We all have hobbies and interests, and how we enjoy talking about them. Let's learn how to talk about our hobbies and interests in English. Below will be given a basic vocabulary on the topic, as well as examples of stories for different age groups.
What hobbies can you have?
Here is a useful dictionary on the topic “Hobbies”.
Of all active hobbies The first thing that comes to mind, of course, is sports:
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Archery - Archery
- Bodybuilding - Bodybuilding
- Gymnastics - Gymnastics
- Ice-hockey - Ice hockey
- Football - Football
- Basketball
- Diving
- Hand-to-hand fighting - Hand-to-hand combat
- Running - Running
- Yoga
For adrenaline junkies, extreme types of hobbies are more suitable:
- Mountain bike
- Rock climbing
- Parkour / free running – Parkour
- Parachuting – Parachuting
- Hang gliding - Hang gliding
- Snowboarding - Snowboarding
- Windsurfing - Windsurfing
- Rafting – River rafting (rafting)
The following activities can also be classified as active hobbies:
- Dancing
- Ballroom dancing - Ballroom dancing
- Break dance - Break dance
- Visiting theatre, museums - Visiting the theater, museums
- Traveling - Travel
- Camping - Hiking with tents
- Paintball
- Gardening - Gardening
- Mushrooming - Mushroom picking
- Graffiti - Graffiti
- Historic reenactment - Historical reconstruction
- Horse riding
- Darts - Darts.
Quiet hobbies include activities that you can indulge in without leaving home and that do not require much physical effort from you:
- Reading - Reading
- Beading - Beading
- Writing (poems, stories) - Writing (poems, stories)
- Drawing
- Language learning - Language learning
- Self-education - Self-education
- Watching movies, cartoons - Watching movies, cartoons
- Doing puzzles - Collecting puzzles
- Table games (chess, checks, narde) - Board games (chess, checkers, backgammon)
- Doing crosswords, Sudoku - Solving crossword puzzles, Sudoku
- Cooking - Cooking
- Knitting - Knitting
- Sewing - Sewing
- Woodwork – Wood carving
- Collecting - Collecting
stamps - stamps
badges - icons
coins - coins
cards - postcards, cards
pictures - pictures
statuettes - figurines
dolls - dolls
toys - toys
toy soldiers - toy soldiers
Also, the following expressions will be useful to you when talking about your hobby:
- be fond of - get carried away
- be proud of - be proud
- be interested in - be interested in
- be good at - do well
- be keen on - get very involved
- be crazy about - to adore
Examples of the “Hobbies” topic
For high school
A hobby is something you like to do in your free time. Some people make something, grow plants or collect things. A lot of people do sports in their free time. Some people are fond of traveling or gardening.
My friend is fond of collecting dolls. She has got a very good collection and she is proud of it. She keeps her dolls in special bags and doll’s houses. This hobby is very popular with girls. Collecting dolls are funny but expensive.
I spend a lot of time on my homework but in the evenings I have enough free time to do my hobby. My hobbies are reading, playing LEGO and roller skating.
I like reading very much. I read interesting books, usually about magic.
I like to play LEGO. I have built a lot of houses from LEGO blocks and I like to do it.
I'm fond of roller skating. I can roller skate but I want to skate better. I’ve done skating for about 6 months. I’m proud that I could learn to roller skate so quickly.
I think that my hobbies are exciting!
Translation:
A hobby is something you like to do in your free time. Some people do things with their hands, grow plants or collect things. Many people play sports in their free time. Some people like to travel or garden.
My friend is interested in collecting dolls. She has a very good collection and she is proud of it. She stores her dolls in special bags and doll houses. This hobby is very popular among girls. Collecting dolls is fun, but expensive.
I spend a lot of time doing homework, but in the evenings I have enough free time to pursue my hobbies. I enjoy reading, playing LEGO and roller skating.
I like to play with LEGO. I've built a lot of houses with LEGO blocks and I love doing it.
I love roller skating. I can roller skate, but I want to skate better. I've been skating for about 6 months. I'm proud that I was able to learn to roller skate so quickly.
I think my hobbies are exciting!
My hobby is computer games
Many people have hobbies. They make our life more interesting. A hobby is what people like to do when they have free time. Everyone chooses a hobby according to his character and taste. Some people are fond of music, others like to read books. Some people like to collect stamps, coins or badges, others prefer gardening or hiking or taking photographs. Some people like to cook, others like to knitter sew. Generally speaking, a hobby is a matter of taste.
My hobby is playing computer games. Both grown-ups and children are fond of it now. It has become one of the most popular hobbies nowadays. I think that playing with a computer is very interesting. It is not only “wasting time” as some people say.
