Our life would be hard without rest and recreation.

And people have many different ideas of

how to spend their free time. If you enjoy doing a thing or activity in your free time, then you
have a hobby. A hobby is an activity, interest, enthusiasm, or pastime that is undertaken for
pleasure or relaxation, done during one’s own time. A person’s hobbies depend on his age,
character and personal interests. An interesting thing to one person can be boring to another.
That’s why some people prefer reading, cooking, knitting, collecting, playing a musical
instrument, photography or playing computer games while others prefer dancing, travelling,
camping or sports.
1. A hobby is anything that you enjoy doing in your free time.
2. Different people have the same hobbies.
3. A hobby can provide us with relaxation.
4. Your hobby may be changed as you get older.
5. One person’s hobby may be a boring thing to another person.
6. Playing sports is not a hobby.
These are some easy habits that help you stay healthy and live longer.
Go for a jog
Exercise is key to good health. Aerobic activity, like running, is crucial for getting your
blood pumping and your heart working. A recent study showed that people who run have 25 to
40 per cent reduced risk of early death, and live about three years longer.
Get more sun - but not too much
The “sunshine vitamin” – vitamin D, that is – has been shown to fight to disease, improve
bone health, and prevent depression. Concerns over skin cancer are well-founded, and sunblock
is generally a good idea. But getting 15 to 30 minutes of sun exposure a day should be adequate
for vitamin D production.
Stress less
The impact of stress on our overall health is huge, so reducing stress is one way to lower our
risk of many deadly diseases.
Eat more fruits and veggies
If you want to live longer, eat more fruits and vegetables. The vitamins, minerals, and most
importantly, the fibre help control satiety so you do not need to eat much of the animal foods.
High fibre diets promote lower cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of heart disease and
cancers such as colon cancer.
1. One of the most important things you can do to stay healthy is to exercise.
2. Vitamin D comes from the sun.
3. Getting too much sun can be harmful.
4. Stress doesn’t impact on your health.
5. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and fibre.
6. A high fibre diet can cause heart disease and colon cancer.
The Soup Kitchen, founded in 1986, is a resource for the homeless, elderly, lonely and poor
inCentral London, providing free hot meals, clothes and toiletries, and creating a sense of
belonging and community. Serving around 70 people a day from 10 am -12 noon on Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with the Clothes Closet open on alternate Mondays,
four to five volunteers are required each morning to carry out this vital work.
The Soup Kitchen is run by a Board of Trustees, a part-time Director and Kitchen Manager,
three more staff and a team of volunteers. Support for The Soup Kitchen comes from individuals,
corporations and trusts. Volunteers and donations (both financial and in-kind) are vital to support
our work and enable us to continue this service to the community.
1. The Soup Kitchen is a non-profit organization.
2. It provides free meals for people in need.
3. It opens five days a week from 10am to 12pm.
4. Clothing is provided every Monday morning.
5. The organization is funded by donations from individuals, corporations and trusts.
6. People can only donate money to the Soup Kitchen.
Many students listen to music while they are studying, and say that it helps them learn. Many
parents and teachers say that music is just distracting, and that students are better studying in
silence. Who is right?
In a study, some scientists asked three groups of students to listen to a piece of music by
Mozart or a relaxation tape for ten minutes, or just sit in silence for ten minutes. The students
then did a ‘spatial reasoning’ test (a test about remembering shapes and imagining looking at
objects from different directions), and the ones who had listened to the Mozart did better in the
test.
Taking part in musical activities and learning to play an instrument can improve verbal
memory (the ability to remember words). The longer the training lasts, the better the
improvement in the memory. So, there’s no excuse to give up the piano lessons!
1. Many students think it’s helpful to listen to music when studying.
2. Teachers say music helps students to better concentrate.
3. The students who had listened to Mozart did better in the spatial reasoning test.
4. Listening to Mozart music will not make you smarter.
5. Music training helps to improve memory.
Once being a basic food of farmers and poor families in Vietnam, com tam or broken rice is
now a favourite dish of most Vietnamese. It is said that the best broken rice can be found in
Saigon. When you come to Saigon, you should try this dish at least one time and you will not
regret it.
Com tam literally means broken rice. Broken rice originally consisted of grains which were
broken during the harvesting and cleaning of rice. In the past, as most people preferred to eat the
long, whole grain rice, broken rice grains were difficult to sell and usually eaten by the
Vietnamese working class because of the cheap price. Nowadays, often favored over long grain
rice for its unique flavour and texture, broken rice is one of the best-loved fares in Vietnam.
Local broken rice eateries can practically be found on every street in Saigon. A broken rice
dish is served with many beautiful colours from grilled pork chop with multi-flavour to steamed
egg, shredded pork skin, pickles, vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers ... and especially sweet
fish sauce that is the spirit of the dish.
1. Today, com tamis only eaten by poor Vietnamese.
2. Com tamis made from broken rice grains.
3. In the past, most people didn’t eat broken rice grains because they were cheap.
4. It is difficult to find a place to eat com tam in Saigon.
5. The most important part of com tamis sweet fish sauce.
6. Com tamis now a favourite dish of Vietnamese people, especially Saigonese.
The Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) was constructed in 1070 under the reign of King LyThanh
Tong. The temple was originally dedicated to Confucius as well as other scholars and sages. Six
year later, the Imperial Academy (QuocTuGiam), Vietnam’s first university, was founded by
King Ly Nhan Tong on the grounds of the temple. Initially, the Imperial Academy was the
