Warming up
Reference answers Step 1
• The person in the first picture is playing basketball. I like playing basketball and I usually play basketball with my friends twice a week. This activity has a lot of benefits. For example, it practices my muscles and makes me stronger. After two-hour’s exercise, I am tired but feel refreshed. What’s more, I have become very good friends with my basketball pals and we hang out together sometimes during weekends as well. Though we come from different schools, we have a lot of things in common, such as great enthusiasm for basketball and the spirit of persistence.
• The girl is listening to music. Listening to music has quite a few benefits. First of all, it lifts one’s mood, because it helps the release of dopamine, a feel-good neurochemical that can lead to feelings of pleasure. Secondly, it reduces stress. When listening to a song, it may remind one of a special person or place and this is enough to reduce levels of stress. In addition, listening to music can possibly generate feelings of goodwill and connectivity. People who like to listen to music are generally nice and kind to others and when they are listening to music together, they may feel connected. Of course, there are many other benefits of listening to music than what are mentioned above.
• The third picture is about painting. I think painting has the following benefits. Painting is one form of art and art makes us more human as it helps us to communicate in a different and personal language. This is a great benefit for all people, especially for those who have problems communicating or expressing themselves due to shyness, autism, or other disabilities. Next, painting is an individual activity that allows people to develop a creative mind and positively isolate themselves from their immediate reality, which provides a mental rest that lowers stress and generates relaxation and happy feelings. In addition, painting enables people to come closer to greater personal achievements, thus strengthening their individuality and self-esteem.
• Those people in the picture are dancing. It is seldom realized that dancing can improves people’s memory and enhances concentration as they are learning new moves and combinations. It is helpful not just for young people, but for seniors as well. According to recent studies, frequent dancing is an activity that can help protect against dementia and Alzheimer disease. Dancing makes you more flexible, graceful and elegant and helps you become more aware of your body, the way you move, your sense of balance and spacial orientation. Dancing combined with healthy nutrition also helps people lose weight, boost metabolism and stay in shape. What is more, dancing strengths muscles, and improves posture and blood flow.
Step 2 Sample 1
My favorite leisure activity is writing poems. I know this may sound unconventional but I really like writing poems. I find the beauty of Chinese language in poems and I want to use the beautiful language to create something beautiful, too. Since writing poem requires creativeness and excellent language skills, it always brings me a sense of accomplishment and confidence. It also serves as a good introduction when I talk with strangers or new friends. Usually they are very impressed when they learn I am writing poems.
Sample 2
I play chess when I have time. I play it with friends or against computer. Amazing, right? There are quite a few benefits from playing chess. I will talk about the three major benefits here. First of all, it improves our memory because players need to memorize different opening variations and various patterns. Second, it improves our concentration and logical thinking. Chess requires some understanding of logical strategy. For example, you should know that it is important to bring your pieces out into the game at the beginning, to keep your king safe at all times, and not to make big weaknesses in your position. Lastly, it develops our imagination and creativity as it encourages us to be creative. There are countless numbers of ways to play and one needs to memorize these ways and use strategies to surprise and defeat your rivals.
Listening and speaking
News report
Scripts
A recent report on the leisure market in China reveals that as the Chinese society has experienced great changes over the last few decades, leisure activities have also developed a lot. And this is forcing leisure service providers to look beyond their immediate consumer bases, which requires quite detailed knowledge about this market.
As is said in the report, with their rising income, Chinese people pursuing a balanced lifestyle are more and more attracted to leisure activities such as going to concerts, cycling, swimming, camping and mountain climbing.
Together with this trend, sports equipment and devices gradually become a growing business opportunity. Indeed, the “sports and leisure” market is showing a linear rising tendency, which has a potential market of over 10 billion RMB in China.
According to the report, one of the main reasons behind Chinese people’s shifting to personal-style leisure experience is that an increasing number of people are working longer hours and they are in need of something new and different to release stress. The report shows that these people travel on a regular basis. And, 74 percent of the respondents agreed that they spend more leisure time with family and friends.
