Hobbies

	healthy	tiring	productive	enjoyable
watching TV
swimming
reading
sleeping
sightseeing

1.16 Are you a couch potato?

Centuries ago, people didn't have much free time, because eve­rybody was working too hard. In Britain in the nineteenth century, people had more spare time, but because the Victorians hated relaxing and doing nothing, they invented football, rugby and cricket. People took up more gentle activities too, like gardening, bird-watching and train spotting, and it was even possible simply to watch a sport and give the impression that you were actually doing something. Gradually, leisure activities have become less and less demanding, and most people have a variety of more or less energetic interests and hobbies. But now there is a new type of person who thinks that lying on the sofa watching television on Sunday afternoon or reading the newspaper from cover to cover is the most exciting activity they can manage. This is the twentieth-century couch potato. For them, every activity is too much trouble, and laziness is an art form! So how do you spend your free time? Areyou a couch potato?

U N I T II L E I S U R E A C T I V I T I E S

2.1 Victor Writes to Julia

Flat 7,16, Kama's Street

Perm

Russia

February 2^nd, 1996

Dear Julia,

As it is long time since I last heard from you, I have been wondering how you are. That is why I decided to write you a letter.

I do hope you are well and getting on nicely. As for myself, I'm o'k as always and have some news and glad to tell you about last events of my life.

Really, I was very busy because I had my first session in January. So I took five exams and the same number of term tests including English language. By the way, I passed it successfully. As to other examinations I have got excellent and good marks. It took me much time but I tried to do my best. I've understood that my study is as hard as any other job. But let's leave it behind. Of course, I'm interested in your study and spare time. How did you pass your exams? I'm sure that you didn't spend all your time with books only, as I did. And what about your Christmas holidays? I'll be waiting for your story.

As for me, I had a rest for two weeks. My winter holidays began in the twenty-second of January and ended on the fourth of February. At first I planned to go to my cousin who lives in a village not far from my place but then I changed my mind and stayed in Perm. There were nice days. The weather wasn't very cold and I tried to spend much time in the open air. I skied, played ice-hockey with my friends. Sometimes we invited our girl-friends to the skating - rink. Skating is great fun. Music, illuminations, jokes, laugh and smiles, what a pleasant time! I wished you were here that moment, but ... . Then we went to a bar or a cafe to have a cup of coffee and to have a chatter about different things. And, of course, discos. During winter holidays there were excellent discos almost every night in our students' club.

At last, I could spare my time to photo. I made many photo­graphs of New Year and Christmas parties, of my family and my friends. I send you some of them. Do you like any photos?

There were also interesting books, video, visits to my friends, merry parties, so you see that I wasn't bored during my holidays and I hope you were not too.

Hoping to hear from you soon.

Sincerely yours,

Victor O.

2.2 Read the following words. Mind reading rules and stress.

'almost, 'always, e'vent, 'busy, 'same, 'some, de'cide, in'clude, in'vite, suc'cessfully, 'excellent, try, idle, ski, laugh, 'pleasant, could, spare, bore, sin'cerely.

2.3 Give the Past - form of these verbs.

Divide the verbs into three groups according to the reading rules of -ed- ([t], [d], [id])

[t]	[d]	[id]
shaked	solved	printed

decide, talk, pass, try, interest in, study, wait, ski, play, invite, smile, laugh, dance, chatter, photo, change, hope, plan, work.