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Text 1. Free time and hobbies.
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Vocabulary:
according to one’s taste – в соответствии с чьим-либо вкусом
to be fond of – любить
to be keen on – увлекаться
gardening – садоводство
grown-up – взрослый (человек)
handicraft – ремесло, рукоделие
in a small way – в малом масштабе, понемногу
matchbox – спичечный коробок
painting – живопись
postcard – почтовая открытка
record – пластинка
coin – монета
stamp – марка
to take pleasure in – получать удовольствие от
tape-recorder – магнитофон
A hobby is something that people like to do when they are not busy with their usual work and have some free time. It is something done entirely for pleasure. Hobbies differ like tastes. If you have chosen a hobby according to your character and taste you are lucky 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 known that the English are very fond of gardening and growing flowers, especially roses.
Both grown-ups and children are fond of playing different computer games. This is a relatively new hobby but it is becoming more and more popular.
Making things includes drawing, painting, making sculptures, designing costumes, handicrafts. Two of the most famous amateur painters were President Eisenhower and Sir Winston Churchill. Some people write music or play musical instruments. President Bill Clinton, for example, plays the saxophone.
Almost everyone collects something at some period of 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 objects of arts. Often such private collections are given to museums, libraries and public galleries so that others might take pleasure in seeing them.
As for as I am concerned, I was always fond of collecting stamps. My mother had started collecting stamps long before I was born. She gave me her six album of stamps as a birthday present when I was twelve. Then I continued collecting stamps myself. It helped me to learn a lot about other countries and other people’s traditions, the world’s fauna and flora. I used to bring the albums to school and sometimes exchanged stamps with my schoolmates.
About a year ago my parents bought me a tape recorder and I decided to collect tapes. I am fond of listening to music. I like rock and pop music and classical music too. Now I collect tapes of my favourite groups and singers. I also try to find out everything about the singers I like. I read specialized magazines and try not to miss musical shows on TV, because I want to keep up with the news in the world of music. I write letters to some fan clubs in other countries, so I have to brush up my English. I never miss a concert by my favorite group if they come to our city.
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No matter what kind of hobby a person has, he always has the opportunity of learning form 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.
Answer the questions:
1. Tastes differ. Can you say the same about hobbies?
2. Have you chosen a hobby according to your character and taste?
3. What hobby groups do you know?
4. What activities does the hobby group of “doing things” include?
5. Are you fond of making things?
6. Do you know the hobbies of any famous people?
7. Have you ever collected anything?
8. What can be collected?
9. Do you have a lot of free time?
10. How do you usually spend your leisure time?
11. Does your hobby help you to learn new things?
Text 2. Eat to be healthy.
Vocabulary:
habit – привычка
to be tired – утомляться
to be cross – сердиться, раздражаться
a ring of truth – правдоподобное
fuel – топливо, горючее
to resist disease – сопротивляться болезни
muscles – мускулы
poultry – птичье мясо
skin – кожа
blood – кровь
certain – некоторый, определенный
brain – мозг
snack – закуска
junk food – бесполезная еда
sea voyages – плавание по морю
without going ashore – не сходя на берег
to suffer – страдать
scurvy – цинга
a lack of vitamin C – недостаток витамина С
vegetable dish – блюдо из овощей
Our eating habits affect our feel during the day. What happens if I have no breakfast, or poor breakfast? I’m likely to be tired or cross, and, of course, hungry till having lunch.
There is a ring of truth in that well-known saying: «A man is what he eats». Food is a form of fuel. It gives us energy, helps us to grow, resist disease and form strong teeth and bones. No single food can take care of all body’s needs. Different foods do different things for the body. Some foods are better than others in helping make strong muscles. Among them are meats, eggs, fish, and poultry. Some foods are better than others in helping keep bones, teeth, skin, and blood healthy. Among these foods are fruit, vegetables, milk, and cheese.
There are certain sayings about foods from long ago. «Fish is ‘brain’ food»; people say it’s good for brain. They say carrots are good for eyes. Another saying is: «An apple a day keeps the doctor away», – meaning that you will be healthy if you eat an apple every day.
There are so many kinds of food – fast food, snacks, junk food – that it may be difficult to follow a healthy diet. Fresh fruit and vegetables are important for a healthy diet. In the past, sailors who went on long sea voyages stayed on their ships for many months without going ashore. They did not get fresh food and so often suffered from a disease called scurvy. Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C, which is found in fruit and vegetables.
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In our country, bread is an important part of our everyday food. When we sit down for a meal, there is always bread on the table. For breakfast, we have bread with butter or cheese. Some people have jam or olives. For lunch, we have bread with a meat or vegetable dish. Again at dinner, we eat bread with whatever food there is on the table. When there is rice or potatoes, we have bread, too. My granny says that if there is no bread, there is no food.
Answer the questions:
1. What will happen if you have no breakfast?
2. Why do we say that food is a form of fuel?
3. What foods help make strong muscles?
4. What are carrots good for?
5. Why is it sometimes difficult to follow health diet?
6. What disease can be caused by a lack of vitamin C?
7. Is bread important in your everyday food?
8. Why do old people say that there is no food if there is no bread?
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