American teenagers and their free time

American teenagers spend their free time doing a lot of different things. They love to watch television or rent videos. Often young people meet at a friend’s house to watch videos together. They might call out for a pizza or make popcorn at home and eat in front of the television.

Young Americans also enjoy going to the movie theatre, both to watch movies but also to “hang out” and flirt with people of the opposite sex. Before going out teenagers usually spend a long time getting ready. They try to wear their most fashionable clothes and they make sure their hair looks perfect. In America, it is against the law for people under 21 years of age to drink alcohol, so often they can’t go to the local concerts at bars, but they do go to the large concerts wherever their favourite band or pop singer comes to town.

Teenage girls like to read fashion magazines and magazines about handsome, famous actors and singers. They also like to go shopping. They might not buy anything but some girls might spend hours trying on clothes, jewelry and shoes.

Teenage boys like to play sports, baseball, basketball, football or soccer. Many boys read magazines about rock groups or cars and trucks. It is often the dream of many teenage boys to own their own car. If they do, they spend most of their free time and extra money making their cars look beautiful and run perfectly.

Stereotypically young Americans don’t like to spend time alone.They don’t read books unless it is absolutely necessary. And when they do read, or do their homework, they do it in front of the television or with the stereo on.

Like most Americans, young Americans like to work because they like to have money. It’s difficult to find free entertainment in America. Young people spend a lot of money. In general, they spend a great portion of their free time buying things to make themselves look better than their friends or to have better music, clothes, etc. than their friends.

Notes to the text:

· call out (for) заказать

· ‘hang out’ ‘слоняться’

· try on примерять

· jewelry ювелирные изделия

· soccer футбол

· extra дополнительный, излишний

· free (of charge) бесплатный

a) Read the text ‘American teenagers and their free time ’. Find the English equivalents to the following word combinations:

проводить много времени; в доме друга; смотреть видеофильмы вместе; заказать пиццу; приготовить кукурузные хлопья; “слоняться”; флиртовать с людьми противоположного пола; выглядеть безупречно; противозаконно; популярный певец; журналы мод; ходить в магазины; примерять; ювелирные изделия; иметь свою собственную машину; в одиночестве; несмотря на; с включённым стереомагнитофоном; бесплатное развлечение.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20