Track 4

Track 04

Hobbies

Do you th ink men and women tend to have different types of hobbies?

Why do some people get obsessed with their hobby?

Do you th ink hobbies that keep you fit are better than hobbies that you can do sitting down?

Free time

Do you th ink it can be a disadvantage to have too much free t ime?

Should people feel a duty to do something constructive in their free t ime?

Do people have more free t ime now than in the past?

Sample answers:

Examiner: Do you think men and women tend to have different types of hobbies?

Candidate: Yes, I do. The men I know have sports as hobbies. The women usually enjoy more sedentary and peaceful hobbies, like reading or crafts. Having said that, there are of course women who love exhilarating hobbies or are fanatical about cycling or something. And there are men who take up pottery or sewing. There are always exceptions to every rule.

Examiner: Why do some people get obsessed with their hobby?

Candidate: I think everybody finds at least one thing absolutely fascinating. It can be anything - subjects like history of art, or a sport like basketball, or a craft like card-making. Everyone is different and one person’s interest can appear strange to other people. However, not everyone has time to indulge themselves with their hobby. Mothers of young children, for example, get little free time and so they appear less ‘obsessed ‘ than a single man who spends every weekend, all weekend playing computer games.

Examiner: Do you think hobbies that keep you fit are better than hobbies that you can do sitting down?

Candidate: No, I think hobbies that open you up to new things are the best, ones that enrich you and give you a new skill. That can be anything, but it is important always to grow as a person and not become boring by never trying anything new.

Examiner: Do you think it can be a disadvantage to have too much free time?

Candidate: Well, they say that the devil makes work for idle hands and I think it’s true that the less you have to do the less active you become and the more time you waste. People who have too much time to spare tend to become lazy and letharg ic. People who are always on the go, on the other hand, think nothing of fitting one more thing into their busy schedules.

Examiner: Should people feel a duty to do something constructive in their free time?

Candidate: No, not necessarily. Everyone deserves some downtime. Modern life is stressful and hectic and so we need times when we let go of our responsibilities and just do something fun. We can still draw benefits from hobbies that are not generally considered constructive - for example, we can develop our abilities to work in teams by doing team sports, and we can increase our attention spans by reading a novel with long chapters!

Examiner: Do people have more free time now than in the past?

Candidate: It’s a strange irony that although we now have so many labour-saving devices such as washing machines and dishwashers, we feel we have less free time. Many of my acquaintances are always complaining that they are too busy. But actually I think our ancestors had less free time than us. The average worker hardly ever got any time off and worked six or seven days a week.