Hobbies

Hobbies differ like tastes. Having a hobby, life becomes more interesting. It is the fact that the English are very fond of gardening and growing flowers. Almost everyone collects something: stamps, coins, books, toys. Other people collect paintings or rare books. Everyone has a hobby.

I am a first-year student and I have a lot of hobbies. I like to go to the theatre with my friends. I like to go to the park and walk with my dog around the park. I like to read. I have a lot of books and I want to be a very interesting person. I like to watch TV and listen to music. My hobby is gardening. I like to work in the garden and help my grandmother in the garden. I also like to cook and I want to be a cooker.

Exercise 8. Answer the questions, please (Дайте відповіді на запитання):

1. What is a hobby?

2. Is it interesting to have a hobby?

3. What hobbies do you know?

4. What is your hobby?

5. What are you interested in?

6. Does your father play football?

7. Does your mother play computer games?

8. Do you like music?

Exercise 9. Read and translate the dialogues: (Прочитайте та перекладіть діалоги):

Dialogue 1

• Harry, let’s play football in the yard.

• I’d love to but my leg hurts.

• Well then, how about walking in the park? The weather is nice today.

• That’s a good idea, but I hate hanging out in the park. It’s a waste of time.

• In my opinion you are just lazy!

• No, I’m not. Besides there is an interesting film on TV in the afternoon. I get pleasure from watching old comedies.

• As for me I prefer playing sport to watching TV. Playing football or tennis is a change from school, isn’t it?

• You are right, Tom. But remember tastes are differ.

Dialogue 2

(Mary is speaking over the telephone)

• Bob? This is Mary. How are you?

• Fine. And you?

• Fine too. What are you doing?

• I’m listening to music. It’s really relaxing. In my leisure time I enjoy listening to rock music. Do you like rock music?

• I like music, but I don’t like rock. I get pleasure from growing flowers. I’m so amused by this hobby. There are many beautiful flowers in our house.

• Do you have any orchids in your collection?

• Yes, there are some orchids, they are nice. Would you like to see my flower collection?

• That’s a good idea. Thank you.

Lesson 11. Interests (Інтереси)

Vocabulary

to watch TV – дивитися телевізор

to listen to the radio – слухати радіо

to play computer games – грати в комп’ютерні ігри

to play on a computer – грати в комп’ютерні ігри

to like to cook – любити готувати

to like to garden – любити займатись садівництвом

to read the newspaper \ magazine – читати газету \ журнал

to talk with the friends on the phone – говорити з друзями по телефону

to do nothing – нічого не робити

to surf the Net – бути в мережі, інтернеті

to go to a football match – ходити на футбольний матч

to go to the party – ходити на вечірку

to go to the concert – ходити на концерт

to go out with friends – ходити гуляти з друзями

to go to the swimming pool – ходити в басейн

to go to a fitness club – ходити в фітнес-клуб

to read the newspaper \ magazine – читати газету \ журнал

to collect stamps – колекціонувати марки

to like jogging – любити бігати (зранку)

Exercise 1. Read and translate short texts. Think and tell about your hobby and interests.

Laura, 10, school pupil

I don’t have much spare time, but when I can I enjoy practising the piano and I learn the violin. I also collect stamps, I’ve got quite a lot of them. I go swimming, and I like bike riding.

Frank, 20, musician

I spend a lot of my free time going to the theatre to see plays, because it’s my job, and also because I enjoy it more than anything else. I read a lot of books. Sometimes I play golf. I have an old house, and that is why I spend most of my free time decorating, painting the walls, things like that – that is looking after my house.

Peter, 39, radio producer

I live near a forest so I like jogging there. I enjoy listening to music which I can’t play, I like jazz most of all. I like cooking – it’s a hobby of mine, I like cooking for people, really. I read a lot. I prefer science fiction books, I read them much faster than any other books

Josephine, 70, retired teacher

I’m very interested in languages, because when I go abroad I like to speak with the people there. I try to play the guitar, though I don’t play very well. I live very near the sea. All year round I go for walks along the shore, and in summer I go swimming every day. In winter I like knitting – I make jumpers for my children and grandchildren. I spend a lot of time reading, mostly novels, and I’m very fond of poetry. I also write poetry.

Exercise 2. a) Read and translate the following dialogues:

Dialogue 1

- What do you do when you have free time?

- I like to go to the swimming pool. I like swimming a lot. Swimming is my hobby. It's good for your health.

- Do you go alone or with your friends?

- My friends don’t like swimming. That’s why I usually go alone.

- And what do you like doing on weekends?

- On a weekend I like a bit of everything. I like to sleep long because during the week I always get up early. I also like going to a fitness club. I like to listen to music all day long. I watch TV or read newspaper. I like also to draw. Drawing is my second hobby. I collect pictures of different famous painters. I like to draw! On Saturday I meet my friends and we go to the disco.

- What do you like doing on Sunday?

- On Sunday I like to rest. I like reading a book or a novel. I also like to go to the theatre or cinema. Sunday is a perfect day for going to the cinema.