school for princes and sons from royal families and then expanded to admit brilliant students
from all over the country. In 1484 Emperor Le Thanh Tong ordered the erection of the first stone
tablets that were carved with the names, places of birth and achievements of doctors. The
university operated for more than 700 years, from 1076 to 1779.
Nowadays, the Temple of Literature – Imperial Academy (Van Mieu - QuocTuGiam) is one
of the most famous historic and cultural heritages of Vietnam. And the Doctors’ stone tablets
were recognised by UNESCO as World Documentary Heritage in 2010.
* Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).
1. The Temple of Literature was built to honour Confucius.
2. The Imperial Academy was founded in 1070.
3. The Imperial Academy was established within the Temple of Literature.
4. The Imperial Academy was originally established to educate students from all over the
country.
5. The first Doctors’ stone tablets were erected under the Le Dynasty.
6. The Temple of Literature was recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage.
* Answer the questions.
7. When was the Imperial Academy founded?
__________________________________________________________
8. How long did the Imperial Academy operate as a university?
__________________________________________________________
Famously being one of Vietnam’sseven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the ImperialCity of
Hue has long been a must-see attraction for tourists.
The Imperial City of Hue was actually a walled fortress and palace belonged to the ancient
city of Hue which was a capital city of the Nguyen Dynasty – Vietnam’s last royal dynasty for
140 years. The grandeur architecture was planned to be built in 1803 by Emperor Gia Long.
During 27 years from 1805 to 1832, the Imperial City of Hue was finally completed under the
reign of the Emperor Minh Mang, making it the most massive structure being built in the history
of modern Vietnam. There are total of ten main majestic gates leading to the Imperial City of
Hue, which can be divided into two main parts: The Citadel and The Forbidden City. The
complex of the Emperor’s residence, gates, temples, and pagodas was severely damaged during
the Vietnam War, and only 20 out of 148 buildings survived.
1. Hue used to be the capital of Vietnam.
2. The Imperial City of Hue was built in 1803 by Emperor Gia Long.
3. It took 27 years to complete the construction of the Imperial City of Hue.
4. The Imperial City of Hue includes two main parts: The Citadel and the Forbidden City.,
5. Many relics in Hue Imperial City were badly damaged due to natural disasters.
6. The Imperial City of Hue was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
THE FIRST ELECTRIC TRAFFIC LIGHTS
In the early 1900's, the world was developing at a very rapid pace, and with the growth
of industrialization, cities became more crowded. Furthermore, with the invention automobiles,
the traffic on the roads increased significantly, so there was a need for a better traffic system.
In 1912, an American policeman, Lester Wire, who was concerned with the increasing
traffic, came up with the idea of the first electric traffic light. Based on Wire's design, the lights
were first installed in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 5, 1914, at the corner of 105th and Euclid
Avenue
The first electric traffic light had only red and green lights; it did not have a yellow
light like modern- day traffic signals. Instead of a yellow light, it had a buzzer sound that was
used to indicate that the signal would be changing soon.
In the year 1920, a policeman named William Potts in Detroit, Michigan invented the
first four-way and three-coloured traffic lights. Apart from red and green, a third colour - amber
(or yellow) - was introduced. Detroit became the first city to implement the four-way and three-
colored traffic lights. In the 1920's, several automated traffic signals were installed in major
cities around the world. The modern traffic light still uses this famous T-shaped model with three
different colors.
A. Decide whether the following sentences are true (T) or false (F).
1. Due to the invention of cars, the traffic on the roads increased rapidly.
2. The first electric traffic light was invented in 1914 by Lester Wire.
3. The first electric traffic light had red, green and amber lights.
4. The yellow light didn’t exist until the 1920s.
5. Detroit was the first city to use the red, yellow, and green lights to control road traffic.
6. The modern traffic light works on the same principle as Wire’s original light.
B. Answer the questions
1. When was the first electric traffic light invented?
_______________________________________________
2. Who invented the first electric traffic light?
_______________________________________________
3. How many colours did the first electric traffic light have?
_______________________________________________
4. Where were the lights first installed?
_______________________________________________
5. What was used instead of yellow light to warn everyone of a signal change?
________________________________________________
6. When was the yellow light added?
________________________________________________
In the UK, the cinema is very popular and a lot of young people go there. But, I what types of
film do they watch? I
Jack, 14
I love going to the cinema because there are always eight films on at our local cinema complex,
and it’s really modern. The ice cream is fantastic and there’s great popcorn and other snacks. I go
with my friends every Friday. We all like science fiction films with action and suspense. We are
also great fans of special effects, so we love films like Avatar and Transformers.
Katie, 13
I don’t like horror films or science fiction films but I love romantic comedies. One of my favorite
films is The Proposal. It’s about a woman who decides to marry her assistant, but they’re not
really in love. His family, in Alaska, try to organize a traditional wedding ... it’s very funny. In
the end, they fall in love, of course. I don’t go to the cinema much, because there isn’t a cinema
near me. I watch films on DVD a few months later
A. Decide if the following statements are true (T) or false (F).
1. There isn’t any movie theatre near Jack’s house.
2. Katie’s favorite film is a love story.
3. They sell good ice cream and popcorn in the local cinema complex.
4. Jack and Katie enjoy the same types of film.
5. Jack and his friends like to see movies with special effects.
6. Katie doesn’t go to the cinema a lot because she prefers watching films on
 DVD.
B. Answer the questions.
1. Do young people in the UK like going to the cinema?