Computer games make us to think things over properly, they widen and develop our mind and imagination. I have a good collection of different games and when I have some free time I play them with great pleasure. My favorite game is…
Some of my friends have the same hobby and we like to play together.
Translation:
Many people have hobbies. They make our life more interesting. A hobby is something that people like to do when they have free time. Everyone chooses a hobby according to his character and taste. Some people love music, others love to read books. Some people like to collect stamps, coins or badges, others prefer gardening or hiking or photography. Some people like to cook, others knit or sew. Roughly speaking, hobbies are a matter of taste.
My hobby is playing computer games. Both adults and children love it now. It has become one of the most popular hobbies nowadays. I think the computer game is very interesting. It's not just "wasting time" as some people say.
Computer games stimulate us to think about things properly, they expand and develop our minds and imagination. I have a good collection of different games and when I have free time I play them with great pleasure. My favorite game...
Some of my friends have the same hobby and we like to play together.
My Family's Hobbies
My name is Adrianna and I’m 14 years old. My family is not very big. It’s just me, my parents and the tortoise named George.
All the members have their own hobbies in our house. Even George has a hobby - to eat and to sleep. My hobby is dancing and knitting. I regularly attend the dance class and watch step-by-step tutorials for knitting.
My mum's hobby is cooking. She even runs her own blog.
My dad's hobby is cycling. He loves spending time outside especially if the weather is fine. Last year he even participated in road cycle racing.
However, we also have a family type hobby. During each holiday we make a plan to go somewhere new and to explore the city sights. For example, last summer apart from going to the seaside, we visited two new cities - Irkutsk and Angarsk. We have relatives living there, so it was rather convenient for us to arrange our stay in the city. I’m glad that my parents love traveling as much as me. This New Year we plan to spend at my uncle’s place in Rostov-on-Don. We’ve been there before, but we don’t mind visiting it again.
Another collective hobby is to buy souvenirs from these cities. For example, in Irkutsk we bought some ethnic finery. As for Rostov, we already have plenty of objects from there, mainly magnets and ceramic plates.
It’s a shame George has to stay at home. Luckily, our neighbor Valentina feeds him, when we are away.
Translation:
My name is Adrianna, I'm 14 years old. My family is not very big. It's just me, my parents and a turtle named George.
In our house, everyone has their own hobbies. Even George has a hobby - eating and sleeping. My hobbies are dancing and knitting. I regularly attend dance classes and watch step-by-step knitting tutorials.
My mother's hobby is cooking. She even has her own blog.
My father's hobby is cycling. He loves spending time outdoors, especially if the weather is good. Last year he even took part in a bicycle race.
Among other things, we also have family-type hobbies. Every holiday we make a plan to travel to a new place and explore the sights of the city. For example, last summer, in addition to a trip to the sea, we visited two new cities - Irkutsk and Angarsk. We have relatives living there, which made our stay easier. I'm glad that my parents love to travel as much as I do. This New Year we are planning to go to my uncle in Rostov-on-Don. We've been there before, but wouldn't mind going again.
Another common hobby is buying souvenirs in the cities visited. For example, in Irkutsk we bought ethnic jewelry. As for Rostov, we already have many items from there, mainly magnets and ceramic plates.
It's a pity that George has to stay at home. Fortunately, our neighbor Valentina feeds him when we are away.
Examples of the “My Hobby” topic for a university
My name is Katherine. I’m 17 years old and I’m a student. I have several hobbies which make my day diverse and interesting.
Аlmost every day after the lessons I go to the gym. It's one of my favorite pastimes. Moreover, I like swimming and skating. There is a sports center in my town where I can do both of these sports. It contains a swimming-pool and a skating-rink. I think sport is a great opportunity to stay healthy and in good mood. I’m lucky because my two best friends also share my hobbies.
Apart from doing sport, I like singing and dancing. I sing at home and at a local karaoke club sometimes. As for dancing, I go to the local youth club with my friends and we dance there. My favorite types of music are disco, pop and rock. I can also play the guitar a little bit. So, when we have guests over, they often ask me to play something. Apart from music and sport, I enjoy beadwork. I like weaving different objects out of beads. I have already made some trees, flowers, small animals and toys as a gift for relatives or friends. They all loved my works of art.
I rarely have spare time, but when I do I play computer games or read a book. These activities can also be regarded as my hobbies. Another interest that I have is foreign languages and travels. My parents sometimes let me travel with them to other countries and I like practicing my English there. I study English and Spanish at school. I like both languages, however they are absolutely different. English is more popular among the tourists, but Spanish is a more melodic language. Last year, me and my parents were in Turkey and local people could speak both these languages, which was a bit surprising for me. To sum up, I’d like to say that it’s important to have some hobbies. They don't let us get bored and keep us happy.
