• 2) Draw the layout of the furniture in the living-room. Do you like it? What would you change in it?

• 3) What typical furniture can be found in a kitchen?

• 4) Would you like to have a study like the one described in the text? What is your idea on an ideal place of living?

• 5) Talk about the place you live in, and your neighbour will draw schematically the layout of the furniture in your room.

2.4 HAVE YOU GOT A HOBBY?

• 1) Read the text and answer the questions:

a) How are hobbies classified?

b)What examples of hobbies are given for each category?

c)How old can the author of the text be?

A hobby is what a person likes to do in his/her spare time. Hobbies are divided into four large classes: doing things, making things, collecting things, and learning things.

The most popular hobby is doing things. It includes a wide variety of activities, everything from gardening to traveling and from chess to volleyball. Gardening is one of the oldest man’s hobbies. It is a well-known fact that the English are very fond of gardening and growing flowers, especially roses. Many people play musical instruments. Both grown-ups and children are fond of playing computer games. This is a relatively new hobby but it is becoming more and more popular.

Making things includes drawing, painting, making sculpture, designing costumes, handicrafts, writing music, and others.

Almost everyone collects something at some period of life: stamps, coins, matchboxes, books, records, postcards, toys, watches, and other things. Some collections don’t have real value. Others become so large and so valuable that they are presented in museums and art galleries. Rich people often collect paintings, rare books, and other art objects.

No matter what kind of hobby a person has, he/she always has the opportunity of learning from it. Learning things can be the most exciting aspect of a hobby.

As far as I am concerned, I like to listen to music. I try to find everything about my favorite singers. I also like to watch music programs on TV. I want to keep up with the news in the world of music. Of course, I like to spend my spare time with my friends. We talk about all sorts of things (politics, cars, girls). We discuss films, books, TV programs. When the weather is fine, we like to be in the open air. We go cycling or roller-skating in summer, and skiing or skating in winter. We have a lot of fun together.

• 2) Add more hobbies to these four categories.

2.5 Nea’s hobbies and interests

• 1) Answer the questions:

a) Are you often busy?

b) What do you usually do in your spare time?

• 2) Read the text and say if your hobbies are similar to Nea’s.

Nea has a lot of hobbies and interests. She usually gets up early so she can jog before work. She doesn’t often have time to ski, but she occasionally goes skiing on Saturdays during the winter. Nea regularly rides a horse. She sometimes goes to the stable near her home after work, but she usually goes horseback riding on Sundays. She loves music. She always goes to choir practice on Wednesday evenings and sings in church on Sundays. She doesn’t have much extra money, so she rarely goes to concerts in the city. She seldom watches TV because she likes doing things outside. She usually goes to the gym if it’s raining. She isn’t often alone because she has a lot of friends. She’s a happy and sociable woman!