What do you usually do in your leisure time?
Unfortunately, as I have not had much free time this year, I have done my best to spend it wisely. It is known, that people can do all kinds of things in their spare time. They go shopping, play football, collect records or stamps. Of course, some of the time activities, like visiting relatives or taking driving lessons, may not be fun. In big cities people spend their free time by going to the theatre, cinema, museums, art galleries, concert hall, fitness or disco clubs. When I have some free time I can choose any of them. But when the weather is fine, I like to go for a walk along the boulevards and streets of the city with my friends, enjoying its architecture.
A re you fond of collecting anything?
No, I am not. I have not enough time to collect anything. My friend collects coins. His collection is rather rich. Coins of different countries are gathered there. Moreover, he has a lot of books devoted to numismatics and albums picturing the coin collections of different museums.
What do you think about it?
Everyone has the right to collect various, even the most unusual things, if it gives sense to his or her life. People collect paintings, stamps, match boxes, bottles, cans, buttons, books, etc. I know that girls are fond of collecting dolls. Some of them do not give it up even when they are of age. In their spare time people can read books, listen to their favourite music, invite their friends to a cafe or a park, or watch TV. Watching TV is also a popular leisure activity. Sometimes it is pleasant to be entertained without leaving the apartment. But excessive TV watching deprives a person of his initiative. Very often TV addicts are governed by television.
Do you have the same problems?
No, I don"t. We turn on our television to watch only selected programmes. In my leisure time I read books, go to the theatre or cinema.
Do you like to go to the theatre?
Do you often go to the theatre?
No, I do not. I do not often go to the theatre. If I have a chance, I prefer to go to the Bolshoi Theatre, Mali Theatre or Art Theatre. I like conventional rendering of the classical ballets, op eras and plays. The tradition of Russian realist theatre was exemplified in the work of Konstantin Stanislavsky of the Moscow Art Theatre. The leading theatre companies of ballet are the Bolshoi in Moscow and Mariinsky in St. Petersburg. Russian ballet had a formative role in Western dance through a number of figures, such as Sergey Diaghilev and Vaslav Nijinsky.
Do you like ballet?
Yes, I do. Once saw a ballet "Giselle". The performance with its beautiful music, designs and cast was perfect. My concentration and enjoyment were intense. I also saw some new ballets with music from "outerspace", with dancers resembling mysteriously lit sculptural images, and severely geometrical de signs, and I can not say that I delighted in them. I prefer classical performances.
What do you expect when you go to the theatre?
When I go to the theatre I expect more than just fun of it. I want to see some actors I"ve heard of or a new version of the classical play. Recently I"ve seen the theatrical adaptation of Oscar Wilde"s "Picture of Dorian Gray". It is excellent. If you want a thought provoking evening at the theatre, that"s the one you want to see. But most of all like to go to the cinema.
Is it your hobby?
Yes. It is one of my hobbies.
What kind of films do you like to see?
I delight in seeing all kinds of films: comedies, love-stories, thrillers, westerns, war films, and cartoons. I like films if they are exciting. I do not like horror films because of their frightening moments even if they are superbly made and the acting is marvellous.
What are your favourite films?
One time I liked films directed by James Cameron. When I was younger I saw his heavy-metal Sci-Fi "Terminator" and "Terminator 2" several times. The special effects were wonderful and important to the success of the films. I took pleasure in ferociously exciting "Aliens". I liked his "Titanic" too. "Titanic" was no mere disaster movie. It was an epic love story. Cameron"s "Romeo and Juliet" on a sinking ship became an international sensation.
What other films have impressed you?