Translation:
My name is Katherine. I am 17 years old and I am a student. I have several hobbies that make my day varied and interesting.
Almost every day after class I go to the gym. This is one of my favorite things to do. Besides, I like swimming and skating. In my city there is a sports center where I can practice both sports. It also has a swimming pool and an ice skating rink. I think that sport is a great opportunity to stay healthy and in good mood. I'm lucky because two are mine best friends also share my hobbies.
Besides playing sports, I like to sing and dance. I sing at home and at the local karaoke club sometimes. As for dancing, I go to the local youth club with my friends and we dance there. My favorite styles of music are disco, pop and rock. I can also play the guitar a little. Therefore, when guests come to us, they often ask me to play something. Besides music and sports, I like beadwork. I like to weave various objects from beads. I have already woven several trees, flowers, small animals and toys as gifts for relatives or friends. They all really like my artwork.
I don't have much free time, but when I have it, I play computer games or read books. These types of activities can also be attributed to my hobbies. My other hobbies are foreign languages and travel. My parents sometimes allow me to travel with them to other countries and I like to practice my English there. At school I study English and Spanish And. I like both languages, but they are completely different. English is more popular among tourists, but Spanish is more melodic. Last year, my parents and I were in Turkey, and the locals could speak both of these languages, which surprised me a little. To summarize, I would like to say that it is very important to have some hobbies. They don't let us get bored and make us happy.
Another option
Hobby is what a person likes to do in his spare time. 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. The most popular hobby is doing things. It includes a wide variety of activities from gardening to traveling, from chess to volleyball. Both grown-ups and children are fond of playing different computer games. This hobby is becoming more and more popular. Making things include drawing, painting, handicrafts. Many people collect something - coins, stamps, compact discs, toys, books. Some collections have some value. Rich people often collect paintings, rare things and other art objects. Often such private collections are given to museums, libraries.
As for me, I like to listen to music. 3 months ago my parents bought me a compact disc player and I decided to collect compact discs. I like different music, it should be good. I collect discs of my favorite groups and singers. I study carefully the information printed on discbooklets. I try to find everything about my favorite singers. Also I 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, teachers, girls). We discuss films, books, TV programmes. In fine weather we like to be in the open air. We find a nice place somewhere in the forest. We make a fire, bake potatoes and have a lot of fun. When the weather is bad, my friends come to my place. We have a good time together.
Translation:
A hobby is something a person likes to do in his free time. Hobbies differ, as do tastes. If you choose a hobby according to your character and taste, you are lucky because your life becomes more interesting. The most popular hobby is making things. It includes a wide range of activities from gardening to travel, from chess to volleyball. Both adults and children love to play different computer games. This hobby is becoming increasingly popular. Making things includes drawing, painting, crafts. Many people collect things - coins, stamps, CDs, toys, books. Some collections have a certain value. Rich people often collect paintings, rare items and other art objects. Often such private collections are transferred to museums and libraries.
As for me, I love listening to music. 3 months ago my parents bought me a CD player and I decided to collect CDs. I like different music, this must be good. I collect CDs of my favorite bands and singers. I carefully study the information printed on the booklets. I'm trying to find everything about my favorite singers. I also like to watch music programs on TV. I want to keep up to date with news in the music world.
Of course, I like to spend my free time with friends. We talk about a variety of things (politics, teachers, girls). We discuss films, books, television programs. When the weather is nice we like to be outdoors. We find a good place somewhere in the forest. We make a fire, bake potatoes and have fun. When the weather is bad, my friends come to me. We have a good time together.
I have many hobbies because there are many interesting things to do. Unfortunately I don’t have much spare time as I’m going to be a student. That’s why I have to study a lot. I like doing different things: Such as reading detective stories, listening to the music, playing tennis with my classmates. But my favorite hobby is solving crossword puzzles. It’s not only interesting, but also very useful. When you try to solve the puzzle you find out and learn a lot of different facts. Because in puzzles there are questions about famous people, geographical places, countries, scientific achievements and so on. You also train your brain. The crosswords are published in newspapers and magazines and there are special newspapers that contain only crosswords. I sometimes try to make up my own puzzle and I can say that it is not less interesting. All the members of our family like to take part in solving the puzzles and this units us very much.
Many people have hobbies. They make our life more interesting. A hobby is what people like to do when they have free time. Everyone chooses a hobby according to his character and taste. Some people are fond of music, others like to read books. Some people like to collect stamps, coins or badges, others prefer gardening or hiking or taking photographs. Some people like to cook, others like to knitter sew. Generally speaking, a hobby is a matter of taste.
My hobby is playing computer games. Both grown-ups and children are fond of it now. It has become one of the most popular hobbies nowadays. I think that playing with a computer is very interesting. It is not only “wasting time” as some people say.
