Unit 1 Leisure Activities Useful Information There are some people in society who either have to or want to work all the time.Most people,however,seek ways to socialize,to relax or to have fun during their leisure hours. Obviously people's tastes vary depending on their income and their age.But in recent years,the home entertainment industry has grown all over the world.Instead of going out to see a movie or taking a walk in a park,people of all ages prefer to turn on the television and stay at home.More and more families have tape recorders,DVDs,MP3,MP4,Cable TV,wifi,and computer games to add to the variety of leisure activities in the home.In some countries,young people spend hours sitting in front of their computers,surfing on the Internet or playing computer games.With the coming of the new Internet services,many people are using the Internet chatting and dating with each other.Many of them also do shopping online. Despite the rise in home entertainment,there are still many people who enjoy spending some of their leisure time attending sports events or participating in competitive sports or other physical activities such as dancing and taiji(shadow boxing).Exercise not only contributes to good health but also takes the mind away from worries and troubles. Concerts,plays and other performances constitute another source of entertainment outside the home.While some people prefer to be entertained,others prefer to be the entertainers.They derive great satisfaction in giving others pleasure by making them laugh or by enabling them to lose themselves in the imaginary world of a play or the relaxing sounds of music. Part One Preparation 1.A Survey of Chinese People's Leisure Activities STEPS ONE-TWO Survey Questions: 1.What do you usually do in your spare time? 2.How much time do you spend on these activities each time? 3.How often do you take these activities?Once every week/month/year? Age Groups Leisure Activities Time Spent Frequency
1 Unit 1 Leisure Activities Useful Information There are some people in society who either have to or want to work all the time. Most people, however, seek ways to socialize, to relax or to have fun during their leisure hours. Obviously people’s tastes vary depending on their income and their age. But in recent years, the home entertainment industry has grown all over the world. Instead of going out to see a movie or taking a walk in a park, people of all ages prefer to turn on the television and stay at home. More and more families have tape recorders, DVDs，MP3, MP4, Cable TV, wifi, and computer games to add to the variety of leisure activities in the home. In some countries, young people spend hours sitting in front of their computers, surfing on the Internet or playing computer games. With the coming of the new Internet services, many people are using the Internet chatting and dating with each other. Many of them also do shopping online. Despite the rise in home entertainment, there are still many people who enjoy spending some of their leisure time attending sports events or participating in competitive sports or other physical activities such as dancing and taiji (shadow boxing). Exercise not only contributes to good health but also takes the mind away from worries and troubles. Concerts, plays and other performances constitute another source of entertainment outside the home. While some people prefer to be entertained, others prefer to be the entertainers. They derive great satisfaction in giving others pleasure by making them laugh or by enabling them to lose themselves in the imaginary world of a play or the relaxing sounds of music. Part One Preparation 1. A Survey of Chinese People’s Leisure Activities STEPS ONE-TWO Survey Questions: 1. What do you usually do in your spare time? 2. How much time do you spend on these activities each time? 3. How often do you take these activities? Once every week/month/year? Age Groups Leisure Activities Time Spent Frequency 1
2 grandparents Playing Taichi 1 hour Everyday Playing mahjong 4 hours Every other day Fishing 6 hours Once a month Reading newspapers 1 hour Everyday Watching TV 3 hours Everyday Gardening Half an hour Everyday Listening to Beijing 2 hours Every other day Opera Dancing 1 hour Everyday Babysitting grandchildren 3 hours Once a week Practicing calligraphy 1 hour Everyday Having afternoon tea 1 hour Everyday Our parents Group dancing 1 hour Everyday Climbing and hiking 4 hours Once a week Watching TV 3 hours Everyday Playing mahjong 4 hours Once a week Surfing the Internet 4 hours Travelling 10 days Every year Visiting or Entertaining 4 hours Once a week friends Reading novels or 2 hours Everyday newspapers Playing go/chess 4 hours Once a week Drinking tea at a tea 4 hours Once a week bar/house Going to Karaoke 4 hours Once a week Shopping 4 hours Once a week Keeping pets 2 hours Everyday
