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	- быть в полном здравии, в хорошем настроении
despite the increase in the number of [ ] [ ]	- несмотря на увеличение количества…
the majority of [ ]	- большинство …
a spectator [ ]	- зритель
to redesign [ ]	- переделать
available [ ]	- доступный
instantly [ ]	- незамедлительно
to contact [ ]	- установить связь
shy	- 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.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29