Hobbies

Hobbies differ like tastes. If you have chosen a hobby according to your character and taste you are lucky because your life becomes more interesting.

Hobbies are divided into four large classes: doing things, making things, collecting things and learning things.

The most popular of all hobby groups is doing things. It includes a wide variety of activities, everything from gardening to travelling and from chess to volleyball.

Gardening is one of the oldest of man’s hobbies. It is a well-known fact that the English are very fond of gardening and growing flowers, especially roses.

Both grown-ups and children are fond of playing different computer games. This is a relatively new hobby but it will be more and more popular.

Making things includes drawing, painting, making sculpture, designing costumes, handicrafts. Some hobbyists paint, some – write music or play musical instruments.

Almost everyone collects something at some period in his life: stamps, coins, matchboxes, books, records, postcards, toys, watches. Some collections have no real value. Others become so large and so valuable that they are held in museums and galleries. Many world-famous collections started in a small way with one or two items. People with a good deal of money often collect paintings, rare books and other art objects. Often such private collections are given to museums, libraries, and public galleries so that others might take pleasure in seeing them.

No matter what kind of hobby a person has, he always has the opportunity of learning from it. By reading about the things he is interested in, he is adding to what he knows. Learning things can be the most exciting aspect of a hobby. So, it is important to have a hobby: just try one and you will like it.

Vocabulary

Task 4. Find the English equivalents for the following phrases in the text.

1.широкое разнообразие,

2.возможность учиться,

3.всемирно знаменитые коллекции,

4.редкие книги,

5.сравнительно новый

6.предметы искусства,

7.играть на музыкальных инструментах.

Task 5. Find the synonyms for the following words in the text:

1. an adult,

2. to like something,

3. a diversity,

4. an enjoyment,

5. an occupation,

6. a worth,

7. a chance.

Word Formation

Task 6. Find and translate the words with suffixes and prefixes given in the text. Fill in the table. The first line is done for you.

Which prefixes and suffixes are common for nouns? For verbs? For adjectives? For adverbs?

Grammar