2 grandparents Playing Taichi Playing mahjong Fishing Reading newspapers Watching TV Gardening Listening to Beijing Opera Dancing Babysitting grandchildren Practicing calligraphy Having afternoon tea 1 hour 4 hours 6 hours 1 hour 3 hours Half an hour 2 hours 1 hour 3 hours 1 hour 1 hour Everyday Every other day Once a month Everyday Everyday Everyday Every other day Everyday Once a week Everyday Everyday Our parents Group dancing Climbing and hiking Watching TV Playing mahjong Surfing the Internet Travelling Visiting or Entertaining friends Reading novels or newspapers Playing go/chess Drinking tea at a tea bar/house Going to Karaoke Shopping Keeping pets 1 hour 4 hours 3 hours 4 hours 4 hours 10 days 4 hours 2 hours 4 hours 4 hours 4 hours 4 hours 2 hours Everyday Once a week Everyday Once a week Every year Once a week Everyday Once a week Once a week Once a week Once a week Everyday
College playing ball games 1 hour Everyday students going swimming 1 hour Everyday going skating 1 hour Everyday playing dota 5 hours Everyday Surfing the Internet 2 hours Everyday Talking on Weixin Half an hour Everyday Reading Weibo 15 minutes Everyday Taking photos 5 hours Once a week Travelling 15 days Once a year Playing musical 1 hours Everyday instruments Collecting coins 2 hours Once a week Listening to music, 2 hours Everyday Reading novels. 2 hours Everyday Watching a sports match 2 hours Everyday Going to a concert 3 hours Once a week (theatres and museums) Shopping 2 hours Once a week Singing in Karaoke 4 hours Once a week children Playing with Barbie dolls 1 hour Everyday under 12 Roller-skating 1 hour Everyday Playing Lego 1 hour Everyday Playing hide and seek 1 hour Everyday Riding bicycle Half an hour Everyday Drawing 1 hour Everyday Jumping elastic rope 1 hour Everyday Fighting Half an hour Everyday Playing Dominoes 1 hour Everyday Playing computer games 1 hour Everyday Watching cartoon 2 hours Everyday Listening to stories 1 hour Everyday Playing Yo-yo Half an hour Everyday Reading picture-books Half an hour Everyday Playing glass balls 1 hour Everyday swimming Half an hour Everyday STEP THREE 1.I interviewed a grandfather and a grandmother.They have very different interests regarding
3 College students playing ball games going swimming going skating playing dota Surfing the Internet Talking on Weixin Reading Weibo Taking photos Travelling Playing musical instruments Collecting coins Listening to music, Reading novels, Watching a sports match Going to a concert (theatres and museums) Shopping Singing in Karaoke 1 hour 1 hour 1 hour 5 hours 2 hours Half an hour 15 minutes 5 hours 15 days 1 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 3 hours 2 hours 4 hours Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Once a week Once a year Everyday Once a week Everyday Everyday Everyday Once a week Once a week Once a week children under 12 Playing with Barbie dolls Roller-skating Playing Lego Playing hide and seek Riding bicycle Drawing Jumping elastic rope Fighting Playing Dominoes Playing computer games Watching cartoon Listening to stories Playing Yo-yo Reading picture-books Playing glass balls swimming 1 hour 1 hour 1 hour 1 hour Half an hour 1 hour 1 hour Half an hour 1 hour 1 hour 2 hours 1 hour Half an hour Half an hour 1 hour Half an hour Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday Everyday STEP THREE 1. I interviewed a grandfather and a grandmother. They have very different interests regarding
their leisure activities.The grandpa loves tea.Every afternoon he goes to a tea house, enjoying tea and chatting with a bunch of old people like himself.He says this is the best time of the day.He would forget all his troubles and pains in his body during the tea time Grandma loves group dancing in the evening.As long as it doesn't rain,she'll go to a tiny park nearby and dance with a group of women,winter or summer.She says dancing makes her younger and healthy.She also does some babysitting for her grandson when his parents are too busy to take care of him.She spends about 3 mornings doing babysitting every week. She also loves to play mahjong with her friends. 2.I asked a middle-aged man and a woman of the same age.The man says he likes climbing and hiking during the weekends.On weekdays,he has to work late,so when he gets home.he likes to watch TV.Then on weekends,he'll go climbing hills surrounding the city.Sometimes he takes his camera with him.That's his new hobby-taking photos.Every year,he would travel to a foreign country with his wife for about 7 days.The woman says she likes to surf on the Internet during her free time.She does a lot of online shopping these days.She is almost addicted to it and she has bought a lot of items that she doesn't need at all.Her husband is not very happy with this and asks her to sell them online.She also loves to watch TV plays on the Internet 3.