Text B. Leisure-time activities

Schools provide American students with much more than academic education. Students learn about the world through various school-related activities. More than 80 per cent of all students participate in student activities, such as sports, student newspapers, drama clubs, debate teams, choral groups and bands.

What are the favourite sports of American young people? According to the survey “The Mood of American Youth”, they prefer football, basketball, baseball, wrestling, tennis, soccer, boxing, hockey, track and golf.

During their leisure time, students spend much time watching television. They also listen to music on the radio and tape players. The average American teenager listens to music on the radio about three hours every day. Without a doubt, rock-and-roll music is the favourite of teenagers in the United States. American young people are mostly hardworking. Many have after-school jobs. One poll indicated that nine out of 10 teenagers either had a job or would like one.

Child labor laws set restrictions on the types of work that youths under 16 years old can do. Many youths work part-time on weekends or after school at fast-food restaurants, babysit for neighbour, hold delivery jobs or work in stores.

Many youths are involved in community service organizations. Some are active in church and religious-groups as Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. About three million girls aged six to 17 years old belong to Girl Scouts, for example. They learn about citizenship, crafts, arts, camping and other outdoor activities.

Thousands of people volunteer to help take care of the elderly, the handicapped and hospital patients. Many help clean up the natural environment.

Vocabulary
provide (with), v participate, v survey, n leisure, n average, adj law, n restriction, n delivery, n involve, v church, n	обеспечивать, предоставлять участвовать обзор, исследование досуг средний закон ограничение доставка вовлекать церковь

I. Learn the words to text B. Make sure you can translate them both: from English into Russian and from Russian into English.

II. Read the text ’Leisure–time activities’. Answer the following questions:

1. How do the students learn about the world?

2. What sports do Americans prefer?

3. Are American young people hard-working?

4. What do child labor laws restrict?

5. What organizations are many young people involved in?

C O N V E R S A T I O N