Reference answers
Listening and understanding 1) immediate consumer bases 2) balanced
3) leisure activities
4) a growing business opportunity 5) a potential market 6) release stress 7) on a regular basis 8) family and friends
Thinking and speaking
Impressive advertisements of leisure products 1
I remember once I watched a commercial of an SUV which impressed me a lot. The commercial showed several features of the car, such as having great horsepower, thick tires, a turbocharged engine, and four-wheel drive. This vehicle makes a perfect tool to drive to mountain areas where I can climb rocks. By the way, rock climbing is my favorite sporting activity and I have been practicing rock climbing since I was 12. I want to save up enough money to buy a car like the SUV in the commercial, because a powerful SUV can take me to an ideal mountain area for rock climbing that is not accessible otherwise. I can take some friends and all my climbing equipment. I can also use the vehicle to get some rest before and after climbing. 2
Yes, I think so. These days, with more disposable income, more Chinese people have developed their own hobbies and have their leisure activities. They are no longer satisfied with package tours to a certain destinations and do some sightseeing there. They want to do something meaningful, showing their special values, and with their personal styles, such as rock climbing or marathon running. They are also able to afford more expensive products or services. That’s why I think the commercial has met the needs of the Chinese who are pursuing personal-style leisure experience.
Conversation
Scripts
W: Hi, Mal. How are our leisure habits changing?
M: Well, we’ve got growing engagement with digital technology, especially in terms of communication. That means we don’t draw a clear line between work and play anymore. When we leave the office, we often take the work with us. That impacts not only on the amount of leisure time we have, but also the way we think about leisure. W: I suppose we should not use the same device for work and for leisure.
M: Right. I also think the fact that we’re more mobile today has an impact on how we use our leisure time. Now it’s more like living in a digital tribe than in a physical space tribe. It doesn’t require that we meet people in a pub or a community center to build a relationship as we did in the past.
W: Lots of our pubs as community centers are essentially closing now.
M: Yes, people are spending more time just at home rather than going out for leisure. We may
not be so eager to chat with other people because we spend so much time playing on mobile devices. But digital technology is only for maintaining shallow relationships over long distances. It’s not as good for building deeper relationships with people immediately around us.
W: So what do you think of the future of our leisure?
M: Well, I’m optimistic. I think now more people are becoming aware of the limitations of digital
entertainment and have realized that leisure activities involving face-to-face communication need to take place on a regular basis. This may be achieved in the same way we’ve done it in the past, like hanging out in a pub with friends. Or maybe we will explore more new ways.
Questions:
1. What is affected by the growing engagement with digital technology? 2. Why did people choose to meet others in a pub in the past? 3. What can digital technology be used for according to the man? 4. What is the man’s attitude toward the future of leisure? 5. What does the man think of future leisure activities?
Reference answers
Listening and understanding 1
1) work and play
2) take the work with us 3) physical 4) mobile
5) community centers 6) mobile devices 2
1. A 2. B 3. D 4. A 5. C
Thinking and speaking
Digital technology and leisure activities Step 1
When I was young, the whole family watched TV in the evening and once a year we took a train ride to travel to a different city for sightseeing. Today, I seldom watch TV, instead, I spend a lot of time on my computer. It is on my computer that I do my homework, write my reports, watch movies, and play games with friends who might be living in another city. In addition, during holidays, we will drive our own car to other places instead of taking trains. We can have more flexible schedules while traveling.
Step 2
It is both limiting my leisure activities and expanding the scope of my leisure activities. I think as a young person, we need to be close to nature and participate in a lot of outdoor activities. In this respect, the digital technology is limiting our leisure activities. We spend a lot of time using smartphones, computers, tablets or Kindles and take less and less physical outdoor exercises. Our eyesight, limb movement coordination and physical responses are somewhat impaired. However, on the other hand, the digital technology has opened a new world for us. We can see places where we have never been to, witness what is happening on the other side of the world, and talk to people whom we have never met. In this sense, it is expanding the scope of our leisure activities.