I was really impressed by two movies - "Gladiator" and "Pearl Harbour". "Gladiator" is a very amazing movie. Well photographed and directed it is really the best movie of the past decade. It is really magnificent. The fight scenes were great, and the characters were well developed. The screenplay is excellent. It is a sweeping story of courage and revenge. Russell Crowe is fabulous as Maximus. His portrayal of the major character is superb. His leadership, confidence, skill and heart are persuasive. In the first minutes, I completely realized the utter devotion that Maximus secured from his men, and his Caesar. I am actually keen to see it again, just to catch those things I missed while trying to keep up with it all. I would love to see all those sweeping views of Rome and the wonderful statues through the city. As for "Pearl Harbour", unfortunately it tried to be a war movie and a love story at the same time, and whilst "Titanic" knew when to stop with the love story and focus on the tragedy, "Pearl Harbour" was not capable of achieving the same distinction. It does not mean that I did not enjoy "Pearl Harbour". I want to say that the movie had the potential to be so much more than it actually was.
Do you like to read books?
Yes, I do. I am fond of reading books.
What books do you like to read?
I am fond of science fiction.
When did this form of fiction develop?
This form of fiction developed in the 20th century. It deals with the impact of actual or imagined science upon society or individuals. This term is used to refer to any literary fantasy that includes a scientific factor as an essential orienting component.
What does such literature consist of?
It consists of an extrapolation of scientific facts and principles, or it incorporates absolutely contradictory facts and principles. In either case, likelihood based on science is a requisite.
Who were the precursors of the genre?
In the 18th century they were Voltaire with his "Micromegas", Jonathan Swift with "Gulliver"s Travels". In the 19th century the precursors of the genre were Mary Shelley with her Gothic novel "Frankenstein", Robert Louis Stevenson"s with his "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde".
When did science fiction begin?
Science fiction began at the end of the 19th century with the scientific romances of Jules Verne, whose science was rather on the level of invention, as well as with the science-oriented novels of social criticism of H.G. Wells. They pioneered what may be properly termed science fiction.
When did science fiction emerge as a mode of serious fiction?
With the publication of stories and novels of such writers as Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert A. Heinlein, science fiction emerged as a mode of serious fiction. Such writers as Aldous Huxley, C.S. Lewis, and Kurt Vonnegut, who were not de voted exclusively to science fiction, also added much to it.
Whose works became paperback best-sellers during the postwar period?
The works of such science-fiction writers of notable merit in the postwar period as A.E. Van Vogt, J.G. Ballard, Ray Bradbury, Frank Herbert, Harlan Ellison, Poul Anderson, Samuel R. Delany, Ursula K. LeGuin, Frederik Pohl, Octavia E. Butler, and Brian Aldiss became paperback best-sellers. These writers" approaches included predictions of future societies on the Earth, analyses of the consequences of interstellar travel, and imaginative explorations of forms of intelligent life and their societies in other worlds. Radio, television, and motion pictures have reinforced the popularity of the genre.
What were the aims of the science fiction writers?
Since the days of Wells"s "Time Machine" and "Invisible Man", the aims of science fiction were didactic. The works of contemporary writers opposed the utopianism that Wells built on the potentialities of socialism and technology. Aldous Huxley"s "Brave New World" showed how dangerous utopianism could be, since the desire for social stability might overlook techniques that would destroy the fundamental human right to make free choices. Toward the end of his life Huxley produced a cautious Utopian vision in "Island", but the dystopian horrors of his earlier novel and of his "Ape and Essence" remain more convincing. Orwell"s "Nineteen Eighty-four" showed a world in which a tyrannic unity is imposed by a collective solipsism, and contradictions are liquidated through the constant revision of history that the controlling party decrees. Anthony Burgess" "Clockwork Orange" and "Wanting Seed" portray ghastly futures that extrapolate, respectively, philosophies of crime control and population control out of present-day tendencies that are only potentially dangerous.
Are there any science-fiction books without prophetic or warning intent?
The fantasist who fantasizes without prophetic or warning intent is rarer, but works such as Nabokov"s "Ada", Tolkien"s "Lord of the Rings" cycle, and "Christine Brooke-Rose"s Out" rep resent legitimate and heartening stretching of the imagination, assurances that the novelist has the right to create secondary worlds, as well as characters, of his own.
Who created secondary worlds?
