- •American and British Family
- •Houses in Britain and in the us
- •Is through the house. Terraced houses were originally quite small.
- •What the British Think of Americans...
- •What Americans think of the British...
- •Impressions to add to the positive. The British are snobbish and do not
- •Banks and Banking
- •In Britain, the central bank, which acts as banker for the state and for commercial
- •Food in the usa and Great Britain
- •Welcome to Ukraine!
- •In an effort to rebuild the country Ukraine has opened her doors to foreign investors, businessmen, and first and foremost to tourists.
- •In addition to addresses, telephone and fax numbers, the reference section of this guide contains listings for:
- •Home reading The Climate and Weather in Great Britain
- •In spring sunshine and showers follow each other so often during the day that an umbrella or raincoat is absolutely
- •If you want to talk to someone in the street begin your
- •Shops and Shopping
- •Hobbies and leisure activities
- •The National Health Service
- •Medical Care in Great Britain and the United States
Hobbies and leisure activities
Until the 20th century, Americans had little time for leisure activities and did not really approve of leisure. The Puritan ideal of hard work remained strong and leisure was associated with the "idle rich ". The British share the Protestant work ethic (=the belief that hard work is good for people) but not have always believed that it is also good for people to have activities outside work. A traditional saying warns that "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy". Many people now believe that making time for relaxation after work is also necessary for the sake of good mental sake. Some people, however, think that leisure time should be spent on worthwhile activities and not just wasted. Children are often encouraged to develop an interest or hobby which they can pick up in their spare time. Many British people care more about their leisure time than their work which is, for some, simply a means of getting money to live on.
Traditional indoor hobbies or pastimes include collecting things, e.g. shells, model cars, dolls, comic books, stamps, coins or postcards. Children also
collect sets of picture cards from packets of tea and small toys or models from packets of breakfast cereal.
Many people like to do something creative, such as painting or drawing, playing music, knitting or sewing, DIY, cooking or doing crossword puzzles. In 1996, 84% of US households contained one or more people with a hobby or craft and over $ 10 million was spent on such activities.
Some people have hobbies which take them away from home. Bird watching is especially popular. So too is flying model aircraft. Other people go to public record offices and churches to research their family history. One very British hobby is trainspotting, which involves visiting railway stations and recording the names or number of trains. The range of hobbies now popular is reflected in the number of specialist magazines available in both Britain and the US. Many people have a sport as their hobby. Sports such as football, basketball and swimming are cheap and attract a lot of people. Golf and sailing, which are more expensive, tend to attract wealthier people. Tenpin bowling and ice-skating are popular social activities among young^people. More unusual sports include orienteering gi running from place to place, following clues marked on a map), paragliding (= floating through the air attached to a canopy like a parachute) and hot-air ballooning. A lot of people who are interested in sport prefer to watch others play, either at a stadium or on television, rather than play themselves. Some people go regularly to a sports centre or leisure centre which provide facilities for keep-fit classes and indoor sports such as squash and badminton, and usually has a swimming pool. Others join a sports club which caters for a particular sport, e.g. golf or snooker. Clubs usually also have a bar and organize social events.
A lot of people go out one or more evenings a week and at the weekend- Children go to youth clubs or visit friends. Adults go to the cinema or theatre, eat out at a restaurant, or, very commonly go to a pub or bar. At the weekend many
people spend part of their time shopping. For many shopping 11
Module: Travel
clothes and household goods is a pleasant activity, not a
chore. People also visit relatives and friends or invite them to their house. They go to places of interest such as museums, to funfairs, boating lakes and safari parks and to special events ranging from school fetes to jazz festivals. Some people like to go away for the weekend and turn it into a short holiday/vacation. Many go to national parks and other country areas, and go walking or fishing, or, in the US, hunting. Other people like to go to the beach.5 In the US people own recreational vehicles which they can live in during such trips. British people may have a camper van or caravan. Television and videos provide easy indoor entertainment, and watching television is by far the most popular leisure activity. People also play computer games or use the Internet. Other home-based activities include reading and listening to music.
Many people's social lives are closely bound up with their interests. Most towns in Britain and the US have a wide choice of clubs and societies for people to join, including choirs, amateur dramatics groups, film societies, dance clubs and special interest societies for those interested in art, astronomy, local history, etc. There are usually also classes where people can learn a new skill.
Many people in Britain and the US belong to at least one club or society. Club is often used to refer to a group of people who regularly meet together socially or take part in sports. A society is usually concerned with a special interest, e.g. bird watching or local history, and sends newsletters or magazines to its members. People usually have to pay an annual subscription or membership fee to join a club society, and in return receive regular newsletters or can use facilities and attend club events. Nightclubs, often called simply clubs, are places where mainly young people meet to drink and dance. They charge admission fees rather than a subscription. Fees are higher at weekends and in large cities, especially London. Social clubs have a bar where members can sit and talk to each other. Since people like to feel comfortable with those they see regularly, members of a club often come from the same social background.
In most towns there are local societies for almost every interest or hobby, including singing, drama, film, folk music, archaeology, natural history and photography. Societies organize concerts, put on plays, run courses or do fieldwork. Local branches of national societies, such as the National Trust in Britain and the Audubon Society in the USA, organize events in their area. Only a small proportion of members attend local events, and most people join these societies because they support their aims. Clubs are an important feature of school life, especially in the US. They include clubs for chess, stamp-collecting and the game of Dungeons and Dragons, as well as language clubs. Outside school children can join a local youth club, Scouts or Guides or another youth organization.
Home reading