More face-to-face communication Sample 1
Yes, I agree with him. With digital technology, people are now able to chat with people that they know or those they don’t know. So they can communicate with more fellow human beings. However, this kind of communication is shallow and some people may use false names instead of their real identity. It is very hard to get a good understanding of each other. They can hardly have a thorough and insightful discussion of certain issues. Real communication should happen face to face with people sitting down together.
Sample 2
I don’t agree with him. I think digital technology is powerful enough for humans to communicate with each other. Real in-depth communication does not require a face-to-face scenario. It is the hearts that talk to each other and this can be realized online with the help of digital technology. In my imagination, future leisure activities can happen both online and offline. Both of them are important for people. They will use their digital devices to chat with friends, play games, and read online whenever and wherever they want. However, they also need real physical communications, so they will meet friends in person to have fun together. They will play sports, watch movies, drink or simply stay with each other.
Passage 1
Scripts
Having a hobby that you enjoy – whether that’s drawing, dancing, or just relaxing on the beach – has all sorts of well-documented benefits, from lower levels of stress to an increased sense of belonging and purpose. But do you know that hobbies can also improve your work performance?
According to professional counselor Rebecca Weiler, when you’re engaged and fulfilled in your life outside of work, like when you’re pursuing meaningful hobbies, the happiness you get spills over. It can make you more focused and enthusiastic when you’re on the job.
Another point is that the skills you gain as a result of your leisurely pursuits can also make you better at your job and make you a more appealing candidate for potential employers. For example, someone who performs in an improvisational group as a hobby could be attractive to an employer because they can think on their feet and may also be more comfortable about
presenting themselves in front of a group of people.
So, having a hobby that you love not only makes a serious impact on your quality of life, but is also good for your job. But what if you don’t actually have a hobby you enjoy? You’re not alone. According to Weiler, trying to find meaningful hobbies is one of the primary reasons that her clients – especially young people – seek counseling.
Questions:
1. What can we learn from professional counselor Rebecca Weiler? 2. What kind of employees are more likely to be favored?
3. Why do clients seek help from Weiler according to the passage?
Reference answers
Listening and understanding 1
1. B 2. A 3. D 2
1, 3, 4, 6, 7
Thinking and speaking Hobbies and opportunities Step 1
• In fact, I regard myself a lucky girl since I have been given quite a few favorable considerations because of my hobbies. I learned to sing and dance when I was five years old and I have loved singing and dancing since. I practiced them on weekends in primary school and secondary school. When I came to this university, because of these hobbies, of course I am really good at them, I have been selected out of a group of applicants as an exchange student to visit and study in a foreign university. This is just one example.
• Running is my hobby and whenever I have some free time, I will go running no matter what the weather is like. Running makes me strong and it clears my mind, which enables me to think better about how to cope with problems I meet before. Running also teaches me to be independent, both in study and life. That is probably the reason why my classmates like me and admire me. They have voted me to be the monitor of the class and some of them even have started running with me.
Step 2
There are quite a number of hobbies that will make a job applicant a favorable choice in the potential employer’s mind. Since employers all like their employees to be independent, responsible, creative, humorous, artistic, good at teamwork, and persistent, people with these qualities are very likely to be given favorable considerations. Then what kind of hobbies do people with these qualities have? I believe some of them love sports. When engaged in sports, one needs to be independent, good at teamwork and always wanting to win. And then people
who have hobbies like singing, dancing, painting, or calligraphy will also be considered favorably because they have artistic talents. They are creative as well as having artistic taste.
