Read the three mini-texts and discuss what the best way to spend free time is.

What do you do in your free time?

v

I don’t have a lot of energy when I get home after work. Usually I just stay in and watch TV or surf the net. I like watching soap operas and I never miss an episode of my favorite programmes. If there’s nothing on TV then I might call some of my friends for a chat. I don’t go out very much and I’d much rather spend time at home.

I like cooking and trying out new recipes. Sometimes I’ll have friends over for a dinner party, but I’m quite happy just relaxing in the house with a good book.

 

v

I like to go out and have a good time. After dinner, I usually go to a bar and hang out with my friends till 3 or 4 in the morning.

I also love going to the movies. If I’m in town at the weekend, I might go to a café with the Sunday papers, then see an exhibition or go to a concert in the park.

 

v

I like to keep in shape, I usually go to the gym three or four times a week. On Saturdays I often meet up with some friends for a game of football in the park.

When I’m on holiday, I like going skiing in the winter, or windsurfing in the summer. I hate being stuck at home all day – I’d rather be outdoors.

 

7. a) Read the text and complete the sentence.

This text is about ……………………………………………………………………

A “hobby” is usually something that a person does alone. But American (and British) families sometimes like to do things together, too.

American families often have quite a lot of money to spend on their free time. They can all enjoy their holiday home or somewhere abroad.

Americans love to get out of town into the wild, and many go for holidays or long weekends into their fabulous national parks. These magnificent areas of countryside include tropical forests, high mountains, dry deserts, long sandy coasts, grassy prairies and wooded mountains full of wild animals. The idea of these parks is to make “a great breathing place for the national lungs”, and to keep different parts of the land as they were before men arrived. There are camping places in the national parks as well as museums, boat trips and evening campfire meetings.

Americans really enjoy new “gadgets”, especially new ways of travelling. In the winter the woods are full of “snowmobiles”. In the summer they ride their “dune buggies” across the sands or take to the sky in hang gliders.

But Americans do not only spend their free time having fun. They are very interested in culture, too. Millions of people take part-time courses in writing, painting and music, and at the weekends the museums, art galleries and concert halls are full.

 

b) Answer the questions.

1. What is a hobby?

2. Where do Americans like to spend their free time?

3. What is an idea of a national park? What are they?

4. What can you do in an American national park?

5. Are Americans fond of doing sports in their free time? Which sports do they like to do?

6. Are Americans interested in culture?

 

c) How do the Russian people like to spend their free time? Write a paragraph about it. Use the underlined words and word combinations from the text where possible.

 

ROUND-UP

 

Translate the sentences from Russian into English. Use the Active Vocabulary.

1) Когда ко мне приходят друзья, мы обычно вместе играем в компьютерные игры. Мы также любим ходить в кино каждый четверг, когда выходит (comes out) новый фильм.

2) Если погода хорошая, мы занимаемся спортом на улице – играем в баскетбол или футбол, тренируемся (work out) на специальной площадке.

3) Как ты любишь проводить свое свободное время? – Я люблю быть дома, лежать на диване, читать книгу и пить чай.

4) Подростки проводят все свое свободное время за компьютером. Они смотрят фильмы и сериалы онлайн, общаются в социальных сетях или просто сидят в интернете.

5) Пойдем погуляем в парке? – Я сейчас занята, давай встретимся через час в кафе.

What kind of person are you?

 

· I like staying in, eating, watching TV or surfing the Internet.

· I like going out, dancing and meeting friends.

· I like reading and going to museums and art galleries.

 

Guess which of these expressions describes your type:

a party animal a culture vulture a couch potato

 

What would you recommend to each of the three types of people? What kind of people are your family, friends and group mates?

 

Make up questions to ask your group mates about different ways of spending free time. Mingle and discuss, then report your findings in writing.

 

What’s the best museum you’ve been to?

What’s the most interesting TV programme/ series for you?

What type of music do you like?

 

ACTIVE VOCABULARY

Activities cook go for a walk go shopping (for clothes) go to a concert/ to the gym/ to a cafe listen to music meet friends play football (or another sport) play games online play the guitar (or another instrument) read a book/ a magazine sunbathe surf the Internet text friends watch TV/ videos do gardening stay in/ go out relax go to the cinema/ movies go skiing/ windsurfing

Additional vocabulary hang out with friends soap opera series sitcom episode recipe have friends around/ over for a party have a good time keep in shape be outdoors/ indoors be stuck at home play board games party animal couch potato culture vulture

 

TOPIC 6. Education