2. What kind of movies does Jack like?

_________________________________________________________
3. How often does Jack go to the cinema?
_________________________________________________________
4. Does Jack like his local cinema?
_________________________________________________________
5. What kind of film is The Proposal?
_________________________________________________________
6. Why doesn’t Katie go to the cinema a lot?
_________________________________________________________
E. WRITING
Holi, known as the festival of colours, is the Hindu festival celebrated by Hindus all over Asia
and also by the people from some parts of Europe and North America. It is mainly observed in
India and Nepal.
Holi commemorates the victory of good over evil, marks the arrival of Spring, and a time to
give thanks for the good harvest. The dates change each year according to the full moon, but it is
normally in March and sometimes in late February and lasts for a night and a day.
Traditional Holi celebrations start the night before Holi with a Hollka Dahan where people
gather around a bonfire and perform religious rituals praying that evil will be destroyed. The next
morning is a free-for-all festival of colours. People chase each other, smear each other with paint,
throw coloured paint powder over each other, and drench each other with coloured water. Some
people carry waterguns and coloured water-filled balloons for their water fight. In the evening,
people visit houses of their friends and relatives and share sweets and other food items.
A. Decide if the statements are true (T) or false (F).
1. The ‘festival of colours’ is another name for Holi.
2. Only Hindus celebrate Holỉ.
3. Holi is celebrated on 1 March - the first official day of spring.
4. Holi activities start early In the morning.
5. The famous festival of colours is the second day of Hol . nd cojour each other.
6. Water guns and water-filled balloons are also used to play and colour each other.
B. Answer the questions.
1. Where is Holi mainly celebrated?
→ ____________________________________________________________________