Computer games make us to think things over properly, they widen and develop our mind and imagination. I have a good collection of different games and when I have some free time I play them with great pleasure. My favorite game is…
Some of my friends have the same hobby and we like to play together.
Spare Time, My Hobby
A hundreds of years ago there was no problem of what working people could do with their spare time. Their hours of work were so long that they had hardly any leisure. Nowadays it’s even hard to name all the activities, entertainments and hobbies run by people in their free time. A growing number of people prefer watching films, performances, sporting events on TV to attending them. There exists quite a different sort of leisure activities, betting and gambling for example, which give thousands of people hope for a huge prize, and a sense of excitement and expectation. There are various pursuits that people choose to pass away their free time. Nowadays people spend ours watching different informational, educational or environmental programs. Other popular occupations are listening to the radio, reading books, painting and so on. Many people prefer to go in for different kinds of sports and lead an active way of life. Sometimes they participate in competitions or contests and have a very good pastime. There are people that prefer calm way of spending their free time. They are fond of quite rambles or walks in parks or gardens. More serious people prefer to visit museums, art galleries or theaters. Aerobics and shopping are two of the most popular pursuits for women. Cooking is also very widespread activity among them. But nothing can be compared with the feeling of those who took got really interested in some field of activity, which has become something favorite and admired. A “hobby” is a special interest or activity that you do in your free time off. Some people have animals as hobbies. They keep rabbits or go fishing. They train dogs to do tricks or keep pageants to race and carry messages. Some are crazy about plants. They try to grow cacti or rare tropical flowers in their kitchens and sitting rooms. Others are mad about their cars or their motorbikes. They spend their Saturdays and Sundays washing them, painting them or buying new bits and pieces to make them go even faster. Children and teenagers are great collectors. They collect stamps or postcards or pictures of a favorite football or pop star. Many people do things as a hobby. I have several hobbies which occupy me after school, both in and out of the house. Sometimes I wonder how I fit them all into my schedule because I have a lot of homework. Everyday I have not much time to relax. In that period I usually rest after a hard school day, listen to music, watch TV and videos, read books and magazines. Computer is one of my main hobbies and interests. I choose computer technology as one of my options and now I study in Belarusian State University in that field of science. Sometimes I play games to relax. Every weekend I spend a lot of time in the World Wide Web. I use the Internet for the educational process, for finding special technical literature in different subjects and cause for fun. I have a great number of web friends and we like to spend a lot of time talking to one another.
Also I have great interest in computer programming. Moreover I have a large collection of cd-disks and records. They include reggae, pop, classical, jazz, easy listening. My mum always telling me off for putting my hi-fi on too loud. Whenever I get spare time, I go in different sport clubs and complexes and play different team and single games such as tennis, football, volleyball, and basketball. It keeps me fit and happy. I can say with confidence that reading is my favorite hobby. Books brings pleasure and delight. Besides books help to mold a persons character from his moral values. Thanks to books we learn to express our thoughts and feelings more exactly and of cause books is the richest source of information. Sometimes my friends and I exchange opinions about books, speak about them, exchange books. Among my favorite gainers are fantasy, philosophy and technical literature. I think that hobbies and interests are an important factor of life. They help to form person, to relax and forget problems for a short while. They can be fun, educational, satisfying and also you can pursue them when you are old and retired.
Nowadays people work all day long and rarely have spare time to rest and to do something they like. But if they have it they try to waste it in the way they prefer. And there are a lot of possibilities to do it perfect. People can choose everything from sport to spending a good time in the country according to desires. And there are a lot of things to do that can help you not to feel bored. And activity is much better then doing nothing. The most active way, in my opinion is go in for sport. You can do sports all the year round because there are a lot of kinds of sports for all seasons. Basketball, Football players are always on stadiums. And in winter a lot of ski-walkers occupy the snowy slopes and skaters walk on ice of stadiums and icy rivers. Moreover it can be risking sports, which is more exiting to do. Doing such kind of sport you feel that our life doesn’t stay it’s going forward. Our friends also help us to spend a good spare time. Because they often have interesting ideas of spending free time and it's much better to spend free time with them. Nowadays music occupies the most part of people’s mind among teenagers especially. People communicate according to their music tastes. They visit disco clubs, concert halls to listen to music and to dance. People also have pop idols that attract them by their voice or appearance and they are ready to follow them to the ends of the earth. Some people say that theaters are not popular nowadays but I think that a lot of people still enjoy the play of actors and marvelous productions of plays. And our theaters are world famous. Theaters teach you to feel hate and love, joy and unhappiness... In other words theater help you to become more human. Reading books, papers and magazines is also a way of spending leisure time. You can choose a genre according to your mood and read whatever you want. From magazines and papers you know the latest news in the world of politics, fashion, cooking, technology. But technology is developing so fast that such way of getting information becomes old. With developing of Internet information is available in each point of earth. Moreover it’s a way of communicating with people.
