Hobbies

Task 1. Read the passage below and find words or phrases that mean:

A: What kinds of activities do you recommend for people without much money?

B: An inexpensive hobby is jogging. All you really need is a good pair of running shoes. It will keep you fit too - lots of fresh air and exercise is so good for you.

A: How about people who are not so energetic?

B: You can always watch rather than play - spectator sports like football and tennis are popular. It's better to go to the matches than see them on TV. But if you really want something exciting then try an outdoor activity like rock climbing, parachuting or hang gliding. But be careful because these are all fairly dangerous - you must learn how to do them without hurting yourself.

A: Is there a good way of getting to know people through a hobby?

B: Yes. My favourite pastime is playing squash and I belong to a club. After the game I have time to be sociable with the other members.

A: Let's finish with something more relaxing.

B: Well after a hard day's work some people like painting, reading or listening to music and I suppose there's always the television.

Task 2.Which of these hobbies or pastimes are mentioned in the previous task? Write them under the pictures below. There is one extra picture. Can you find it and describe the activity?

Task 3. Discuss the following questions as a class.

What is your favourite spare time activity? Do you have a hobby? If yes, what is it? How long have you been involved in it? What activity would you like to take up if you had enough time, money, etc. Do you know any people who have extraordinary hobbies? Do you enjoy sports? What do you do to keep fit? Do you usually spend your free time in an active way or are you more of a couch potato?