2. When does Hol i take place?

→ ____________________________________________________________________
3. How long does the festival last?
→ ____________________________________________________________________
4. Why is Holi festival celebrated?
→ ____________________________________________________________________
5. How do people celebrate Holika Dahan?
→ ____________________________________________________________________
6. What do people do on the day of Holi?
→ ____________________________________________________________________
Tokyo, the City with the World’s Largest Population Density
As of 2018, the world population has climbed to around 7.3 billion people and is
expected to reach 10 billion people by 2050.  There’s a steady increase in Europe and the
United States, while the Middle East, Asia, and Africa are expected to grow even more in
the future. But where are the most densely populated places on the globe?
Metropolitan areas with a population of over 10 million are called megacities, and
currently, there are 37 of them dotted around the planet. Included in this number are
Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, Japan’s three biggest cities. While Japan is currently
experiencing a decline in the population overall, Tokyo is an exception and keeps
growing, boasting the largest number of people of all the cities in the world.
People who come to Japan for the first time are often surprised by the mass os
people in Tokyo’s rush-hour trains during weekdays. Sightseeing spots, too, are always
crowded and even when walking down the street in a popular area, it is often hard to not
bump into someone all the time. Tokyo city itself has a population os 13 million people
and it houses about 10% of the population of all of Japan. If you include the neighboring
perfectures of Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba, the total population reaches 38 million
people! The total population of japan is about 127 million people, so that’s a whopping
30% and makes it the most populous urban area in the world.
A. Decide if the following statements are true or false.
1. Tokyo is the most populated city in the world.
2. The population of Tokyo is growing despite Japan’s population decline.
3. Tokyo city itself has a population of 38 million people.
4. Around 10% of Japan ‘s population lives in Tokyo and the neighboring
prefectures.
5. The trains in Tokyo are extremely crowded during peak time at weekends.
6. The streets in Tokyo’s popular areas are crowded with people.
B. Answer the questions.
1. What will the world’s population be by 2050?
 ______________________________________________________
2. What are megacities?
______________________________________________________
3. What is the population of Japan?
______________________________________________________
4. What percentage of Japan's population lives in the Tokyo area?
______________________________________________________

Self-driving cars have the potential to make travelling easier and safer than ever.
Getting around an unfamiliar city could be as simple as opening an app and hailing an
autonomous car. Technically speaking, self-driving cars are already on the road,
thanks to a number of brands - but they're not legally allowed to fully drive
themselves yet on public roads, and may not be for a while yet.
There is a long list of companies working on self-driving vehicles, from
traditional car manufacturers such as BMW, Audi and Volkswagen, to tech
companies such as Uber, Tesla and Google. The most notable company in this field is
Tesla, which is constantly rolling out software and hardware updates for its cars to
improve their autonomous capabilities little by little. Its Autopilot system can already
drive a car better than a human, Tesla says, though right now you're only legally
allowed to use it to help you stay in lanes on a motorway, change lanes when needed,
and adjust the car's speed based on the traffic around it.
A. Match the synonyms.
1. potential a. driverless
2. unfamiliar b. launch
3. autonomous c. change
4. notable d. strange
5. roll out e. possibility
6. adjust f. famous
B. Decide if the following statements are true (T) or false (F)
1. Self-driving cars make it easier for people to get around a strange city.
2. Self-driving cars can fully drive themselves on public roads right now.
 3. Lots of companies are working towards developing self-driving vehicles.
4. Tesla constantly updates its car's software to improve self-driving capabilities.
5.Tesla says that its Autopilot system is better than a human driver.

6. Right now, Tesla Autopilot can only be used to change lanes on the highway