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. 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. 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.
Questions
1.Tastes differ. Can you say the same about hobbies?
2.Have you chosen a hobby according to your character and taste?
3.Which hobby groups do you know?
4.The most popular hobby group is doing things, isn't it?
5.What kind of activities does this group include?
6.What do you know about gardening?
7.Do you like computer games?
8.Are you fond of making things?
9.Do you know any famous hobbyists?
10.Have you ever collected anything?
11.What can be collected?
12.Do you know of any private collections that were given to museums or art galleries?
13.Do you agree that learning can be the most exciting aspect of a hobby? Why?
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