Only three masters became architects of a complete secondary world. The vast Middle Earth trilogy "The Lord of the Rings", by J.R.R. Tolkien, was not written for children. It reworks many of the motives of traditional romance and fantasy. It is essentially a structure of sheer invention. Tolkien"s fellow scholar, C.S. Lewis, created his own otherworld of Narnia. It is more clearly Christian- allegorical, more carefully adapted to the tastes of children. The seven volumes of the cycle are exciting. And the final scenes of "The Last Battle" are deeply moving. The third of these classic secondary worlds is in a sense not a creation of fantasy. The four volumes about the "Borrowers", with their brief pendant, "Poor Stainless", ask the reader to accept only a single impossibility, that in a quiet country house, under the grandfather clock, live the tiny Clock family: Pod, Homily, and their daughter Arrietty. All that follows from this premise is logical, precisely pictured, and carries absolute conviction. Many critics believe that this miniature world so lovingly, so patiently fashioned by Mary Norton will last as long as those located at the bottom of the rabbit hole and through the looking glass.
Is it difficult for a person to have a hobby?
No, I don"t think so. I can say that there are a lot of ways of spending one"s free time. I always have a lot to do in my leisure time. It is great to have some free time and do what is really pleasant.
Список литературы
Для подготовки данной работы были использованы материалы с сайта http://nota.triwe.net/
- What do you usually do in your leisure time? - Unfortunately, as I have not had much free time this year, I have done my best to spend it wisely. It is known, that people can do all kinds of things in their spare time. They go shopping, play f(9/11)
What do old and young do in their leisure time ? What do young people in different countries prefer to do ?
Leisure is time spent in non-compulsory activities. Because leisure time is free from compulsory activities such as work, study, household duties, eating and sleeping, it is often referred to as "free time". The ideas of leisure and leisure time are thought to have emerged in the late 19th century with the rise of mechanized industry, when the increase in productivity of labour resulted in the fact that workers had some time to spend on themselves.
They started doing sports and visiting theatres. Since then the idea of leisure time and relaxation has been popular with all the age groups and social classes. Old and young, rich and poor have been using their free time for rest and entertainment. The ways people spend their leisure time normally differ according to the age group: middle-aged and old people normally prefer more passive kind of rest like watching TV or going to the theatre, or sometimes gardening, younger people enjoy more active pastimes like doing extreme sports, visiting night clubs and discos or travelling. However, the idea of active leisure like doing sports or travelling is gaining popularity with the older people, too.
So the basic leisure time activities of the young are travelling, doing sports including extreme sports, visiting discos and night clubs or more passive ways of recreation like listening to music or watching TV and videos, and surfing the Internet. Teenagers normally prefer to do extreme sports, that is sports featuring speed, height and danger as they lead to the so-called "adrenaline rush9 in participants. They wish to push themselves to the limits of their physical ability and fear, and push the boundaries of a particular sport, such as bungee jumping, climbing, white-water rafting, surfing, windsurfing and many others. Their tastes in music are normally different kinds of popular music associated with youth subcultures, such as hard rock, hip-hop or rap, punk rock, psychedelic rock and the like. In watching TV and videos or going to the cinema, they prefer film genres which are full of action, movement, colour, cinema effects and have a good soundtrack. They normally like action films, comedies, musicals, thrillers and cartoons.
Sometimes the ways young people spend their free time varies according to the country, as they sometimes depend on national traditions. For example, in the USA young people normally like different types of popular culture which originated in their country like blues, different kinds of rock, country music and hip hop in music and pop art in fine arts. The sports they are doing are more often than not those which originated in America like baseball, auto-racing, basketball, and board-based recreational sports - surfboarding, skateboarding and snowboarding. American youngsters are fond of eating out and eat a lot of junk food like hambuigers and cheeseburgers and drink Coca-cola or Pepsi. British youngsters are really fond of watching football matches and sorts of races such as horse-racing, boat-racing and even dog-racing, as well as playing football, rugby and golf and taking part in races. They are really fond of pets and often spend some time in the evening taking their dog for a walk. In going out for the evening, they still prefer pubs to restaurants, bars and cafes. In music, their tastes are nearly the same as those of their American peers. In Germany young people prefer drinking beer when meeting their friends and spending much time doing various sports. In Spain many youngsters, as well as older people, are fond of watching bullfighting. In France they like listening to French chanson.