And people all over the world sit at the computers chatting or exploring the Internet all day long. Children spend a lot of free time playing computer games. And statistical shows that 70% of users of the Internet are teenagers. But some people prefer to go to a country to breathe fresh air and resting or travel somewhere. Traveling becomes more and more popular. People like to visit other places to escape from daily routing. And all resorts are full in the time of holidays. As for me I think that the most exciting leisure time spending can be all activities like sport or traveling somewhere with friends because I never feel bored with my friends. For example every holiday I go somewhere with my best friend from Moscow. And we always have a good time wherever we go. And I think that everyone can find an occupation. Maybe in some countries people have more opportunities for recreation because of the new inventions or another factors. But I think that each man can travel everywhere and try each way of spending free time. Moreover the city where we live give us a lot of places to go. And from day to day the number of places of interest grows. But the only thing that is necessary for citizens is fresh air and little islands of nature. People need to walk in the parks that become more and more rare. In spite of this people can always find a way to spend leisure time. Because our world is full of new interesting and exiting thing that every man want to explore.
A hobby is something that people like to do when they are not busy with their usual work and have some free time. It is something done entirely for pleasure. 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 traveling and from chess to volleyball.
Gardening is one of the oldest of man's hobbies. It is known 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 is becoming more and more popular.
Making things includes drawing, painting, making sculptures, designing costumes, handicrafts. Two of the most famous amateur painters were President Eisenhower and Sir Winston Churchill. Some hobbyists write music or play musical instruments. President Bill Clinton, for example, plays the saxophone.
Almost everyone collects something at some period of 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 housed 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 objects d’art. Often such private collections are given to museums, libraries and public galleries so that others might take pleasure in seeing them.
As for as I am concerned, I was always fond of collecting stamps. My mother had started collecting stamps long before I was born. She gave me her six albums of stamps as a birthday present when I was twelve. Then I continued collecting stamps myself. It helped me to learn a lot about other countries and other peoples’ traditions, the world’s fauna and flora. I used to bring the albums to school and sometimes exchanged stamps with my schoolmates.
About a year ago my parents bought me a tape recorder and I decided to collect tapes. I am fond of listening to music. I like rock and pop music and classical music too. Now I collect tapes of my favorite groups and singers. I also try to find out everything about the singers I like. I read specialized magazines and try not to miss musical shows on TV, because I want to keep up with the news in the world of music. I write letters to some fan clubs in other countries, so I have to brush up my English. I never miss a concert by my favorite group if they come to our city.
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.
Tastes differ. Different people like different things, different people have different hobbies.
I go in for sports, I like to play tennis. I go to play tennis every day.
Sport is a very important part of our life. Many people go in for sports, they jogging, walking, swimming, skating, skiing, train themselves in clubs and different sections.
Physical training is an important subject at school. Pupils play volleyball, football, basketball.
I have been playing tennis for 5 years. Tennis has become very popular now. I take part in different competitions.
To be in a good shape I’m jogging every morning and do my morning exercises.
Everyone should do all he can to stay healthy and choose the sport he is interested in. I do not understand people who say that they like sport, but they only watch sport on TV.
If one goes in for sports he feels much better, looks much better, sleeps much better. Your physical appearance will change too. You will be slimmer and trimmer. And what is even more important you will not get sick often.
Why do I go in for sports? Because I think that it is very important for a man to be strong and well - built. Sport is not for weak, because, you have to learn how to lose, and it’s not easy.
My favorite proverb says: “A sound mind in sound body.”
Questions:
1. What is your hobby?
2. What sports do you go in for?
3. Do you like summer (winter) sports?
4. What does it mean to be healthy?
5. Why did you choose tennis?
6. Who is your favorite tennis-player?
My hobby
Tastes differ. Different people like different things, so different people have different hobbies.
I go in for sports, I like to play tennis. I play tennis every day.
Sport is an important part of our life. Many people are fond of sports, they run, walk, swim, skate and ski, train in clubs and various sports sections.
Physical education is an important subject at school. Pupils play volleyball, football, basketball.
I've been playing tennis for 5 years. Tennis has become very popular now. I take part in many competitions.
To keep fit, I run every morning and do morning exercises.
Every person should do their best to stay healthy and should choose a sport that interests them. I don’t understand people who say that they like sports, but yet they only watch it on TV.
If you exercise, you feel much better, you look much better, you sleep much better. Your body will change too. You will become slimmer and more graceful. But more importantly, you won’t get sick often.