Advice for meaningful hobbies
A meaningful hobby should make a person independent, creative and never willing to give up. In this case, sports will serve the purpose. For example, running. Running not only can strengthen one’s body, it also makes one independent. Other meaningful hobbies include some artistic activities, such as painting or practicing a musical instrument. They broaden one’s view of the world and help them to find beauty in life. Thus they become more grateful for what they have.
Passage 2
Scripts
If you want to understand the Finns, first go to a Finnish sauna. The word “sauna” means a bath house in Finnish and is the only Finnish word used in everyday English. The sauna has been central to the national identity for two thousand years.
Although saunas and similar heated spaces are well known in many cultures throughout history, Finland is unique in the sense that the sauna has become a key part of everyday life. In previous centuries, the sauna was traditionally important, not only as a place for keeping clean but also as a cleaner environment where childbirth would take place and the sick would be nursed.
For Finnish people, saunas also help them embrace a sense of inner peace. “The sauna is for your mind. It really helps you calm down in a modern society where it is never quiet,” says the chairman of the Finnish Sauna Society. “You enter this place for deep thought. It’s most closely associated with your mental well-being.”
Besides purifying body and mind, this is where the Finns socialize. An invitation to saunas from Finnish business contacts you have never met before is perfectly normal. Even most embassies of Finland around the world feature a sauna. The sauna has always been considered a peaceful space, and heated arguments are considered to be against “sauna etiquette.” Most Finns use the sauna weekly to relax and connect with family and friends. Maybe that’s the secret to being the happiest people in the world!
Reference answers
Listening and understanding 1
1) take place 2) nursed 3) inner peace 4) calm down 5) deep thought 6) associated with 7) socialize
8) connect with 2
1. T 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T 6. F
Thinking and speaking A unique leisure activity
Have you ever imagined flying in the sky? How about making something flying in the sky? I come from Weifang, Shandong Province and people in the place have the tradition of making kites in their leisure time and flying them in the sky in nice days. Different from kites made in other places, the kites from Weifang of Shandong have a great variety of shapes, forms and sizes, and they are more colorful. The kites from Weifang have already become an intangible cultural heritage and 70% of the kites people fly over the world are made in Weifang. Kites have been indispensable to lives of people in Weifang. Kites represent hospitality. People invite guests to fly a kite to entertain them. Kites also help people relax and strengthen relationships. Many people are making their own kites in their free time and enjoy flying them with the whole family on weekends.
What makes it a unique try?
• I think leisure activities are related to geographic locations and family influence. I like fishing because I come from a place where a big river runs through. Many old and young people loving fishing, my father being one of them. He took me to fish when I was only a child. Gradually I fell in love with fishing, too. Sometimes fishing brings me a sense of peace and calmness which is much needed in this busy world. But without that river, I might have developed another hobby. That’s why I think leisure activities are related to geographic locations and family influence.
• I grew up in the northern part of China where everything is covered with a thick layer of snow and ice in winter time. A lot of people in my hometown like skiing, which is a popular leisure activity there. I think the popularity of a leisure activity has something to do with the geographic location and the climate in the specific area. People in southern part of China, where the climate is warm all winter, hardly have the chance to ski in their hometowns.
Viewing & speaking
Scripts
Hey, how are you feeling right now? Let’s slow down a moment and take a deep breath. Great job! For a few seconds, you’ve enjoyed niksen – the sweetness of doing nothing. This practice of taking a moment to slow down represents an approach to life, everything in moderation, an idea that is a taboo to the average young American. To understand our reason for this approach, we’d have to look at the American way of life.
Throughout history, the concept of the American dream has been highly promoted among
Americans due to the belief that people should get status or rewards according to what they achieve. This is a mentality influenced by capitalism, where productivity isn’t about getting things done and accomplishing goals, but about exploiting workers for a higher profit. With most workers feeling replaceable, they are inclined to work harder, just to show their overall worth, resulting in a nation filled with obsessive productivity and constant guilt surrounding the idea of leisure.
