leisure activities because they have to do a lot
of homework. But if they do have some spare time they prefer communication to all other activities. They
like to hang around with their friends chatting and laughing. (See 2.)
1. A lot of teens go in for different kinds of sport. Sport helps them to feel as fit as a fiddle. But
despite the increase in the number of teens participating in sport, the majority of young people still
prefer to be spectators. They prefer to be couch potatoes. Watching sports on TV is a popular leisure
activity, as is going to football matches on Saturday. Cinemas have been redesigned with four or more
screens, each showing a different film at the same time, and a lot of teens like going to the cinemas too.
2. The young generation is fond of communication. There are many available methods of
communication nowadays, and the most popular one is computers. A lot of teenagers spend plenty of time
working on computers. The Internet seems really good fun. You may send e-mails to friends from different
countries and get their answers instantly. A lot of teenagers have mobile telephones, so they can always
be contacted; if they keep their telephone switched on, at any time of the day or night, or sent text
messages.
3. A lot of teenagers in Russia and Great Britain are crazy about animals. They walk them, train
them and breed them. Many teens have a pet animal. It could be a dog, a cat, a goldfish, a bird or a small
furry animal like a hamster. Why are teens so interested in animals? Perhaps it’s because they are rather
shy in their heart of hearts. One of my friends says: “I can say anything I like to my dog, but she never
thinks I’m silly.”
to feel as fit as a fiddle
despite the increase in the number of
[
] [
]
the majority of [
]
a spectator [
]
to redesign [
]
available
[
]
instantly
[
]
to contact [
]
shy
- быть в полном здравии, в хорошем настроении
- несмотря на увеличение количества…
- большинство …
- зритель
- переделать
- доступный
- незамедлительно
- установить связь
- робкий
1. Why can we say “So many teens; so many kinds of activities”?.................................................................................
2. What is a hobby?
3. What classes of hobbies can you name?
4. Have you ever taken up collecting things? Do you still collect things? What collections have you got? Are they
big, interesting?
5. What hobbies did you give up, when and why?
6. Why do teens go in for sport?
7. Are you a couch potato? Why?
8. What methods of communication do you know?
9. What method of communication do you prefer? Why?
Read the story.
I am fifteen and I am a computer addict. I am fond of communication with other teens. That’s
why I have a lot of friends in my and other countries. We send messages from one computer to
another one using e-mail; we have on-line conversations. I am a member of the computing club
and I spend much time there. Of course, it’s rather expensive, but my parents understand me
and give me enough money to pay for my computer club. And I think that my hobby will be
useful in my future profession. Besides, I spend my free time in the sports club. I go in for kung
fu. Recently films about kung fu have become very popular in Russia. This fighting itself is a
great art, the result of many years of hard work and self-discipline. The man who made kung fu
films famous was Bruce Lee. He used fists, elbows, feet (never weapons) and moved as fast as
lightning. I am rather good at kung fu now, but I never use my skills to hurt anybody, unless it
is absolutely necessary. Now people know what Kung Fu is, and I think it may become a sport
of the future, because it develops up your personality, will and nobility.
Write about your favourite leisure activities.
Helpful phrases: I enjoy (Ving), I like (Ving), I am fond of (Ving), I am keen on (Ving), One of my
hobbies is ……., I am also interested in (Ving), I am engaged in (vocal music, modern and folk
dances), in my free time, in my spare time, to hang around with friends, to talk over the mobile
phone, to exchange short text messages, to take part in, to make friends, to meet people, to attend
computer club, to play arcade computer games (network versions), to play the guitar.
Helpful words: I find it…. It think it’s ……(exciting, enjoyable, relaxing, useful, informative,
thrilling, pleasurable)
Now some words about me.