Why do I play sports? Because I think it is very important for a man to be strong and well-built. Sports are not for the weak, because you have to learn how to lose, and this is not always easy.
My favorite saying goes, “A healthy mind in a healthy body.”
Source: 100 English Topics. Authors Kaverina V. Boyko V. Zhidkikh N.
Leisure time
It is not easy to say exactly what teenagers in different countries do in their leisure time. I think that, in the main our interests and tastes do not differ very much. They are engaged in sports activities. They listen to their favorite music bands or take part in different concerts. Teenagers discover the world and themselves. In the main, all young people are individualists. Youth is the time when young people work out their outlook. At the same time they need collective experience to share their dreams and interests. Teenagers unite in specific organizations.
The first organization that brought together thousands of teenagers in different countries was that of the Scouts. The aim of this association was originally to train boys in various different skills such as lighting a fire and to develop their character. Now the Scouts are active all around the world. The motto of the Scouts is "Be Prepared." After the October Revolution a similar Pioneer organization was created in Russia. The Pioneers were supported and sponsored by the government. Now the Pioneers do not exist in our country.
The Scouts and Pioneers were the first, but not the only organizations of the young people. For example today the volunteer movement is extremely popular among the teenagers. It dates back to the year 1921, when a French soldier decided to restore a German house after World War I free of charge. The movement flourished only in the late 1990s when young people of Europe and the United States went to different parts of the world helping local communities to solve their problems. Today volunteerism is very popular in American community and political life. Volunteerism implies assisting people through privately initiated agencies. Volunteers do not receive any salary for what they are doing, but at the same time their work is highly motivated. They react very quickly, immediately coming to help whoever may need it. There are several types of volunteer work: workcamps, mid-term and long-term volunteering projects. Any young man from any continent can come to workcamps. These camps achieve certain objectives in social, ecological, archaeological fields. Usually all works are done under the supervision of professionals. The mid-and long-term projects usually concern the social sphere. They include assistance to children, old people, crippled or immigrants. Volunteer fund-raising groups unite to help the needy in all spheres. They can do almost any work that is necessary. Volunteers can be found in any part of the globe. In the United States six out of ten pupils are members of some volunteer organizations.
All three organizations that were mentioned above are more or less formal. At the same time there are many informal associations of teenagers. Very often they are not even registered, and if they are, no one cares about what they are doing. No records are kept of their activities. They emerge, evolve and disintegrate without leaving trace in history. However, such organizations are extremely important for their participants. They serve as a means for teenagers to express themselves, meet new friends that have common interests, discuss problems that are really important to them. Quite often a famous book, a movie or a musical band can serve as an impulse for creating such organizations. Fan clubs of different rock and pop groups are numerous. Fan clubs usually consist of teenagers. Members of such clubs listen collectively to their favorite songs, attend concerts, write letters to their idols.
The most spectacular example of unofficial organization is presented by the Tolkienist movement. J.R.R. Tolkien, the famous British writer created a magic world of elves, dwarves, and hob-bits. Any person who likes Tolkien's novels can become a Tolkienist. This community is open to everyone; young people come and go, they choose a race, becoming, for example, an elf or a goblin. Their imagination will carry them as far as they want. In Russia Tolkien is extremely popular now. In Moscow there are several places where his fans assemble to share their views and ideas.
Other teenagers go much further. They are not satisfied with the world they are living in, and the worlds created by others do not attract them either. They create their own worlds and universes. In this context Role-Playing Games (also called RPG) should be mentioned. The first RPG was Dungeons and Dragons (D'n'D), a Dungeon Muster (DM) is responsible for outlining the rules of the newly created world, while other players act as the inhabitants of this world, Participating in such activity can be really thrilling, but the danger of quitting the real world for an imaginary one is always present. Such groups and organizations are escapists in their essence. Unlike volunteers they are not aimed at making our world better.
– Why do the young organize their clubs?
– The young do not want to accept the world of the adults with their organizations for the teenagers. They rebel against it in different ways, sometimes in the form of creating their unofficial organizations and clubs. They organize according to their interests into different sub-cultural groups.
– Do you belong to any group or organization?
– No, I don’t. My elder brother used to be a Pioneer, but now such official or semi-official organizations do not attract me. For a couple of years I attended the meetings of the Tolkienists, acting as a little dwarf. Although I am still a great fan of Tolkien’s books, I do not think any longer that I should waste my time living an imaginary life in the imaginary world. The world we all are living in is full of wonders. There is always someone who needs our help. A lot of my friends are supporters of Greenpeace, and I will soon join their actions. Greenpeace is doing a very important job of rescuing the nature. People of different ages help Greenpeace, and I believe that young people should participate in the activities of this organization more actively.
– What do your friends do in their leisure time?
