Lesson 4. Lifestyle: Leisure for Pleasure

The more joy we have, the more nearly perfect we are.

B. Spinoza

Lead-in

1. Answer the following questions.

1. What ways of spending free time do you know?

2. What is a hobby?

3. What kinds of hobbies do you know?

4. Do you think hobbies make people’s lives more interesting?

5. How do young people spend their free time? What leisure activities do they prefer?

 

2. Look at the following list of leisure activities. Put them in your order of preference. Are there any others, which are not on the list, that you like?

Doing a sport

Reading a book

Watching TV

Surfing the Internet

Going to the theatre

Visiting an art gallery or a museum

Going to a concert

Going to a disco club

Going round a market

Going out for a meal

3. Give personal information.

1. How do you prefer to spend your leisure time?
2. Do you spend much time surfing the Internet?
3. What is your favourite cultural activity?
4. What appeals to you most: theatre, opera, ballet, classical music or modern music?
5. Do you like to attend concerts?
6. Which do you prefer: classical or modern music?
7. Do you like listening to jazz (rock, reggae, techno, country, pop music)?
8. Has your taste in music ever changed over the years? Why/ Why not?
9. Where do you like to listen to music?
10. Do you listen to music while you are working?
11. Do you play a musical instrument?
12. Austin O’Malley once said, “Music is another lady that talks charmingly and says nothing”. Do you agree with this statement?

4. Read the following paragraph and answer the questions below.

It’s becoming easier to meet young people who know how to use computers or consult video encyclopedias, but who don’t know how to appreciate the fascination of reading. Some people say television is to blame as it offers attractive programmes which don’t require the “effort” of reading. For others it’s the fault of schools which don’t teach children to appreciate literature and its wonders. And what do you think?

1. What’s the reason, in your opinion, that young people today read so little?
2. Why is the number of people who aren’t reading increasing?
3. Are you fond of reading?
4. What kind of reading do you prefer: do you like reading books? newspapers? magazines? If so, what kind of books, newspapers and magazines?
5. Is reading only a pleasure or something special for you?
6. Why do you think reading is important?
7. What famous British, American and Russian writers and poets do you know? Which of their books have you read?
8. Who are your favourite writers or poets?
9. Do you like poetry? Why?

 

5. Study the following quotations and discuss which ones you most, or least, agree with.

· A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read. (Mark Twain)

• Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. (Francis Bacon)
• A book read is a life lived. (Author Unknown)

Vocabulary Practice

6. Match the words and collocations of similar meaning.

1 leisure	a go to
2 prefer	b understand and enjoy
3 appreciate	c spare time
4 attend	d like better
5 effort	e make better
6 increase	f make greater
7 improve	g trying hard

7. Match the words to their opposites.

1 love	a rest
2 easy	b boring
3 work	c difficult
4 interesting	d hate
5 increase	e reduce

8. Choose the corresponding English word.

1 предпочтение	a) prefer	b) preference	c) preferable
2 деятельность	a) active	b) action	c) activity
3 требовать	a) require	b) requirement	c) required
4 улучшать	a) improver	b) improvement	c) improve
5 привлекать	a) attract	b) attractive	c) attraction
6 очарование	a) fascinate	b) fascination	c) fascinating

 

Grammar review

w Would like (to do) or like (doing)

 

would like to...	like...-ing
Means that you want to do something now or in the future. I would like to give a party. = I want to give a party.	Means that you always (usually/often) enjoy doing something. I like giving parties. = I enjoy giving parties.

 

9. Work with a partner. Choose the correct form.

1. A: Would you like to go for a swim?

Do you like swimming?

B: What a good idea! It’s so hot today!

2. A: What do you like doing at the weekend?

What would you like to do this weekend?

B: I like to put my feet up and relax. Sometimes I play football.

3. A: Do you like watching TV?

Would you like to watch TV?

B: Yes, especially films and game shows.

10. Match a question in column A with an answer in column B.

A	B
1. What do you like doing at weekends? 2. Do you like getting up early? 3. Would you like to speak more in your English class? 4. Do you like doing your homework alone or with some of your friends? 5. Would you like a cup of hot coffee?	a. I like working alone. b. Sure, my spoken English isn’t good enough. c. Meeting my friends and having fun. d. No, thanks. I prefer tea. e. No, I’m not an early bird.