(9+)
What do you like doing in your free time?
As for me, I prefer to spend my free time doing three things: doing swimming, pursuing my hobby which is collecting rare books, or listening to music in which I prefer jazz and classical music. Doing sports (I have been doing swimming since I was 7) helps me keep fit and be always in high spirits, as well as build up stamina and get tempered. The first reason why I collect books is that I am really keen on reading: Books open to me a whole world of events and people. The second one is that collecting rare books is getting to know history better. Reading a book is getting information about the period it describes, feeling its atmosphere and getting to know historical figures of the period.
I enjoy listening to music, as music helps me relax and relieve stress. When I listen to music, classical, jazz, rap or any other type of music I enjoy, I forget about the troubles of everyday life; music provides an escape from everyday problems. Stress melts away as I am taken in by the beauty of the music. It can help me feel calm and deeply relaxed. Secondly, music affects my emotions. Each type of music sets distinct mood and changes mine. Whether I am feeling sad, frustrated or confused, I listen to merry or tender music, and my mood shifts. I can"t say I prefer to listen to some definite kind of music all the time. The choice of music I listen to depends on my state of mind and mood. I can tell you what kind of music I prefer to listen to when I feel depressed, and it is jazz. The first reason why I do it is that jazz music usually has a powerful rhythm, so it is a kind of music that fills you with energy and strength. Secondly, it provides a brilliant combination of instrumental tunes and voice, which creates unforgettable harmony. Jazz immediately carries me away from my troubles, fills me with hope and joy, even though its tunes are often sad. I enjoy listening to classical music, too, Firstly, I like it for the complexity of the musical harmony it offers. Modern popular music, such as pop or rock is much more primitive in melody. Secondly, the emotions classical music evokes are much stronger and deeper; they carry me away to the time when the piece of music I am listening to was composed.
(11+)
A thing we do in our free time for recreation and pleasure is called a hobby. Hobbies are practiced for interest and enjoyment, rather than for money. What are hobbies for some people are professions for others: a game tester may enjoy cooking as a hobby, while a professional chef might enjoy playing computer games. Generally speaking, the person who does something for fun, not remuneration, is called an amateur (or hobbyist), as distinct from a professional. Engaging in a hobby can lead to acquiring substantial skill, knowledge, and experience. A lot of celestial bodies and events have been discovered by amateur astronomers. However, the aim of a hobby is pleasure and personal fulfillment.
While some hobbies strike many people as trivial or boring, hobbyists find something entertaining about them. In fact, anything can be a hobby, from collecting stamps and board games to doing extreme sports and making model airplanes.
Translate the
following sentences into English.
1. Время, когда человек свободен от обязательной
деятельности, такой как работа, домашние обязанности,
образование, еда, и сон, называется свободным временем.
2. Понятие свободного времени появилось в XIX веке с развитием
механизации в промышленности, когда рабочие смогли посвящать
больше времени отдыху.
3. Идея отдыха популярна среди всех возрастных групп и классов
общества.
4. Люди среднего возраста и пожилые люди обычно предпочитают
более пассивные виды отдыха, более молодые люди получают
удовольствие от более активных занятий, таких как занятия
экстремальными видами спорта, путешествия, посещения диско и
ночных клубов и некоторых более пассивных занятий, таких как
просмотр видео или интернет.
5. Экстремальные виды спорта - это виды спорта, которые отличает
скорость, высота и опасность, вызывающие так называемый «выброс
адреналина» у участников, которые заставляют себя достичь
пределов своих физических возможностей и страха.
6. Их вкусы в музыке - различные виды музыки, которые
ассоциируются с молодежными субкультурами, такие как тяжелый
рок, рэп, панк-рок, психоделический рок и тому подобное.
7. Они предпочитают жанры фильмов, которые полны действия и
киноэффектов и у которых хорошее звуковое сопровождение, такие
как фильмы-боевики, комедии, мюзиклы, триллеры и мультфильмы.