– As I have already said, some of my friends help Greenpeace. I still have many friends among the Tolkienists. Some of my friends are fond of RPGs. They meet every Saturday in groups of 5 or 6, They draw a map and for hours discuss the fates of their heroes. One game can last several months or sometimes a year. Although my best friend who is a Dungeon Master often invites me to join his RPG, I am sure that the real life is much more interesting than any imaginary adventures.
Verbitskaya M.V. Forward. English for 11…
My hobby is reading. It has been a great pleasure for me since my childhood. The world of literature is fascinating and infinite. It certainly doesn’t mean that I love all the books. To tell the truth, finding a good book is not so easy. I prefer historical novels, classical and informative literature and some professional books concerning business and management as I am going to run a business of my own in the future. I never choose a book only by its colorful cover. As a rule, I look through its pages, read about the writer and his awards. My favorite writers are Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas and Dan Brown.
It goes without saying that some of the books have become my favorites. When I open one of them I immerse in the world of my favorite heroes at once. A book is able to make me laugh or cry because I start feeling exactly what the characters feel. I experience somebody’s pain or joy and I understand that the art of the word in some books is extremely powerful. The book gives me a chance to look at our life through the author’s eyes, to analyze and agree or disagree with his point of view. Sometimes a book can completely change my way of thinking or help me to solve some serious personal or psychological problem.
Unfortunately today most of people and teenagers are not fond of reading. They would rather prefer going to night clubs or just watching TV. They find reading a bit boring or a waste of time. To my mind everything depends on the book. I am sure that without reading one cannot become an intelligent and educated person. People would consider him to be ignorant, illiterate or even ill-mannered, his vocabulary would be quite poor.
I should say that I enjoy reading not only books. I read magazines and I also surf the net and subscribe to interesting sites. These media can undoubtedly provide me with boundless and useful knowledge too. And by the way I often read e-books instead of the paper ones.
The book is my best and precious friend and it’s always with me. I devote most of my free time to reading. I read in transport or when I have to wait in a queue. I always take a good book with me when I travel or go on holidays. And I usually read before going to bed because it helps me to unwind at the end of a long and stressful day. I never feel lonely when I have a great book in my hands.
My hobby is reading. It gives me great pleasure since childhood. The world of literature is fascinating and endless. Of course, this doesn't mean that I love all books. To be honest, finding a good book is not that easy. I prefer historical novels, classic and educational literature and some professional books related to business and management, as I intend to run my own business in the future. I never choose a book based on its colorful cover alone. Typically, I turn the pages, reading about the author and his awards. My favorite writers are Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas and Dan Brown.
Of course, some books have become my favorites. When I open one of them, I am immediately immersed in the world of my favorite characters. A book can make me laugh or cry because I begin to feel exactly what the characters feel. I feel someone's pain or joy, and I realize that the art of words in some books is extremely powerful. The book gives me the opportunity to look at our life through the eyes of the author, analyze and agree or not with his point of view. Sometimes a book can completely change the way I think or help me resolve a serious personal or psychological problem.
Unfortunately, today most people and teenagers are not interested in reading. They prefer going to nightclubs or just watching TV. They find reading boring or a waste of time. In my opinion, it all depends on the book. I am sure that without reading a person cannot become an intelligent and educated person. People will consider him ignorant, illiterate and even ill-mannered, his vocabulary will be poor.
It should be noted that I like to read not only books. I read magazines and also surf the Internet and register on interesting sites. These media can also undeniably provide me with limitless and useful knowledge. And by the way, I often read e-books instead of paper ones.
A book is my best and priceless friend, and it is always with me. I devote most of my free time to reading. I read on public transport or when I have to wait in line. I always take a good book with me when I travel or go on vacation (holidays). And I usually read before bed because it helps me unwind at the end of a long, stressful day. I never feel lonely when I have a great book in my hands.
Today we will talk about hobby- a favorite activity to which we devote our free time. In the world of modern technology, when spaceships not only roam the open spaces, but also deliver crew and cargo into low-Earth and lunar orbit, there are so many modern hobbies that you can discover something new every day.
The top ten most unusual hobbies are revealed by charity. Today it is carried out not only by the rich people of this world, but also by all those who somehow want to help those in need. This is followed by collecting, photography and reading, tourism and learning a foreign language.
Hobby- hobby, hobby, favorite pastime, passion
To have a hobby, go in for a hobby, pursue a hobby- have a hobby, get involved
Synonyms for the word hobby are “ avocation”, “pastime”, “recreation" Words of opposite meaning are “business”, “calling”, “labour”, “livelihood”, “profession”.