--I asked three college students about their leisure activities.All of them are boys and one thing they all like is computer games.They spend almost three hours playing Dota every night in their dormitory.They like to play this game because it gives them a sense of accomplishment.They also take some sports activities in the afternoon,like basketball and football. --I talked with two girls,and both of them like listening to music.They say they feel relaxed while listening to music.Music makes it possible for them to continue their studies under pressure.They also like to read microblogs (Weibo)and talk with their friends through Micromessage (Weixin).It is a very convenient and cheap way to communicate with other people.They also go to concerts and other performances on campus once in a while. 4.I asked two young children for what they did after school.The boy says his teachers give him a lot of homework and he seldom has time to do what he likes to do.But if he has time,he enjoys animated cartoons and riding his bicycle.The girl says she has a lot of free time.She likes to play with her Barbie dolls and dress them up.She also likes to read books and watch TV.Sometimes she talks with her friends on QQ. 2.Laughter Cross-talk is very popular in China.You can listen to it everywhere,on the MP3,on the radio,on TV,on the Internet,etc.I think its popularity mainly lies in its humorous language,the performers'quick wits,their funny gestures and their presentation skills.The subject of cross-talk is close to our real life so that it resonates with the audience.It uses either bitter irony or funny teasing to amuse people.The most important thing is that cross- talk can make one laugh and think at the same time.What's more,cross-talk is also a reflection of the traditional Chinese culture.Cross-talk comedians are really gifted performers.They are good at singing-able to sing different kinds of songs as well as a variety of local operas.Some of them are very good at mimicking With almost nothing on the stage,they can perform whatever they want to. 3.Recognizing Puns l.The word“plane”has the same pronunciation as“plain”,If you say something is plain,you mean it is simple in style.Normally you don't have very nice food on planes
4 their leisure activities. The grandpa loves tea. Every afternoon he goes to a tea house, enjoying tea and chatting with a bunch of old people like himself. He says this is the best time of the day. He would forget all his troubles and pains in his body during the tea time. Grandma loves group dancing in the evening. As long as it doesn’t rain, she’ll go to a tiny park nearby and dance with a group of women, winter or summer. She says dancing makes her younger and healthy. She also does some babysitting for her grandson when his parents are too busy to take care of him. She spends about 3 mornings doing babysitting every week. She also loves to play mahjong with her friends. 2. I asked a middle-aged man and a woman of the same age. The man says he likes climbing and hiking during the weekends. On weekdays, he has to work late, so when he gets home, he likes to watch TV. Then on weekends, he’ll go climbing hills surrounding the city. Sometimes he takes his camera with him. That’s his new hobby—taking photos. Every year, he would travel to a foreign country with his wife for about 7 days. The woman says she likes to surf on the Internet during her free time. She does a lot of online shopping these days. She is almost addicted to it and she has bought a lot of items that she doesn’t need at all. Her husband is not very happy with this and asks her to sell them online. She also loves to watch TV plays on the Internet. 3. -- I asked three college students about their leisure activities. All of them are boys and one thing they all like is computer games. They spend almost three hours playing Dota every night in their dormitory. They like to play this game because it gives them a sense of accomplishment. They also take some sports activities in the afternoon, like basketball and football. --I talked with two girls, and both of them like listening to music. They say they feel relaxed while listening to music. Music makes it possible for them to continue their studies under pressure. They also like to read microblogs (Weibo) and talk with their friends through Micromessage (Weixin). It is a very convenient and cheap way to communicate with other people. They also go to concerts and other performances on campus once in a while. 