Read and translate the text

What do British people like doing at the weekends?

The weekend is time for families in Britain. Often the parents are not at work having worked a five day week from Monday to Friday. Saturday is a busy time for shops with many families going shopping.

Sunday used to be a very special day of the week in Britain. It was the one day of the week for 'worship and rest'. The shops were closed and most people were at home or at church. Popular leisure activities on Sunday used to be going to church and doing odd jobs around the home such as gardening.

Until a few years ago shops were not permitted to open on a Sunday. Sundays today are becoming like any other day other week with shops open. Some families will now spend their time shopping rather than going to church or they will combine the two activities.

Britain is becoming a far less Christian country with fewer people regularly attending Church. Many Christians believe that Sunday should be kept special, as a time given to worshipping God. They think it is important for Christians to meet together, listen to readings from the Bible and celebrate Holy Communion. Others believe that it is important that families have time to be together. (The shopping hours on a Sunday are less than on any other day of the week.)

How do people spend their free time?

People enjoy various indoor and outdoor activities in Britain.

An Euro stat survey, the EU's statistical office, discovered that people in Britain spend about 45% of their free time watching television, 24% of their free time socializing, 22-23% on sport and hobbies, and 10% on other activities. Other popular leisure activities are listening to the radio, listening to pre-recorded music, reading, gardening, eating out and going to the cinema.

Television. The most common leisure activity in the UK is watching television. The average viewing time is 25 hours per person per week. Almost all households have at least one television set. Many television programs are about wildlife, animals, holidays, cooking and gardening. All these things are much cherished by British people.

Radio. People in Britain listen to an average 15 hours and 50 minutes of radio each week.

Entertaining. The second most popular activity in Britain is visiting or entertaining friends or relations.

Cinema (Movie house)

Britons made 123 million visits to the cinema in 1998 making it the most popular cultural activity in the UK.

Eating out. Eating out has grown in popularity, with British people spending an average of £5.63 per person per week on food (excluding alcohol) outside the home.

Homes and Gardens. The British are known as a nation of gardeners. Most people have a garden on their property. Gardening has been a popular pastime since Roman times. Many people in Britain are proud of their houses and gardens. They want their houses and gardens to look nice. Every town in Britain has one or more garden centers. These are like supermarkets for the home and garden. These places are very popular with British home-owners at the weekends.

Activities outside the home. Saturday is traditionally the day for shopping and watching sports.

Retail Therapy (Shopping). A newspaper survey found that 20 per cent of women are compulsive shoppers.

Sports and Physical Recreation. Sports and physical recreation have always been popular. Local governments provide cheap sport and leisure facilities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, parks and golf courses. People go to watch other people play sports like football or take part in sports themselves.

Pubs (Public Houses). Going to the pub is the most popular leisure activity outside the home.