In addition, a hobby can also be called a “hobby-horse”
They say that it’s useful to be a hardworking person in this life, but this question can be a stumbling block. As you start thinking about your free time you come to the conclusion that your pastime should be something special as for example reading which is very popular now. Among thousands of books that come from different spots of the planet your main task is to choose the best one that will grab your attention. And this smell of just published book makes me dependent on it. With every page trying to catch the meaning I become more and more perplexed, and meanwhile I understand that I haven’t got a clue about what I like more – the reading or the feeling of being inside of the book.
As Anais Nin said “I can elect something I love and absorb myself in it.”
The same goes with me.Walking Indian file every page reaches the bottom of my heart leaving the feeling of happiness and pleasure. To stay in the dark while reading is such a delight which makes us to be better off and get used to this feeling. What is more reading can be breathtaking when you hold a fresh book and have a free time to read.
Hobby is something more than just interest. It can change your life leaving you inside of surreal film set and or fearful ship, or outside letting you feel the romanticism of the skyline when you sit in front of the sun eating the comfort food.
As Alan Bennett said “Books are not about passing time. They're about other lives. Other worlds. Far from wanting time to pass, one just wishes one had more of it. If one wanted to pass the time one could go to New Zealand.”
Different people have different hobbies and it is obvious that it makes them stronger. Somebody likes cooking or traveling, dancing or sport, painting or composing the music. But in spite of the fact that we love different things, they make out life colorful and bright.
Translation:
They say that it is good to be a hardworking person in this life, but this issue can be a stumbling block. As soon as you start thinking about your free time, you come to the conclusion that your own pastime should be something special, such as reading, which is now popular again. Among thousands of books that come from different parts of the planet, the main task is to choose the best one that will capture your attention. And this smell of a newly printed book makes me addicted to it. With each page, trying to catch the meaning, I become more and more puzzled and at this moment I realize that I have absolutely no idea what I like more - reading or the feeling of being inside a book.
As Anaïs Nin said, “I can decide what I love and get carried away with it.” The same thing happens to me.
Going one by one, the pages reach the depths of my soul, leaving a feeling of joy and pleasure. Remaining in the unknown while reading is such a pleasure that makes us become richer and get used to this feeling. Moreover, reading can be exciting when you have a fresh book in your hands and have free time to read.
A hobby is more than an interest. A hobby can be life-changing, putting you inside a surreal film set or an intimidating ship, or outside - allowing you to feel the romanticism of a skyline as you sit in front of the sun and eat incredibly delicious food.
As Alan Bennett said, “Books are not about living through the days. They are about other lives. About other worlds. Wanting to not only live life, some just want it, while others have already achieved more. If someone wanted to live out the days, another person could go to New Zealand."
Different people have different hobbies and it is obvious that this makes them stronger. Some people love cooking or traveling, dancing or sports, drawing or writing music. But, despite the fact that we love different things, they make our life colorful and bright.
A hobby is an interest that a person receives from childhood. It can appear at any age, but it is best to get it from childhood. We all do some work according to our interests that can give us happiness and joy, which is called a hobby.
My hobby is watching TV. I really like watching TV in my free time. Watching TV is my hobby, but it never interferes with my studies. I prefer to do my homework first and then watch TV. I think I have a good hobby because watching TV gives me good knowledge in many areas.
What can you say about my hobby? This is most likely what I do with great pleasure in my free time from classes and household chores. It is different for everyone, for example, my mother loves to embroider, my father loves to go fishing and hunting. This is their hobby.
I have a lot of favorite hobbies. I love to read, I love to ride a bike, and I really like history. But my main hobby is drawing. I started drawing when I was little. Mom and Dad very often gave me felt-tip pens different colors, colored pencils and beautiful, snow-white drawing paper.
Hobbies differ like tastes. If you choose a hobby according to your character and taste, you are lucky, because your life becomes more interesting. Hobbies are divided into four broad classes: making things, producing things, collecting things and studying things. The most popular group of hobbies is making things.
Every person has a hobby and some free time to do what we love most. I also have a hobby. And since I'm a student, I don't have much time on school days. Moreover, I study at a Russian school, so I only have one day off - Sunday.
Many people have hobbies. They make our life more interesting. Hobbies are what people like to do when they have free time. Everyone chooses a hobby according to his character and taste. Some people love music, others love to read books. Some people like to collect stamps, coins or badges, others prefer gardening or hiking or photography.
Life is arranged in such a way that each person has his own interests and talents for something. Some people can draw well, others collect stamps and rare coins, others love fishing and hunting.
All of them do it better than everyone else, because, as people say, they have a heart for it.
In my opinion, the world is full of different types of activities and hobbies for people. Many of them are quite ordinary and common, such as fishing, reading and drawing. But there are also such unusual and exotic ones, such as the search for aliens, Bigfoot, and unraveling the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle.
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