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.