So how can doing nothing be beneficial? Studies have shown that taking mindful breaks throughout our days helps increase creativity, regain our focus and retain more information, resulting in valuable opportunities for stimulating unconscious thought processes on the brain. In simple terms, busyness and left brain activities are united. With the left side taking care of our daily activities, busyness can weaken the right hemisphere of the brain that controls our creative and emotional processes. It’s during periods of relaxation, meditation or daydreaming that the right hemisphere has the ability to fully express itself. In this state of mind, the brain can lower the volume, turn off the screen and view the world in productive and creative ways. There are many well-known examples of brilliant ideas that came to people out of nowhere while they were doing something entirely unrelated or nothing much at all, from Archimedes in his bathtub to Newton under his apple tree.
So remember, give your mind the break that it needs and add a little bit of niksen to your daily routine, because time you enjoy wasting is never time wasted.
Questions:
1. What is a taboo to the average young American?
2. What is the essence of productivity in the American dream?
3. Which of the following is a result of someone taking time to do nothing? 4. Why is Archimedes cited?
Reference answers
Viewing and understanding 1
1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F 2
1. A 2. D 3. B 4. D
Thinking and speaking How busy is your day?
My busiest day in a week is Wednesday when I have eleven classes to attend. In the morning, I have calculus and physics classes; in the afternoon, I have English and philosophy classes; and in the evening, I have a biology seminar. After all these classes, I still have some homework to finish before the end of the day. Only during the lunch break and supper break do I have some free moments. I am often overwhelmed by so many classes. Thus, during warm and sunny days, I would lie on the grass next to the lake on campus after my lunch. I may not really fall asleep, however. I think the time of doing nothing but just lying there helps a lot. It takes the heavy
pressure away from my mind and makes me feel refreshed and ready for the afternoon classes. Fortunately, the English class is my favorite class and I am really looking forward to it.
Doing nothing and creativity
My mother practices yoga and meditation and she always tells me that practicing meditation will help me if I feel tired. So sometimes I do meditation, especially when I am exhausted, or before exams or when I am stuck with a problem. Once I was writing a computer program and I was stuck with an algorithm. I spent days on it without much success. That made me really tired and frustrated so I tried practicing meditation in my dorm to release the pressure I was experiencing. Suddenly, as if I was hit by a lightning, a solution came upon my mind. I quickly got up and wrote it down on a piece of paper. I solved the problem while meditating.
Doing nothing and achieving greater productivity Sample 1
I think it is possible to keep a balance between doing nothing and obtaining greater productivity. We all have experienced the situation where we are too tired to work or think of any workable ideas. The only thing we can do at that moment is to take a break and have a good sleep. Usually after the break or sleep, we will come up with some wonderful ideas. Therefore, doing nothing from time to time is helpful for greater productivity. That is also why we need vacations. We need them not just for spending time with our families, but for a fresher mind and greater productivity.
Sample 2
I don’t think we can keep a balance between doing nothing and obtaining greater productivity. When I was very young, my father told me I had to work hard for everything in life. Doing nothing was a waste of time and life. Even if I am tired and can’t go on doing experiments or assignments, I can stop but I need to think about them. We need a purpose for life; otherwise we will just waste our life.
Pronunciation
1. What’s taken from the people is used for the people. (strong form) (strong form)
2. This is a mentality influenced by capitalism, where productivity isn’t about getting things done and accomplishing goals, but about exploiting workers for a higher profit. (weak form)
3. With most workers feeling replaceable, they are inclined to work harder, just to show their overall worth, resulting in a nation filled with obsessive productivity and constant guilt surrounding the idea of leisure. (weak form)
4. It’s during periods of relaxation, meditation or daydreaming that the right hemisphere has the (weak form) ability to fully express itself.
5. In this state of mind, the brain can lower the volume, turn off the screen and view the world in (weak form)
productive and creative ways.
