Peter’s hobby

Peter is fond of listening to the short-wave bands on his radio. He likes to search for interesting foreign radio stations. When he discovers a new station he writes down the details in a notebook and marks the place on a large map of the world. Peter's cousin, Alan, is also keen on finding foreign radio stations. In fact, Alan and Peter are having a competition to see who can find the largest number of different stations.

Peter's mother occasionally complains about the noise he makes, and the other day his father turned off his radio because he was tired of the peculiar sounds that came from it.

However, Peter's hobby helped save someone's life last week. He was looking for new stations between the 19 and 16 metre bands when he came across a very faint signal in Morse Code, "SOS... SOS... SOS... Mary Jane... Position latitude 40°N, longitude 14°W.... Sinking fast... SOS..." A yacht, the Mary Jane, was in trouble in the Atlantic. Peter wrote down the details, then rang up the police and gave them the information. The police told the Navy and the Air Force about the message, and they were able to save the man. Apparently his boat had been damaged by a large piece of wood.

The man decided to reward Peter for helping to save his life. Several days later he received a new radio, larger and more powerful than his old one.

a) Put the correct preposition in the spaces. Don't look at the story until you have finished, then check to see if they are correct.

1. Peter is fond... listening to the short-wave bands.

2. He likes to search... interesting foreign radio stations.

3. He writes... the details in a notebook.

4. Alan is keen... finding foreign radio stations.

5. Peter's mother often complains... the noise.

6. His father turned... the radio.

7. He was tired... hearing the peculiar sounds that came... the radio.

8. Peter was looking... new stations.

9. He came... a very faint signal.

10. A yacht was... trouble.

11. Peter rang... the police.

12. The police told the Navy and Air Force... the message.

13. His boat had been damaged... a large piece of wood.

14. The man rewarded Peter... helping to save his life.

b) Complete these sentences by putting in the correct prepositions.

The other day Mary came 1)... an interesting old book in a second-hand bookshop. As she didn't have enough money, she wrote 2)... the title and author so she would remember them. She is fond 3)... old books but her husband, Bill, is tired 4)... them. Every time she buys a new one he complains 5)... it.

Bill is keen 6)... collecting antique furniture, however, and he loves searching 7)... unusual pieces in London's antique markets. A friend rang him 8)... last night to tell him 9)... an interesting chair he had seen. The chair came 10)... Japan originally. Bill has been looking 11)... such a chair for a long time, but has not been successful. Bill told his friend he would take him to lunch to reward him 12)... this information. Then he realised he couldn't buy the chair as he was already 13)... trouble with his bank for writing too many cheques.

Answers: 1. across; 2. down; 3. of; 4. of; 5. about; 6. on; 7. for; 8. up; 9. about; 10. from; 11. for; 12. for; 13. in.

c) Now choose the best answer to each question. They are all about the story. The first five are to check that you under­stand it; the rest concern the vocabulary.

1. Peter listens to the short-wave bands on his radio...

a) to save people's lives;

b) as a hobby;

c) to earn money;

d) because he is interesting.

2. Alan listens to the short-wave bands because...

a) he wants to annoy Peter;

b) Peter has a large map of the world;

c) he has a foreign radio;

d) he likes looking for foreign radio stations.

3. Peter's hobby... annoys his parents.

a) sometimes;

b) never;

c) rarely;

d) always.

4. When Peter heard the message from the yacht he...

a) looked at his map;

b) sent a signal to the police;

c) wrote a message to the man on the yacht;

d) made a note of the important information.

5. The police told both the Navy and the Air Force because...

a) the Army was busy;

b) they work together when there are accidents at sea;

c) the police didn't know what to do;

d) the Air Force has more boats, than the police.

6. While Peter is looking for new stations his radio sometimes makes peculiar noises.

a) strange;

b) pleasant;

c) horrible;

d) loud.

7. Peter's father turned off the radio because he was... the noise.

a) annoyed by;

b) happy about;

c) furious about;

d) used to.

8. While Peter was playing with his radio last week he … a very urgent signal.

a) saw;

b) noticed;

c) found;

d) turned off.

9. He heard a faint signal in Morse code.

a) Peter couldn't understand Morse code;

b) Morse code is difficult to understand;

c) The signal was difficult to hear;

d) Peter could hear the signal easily.

10. The man rewarded Peter for helping to save his life.

a) He sold Peter a new radio;

b) He bought a yacht from Peter;

c) He gave radios to Peter's parents;

d) He gave Peter a present.

Answers: 1. b; 2. d; 3. a; 4. d; 5. b; 6. a; 7. a; 8. c; 9. c; 10. d.

XI. Speak about Peter's hobby.

XII. Speak about your favourite pastime.

XIII. Make sure you can translate the following text both ways: from English into Russian and vice versa.

XIV. Answer the questions:

1. What is the most popular leisure activity in Britain? And in Russia? 2. How many people watch television? 3. What do people like better: watching sport TV or taking part in it? 4. Do most of people like playing musical instruments? 5. What are the most popular things to do outside the house?

XV. Nowadays there are a lot of debates about advantages and disadvantages of TV. Is TV doing more harm or good? Read the following arguments. Think of some more.

XVI.Discuss the problem of TV with your fellow-students in order to make a decision.

D I A L O G U E S

a) Read the dialogues in pairs

I.

A. What is your hobby, Henry?

B. It's collecting old books. There are already six hundred of them in my library.

A. Do you read them?

B. Yes, … but reading is not important. It is the process of collecting them that interests me.

II.

A. Do you think Jill will come to the party tonight?

B. Certainly. She is crazy about dancing.

A. Do you mean to say dancing is her hobby?

B. Oh, yes. She dances well and she would dance day and night.

III.

A. What a fine collection of old coins you have! Why are you so keen on collecting old coins?

B. Old coins tell much of the history of human society.

A. You want to become a historian, don't you?

B. Oh, no! It is only my hobby.

IV.

A. What hobby group or club would you like to join?

B. I'd like to attend the English-speaking club.

A. Why?

B. I take much interest in the English language.

b) Learn the dialogues by heart. Reproduce them in the group.

J U S T F O R F U N