Different ways of travelling №13

Масс Медиа/ MassMedia

Popular free time activities of teenagers

Britain has recent by been described as a “leisure society.” This is because there are a great variety of leisure pursuits. Young people generally go out on Friday or Saturday nights to a disco, to a concert or to a pub. In recent years going out for a meal or getting a take-away meal have become popular too. During the past years there is a great increase in keeping fit and staying healthy. A lot of teens started running, jogging and going to different fitness clubs in their spare time. Aerobics classes and fitness clubs opened in every town, and the number of recreation centres greatly increased. Indoor pools, with their wave-making machines, water slides and tropical vegetation, have became very popular.

The same is true in Russia. A lot of teens go in for different kinds of sport. Sport helps them to feel as fit as a fiddle. In both countries there are special programmes for problem teenagers, such as a high-risk activities, for example they are taught to jump out of aeroplanes. But despite the increase in the number of teens participating in sport, the majority of young people still prefer to be spectators. They prefer to be couch potatoes. Watching sports on TV is a popular leisure activity, as is going to football matches on Saturday. Cinemas have been redesigned with four or more screens, each showing a different film at the same time, and a lot of teens like going to the cinemas too.

The young generation is fond of communication. There are many available methods of communication nowadays, and the most popular one is computers. A lot of teenagers spend plenty of time working on computers. The Internet seems really good fun. You may send e-mails to friends from different countries and get their answers instantly. You even may talk to them. It is easy and quick. A lot of teenagers have mobile telephones, so they can always be contacted, if they keep their telephone switched on, at any time of the day or night, or tend text messages.

A lot of teenagers in both countries are crazy about animals. They race them, train them and breed them. They like to hear stories about them on television programmes and they like reading books about them. Many teens have a pet animal. It could be a dog, a cat, a goldfish, a bird or a small furry animal like a hamster. Looking after and being kind to their pets is very important for teens. Why are teens so interested in animals? Perhaps it’s because they are rather shy in their heart of hearts. One of my friends says: “I can say anything I like to my dog, but she never thinks I’m silly.”

There are plenty of other kinds of activities, such as travelling, visiting historical places, babysitting, delivering newspapers, putting together jigsaw puzzles, reading, going to different museums, skateboarding, going fishing, hitchhiking, shopping, helping people in need, joining a computer club and others. We can say “So many teens; so many kinds of activities.”

Now some words about me. I am fifteen and I am a computer addict. I am fond of communication with other teens. That’s why I have a lot of friends in my and other countries. We send messages from one computer to another one using e-mail; we have on-line conversations. I am a member of the computing club and I spend much time there. Of course, it’s rather expensive, but my parents understand me and give me enough money to pay for my computer club. And I think that my hobby will be useful in my future profession. Besides, I spend my free time in the sport club. I go in for kung fu. Recently films about kung fu have become very popular in Russia. This fighting itself is a great art, the result of many years of hard work and self-discipline. The man who made kung fu films famous was Bruce Lee. He used fists, elbows, feet (never weapons) and moved as fast as lightning. I am rather good at kung fu now, but I never use my skills to hurt anybody, unless it is absolutely necessary. Now people know what Kung Fu is, and I think it may become a sport of the future, because it develops up your personality, will and nobility.

Different ways of travelling №13

Millions of people all over the world spend their holidays travelling. They travel to see other countries and continents, modern cities and the ruins of ancient towns, to enjoy picturesque places, or just for a change of scene. It is always interesting to discover new things, different ways of life, to meet different people, to try different food. 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. People travel by train, by plane, by boat, on foot and by car. For most people, speed is a very important factor when they are travelling. They want to reach their destination as quickly as possible. Travelling by plane is the fastest and the most convenient way.

Whenever you want to go somewhere by plane you should book a seat on a flight to your destination for a certain date. You may book a single, return or open return ticket. When booking a ticket you should mention what class you are going to travel: first, business or economy class. You may ask the travel agent what time the coach leaves the airport terminal for the airport and what is the latest time of check-in at the airport.

Before boarding the plane, you should register your luggage at a check-in desk. Here you are required to have your luggage weighed, and then a uniformed attendant attaches a special label to it and gives you a boarding pass. There is no need to worry about your luggage any longer. It will be put in the luggage compartment of the plane. If your luggage weighs more than allowed, you are supposed to pay for the additional weight. Then you must go through the security check where your hand luggage is checked.

Before the flight you have to spend some time at the airport. You may wait in the departure lounge. Then you hear your flight announced, and the passengers are invited to board the plane and take their seats. The announcer says when and at what gate your flight is boarding, or he/she may announce a delay of your flight. It often happens that a delay of a flight is due to adverse weather conditions. In this case you can obtain a voucher for refreshments. These vouchers are accepted at the cafeteria, and you can have your meal free of charge till you hear the announcement that your flight is boarding.

The stewardess greets the passengers and shows them to their seats. The airplane armchairs are very cosy, and they are equipped with safety belts, which must be fastened during both take off and landing. Sometimes the order to fasten the belts may be given during the flight.

When the plane takes off, the stewardess gives the passengers all the information about the flight, the speed and the altitude at which the plane will be flying. She asks the passengers to fasten seat belts and not to smoke during the flight. Then she offers them some mineral water, lemonade and sweets. The stewardesses are usually very amiable and cater for the passengers' wants and needs. If you want anything during the flight, you are to press a button with a pictogram of a stewardess, and she will immediately come to your help. During the flight the passengers do whatever they like.