HOBBIES
Exercise #1 Read the
text and translate the underline word combinations.
We live in the
century of high speeds and technologies. Sometimes we are so tired of our
office duties that we want to have a rest and to spend a weekend in the open air somewhere in the
forest.
People living in cities and towns would like to be closer
to nature, so they are fond of spending their spare time in the country.
To find a beautiful place in the forest or to put up a tent on the bank of the
river, to make a fire - it is a real pleasure.
Some people, who can afford it, prefer to have a rest
abroad. The whole world is open now. The limits and frontiers of the previous
period do not exist any more. So many people, so many hobbies. If you have
chosen a hobby according to your character and taste - you are lucky
because life becomes more interesting and exciting. Hobbies like tastes differ.
The most popular hobbies are collecting post-cards,
coins and books. Some people are interested in music. They collect records
and tape recordings or CDs, newspaper and magazine articles about their
idols. Others like photography.
Nowadays many new hobbies have appeared. Many grown-ups
and children are fond of playing computer games. My friend has a computer at
home and he prefers to spend his free time playing computer games.
As for me, I have little spare time on weekdays, but on
Sundays I try to spend my free time taking pictures and jogging. I am fond of
making pictures of nature, my friends and relatives. They say that I am keen on photography.
My relatives also have their own hobbies. My
mother likes to bake cakes and pies. She is also good at knitting. Before going to bed
she prefers to read. She has a lot of work to do, but she can always find some time for
the things she enjoys. My father likes to fish. It is his favorite recreation. My
grandmother and grandfather say that tastes and ideals change with years. When they
were young they were fond of more active hobbies but now they prefer to read
books and watch TV. As for my sister she is fond of learning English. She dreams of
being a teacher. Sometimes my sister and I go to see our friends or walk with them
in the park, especially when the weather is fine. I think it is important to have an
active rest after hard mental work,
Find the sentences
with this ords and word combinations:
hobby to have a rest
to be tired to spend a weekend
in the open air
to be closer to
nature photography
to be
fond of doing smth. computer games
In the country free time
to make a fire spare time
to put up a tent to take pictures
to have
a rest abroad to be keen on
to be interested in to bake
to collect to be good at
coins to prefer
records to have a lot of work to do
tape recordings to have an active rest
compact disks (CDs) mental work
Exercise 2. Answer
the following questions:
1. What is a hobby?
2.
How
do you spend your spare time?
r go in
for sports?
3. Do
you J walk your dog?
[_ play musical instruments? r gardening?
4. Are
you interested in -< drawing?
^cooking? 3. What are you interested in?
6. Do you enjoy visiting
friends?
7.
Who
do you talk to about your problems?
8. What do you like to
talk about?
Exercise 3. Guess the
meanings of the word "keen" from the sentences below. Translate the sentences into Russian.
1. He had a keen ear.
2.
He
was keen on sports.
3.
He
had keen sight
4.
He
is keen to help us.
5.
He
is not very keen on poetry.
6.
He
is very keen to see his birthplace again.
Exercise#4Ask the questions to the following answers.
1…………………………………………………..
Yes it is. It is very interesting to have a hobby.
2…………………………………………………..
No it is not. Watching TV is not useful hobby.
3………………………………………………….
My friend is interested in playing computer games.
4………………………………………………….
No she is not . She is not fond of dancing.
5………………………………………………
Reading books is useful because you can learn more about the world around
us.
6……………………………………………
Some boys and girls prefer to collect old coins and stamps.
7………………………………………………………
As far as I know Mike is keep up with new cars.
8………………………………………………….
The most popular hobby in our class is playing computer games.
9……………………………………………………
Yes I am. I am good at playing basketball.
10……………………………………….
Yes it is. Collecting stamps is a very popular hobby.
11……………………………………………………………..
Yes, most stamps show the
name of the country they come from.
12……………………………………………….
No, British stamps don’t have
the name of the country.
13………………………………………………
British stamps have always a
picture of the Queen Elizabeth.
Exersice#4
Paraphrase the following sentences.
1. My father plays football very well. 5. My mother reads much
books about flowers.
2. I like music very much. 6. My hobby is
painting.
3. She bakes tasty cakes. 7. Kate likes to
dance.
4. My friend is a good sportsman. 8. My uncle collects old
coins.
5. He can read and speak English well. 10. We spend much time in a
swimming pool.