8. Молодежь США предпочитает блюз, рок, музыку кантри и хип-хоп,
бейсбол, автогонки, баскетбол и виды спорта, основанные на
применении доски, а также высококалорийную пищу с низкой
питательной ценностью.
9. Британские молодые люди любят домашних животных, пабы и
традиционные британские виды спорта; испанские молодые люди
любят смотреть бой быков.
(9+)
10. Я предпочитаю проводить свое свободное время, занимаясь
своим хобби (собирание редких книг), слушая джаз или занимаясь
плаванием, что помогает мне быть в хорошей форме и всегда в
хорошем настроении, воспитывать выносливость и закаляться.
11. Музыка помогает мне расслабиться и снять стресс, который
тает, когда меня захватывает музыка, она дает возможность уйти
от повседневных проблем и создает определенное настроение.
12. У джаза мощный ритм, который наполняет энергией и силой, он
представляет собой блестящее сочетание инструментальных мелодий
и голоса, что создает незабываемую гармонию.
13. Я люблю классическую музыку за сложность музыкальной
гармонии, которую она предлагает, и за те чувства, которые она
вызывает.
(11+)
14. Хобби занимаются скорее ради интереса, удовольствия и
личного удовлетворения, чем из-за вознаграждения, хотя занятия
хобби может привести к получению значительных навыков, знаний и
опыта.
1. A time when a
person is free from compulsory activities such as work,
household duties, education, eating and sleeping is called free
time or leisure time.
2. The notion of leisure time emerged in the 19th century with
the rise of mechanised industry when workers could give more
time to recreation and leisure.
3. The idea of relaxation is popular with all the age groups and
social classes.
4. Middle-aged and old people normally prefer more passive kinds
of rest, younger people enjoy more active pastimes like doing
extreme sports, travelling, visiting discos and night clubs, and
some more passive leisure time activities like watching videos
or surfing the Internet.
5. Extreme sports are sports featuring speed, height and danger
and leading to the so-called "adrenaline rush" in participants
who push themselves to the limits of their physical ability and
fear.
6. Their tastes in music are different kinds of music associated
with youth subcultures, such as hard rock, rap, punk rock,
psychedelic rock and the like.
7. They prefer film genres which are full of action and cinema
effects and have a good soundtrack, like action films, comedies,
musicals, thrillers and cartoons.
8. The US youngsters prefer blues, rock, country music and hip
hop, baseball, auto-racing, basketball and board-based sports,
as well as junk food.
9. British youngsters are fond of pets, pubs and traditional
British sports; Spanish young people like watching bullfighting.
(9+)
10. I prefer to spend my free time pursuing my hobby- collecting
rare books, listening to jazz and classical music or doing
swimming which helps me keep fit, be always in high spirits,
build up my stamina and get tempered.
11. Music helps me relax and relieve stress which melts away as
I am taken in by the beauty of the music, it provides an escape
from everyday problems and sets distinct mood.
12. Jazz has a powerful rhythm, which fills you with energy and
strength, provides a brilliant combination of instrumental tunes
and voice, which creates unforgettable harmony
13. I like classical music for the complexity of the musical
harmony it offers and the emotions it evokes.
(11+)
14. Hobbies are practised for interest and enjoyment and
personal fulfilment, rather than for remuneration, though
engaging in a hobby can lead to acquiring substantial skill,
knowledge, and experience.
Из пособия "ЕГЭ. Английский язык. Устные темы" Занина Е.Л. (2010, 272с.) - Part one. English examination topics. Forms 9/11.
Leisure Time Activities
Some people
say that it is very important for everybody to have a hobby.
Others do nothing but watch TV or listen to music in their free
time.
Our lives would be hard without rest and recreation. People have
quite different ideas of how to spend their free time. For some
of them the only way to relax is watching TV or drinking beer.
But other people use their spare time getting maximum benefit
from it.