6. When you stay in a place for a longer period of time, you’re getting more value for what you’re
(weak form) (weak form) (weak form)
paying for. (strong form)
Unit project
Reference answers Chairman:
Today we are going to have a debate on what type of leisure activity should be organized – that works the mind or that rests the mind. The result of the debate will actually decide what kind of leisure activity we are going to organize at the end of this month. So here, we have Team One with three members who are going to argue for the type of activities that work our mind. They take reading to represent such activities. And, Team Two has another three members who argue for the activities to rest the mind. They choose fishing as the representative activity. Each speaker has two minutes for their argument and counter-argument. After two speakers from each team finish their speeches, you have five minutes for free debate, and after that, the last speakers from each team will have their speeches. Let’s start with the first speaker from Team One.
S1T1:
Ladies and gentleman, Francis Bacon, the English writer and philosopher, once said, “Reading makes a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.” Here I am arguing for a reading party for our class activity. We are students of engineering and since we have so many classes to attend and experiments to conduct, we hardly have time to read books of arts or literature. In a sense, our life is incomplete. How to make us a full man? The answer is reading. I strongly suggest we organize a reading party at the end of the month and let everyone share a novel or book of arts with us. It will serve the purpose of enlightening us and broadening our view, making us see the world from a larger perspective.
S1T2:
I see your point, however, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” This is a saying we have heard since we were little girls or boys. For most of the time in our current life, we are burying ourselves in the books, so we need something else for a change this time. We need a rest of the mind. I suggest that we go fishing because it can absolutely release all the pressure we have from study and other issues from school. When you are fishing, you look at the blue sky, water, grasses and trees, which are all pleasing scenes. They are not only good for our mind but also for our eyesight.
S2T1:
What you said is all interesting, but we have to take into account that we are the future of the world. So now, we should educate ourselves in every possible way and learn at all times. Reading helps us prepare for our future careers so when we step out of the school, we can play an
essential role and fully function in the modern world. The development of society depends on us. If we waste our precious time on something that has nothing to do with our major studies, that will be a great loss. There is a Chinese saying, “A young idler, an old beggar.” Our ancestors have already told us the truth of life. Let’s have the reading party and read more books.
S2T2:
Speakers from Team Two unfortunately failed to consider the fact that we are talking about a leisure activity. A leisure activity is meant to rest the mind, otherwise why should we have a leisure activity? It should help us forget about all the things that worry us, bother us, or trouble us. Only by doing something totally different from school can we relax ourselves in a real sense. Going to a reading party is very much the same as going to a class and it will still make us feel under pressure. On the other hand, going fishing or doing other outdoor activities will offer us a different environment from school and expose us to great nature. What’s more, we might get inspiration for our school work. Who knows?
Free debate T1:
Studies have proven that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progress of Alzheimer’s and Dementia, since keeping your brain active and engaged prevents it from losing power. This is what books can do for us. It also can reduce our stress. No matter how much stress you have in your studies, in your personal relationships, or countless other issues you face in daily life, it’ll all just slip away when you lose yourself in a great story. A well-written novel can transport you to other realms, letting tensions drain away and allowing you to relax. T2:
While you are fishing, your eyes are looking closely at your fishing line, the float and the bait. A slight movement of the line and the float will cause your attention to see whether there is any fish biting the bait. Your mind will scarcely wonder away to any problems that trouble you in your work or studies. Therefore, that is the moment you totally get relaxed. You hardly have time to check your smartphone while fishing, so this is also good for your eyes. T1:
But, there is knowledge in books. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to tackle any challenge you’ll ever face. And books expand your vocabulary. The more you read, the more words you gain exposure to, and they’ll inevitably make their way into your everyday vocabulary. Being articulate and well-spoken is of great help in any profession, and knowing that you can speak to higher-ups with self-confidence can be an enormous boost to your self-esteem. It could even aid in your career, as those who are well-read, well-spoken, and knowledgeable on a variety of topics usually function better in their roles in society. T2:
