Speaker 1

So, Jenny, tell me, what do British people like doing at the weekends?

Speaker 2
Well, the weekends are a time for families in Britain, as they are in most places, I guess. Often parents
are not at work, having worked a five day week from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays, many families
head for the shops. City centers are crowded and car parks are packed at the big out of town
shopping malls.

Speaker 1
That sounds boring. Do they go shopping on Sunday as well as Saturday?

Speaker 2
Well, Sundays used to be different to other days of the week. Most shops were closed and most
people were at home. Popular leisure activities on Sunday used to be doing jobs around the home,
such as washing the car and DIY. They were both much more popular than they are these days. But
the law changed in 1994, over 20 years ago now, so just about every shop is open on Sundays these
days. And although shop opening times are more limited than on other days, it's still a really popular
day for getting in the groceries.

Speaker 1
Okay, so apart from shopping, how do people spend their free time?

Speaker 2
Well, sports and hobbies make up a large part of what people do in their free time, as you'd imagine.
But unlike many other countries in Europe, the tally comes out top of the list. When you look at the
statistics and analyze which leisure activity is the most common. I guess it's fair to say that the
British love football, cooking and gardening, but they prefer sitting on the sofa watching other people
doing these activities to actually doing any of them themselves.

Speaker 1
That's funny. I thought fewer people would be watching TV now that there are so many other things
they can do. Digital technology, mobile phones and such like.

Speaker 2
Well, I'd have thought that would be the case too, but the statistics show that TV is still popular.

Speaker 1
I know that football plays a major role in the sporting life of Britain, no matter where you live in the
world. You must have heard of teams like Manchester United. I guess it's by far the biggest sport.

Speaker 2
Well, yes, it's incredibly popular. And at weekends, lots of people are glued to their mobile, checking
up on the latest scores. And of course, most stadiums are full every week. Not only that, but almost 2
million people take part in a football match at the weekend.

Speaker 1
2 million? That's a lot.

Speaker 2
It is. But interestingly, other sports, such as swimming in run, have even more participants. I guess
going for a swim is easier to do than playing in a match.

Speaker 1
True. It's also something people of all ages can do. Anyway, thanks for your views. Next time I have to
write an essay about the UK, I'll give you a call.