I strongly feel that hobbies make our lives much more
interesting. There are different kinds of hobbies such as
reading, cooking, knitting, collecting, playing a musical
instrument, painting, photography, dancing, travelling, sports
and many others. So you can always find an exciting activity
which you will certainly like. Personally, I am fond of camping.
To my mind, it is a great opportunity to get away from town
life. What is more, camping is a cheap way to rest, to improve
your health, to train yourself physically and to enjoy nature.
Nevertheless, quite a lot of people have no hobby. Most of them
say that they are too busy or too tired to do anything in their
free time. But I am sure that such people are lazy and passive
and their lives are dull and uneventful.
In general, having a hobby is very important for everybody
because it is a kind of self-expression and the way to
understand other people and the whole world. A hobby makes you
stronger physically and mentally, helps you escape from reality,
improve your knowledge, broaden your mind, develop your skills
and gain a better understanding of how the world works.
Many teenagers
enjoy playing computer games. Some people, however, believe that
teenagers should spend their free time doing more physical
activities.
Computer games are extremely popular nowadays. A lot of
teenagers play computer games in order to escape dull reality
and to fight with horrible monsters or to save the world from
hostile aliens.
Personally, I am fond of playing computer games. They give me an
opportunity to plunge into exciting adventures: to overcome
obstacles, to fly an aircraft or to pilot a spacecraft, to solve
different puzzles, to look after a virtual pet, to build cities,
to play sport games and even to control the lives of people.
Computer games are constantly becoming more life-like and
complex. New styles and genres appear. That"s why I can"t resist
the temptation to buy new computer games every month.
But according to experts, computer games can be rather dangerous
and they can harm teenagers" health. They say that computer
games make young people unsociable and passive. They are
absorbed in games without speaking to each other for a long
time. A lot of teenagers can play for hours without eating,
sleeping or learning. They sit in front of the computer screen
exercising their fingers instead of doing physical activities.
That"s why the levels of obesity among teenagers are rising.
Besides, computer games cause addiction.
To conclude, computer games have both advantages and
disadvantages. Violent computer games make teenagers aggressive.
But educational games help teenagers develop many skills.
Anyway, it is necessary not to forget about sports as it helps
teenagers to be healthy and to stay in good shape.
Some people
prefer eating out. However, many people still like cooking meals
at home.
Different people have different tastes. Some of them prefer
eating out, while others enjoy tasty food at home. In the past
people went to cafes and restaurants only on special occasions.
But they are eating out more frequently now.
Personally, I enjoy eating out. Firstly, the choice of
restaurants is great nowadays. You can try different foreign
cuisines and you can always find something to your taste. There
are Italian, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Mexican, Turkish and
many other restaurants in every city. Besides, you can go to
bars, cafes or pubs. Secondly, many people work too much and
have no time to cook meals at home. Thirdly, they go to bars,
cafes or restaurants to meet with their friends or to celebrate
a holiday. Finally, at a restaurant you will be able to relax
and enjoy tasty food, good service and the atmosphere of
festivity.
However, a lot of people prefer eating at home. Some of them say
that it is too expensive to go to a restaurant. Others just
enjoy cooking meals. What is more, some people are sure that
home meals are tastier and more nutritious than food which is
served at a restaurant or a cafe.
To sum up, eating at home is cheaper and more traditional. But
if you want to relax and to feel a holiday atmosphere, you will
certainly eat out.
Ecotourism is
one of the fastest-growing sectors of the tourism industry
today. Some people think that it teaches tourists to take care
of nature and wildlife. Others say that ecotourism has a number
of disadvantages.
Environmental pollution has disastrous effects on nature and
wildlife. That is why nowadays many people try to damage the
environment as little as possible. Ecotourism means travelling
to natural destinations with rare flora and fauna. Its main goal
is to conserve the environment and to improve the well-being of
local people.
In my opinion, ecotourism gives us an opportunity to broaden our
mind, to discover new ways of life, to meet interesting people
and to improve our knowledge of history and geography It
provides funds for conservation and jobs to local people because
tourists use local transportation, inns and markets. Besides,
ecotourism helps people understand the environment around them,
makes them respect different cultures and be careful with
nature.
