UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL HERMILIO VALDIZAN

CENTRO DE IDIOMAS

READING 01 (F4-III)

Student´s name: Lucero Shentun Guevara Cayetano

Hobbies

What is a hobby?

In the 16th century a favorite toy for children of all ages was the hobbyhorse. In appearance a
hobbyhorse could be as simple as a stick, or it could have a decorated wooden framework with an
imitation horse's head attached. Whether simple or elaborate, children used them for the games of
the time involving war and knighthood, much as children in the early part of the
20th century played cowboys and Indians. In time the popularity of the hobbyhorse declined, but the
pleasure of doing something outside the routine activities of daily life had brought a new word into
the language, the word hobby which is a shortened form of hobbyhorse.

Hobbies today include a vast range of activities. The definition that best covers all these
activities is probably constructive leisure-time activities.
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.
Sport has always been popular in our country. There are different sporting societies and
clubs in Russia. Many of them take part in different international tournaments and are known all
over the world. Our sportsmen take part in the Olympic Games and always win a lot of gold, silver
and bronze medals.
Millions of people watch figure skating competitions, hockey and football matches, car
races, tennis tournaments and other sports events. Certainly watching sports events and going in
for sports are two different things. Now everybody knows that sport can be a profession and a
business. But sport can be fun as well. Besides, it helps to stay in good shape, to keep fit and to be
healthy. Doing sports is becoming more and more popular. Some people do it occasionally -
swimming in summer, skiing or skating in winter - but many people go in for sports on a more
regular basis. They try to find time to go to a swimming pool or a gym at least once a week for
aerobics or yoga classes, body building or just work-out on a treadmill.
Gardening is one of the oldest of man's hobbies. It's a well- known fact that the English are
very fond of gardening and growing flowers, especially roses.
Millions of people all over the world spend their holidays travelling, they travel to enjoy
picturesque places, or just for a change of scene. It's always interesting to discover new things,
different ways of life, to meet different people, to try different food, to listen to different musical
rhythms.
 Those who live in the country like to go to a big city and spend their time visiting museums
and art galleries, looking at shop windows and dining at exotic restaurants. City-dwellers usually
like a quiet holiday by the sea or in the mountains, with nothing to do but walk and bathe and laze
in the sun.
Most travellers and holiday-makers take a camera with them and take pictures of everything
that interests them - the sights of a city, old churches and castles, views of mountains, lakes, valleys,
plains, waterfalls, forests; different kind of trees, flowers and plants, animals and birds.
Later, perhaps years later, they will be reminded by the photos of the happy time they have
had.
People travel by train, by plane, by boat and by car. All means of travel have their advantages
and disadvantages. And people choose one according to their plans and destinations.
If we are fond of travelling, we see and learn a lot of things that we can never see or learn at
home, though we may read about them in books and newspapers, and see pictures of them on TV.
The best way to study geography is to travel, and the best way to get to know and understand people
is to meet them in their own homes.
Both grown-ups and children are fond of playing different computer games. This is a
relatively new hobby but it's becoming more and more popular.
Making things includes drawing, painting, making sculpture, designing costumes,
handicrafts. Two of the most famous hobby painters were President Eisenhower and Sir Winston
Churchill. Some hobbyists 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 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 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.

1.1. Comprehension.
Answer the questions
1) What is the origin of the word “hobby”?
2) What is the definition of the word “hobby”?
3) What are 4 large classes? Hobbies are divided into?
4) 4) What is the most popular of all hobby groups?
5) What can sport be? (Can sport be fun as well?)
6) What is one of the oldest of man’s hobbies?
7) Why are people fond of travelling?
8) What is a relatively new hobby, which is becoming more and more popular?
9) What famous and well-known personalities were 2 of the most famous hobby painters? 10)
What do people usually collect?

1. WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD “HOBBY”?

 The origin of the word hobby begins in the 16th century, children at that time liked to
play on horseback, also in the 20th century children played Indians and cowboys but
Over time, the popularity of the workhorse decreased, but the pleasure of doing
something outside the routine activities of daily life had brought a new word to the
language, the word hobby

2. WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD “HOBBY

The word hobby is a shortened form of hobbyhorse.

3. WHAT ARE 4 LARGE CLASSES? HOBBIES ARE DIVIDED INTO?

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

4. WHAT IS THE MOST POPULAR OF ALL HOBBY GROUPS?

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.

5. WHAT CAN SPORT BE? (CAN SPORT BE FUN AS WELL?)

Sport can be a profession and a deal. But sport can also be fun. Also, it helps you stay in
good shape and be healthy

6. WHAT IS ONE OF THE OLDEST OF MAN’S HOBBIES?

Gardening is one of the oldest hobbies of man, the English liked to do this.

7. WHY ARE PEOPLE FOND OF TRAVELLING?

The people like to travel to enjoy picturesque places, or just for a change of scene. It's
always interesting to discover new things, different ways of life, to meet different
people, to try different food, to listen to different musical rhythms.

8. WHAT IS A RELATIVELY NEW HOBBY, WHICH IS BECOMING

MORE AND MORE POPULAR?
Both grown-ups and children are fond of playing different computer games. This is a
relatively new hobby but it's becoming more and more popular

9. WHAT FAMOUS AND WELL-KNOWN PERSONALITIES WERE 2 OF

THE MOST FAMOUS HOBBY PAINTERS?

Two of the most famous hobby painters were President Eisenhower and Sir Winston
Churchill.

10. WHAT DO PEOPLE USUALLY COLLECT?

People often collect stamps, coins, matchboxes, books, records, postcards, toys,
watches. other People with a lot of money often collect paintings, rare books and other
art objects.