Oleg’s winter and summer holidays
Oleg has much more free time during his holidays: winter and summer. The winter holidays last from January 26 till February 7.
In winter the weather is cold and it often snows. Everything is white. The river is frozen over. The average temperature is about 5 degrees below 0. Oleg likes such weather. It’s a very good time for sports. He can go in for skiing and skating. Sometimes he makes snowmen and plays snowballs with his friends or sledges with his younger sister from the hill near their house. Unfortunately it gets dark early and he has to come back home and to occupy himself playing computer games, programming or watching sport news on TV. Sometimes winter evenings are rather boring.
He prefers summer holidays because it’s the warmest season of the year. The sun shines brightly. The sky is often blue and cloudless. It gets light early in the morning and gets dark late at night. As summer holidays last two months, he has much time for his favourite pastime. The weather gives him the opportunity to be more in the open air. Riding a bicycle is the best way of being in a good form and Oleg cycles as much as possible .He also goes to the river to swim and sunbathe or enjoys walks in the forest gathering berries or picking up mushrooms.
It’s also a good season for travelling. Every year his family goes somewhere by car. Usually they go to the seaside or to the country where their grandparents live. As for Oleg, he enjoys living in a city or town. But after a while, say a week or so, he feels like breathing some fresh air and having a look at the countryside. Oleg’s grandparents have a house in the country. Everything is peaceful and inviting there. He especially likes cycling through the forest along the long lanes.
Oleg likes active spending of free time. Leisure for him is a source of inspiration.
Exercises
1. Reproduce the sentences using the following words and word combinations:
later than usual
to do shopping
far away
to do indoors
at one’s place
to get ready for
on his day off
to take away
2. Complete the following sentences:
1. If the weather is fine Mike goes… .
2. If the weather is bad we usually go… .
3. Do you watch …?
4. Much depends on… .
3. Agree to the following statements and add some more information:
Pattern: – On your day off you go shopping.
– That’s right. I go shopping on my day off as I want to help my mother about the house.
1. You skate well.
2. Your father always helps your mother to clean the flat.
3. Mary went to the skating-rink last Sunday.
4. Helen had a good time yesterday.
5. Kate doesn’t often go to the theatre.
6. It’s a pleasure to see the friends.
4. Fill in the missing parts in the following dialogues:
I. A: Were you at home last night?
B: No, I wasn’t. I skated with my friends on the skating-rink.
A: Did you have a good time?
B: …
II. A: Do you like going to the pictures?
B: …
A: Do you often go to the theatre?
B: …
A: How often?
B: …
A: Not so bad, I think.
B: …
5. Answer the questions on the topic:
1. When do you have your day off?
2. Do you get up early or late?
3. Do you go for a walk on week-days or on days off?
4. What do you usually do when the weather is fine?
5. How often do you go to the cinema or theatre?
6. What does Oleg’s leisure depends on?
7. What does he do during winter holidays?
8. How long do summer holidays last?
9. Does he spend more time indoors or outdoors in summer? Why?
10. You don’t spend the whole day off resting, do you?
11. Where do you want to spend next week-end?
6. Ask your friend:
как он (она) – проводит свободное время зимой
– собирается провести свои летние каникулы
– добирается до кинотеатра
– готовится к занятиям
чем он (она) – увлекается
– занимается по вечерам
часто ли он (она) – ходит в кино
– проводит каникулы с родителями
– ездит на велосипеде
7. Translate into English:
1. Где вы проводите свои летние каникулы?
2. Иногда они ходят в лес собирать грибы и ягоды.
3. Они прекрасно провели время на зимних каникулах.
4. За городом мы загораем, играем в футбол и поем песни.
5. В плохую погоду мои друзья приходят ко мне. Мы играем на гитаре и обсуждаем различные проблемы.
6. Как правило, утром мне некогда выносить мусор и убирать квартиру.
7. Мне приходиться готовить еду себе, так как я живу в общежитии.
8. Кто ходит за покупками в вашей семье?
8. Speak on the way you usually spend your day off‚ your winter and summer holidays
Text 2. The Kirillovs’ week-end