The Use of Leisure

By the way in which a man uses his leisure his character can be told. Some people are completely passive during leisure hours. If such people go out they go to some place of entertainment where no effort is required by them, a cinema or a dance-hall, and if the latter, they do not dance but simply sit and watch others dancing.

A different type of person hurries home from work full of eagerness to begin on some scheme, which he has been planning for his leisure time. Perhaps his hobby is carpentry or model engineering or gardening; or… he might wish to write, or to study some subject in which he is interested. This is the creative type of character. For him, his leisure hours are full of promise and he can look back on then with satisfaction when he reviews what he has achieved in them.

Many a man gets full value from his leisure by contemplating nature, listening to music, or reading noble books. By this sort of occupation he may not have made anything that he can show, but he has none the less recreated his own source of inspiration and made his own mind a richer and fuller treasure house. This is the true use of leisure.

XIV. Work in pairs. Speak on the following situation:

You are a newcomer in your group. Introduce yourself and your immediate family (name, age, nationality, occupation, and hobby).

XV. Study the following speech patterns.

- 1 -

Who are you? – I'm Jim Brown.

What is your name? – My name is Jim Brown,

What is your full name? – My full name’s James O. Brown.

What is your brother's first name? – My brother’s first name is Tom.

Is Tom Brown any relation to you? – Yes, he is my brother.

What relation are you to Ann? – She is my cousin.

- 2 -

How old are you? – I'm eighteen years old.

How old is your friend? – He's nineteen.

When were you born? – I was born on the 26^th of October 1980.

When is your birthday? – It's on the 2^nd of March.

Where were you born? – I was born in Omsk.

Where was your mother born? – She was born in Omsk too.

- 3 -

Where are you from? – I'm from Britain.

Where do you come from? – I'm from Moscow.

Where does your father come from? – He is from Minsk.

What country are you from? – I'm from Russia.

What town are you from? – I live in Omsk.

Are you Russian? – Yeah! I am Russian.

Is he an American? – No, he isn't. He is French.

- 4 -

What do you do? – I'm an engineer.

What does your father do? – He's a worker.

What is your occupation? – I'm a traffic inspector.

What is your sister's job? – She is an architect.

What do you do? – I am studying to be an engineer.

Where do you study? – I study at the Siberian Automobile and Highway Academy.

What faculty do you study at? – I study at the Civil Engineering faculty.

Where does your brother work? – He works at the car service station.

- 5 -

What is your hobby? – My hobby is collecting coins.

What is your sister's hobby? – She is crazy about dancing.

What are you fond of? – I enjoy cooking very much.

What is your brother fond of? – What I like about my brother is that he's fond of sport.

What is your favourite pastime? – I like listening to music.

– “ – “ – “ – “ – “ – “ – I am in a habit of listening to music

in the evenings.

- 6 -

Is your family big? – Not very. There are only three of us.

Is your family large? – Yes, rather. We are five.

– “ – “ – “ – “ – It is very small. I'm single. In fact, I'm a bachelor.

– “ – “ – “ – “ – No, it isn't. I'm the only child in the family.

How many people does your family consist of? – It consists of 3 members.

Are you married? – Yes, I have been married for five years.

– “ – “ – “–“ – I'm not married; I am single.

Is your brother married yet? – Not yet, but he is going to.

Is he single or married? – He is a family man.

– “ – “ – “ – “ – He is a widower.

– “ – “ – “ – “ – He is divorced.

How long has she been married? – She’s been married only for two years.

XVI. Answer the questions:

1) Who are you? (Your relatives?)

2) What is your full name?

3) How old are you? (Your sisters, brothers?)

4) When were you born?

5) When is your birthday?

6) Where are your parents (grandparents) from?

7) What do you (your parents) do now?

8) What are you fond of?

9) Are you in a habit of reading late in the evenings?

10) Is your family big?

11) How many people does your family consist of?

12) Are you the only child in the family?

13) Are you married?

14) How long have you (your parents) been married?

XVII. Write down the special questions to which the following, sentences are the answers:

1) That boy is my nephew. 2) My brother goes in for sport. 3) Her parents are musicians. 4) Ann is my niece. 5) Her uncle is American. 6) His parents are elderly people. 7) She was born in 1953. 8) My sister is 12. 9) My friend is Bill. 10) His children are fond of playing tennis. 11) We are four.

Joke

A: - How old are you?

B: - I'm not old. I’m young.

A: - All right. How young are you?

B: - I'm five.

XVIII. Translate into English.

1) Как вас зовут? 2) Как ваша фамилия? 3) Меня зовут Андрей, фамилия Лавров. 4) Вы находитесь в родстве с Анной Лавровой? – Да, мы брат и сестра. 5) Сколько Вам лет? - Мне 22 года. 6) Когда вы родились? - Я родился 26 июля 1975 года. 7) Сколько лет вашим родителям? 8) Где вы родились? - Я родился в Канаде, но мои отец и мать британцы. 9) Сколько лет вашему племяннику? Он выглядит очень молодо. - Он на пять лет старше меня. 10) Ваш сын уже женат? - Нет, он ещё холост. 11) Кем вы приходитесь Анне Лавровой? - Я её тётя. 12) Кто вы по профессии? - Я экономист. 13) Где Вы работаете? - На фабрике. 14) Кем работают ваши родители? - Они уже пенсионеры. 15) Сколько лет они женаты? - Они женаты 25 лет. 16) Чем Вы увлекаетесь? - Я очень люблю путешествовать. 17) Как вашей сестре больше всего нравится использовать свой досуг? - Она имеет обыкновение читать книги по вечерам. 18) У Вас большая семья? - Нет, не очень. Нас трое: я, жена, ребенок.

XIX. Work in pairs. Make up a dialogue about your family. Try to get as much information about the family of your partner as you can. You may use the following expressions:

Look here!/ I say! - Послушай!

As for… - Что касается…

By the way. - между прочим

Really? - Неужели?

All right! - Ладно! Хорошо!

After all. - B конце концов, в конечном счете

I doubt it. - Сомневаюсь.

And what about… (your son)? - А как насчет… (вашего сына)?

Tell me… - Скажите…

I should say… - Я бы сказал…

I shouldn't say so… - Я бы не сказал…

You see… - Видите ли…

How very interesting! - Как интересно!

You don't say so! - Что вы говорите! (удивление)

I see. - Ясно. (Понятно).

XX. Find the Russian equivalents of the following proverbs:

1) As the tree, so the fruit.

2) Many a good father hath but a bad son.

3) Too many cooks spoil the broth.

4) He is tied to his wife’s apron strings.

21. Topics for discussion.

1. Some think that it is only people having to do who have hobbies; others believe that everybody should have a hobby. What do you think?

2. It is often said that people are as old as they feel it. Do you agree with this?

3. There is a proverb saying that “a good name is better than riches”. And what do you think about it?

21. Read the text and give its summary.