Topic 2: leisure

Discussion

1. How much time do you usually spend each week doing homework?

2. When do you enjoy your hobbies?

3. How do you prefer to spend your free (spare) time?

4. Why do you think it is important to have time for your leisure activities?

5. What are the most popular pastimes among Russian young people?

Key Vocabulary

Study the meanings and use of these items of your essential vocabulary:

leisure – time when you are not working or studying and can relax and do things you enjoy:

Most people now enjoy shorter working hours and more leisure time.

Watching television is now the nation's most popular leisure activity.

The hotel offers various leisure facilities such as a swimming pool and sauna.

The leisure industry (=the business of providing leisure activities) is now an important part of the economy.

At (your) leisure – if you do something at your leisure, you do it slowly and without hurrying:

Come round for lunch and then we can discuss it at leisure.

Take the leaflets home and read them at your leisure.

English	Russian
leisure (time)	досуг, свободное время
at leisure	на досуге; не спеша
be at leisure	быть свободным, незанятым
spare/free time	свободное время
pastime	приятное времяпрепровождение, развлечение
relax	расслабляться, делать передышку
relaxation	расслабление, отдых от работы, передышка, развлечение
depend on	зависеть от
inclination (for, to)	влечение, предрасположение
exercise	зарядка
ramble	прогулка, поездка (без определенной цели); бродить без цели, ради удовольствия
lawn lawn tennis	лужайка, газон лаун-теннис
outing	загородная прогулка, экскурсия, пикник
entertain entertainment	занимать, развлекать; занятие, развлечение
vocational	профессиональный
average	средний, обычный, нормальный
according to	согласно
survey	обзор, отчет
be involved in	быть вовлеченным
take part = participate	принимать участие
craft	ремесло
volunteer	волонтер; предлагать свою помощь, услуги
take care of environment	заботиться об окружающей среде

Now read two contradictory texts on leisure in the UK.

Начало формы

Конец формы

The British at leisure

Leisure is the time when you are not working and you can relax and do things that you enjoy doing. How people use their free time depends on age, sex, educational background, social class, personal taste and inclinations. Britain is a country where leisure time and the sporting life are taken seriously. The British have a reputation for being mad about sports.

There is widespread interest in most kinds of sport throughout Britain. Millions of people all over Britain regularly take part in sport or exercise. The most popular games are football and cricket. Large crowds attend occasions such as football and rugby union matches, the Wimbledon lawn tennis championships, the classic horse races, the Open Golf Championship, Grand Prix motor racing; and international cricket matches.

Many people enjoy rambling, climbing and cycling. In summer groups of people go on outings to popular resorts like Brighton or Black pool. Most British families like to spend their free time at the seaside. The beaches are very crowded in hot weather. But not everybody in Britain is interested in sport or in outings. Some are interested in going to the theatre, to the cinema, to concerts. A specially British activity is cultural entertainment, i.e. attendance classes in Adult Institutes and Colleges of Further Education.

People study subjects, many of them are vocational or of general interest. So we see that in Britain it’s easy for everyone to find a pleasant spare time occupation and there are so many different things that the British really enjoy: 1) sport, 2) outings and trips, 3) cultural entertainment.

Answer the questions:

1. What aspects does free time spending depend on?

2. What is cultural entertainment?

3. Which of the British people pastimes do you find the most interesting one?