Well, fishing is always a better game to enjoy beside lakes, oceans, and streams. While fishing, you immerse yourself in nature, breathe the fresh air and enjoy the quietness in the countryside. In today’s world, there are all kinds of noises: the hustle and bustle of daily activities, traffic
noises, office machines, all of which helps to add stress to us. The rivers or lakes where you go fishing are normally quiet with only natural sound of water or wind. They have a soothing effect on human beings. To sit in such an environment to enjoy nature will definitely relieve your stress. T1:
Sometimes we need to do something spontaneously to work our mind and reading is such an activity. Reading can also develop our analytical thinking skills. For instance, when we read a mystery novel, we will put bits of information together and try to figure out “whodunnit”. Critical and analytical thinking that is built up through reading is essential for our future careers. So why don’t we engage ourselves in such an activity that can benefit our mind and future? T2:
It is not easy to keep the mind relaxed on some hard days. But fishing or outdoor meditation makes it affordable for us to get relaxed while surrounded by a beautiful ocean, hills, and green environment. You surely get to feel nature and enjoy being in it. It is interesting that fishing can also be considered the meditation that allows fishers to get the calmness in the body and mind. Therefore, activities that rest the mind are good for our health.
End of free debate.
S3T2:
All right. Our team has expressed our preference for the class leisure activity, which is something that can rest our mind. It is true that work and productivity is very important, however, we need a life, too. We need time and space to relax, to forget the pressure from work or study, to get inspiration, and to cultivate an artistic taste. Therefore, we propose fishing, painting, meditating, etc. I am sure we will come back to school with a lighter heart and a clearer mind. Taking some outdoor activities can also let us breathe in more fresh air and expose to more sunlight. These are the reasons why we think an activity that rests the mind should be our choice.
S3T1:
I am here going to restate our opinion on the choice of the leisure activity. We are young people and we should always remember to develop ourselves in every possible way. A leisure activity should also serve this purpose. We should take in knowledge like sponges taking in water and learn how to be a critical thinker. We also need to improve our wisdom so we can better function in tomorrow’s world. In this sense, we choose a reading party for this particular class activity, because reading books and talking about books will sharpen our mind and direct us to the path we can take to be a better person. Books are teachers who are full of wisdom and they can tell us the past, the present and the future of human beings and history. That’s why we think book reading is the perfect choice for our leisure time.
Chairman:
Good job! Team One stands for reading because they believe reading works our mind. While Team Two proposes fishing because they consider it an activity that rests the mind. Both sides have contributed a lot of reasons for your choices. Now let’s wait for the vote of the choice from
the classmates.
Further listening
News report
Scripts
Recently there has been much discussion around competitive socializing, but what is it? Actually competitive socializing is not a new concept. It is having competitive fun with friends, as many amateur team sports are mainly based on friendship circles. What makes competitive socializing different is the addition of advanced technology and consumer-driven opportunities.
Competitive socializing includes any activity or occasion that brings people together to play a game. The most common competitive socializing activities are mini-golf, escape rooms, VR games and bowling.
The competitive socializing market is diverse but “fragmented.” It has a large number of independent operators, but lacks overall brands and sector leaders. In the UK, London tends to lead with new leisure trends, but slowly the operators are branching out and brands are now all across the UK.
Competitive socializing is seen as a counter-culture to the increasingly “online” lives of younger generations. Games and sports always bring people together in real life, and competitive socializing is no exception. Playing board games is a good choice because board games are socially interactive and usually nonviolent while competitive.
Questions:
1. Which of the following is true of competitive socializing? 2. What is the feature of the competitive socializing market?
3. Why is competitive socializing seen as a counter-culture to the “online” lives of younger generations?
Reference answers 1. A 2. A 3. D
Conversation
Scripts
M: What do you usually do in your free time, Mary?