4. I asked two young children for what they did after school. The boy says his teachers give him a lot of homework and he seldom has time to do what he likes to do. But if he has time, he enjoys animated cartoons and riding his bicycle. The girl says she has a lot of free time. She likes to play with her Barbie dolls and dress them up. She also likes to read books and watch TV. Sometimes she talks with her friends on QQ. 2. Laughter Cross-talk is very popular in China. You can listen to it everywhere, on the MP3, on the radio, on TV, on the Internet, etc. I think its popularity mainly lies in its humorous language, the performers’ quick wits, their funny gestures and their presentation skills. The subject of cross-talk is close to our real life so that it resonates with the audience. It uses either bitter irony or funny teasing to amuse people. The most important thing is that crosstalk can make one laugh and think at the same time. What’s more, cross-talk is also a reflection of the traditional Chinese culture. Cross-talk comedians are really gifted performers. They are good at singing—able to sing different kinds of songs as well as a variety of local operas. Some of them are very good at mimicking. With almost nothing on the stage, they can perform whatever they want to. 3. Recognizing Puns 1. The word “plane” has the same pronunciation as “plain”. If you say something is plain, you mean it is simple in style. Normally you don’t have very nice food on planes
2.The word"terminal"may mean illness or disease that causes death,often slowly,and cannot be cured.It also means a place where vehicles,passengers,or goods begin or end a journey. An airport terminal is where you get on a flight or get off a flight. 3.The word"pointless"means having no sense or purpose,and a broken pencil has no point. 4.Math teachers may have a lot of problems for their students.They also may have problems themselves. 5.The word "short"may mean short in height,it also means not having as much as you want or need.So here it may mean the boy doesn't have enough money to pay for the lunch.It may also mean that the boy is too short to reach the counter. 6.When you buy something from a vending machine,if you insert more than enough money, the machine will return the change,in the form of coins.What the nurse means is that they haven't managed to get the coin out of the boy yet.So the boy's condition hasn't changed. 7.The word"driving"also means powerful. &.The word“bored'”has the same pronunciation as“board”.So here it may also mean the mother is a member of the private school board. Extra activity for teachers'choice: VCDs and Movies Watching DVDs Going to the movies 1)It's more convenient,you don't 1)Movies are better in quality than Advantages have to buy tickets,and be dressed DVDs. formally. 2)You can watch undisturbed. 2)You can watch a DVD whenever 3)You have a relaxed holiday feeling. you like. 4)The wide big screen presents more 3)You can watch it over and over vivid pictures to watchers. again if you like. 4)It's much cheaper than watching a movie. 1)The quality is not as good as that 1)The cinemas are sometimes too noisy,and too dirty. Disadvantages of a movie,because many of the 2)Insummer there are many DVDs are pirated. mosquitoes in cinemas. 2)You are always disturbed by telephone calls or other things while watching. Part Two Reading-Centered Activities
5 2. The word “terminal” may mean illness or disease that causes death, often slowly, and cannot be cured. It also means a place where vehicles, passengers, or goods begin or end a journey. An airport terminal is where you get on a flight or get off a flight. 3. The word “pointless” means having no sense or purpose, and a broken pencil has no point. 4. Math teachers may have a lot of problems for their students. They also may have problems themselves. 5. The word “short” may mean short in height, it also means not having as much as you want or need. So here it may mean the boy doesn’t have enough money to pay for the lunch. It may also mean that the boy is too short to reach the counter. 6. When you buy something from a vending machine, if you insert more than enough money, the machine will return the change, in the form of coins. What the nurse means is that they haven’t managed to get the coin out of the boy yet. So the boy’s condition hasn’t changed. 7. The word “driving” also means powerful. 8. The word “bored” has the same pronunciation as “board”. So here it may also mean the mother is a member of the private school board. Extra activity for teachers’ choice: VCDs and Movies Watching DVDs Going to the movies Advantages 1) It’s more convenient, you don’t have to buy tickets, and be dressed formally. 2) You can watch a DVD whenever you like. 3) You can watch it over and over again if you like. 4) It’s much cheaper than watching a movie. 1) Movies are better in quality than DVDs. 2) You can watch undisturbed. 3) You have a relaxed holiday feeling. 4) The wide big screen presents more vivid pictures to watchers. Disadvantages 1) The quality is not as good as that of a movie, because many of the DVDs are pirated. 2) You are always disturbed by telephone calls or other things while watching. 1) The cinemas are sometimes too noisy, and too dirty. 2) In summer there are many mosquitoes in cinemas. Part Two Reading-Centered Activities