Text C: BRITISH FAMILIES

 

British families are usually small. An average family consists of a mother, a father and two or three children. No one is really sure how it is possible to have four children. It is quite rare in Britain for grandparents, aunts and uncles to share the house with the family. However, families often share the house with dogs, cats, goldfish and even rabbits which they keep, not to eat, but as pets.

 

Text D: (a dialogue)

Nick: Mum, I want to tell you something important.

Mother: What is it, dear ?

Nick: I'm going to get married.

Mother: Get married?! You must be joking.

Nick: Nothing of the kind. It's my final decision.I'm not a child

any more.

Mother: Good heavens ! But you are only 18. I hope you are not serious.

Nick: Absolutely serious.

Mother: But who is that poor thing ?

Nick: It's Helen, you know her. Helen is a dream of a girl.

T e x t A : HOBBY.

 

They say that the best kind of job is a well-paid hobby. Naturally, this is an ideal situation, not always found in real life. Of course, if you are a creative person, you have no time for anything besides your main activity, fully expressing yourself in it. But everybody needs some rest even from one's favourite occupation. That's why people invented hobbies.

People get kick out of doing most extraordinary things. The most widespread hobby is collecting. People would collect anything, from stamps and coins to old bottles and dolls. Then, there are a lot of do-it-yourself activities, building models of ships, cars, houses. People also like growing exotic plants, cacti, flowers. So, you can really take your pick.

I can't say that I am really mad about this or that kind of leisure activity. I tried collecting stamps, they are so nice and informative. But gradually my interest just faded away, and I gave my collection to my friend for his birthday. Then I moved on to collecting recordings of the pop groups I liked, but after a while it seemed pointless because music radio stations play old and new hits all the time. I go on doing it, but I wouldn’t call it a hobby.

I like dancing at some club or disco, but it's just a way of spending time, not a hobby really. Best of all I like reading. It's a very quiet occupation, and it does not require any particular skill or ability. But that's what gives me the greatest pleasure. I prefer short stories. One short story by Chekhov, Kuprin, Saroyan or Salinger can be more powerful than a long novel. They are funny and tragic at the same time, just as life is.