W: I usually go for a walk with my husband on weekends. It refreshes my mind and makes me feel good. But my favorite leisure activity is golf. M: Golf? Why is that?
W: It’s great fun! Playing golf can always help me reduce anxiety and relieve stress. It frees me
from all the troubles and problems. When playing golf, I focus only on the task at hand – getting that ball into the hole!
M: Oh, really? I’m afraid playing golf is not a relaxation for me. I tried it once, and it took me about four hours to play an 18-hole course! It was so tiring!
W: Ha-ha, that’s exactly the other reason why I like golf. It is good exercise and keeps me healthy. It has been proved that golf plays a role in preventing and treating many chronic diseases, such as heart disease. I even lost some weight playing golf!
M: But I think leisure activities shouldn’t be so physically-demanding. Some people would rather spend their free time painting, reading, listening to music or meditating. For me, I like watching movies.
W: What kind of movies do you like?
M: I like comedies. When life doesn’t treat me so well, a good comedy can drag me out of a bad mood. I also like science-fiction movies and prefer watching them in movie theaters for better visual and sound effects. How about you? Do you enjoy watching movies?
W: Sometimes. I like detective movies because of the suspense and mysteries. I also enjoy the sensation brought by thrillers. They always give me goose bumps.
Questions:
1. What does the woman usually do in her free time? 2. What is one benefit of playing golf for the woman? 3. Why does the man like comedies?
4. What does the woman say about movies?
Reference answers
1. C 2. C 3. B 4. D
Passage 1
Scripts
Individuals, in all cultures or societies, experience what we would label as leisure, and possess free time that is not devoted to productive tasks. However, participation in leisure activities clearly varies across populations and cultures.
Each culture has an impact on its society’s leisure, influencing to some degree what people do in their leisure time, what leisure activities are given priority over others and how much time and money people spend on different leisure activities. You just can’t take a standard leisure model of one culture and expect it to be successful in another culture. Even within a country, there are significant cultural differences from one area of the country to another.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development recently conducted a study of social trends in 18 countries. According to the study, the French spend the most time eating and drinking, almost twice as much time as residents of Canada and the United States. Mexicans spend the least time eating and drinking.
When we looked into how people spend their leisure time around the world, we found significant differences in the percentage of leisure time spent visiting and entertaining friends. People in Turkey spend one third of their leisure time with friends and New Zealanders about one quarter, in contrast to people in Australia, Germany, Japan and Spain, who spend less than five percent of their time visiting and entertaining friends.
Questions:
1. What does the speaker say about participation in leisure activities across the world? 2. In which country are people found to spend the least time eating and drinking? 3. Which of the following is true about the leisure time people spend with friends?
Reference answers 1. B 2. B 3. D
Passage 2
Scripts
It has been known that spending too much time on playing video games will cause damage to students’ health and their academic studies. However, it is less well known that playing video games for an adequate amount of time may bring young people certain benefits like better decision-making skills, improved motor skills, and sometimes even greater vision. It has also been proved that moderate game playing can help people manage stress.
Many people, especially psychologists and medical researchers, believe depression, stress, and other kinds of mental disorders are a result of “patterned” thinking. You know, every day you wake up feeling like it is just another day and you follow the same boring routine. Slowly, your mind gets used to the pressure and the things that make you stressed every day. So, you are always living in the state of stress. Video games break this pattern and provide a mental “breather” to your mind. Here, it’s all about re-focusing the brain on something else and getting it to a different zone.
A study was released by the University of Utah regarding the effects regular gaming has on children who are diagnosed with illnesses like depression. In this experiment, kids who played games, including those specially designed for the study, showed great signs of self-empowerment and improvement in their resilience and fighting spirit.
Questions:
1. Which of the following is not mentioned as a positive impact of video games? 2. Where do scientists find mental disorders come from?
3. What can we learn from the study released by the University of Utah?
Reference answers
1. B 2. B 3. D
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