Others are mad about their car or their motorbike. They spend their Saturdays and Sundays washing them, painting them, or buying new bits and pieces to make them go even faster.

Children and teenagers are great collectors. They collect stamps, or postcards or matchboxes, or pictures of a favourite footballer or pop star.

Many people make things as a hobby. Some teach themselves at home, but a lot of people go to evening classes at their local college. Just look under letter B in a list of London or New York evening classes and you'll find: Ballet, Batik, Bengali, Body building, Breadmaking and Byzantium.

But not everyone goes to evening classes to learn about his special interest. No one helped these people to do what they did.

A "hobby" is usually something that a person does alone. But American (and British) families sometimes like to do things together, too.

But Americans do not only spend their free time having fun. They are very interested in culture too. Millions take part-time courses in writing. painting and music, and at weekends the museums, art galleries and concert halls are full.

1. What is hobby?

2. What hobbies do people have?

3. Are children and teenagers great collectors?

4. What do people collect?

5. What classes do people attend in the evening?

6. Does a person usually do his hobby alone?

7. Do American families like doing things together?

8. Where do they enjoy their holiday?

9. What is the idea of the parks there (in America)?

10. Are the Americans interested in culture? What do they do to prove their interest?

11. What is your hobby?

12. Does your family support you in your hobby? What do your parents think about it?

13. Does your family like doing things together?

15. Are you a collector? What do you collect?

16. What is your friend's hobby?

18. Has your family a car? What does your father do with it on Sundays? Is it his hobby?

19. Do you have pets as a hobby?

English роор