Comprehension Ex.1 Choose from the list (a-I) the sentence which best summarizes each part (1-8) of the article. There’s one extra summary which you do not need to use.

1. They are currently restricted to the local area for entertainment.

2. They have similar views on music and modern technology.

3. They are disappointed with the facilities.

4. They are all looking forward to the same event.

5. Money comes from two sources, but academic success is a priority.

6. They express uncertainty about the future.

7. They recognise their freedom and opportunities.

8. There doesn't seem to be much difference between the generations.

9. They have changed their appearance.

Ex.2 Write a word or phrase from the article in each gap to complete the sentences.

1. The council have done up the old train station turned it into a shopping centre. The ___ is incredible! (paragraph 1)

2. This video game is so ___. I’ve been playing it for hours! (paragraph 3)

3. I can’t go to the concert on Saturday night because I’m going to be ___ for Mr and Mrs Carter. (paragraph 4)

4. It really ___ me when my parents don’t let me stay out late. (paragraph 5)

5. My parents are going to buy me a second-hand car when I get my ___. (paragraph 7)

6. My mum and dad often ___ at me about the way I dress. (paragraph 8)

Discussion

Ex.1 Answer the following questions.

1. Do you have enough free time? What do you usually do when you have free time? Do you have a part-time job?

2. Do teenagers have enough leisure time?

3. In your opinion, how much spare time should each person have?

4. Do you think there should be a right balance between working time and spare time?

5. What should each person do for relaxation to be successful at work and private life?

6. Does the way you relax depend on where you live, who you live with and how much money you have?

7. Do parents worry too much about what their children are doing when they’re out?

8. Are parents usually right when they don’t allow there children to do everything they want?

Extreme sports

Summer's just around the corner, encouraging some to dust off the tennis racket or rummage round the cupboard for the cricket bat. But for some in Britain traditional outdoor pursuits are just not enough. So how do extreme sports devotees get their kicks?

Extreme sports are about exhilaration, skill and danger. They do not normally involve teams and there are very few rules. People who take part use their skills and experience to control the risks. That control is what makes them sports and not just dangerous behavior.

Here are just some of the extreme sports which are popular in Britain:

Kitesurfing: a growing band of enthusiasts have been discovering the thrilling combination of kite, board and waves. These kites can be up to 17 metres long. Catch a gust and you're motoring — up, down and across the surf. British Ladies kitesurfing champion Jo Wilson says: "It's always an adrenalin rush. It's unpredictable. You could jump 5ft or 35ft. You never know if you're going to go up in the air, and your heart is just going boom, boom, boom all the time."

Coasteering: this is exploring the coastline without worrying about a coastal path or finding a rocky cliffy cove blocking your route. You climb, dive, swim and clamber from A to B. There are about 15 operators in the UK offering coasteering.

Sky diving: traditional parachuting just doesn't sound risky enough, does it? So now skydiving is the name for jumping from a plane and listening to your heart pounding as you hurtle towards earth before you open your parachute at the last moment. Once you've got a few jumps under your parachute you can throw in some extra risks, for example try a 'hook turn'. Dean Dunbar is a participant of extremedreams.com and his first sky dive was in 1998. Since then he's been hooked on the buzz of the extreme.

Mountain biking: it's been around so long that bikers are no longer satisfied with just going up and down a mountain. Nowadays thrill seeking mountain bikers want a big slope to go down very, very fast. ‘It's pure mad, downhill,’ according to Dean Dunbar. ‘People go to old ski resorts, take the chair lift to the top then bomb down — amazingly not killing themselves.’

Notes

to dust off	смахивать пыль
to rummage	рыться, искать
cricket bat	бита для крокета
pursuits	занятия, дела
devotee	любитель, приверженец
to get kicks	развлекаться
exhilaration	веселье; радостное возбуждение
kitesurfing	кайтинг
thrilling	захватывающий, щекочущий нервы
gust	порыв (ветра)
surf	«волна»
adrenaline rush	скачок, прилив адреналина
coastline	береговая линия
to clamber	перелезать, карабкаться
cove	бухта, убежище
sky diving	затяжные прыжки с парашютом
to pound	сильно биться, колотиться
to hurtle	мчаться, лететь
hook turn	разворот
be hooked on	пристраститься, «подсесть»
slope	склон