Vocabulary

activity – деятельность

routine [rH′tJn] – рутинный, шаблонный, по заведенному порядку

duties – обязанности

obligation – обязанность

encourage (v) – поощрять

ambition – амбиция, стремление, цель

regret (v) – сожалеть

relax (v) – расслабляться, отдыхать

bedtime – время ложиться спать

Vocabulary Notes

physical jerks – гимнастика, зарядка

cherished dream – сокровенная мечта

on a shift basis – посменно

to take up duties – принять дежурство

required recommendations – требуемые рекомендации

to impose certain responsibilities – налагать определенную ответственность на кого-либо

reputable institution – уважаемое учреждение

to enjoy doing smth – получать удовольствие от

genetics problems – проблемы генетики

life’s ambitions – жизненные амбиции

to take due care – заботиться надлежащим образом

Answer the questions:

1. At what time do you usually get up?

2. Do you do your morning exercises every day?

3. When and where do you have your breakfast?

4. Do you go to your work place by bus or on foot?

5. How long does it take you to get there?

6. When do you start your work and when is it over? What do you do for relaxation?

7. When did you start to think about your future profession?

8. What profession do you like best of all?

9. Is your future profession interesting and modern?

10. What do you usually do in the evening?

11. What is your bedtime?

12. Do you often sit up far into the night?

My Day Off and My Hobbies

When I was a pupil my only regular day off was Sunday. It was a day of freedom from routine duties and studies. I could do whatever I wished and could go wherever I wanted. 1 could also stay the whole day at home and have a good rest.

But I must admit that every day off needs some special planning. Time passes quickly and if you have no plans be sure to get no results. You may spend your time on trifles.

So, I’ll try to describe my common day off. If I planned to get out into the open air, I had to get up very early to catch the train. When the sky is blue and the sun is shining my friends and I like to go to the riverside for our ideal day out. A walk or a drive to the country may be a good alternative. But such a way of relaxation is acceptable in early autumn or late spring. Our winter days off differ greatly. In winter, if you want to skate or ski, it is not necessary to get out of town. You can do it not far from your home.

Sometimes when the weather was nasty, I could afford to relax and not to be in a hurry. So I could stay in bed and not get up till 10 or 11 a.m. Only then I dressed and had my breakfast. I watched TV, played with my little brother, did some reading, prepared my homework and after that went to see a friend of mine to play chess or go to the cinema with him. I’m not a great cinemagoer, but I like to see feature films and enjoy historical adventure films. I find these films most instructive and entertaining.

In case I had neither plans nor inclination to go anywhere, I could look through again and again my numerous albums full оf different stamps. Collecting stamps is my hobby. Almost everyone collects something in his life: coins, stamps, postcards, buttons, books, records, toys, watches. My parents started collecting stamps long ago and then passed their collection to me. Now I continue collecting stamps myself.

No matter what kind of hobby you have, you always have the opportunity of learning from it. By reading about the things you are interested in you are adding to what you know. Learning things is the most exciting aspect of my hobby too. Each stamp has its own story to tell. I can see pictures of distant countries and their people. I learn their history, culture and traditions. The greatest part of my collection is devoted to famous artists and their masterpieces. This part of my collection looks like art gallery.

My relatives very often send new stamps to me together with their letters and postcards. Sometimes I buy new stamps in a shop. I also have many penfriends in Belarus and abroad. We exchange stamps with them. Now I don’t have much time to spend on my collection, but sometimes I come back to it with great pleasure.

My evenings I prefer to spend at home. At about 7 p.m. we have dinner. It’s a good opportunity for the family to discuss the events of the day and our plans for the coming week.

I must say that I’m a great reader, but I never have enough time to enjoy it. I always read a book or a magazine late in the evening.

On Sunday my usual bedtime was 11 p.m. as I wanted to have a good sleep before starting a new week of studies.