Text B: DIFFERENT HOBBIES.
Hobbies differ like tastes. If you have chosen a hobby according to your character and taste you are a lucky person because your life becomes more interesting.
Hobbies are 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, everything from gardening to travelling and from chess to volleyball.
Gardening is one of the oldest of man's hobbies. It is a well-known fact that the English are very fond of gardening and growing flowers, especially roses.
Both grown-ups and children are fond of playing computer games. This is a relatively new hobby but it is becoming more and more popular.
Making things includes drawing, painting, making sculpture, designing costumes, handicrafts. Two of the most famous hobby painters were President Eisenhower and Sir Winston Churchill. Some hobbyists write music or play musical instruments. President Bill Clinton, for example, plays the saxophone.
Almost everyone collects something at some period in his life: stamps, coins, matchboxes, books, records, postcards, toys, watches.
Some collections have no real value. Others become so large and so valuable that they are housed in museums and galleries. Many world-famous collections started in a small way with one or two items. People with a good deal of money often collect paintings, rare books and other art objects. Often such private collections are given to museums, libraries and public galleries so that others might take pleasure in seeing them.
No matter what kind of hobby a person has, he always has an opportunity of learning from it. By reading about the things he is interested in, he is adding to what he knows. Learning things can be the most exciting aspect of a hobby.
NOTES:
Eisenhower [`aiznhaue]; Winston Churchill [̀winsten ‘tξe: tξil];
Bill Clinton [‘klinten]
ACTIVE VOCABULARY
according to to be housed in
to be lucky world famous collections
to be divided into to start in a small way
the most popular of with one or two items
a wide variety of activities people with a good deal of money
a relatively new hobby private collections
handicraft to take pleasure in seeing smth
to play the saxophone no matter
to play the piano / the guitar the most exciting aspect of smth
to have no real value
to become valuable
T e x t A: MY WORKING DAY
My everyday activities are quite routine. They do not differ much from those of any other student of our country. On week-days I usually get up at 7 o'clock. I make my bed, open the window and do my morning exercises. Then I go to the bathroom where I clean my teeth and wash myself. If I have enough time I take a cold and hot shower. After bathroom I go back to my room where I dress myself and brush my hair. Now I am ready for breakfast. It may be a cup of tea or coffee and a sandwich. After breakfast I put on my coat, take the bag and go to the University. I live not far from the University, so it takes me only five or seven minutes to get there. I don't want to be late for the first pair of lessons so I come here a few minutes before the bell. I leave my coat in the cloakroom and go upstairs to the classroom.
My lessons begin at 8.00 a.m. and they are over at 2.30 p.m. After classes I go home and have dinner there. I usually have something substantial for dinner, for example, cabbage soup for the first course, hot meat or fish with some vegetables for the second one. Then I drink a cup of tea or milk. Sometimes when I have to stay at the University after classes I go to the students' canteen and have dinner there. After dinner I have a short rest, read newspapers, make some telephone calls, go to the bakery. Then I do my homework. We study many subjects at the University and it takes me 3 or even more hours to prepare my homework. Sometimes I go to the library to get ready for my practical classes or to write a report. As a rule I have no free time on my week-days.
Eight o'clock is supper time in our family. We all get together in the kitchen, then go to the sitting room and watch TV, read books or discuss different problems. Twice a week I go to the gymnasium in the evening to play volleyball, I am a member of the University volleyball team and we have our training rather late. At about eleven at night I go to bed.
ACTIVE VOCABULARY
working day to work hard
week-days to have a rest
to wake up to dress oneself
to get up to comb/ brush one's hair
to take a shower / a bath to have a break
to wash oneself to make a telephone call
to do morning exercises to do homework
to make one's bed to be in a hurry
to take a bus /tram / to go to bed
trolley bus to leave for the University
to go to the University
Answer the questions:
1. When does your working day begin?
2. What do you do when you get up?
3. Do you do your morning exercises every day?
4. Who makes breakfast for you?
5. What time do you leave for the University?
6. How much time does it take you to get there?
7. When do your classes begin?
8. How long do they last?
9. When do you have dinner?
10. Do you usually have dinner at home or at the students' canteen?
11. What do you usually have for dinner?
12. Do you have a short rest after dinner?
13. How long does it take you to prepare your homework?
14. Do you often go to the library to get ready for classes?
15. How do you usually spend your evenings?
16. What time do you go to bed?