However, ecotourism has some negative aspects. The increasing
number of tourists can damage the local environment. Some
tourists pollute drinking water, pick up rare flowers and
disturb wild animals. They often purchase souvenirs made from
the skin of endangered animals or leaves of rare plants and
scare away animals.
In conclusion, I think that ecotourism is for
environment-conscious people who love nature, understand the
negative influence of conventional tourism on the environment
and want to minimize it. I strongly feel that it is an
unforgettable experience which is rewarding at the same time.
Some people
are ready to risk their lives in order to establish a record,
while others say that it is rather silly.
Every year hundreds of people do rather dangerous and silly
things in order to set up a record and to become famous. They
swallow bugs, climb skyscrapers, cross the ocean on a
windsurfing board and what not. Are these people heroes or
fools?
To my mind, all these activities are just a waste of time,
efforts and money. If people want to escape everyday monotony
and to get their portion of adrenaline, I think they would
better do something useful. What is more, record breakers are
often inexperienced and sometimes they get into trouble when
they climb Everest, sail across the Atlantic or do something of
this kind. Thus, adventurers risk both their lives and the lives
of the people who try to save them. Helicopter and ship crews
are often wounded or killed when they try to reach people who
lost their way in the forest, were stuck in the mountain or
crashed into the sea. Such rescue missions are not only
difficult and time-consuming. They also cost much money.
But in spite of numerous warnings, people continue doing silly
and dangerous things. Most of them think that they are extremely
brave, strong and hardy. They want other people to admire them
and to follow their example. But I"d rather call these
adventures foolhardy. To my mind, if they want to get the
adrenalin going, they should try such professions as rescuers,
pilots or firemen.
To sum up, the adventurer should think twice before he makes up
his mind to risk his life and health. It is always useful to
think about all possible consequences of your actions.
Leisure and Activities
Schools provide American students with much more than academic education. Students learn about the world through various school-related activities. More than 80 percent of all students participate in student activities, such as sports, student newspapers, drama clubs, debate teams, choral groups and bands.
What are the favorite sports of American young people? According to the survey "The Mood of American Youth," they prefer football, basketball, baseball, wrestling, tennis, soccer, boxing, hockey, track and golf.
During their leisure time, students spend much time watching television. They also listen to music on the radio and tape players. The average American teenager listens to music on the radio about three hours every day. Without a doubt, rock-and-roll music is the favorite of teenagers in the United States.
America"s young people are mostly hardworking. Many have after-school jobs. One poll indicated that nine out of 10 teenagers polled said they either had a job or would like one.
Child labor laws set restrictions on the types of work that youths under 16 years old can do. Many youths work part-time on weekends or after school at fast-food restaurants, babysit for neighbors, hold delivery jobs or work in stores.
Many youths are involved in community service organizations. Some are active in church and religious-group activities. Others belong to youth groups such as Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts. About three million girls aged six to 17 years old belong to Girl Scouts, for example. They learn about citizenship, crafts, arts, camping and other outdoor activities.
Thousands of young people volunteer to help take care of the elderly, the handicapped and hospital patients. Many help clean up the natural environment,
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Leisure time
It is not easy to say exactly what teenagers in different countries do in their leisure time. I think that, in the main our interests and tastes do not differ very much. They are engaged in sports activities. They listen to their favourite music bands or take part in different concerts. Teenagers discover the world and themselves. In the main, all young people are individualists. Youth is the time when young people work out their outlook. At the same time they need collective experience to share their dreams and interests. Teenagers unite in specific organisations.
The first organisation that brought together thousands of teenagers in different countries was that of the Scouts. The aim of this association was originally to train boys in various different skills such as lighting a fire and to develop their character. Now the Scouts are active all around the world. The motto of the Scouts is "Be Prepared." After the October Revolution a similar Pioneer organisation was created in Russia. The Pioneers were supported and sponsored by the government. Now the Pioneers do not exist in our country.
