Topic: Describe an interesting or unusual thing you do in your spare time.
You should say:
– What is that thing
– Why do you like it
– How often do you usually do that
I have an unlimited list of things that I would like to do in my free time. However, I would like to share about the most outstanding ones, which is to read ancient Greece stories. I guess this hobby has been nurtured ever since I was a child by my mother enormous collection of Greece legends. The very first one that actually triggered my passion for ancient Greece stories is the one about the first peacock. There was an abnormal man living in ancient Greece named Argos. He was born with 100 eyes and this brought him so many benefits. The most remarkable one is that they allowed him to be excellent at guarding things. Argos worked for a great goddess Hera. His primary function was to guard a special cow which was Hera’s pet. This was an easy job for Argos. However, the God Zeus was desired to take the cow from Hera. He trapped Argos to fall asleep by a miraculous music player. The beautiful song had an immediate effect. Argos couldn’t concentrate on his task Zeus took the cow. Hera was so irritable that she turned him into a peacock and put a myriad of eyes on his tail. And that was one of the most beautiful birds’ origin. Even today, when I have become an adult, I still find myself intrigued by those amazing legends.
QUESTIONS FOR PART 3
1. How do people in your country spend their leisure time, for example, after school, after work or at weekends?
People in my country choose different ways to relax depending on the groups of people and their personal preference. For instance, most energetic students or adolescents prefer outdoor activities like playing football or cycling after a long day at school. Adults, as a rule, tend to spend free time enjoying various kinds of recreation such as watching films, listening to music or hanging out with friends. In addition, they may go for picnics or have parties or family reunions at weekends.
2. Why it is important for people to have time for leisure activities?
It is essential for everybody to spend time relaxing in order to keep a balance between their daily life and work. Having time for leisure activities such as playing sports or watching favorite films allows people to release stress and feel happy. Moreover, taking part in leisure activities will help to improve people’s health, including their mental and physical health, and reduce risks of illness in the long run; as a result, after that they will be in the best health and frame of mind to work productively.
3. Compare how adults spend their leisure time with how children spend their leisure time.
There are obvious dissimilarities between the ways children and adults make use of their free time. Children prefer leisure activities which bring a lot of fun such as playing video games, sports, going outside or playing with their friends. Conversely, adults tend to do things for relaxation such as hanging out with friends or just lying down and taking a nap.
4. What kinds of things do families in your country do together in their leisure time?
People in my country always respect the family reunions and the time they spend together. There are many fun activities they can do together, such as going for picnics to rural areas, having meals together in the home or in a restaurant, or simply enjoying a drive in the car. Visiting family relations who live far away is another popular activity, because maintaining the family ties is very important.
5. Would you say that people have enough leisure time today?
Yes, I think so. Thanks to the advances in technology, such as computers and mobiles, people are able to do their work more quickly and effectively. Therefore, they can save a huge amount of time, which they can then use to relax and enjoy life. For example, employees can work and send documents to the company using e-mails without going to the workplace. Consequently, they will have more time for themselves, their family and friends.
6. How do you think science and technology have changed people’s lives in the past few years?
Recently, people’s lives have been changed significantly due to the development of science and technology. People can easily keep in touch with their friends and relatives by using smartphones and social networks such as Skype or Facebook, regardless of distance. They can also access the new world right in their home by watching TV, videos about other countries and their cultures. However, the downside of science and technology is that this may make people gradually become selfish and addicted to electronic devices.
7. Compare the way men spend their leisure time and the way women spend their leisure time.
Regarding gender, men and women have different preferences in their free time. Generally, active men tend to play sports or work out at the gym whenever they have time, to keep in shape and bulk up muscles. Women, on the other hand, may prefer going shopping, cooking for their families or seeing their friends.
8. What types of leisure activities may become more popular in the future?
Personally, I think countryside recreation such as hiking, camping or horse riding will become increasingly popular in the long run. Nowadays, most people are under a lot of pressure at work and the fast pace of city life, so in order to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and release stress, they may like to experience the peaceful atmosphere of the countryside. These things will make them feel better and work more productively when they return after their break.
VOCABULARY
Energetic [adjective]: having or needing a lot of energy
Example: Some elderly people still do energetic activities like running or playing tennis.
Recreation [noun]: a way of enjoying yourself when you are not working
Example: His favourite form of recreation is playing golf with his friends.
Balance [noun]: a situation in which different things exist in equal, correct or good amounts
Example: This newspaper maintains a good balance in its presentation of different opinions.
Take part in [expression]: to be involved in something Example: How many countries took part in the last Olympic Games?
Frame of mind [expression]: the way that somebody feels about something at a particular time
Example: Go into the exam with a positive frame of mind !
Productively [adverb]: in a way that does a lot or achieves a lot
Example: It’s important to spend your time productively.
Dissimilarity [noun] the fact of not being the same as something or somebody else
Example: He is doing research on the dissimilarities of several Asian languages.
Make use of [expression] to utilize someone or something
Example: Can you make use of these papers for other purposes instead of throwing them away?
Hang out with [phrasal verb] to spend time with somebody in an informal situation
Example: I like to hang out with my friends at a coffee shop after school.
Take a nap [expression]: to have a brief period of sleep
Example: The baby always takes a long nap for a couple of hours after lunch.
Drive [noun]: a car journey
Example: Let’s go for a drive in the mountains.
Family ties: [expression] a strong connection between members of a family
Example: Christmas is a time when people remember their family ties and visit their relations.
Keep in touch with [expression]: to maintain communication with someone
Example: After my neighbor moved, we still remained/kept in touch with each other.
Selfish [adjective] : the quality of caring only about yourself rather than about other people
Example: Don’t be selfish, leave some ice cream for your sister !
Addicted [adjective]: spending all your free time doing something because you enjoy it
Example: He is addicted to chess – he spends hours every day playing against the computer.
Work out [phrasal verb] to train the body by physical exercise
Example: I lost weight by working out at the gym.
Bulk up [phrasal verb]: to make your body bigger and heavier, especially by gaining more muscle
Example: This season he has bulked up to 230 pounds.
Hustle and bustle [expression] busy and noisy activity
Example: I can’t stand the hustle and bustle of big cities – I prefer the peace and quiet of the countryside.