The Scouts and Pioneers were the first, but not the only organisations of the young people. For example today the volunteer movement is extremely popular among the teenagers. It dates back to the year 1921, when a French soldier decided to restore a German house after World War I free of charge. The movement flourished only in the late 1990s when young people of Europe and the United States went to different parts of the world helping local communities to solve their problems. Today volunteerism is very popular in American community and political life. Volunteerism implies assisting people through privately initiated agencies. Volunteers do not receive any salary for what they are doing, but at the same time their work is highly motivated. They react very quickly, immediately coming to help to whoever may need it. There are several types of volunteer work: workcamps, mid-term and long-term volunteering projects. Any young man from any continent can come to workcamps. These camps attain certain objectives in social, ecological, archaeological fields. Usually all works are done under the supervision of professionals. The mid-and long-term projects usually concern the social sphere. They include assistance to children, old people, crippled or immigrants. Volunteer fund-raising groups unite to help the needy in all spheres. They can do almost any work that is necessary. Volunteers can be found in any part of the globe. In the United States six out of ten pupils are members of some volunteer organisations.
All three organisations that were mentioned above are more or less formal. At the same time there are many informal associations of teenagers. Very often they are not even registered, and if they are, no one cares about what they are doing. No records are kept of their activities. They emerge, evolve and disintegrate without leaving trace in history. Nevertheless such organisations are extremely important for their participants. They serve as a means for teenagers to express themselves, meet new friends that have common interests, discuss problems that are really important to them. Quite often a famous book, a movie or a musical band can serve as an impulse for creating such organisations. Fan clubs of different rock and pop groups are numerous. Fan clubs usually consist of teenagers. Members of such clubs listen collectively to their favourite songs, attend concerts, write letters to their idols.
The most spectacular example of unofficial organisation is presented by the Tolkienist movement. J.R.R. Tolkien, the famous British writer created a magic world of elves, dwarves, and hob-bits. Any person who likes Tolkien"s novels can become a Tolkienist. This community is open to everyone; young people come and go, they choose a race, becoming, for example, an elf or a goblin. Their imagination will carry them as far as they want. In Russia Tolkien is extremely popular now. In Moscow there are several places where his fans assemble to share their views and ideas.
Other teenagers go much further. They are not satisfied with the world they are living in, and the worlds created by others do not attract them either. They create their own worlds and universes. In this context Role-Playing Games (also called RPG) should be mentioned. The first RPG was Dungeons and Dragons (D"n"D), a Dungeon Muster (DM) is responsible for outlining the rules of the newly created world, while other players act as the inhabitants of this world, Participating in such activity can be really thrilling, but the danger of quitting the real world for an imaginary one is always present. Such groups and organisations are escapists in their essence. Unlike volunteers they are not aimed at making our world better.
Why do the young organise their clubs?
The young do not want to accept the world of the adults with their organisations for the teenagers. They rebel against it in different ways, sometimes in the form of creating their unofficial organisations and clubs. They organise according to their interests into different sub-cultural groups.
Do you belong to any group or organisation?
No, I do not. My elder brother used to be a Pioneer, but now such official or semi-official organisations do not attract me. For a couple of years I attended the meetings of the Tolkienists, acting as a little dwarf. Although I am still a great fan of Tolkien"s books, I do not think any longer that I should waste my time living an imaginary life in the imaginary world. The world we all are living in is full of wonders. There is always somebody who needs our help. A lot of my friends are supporters of Greenpeace, and I will soon join their actions. Greenpeace is doing a very important job of rescuing the nature. People of different ages help Greenpeace, and I believe that young people should participate in the activities of this organisation more actively.
What do your friends do in their leisure time?
As I have already said, some of my friends help Greenpeace. I still have many friends among the Tolkienists. Some of my friends are fond of RPGs. They meet every Saturday in groups of 5 or 6, They draw a map and for hours discuss the fates of their heroes. One game can last several months or sometimes a year. Although my best friend who is a Dungeon Master often invites me to join his RPG, I am sure that the real life is much more interesting than any imaginary adventures.
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