Hobbies

and

sports

Hana Kyselová

My hobbies

There are so many types of hobbies one can choose for his or her own. Some hobbies are rather expensive, some are dangerous, some are very romantic, some are very time-consuming.

When I was younger I like to collect postcards. Later I started many times to collect things that could be collected (pens, battery, rings, tissues, labels, posters etc.) When I was six I started to play the flute and I stopped seven years later because I hadn't time and I found out that I don't have also talent. My mother was very angry but there isn't no other way. I also made for 2 years gymnastic. But not like racing. Now when I'm older I already now that sport isn't good hobby for my so I just do some sport when I have free time like go in a swimming pool or ride on bicycle. The hobby that I like most is reading. I read every day. My favourite books are historical novels. I like to discover the history of the ancient cultures, their habits and the way that other people lived.

When I'm home and want to relaxing I watch TV or video. I also like to surfing on Internet because there is a lot of thing to now and a lot of important information. I'm going in cinema and theatre. It is very expensive for me but my parents are very understanding and they give me the money to this hobbies. When I met my friends we just sit in some cafés or restaurants and chatting and gossiping. Shopping is also very important for me. It is a kind of relaxation. I like shopping in the second hand shops.

I have any pets but when I was younger I have two cats. Now I don't have time to look after pets. I like cooking but I can only the easy meals. When I have a temper I embroidery, crochet and knit. I can play board games like draughts, dice or dominoes. But not chess. From cards games I like to play canasta or joker but not bridge, poker, whist or rummy. Sometimes I play billiards but I'm always very bad.

Hobbies in our country

Many families have their cottages and people spend lots of time there (tending to their gardens - they grow fresh and healthy fruit and vegetable, nice flowers - cutting grass and repairing the old house). The other rather popular hobby is watching TV or a video. It is not so useful for your eyes and your mind. Many people here like to spend their leisure time reading books, magazines and newspapers. Some people prefer music to reading. They either play a musical instrument, sing to themselves or listen to their favourite music. Going out can be very expensive now. You can go to the cinema, to see a concert, to see a theatre performance or to have a chat with your friends in some nice café or restaurant. Art lovers often visit exhibitions in art galleries and museums. Lot of people like travelling.

Many students are members of a sport club or a hobby group. For example, animal lovers take care of their dogs, cats and horses. There are several sports clubs - athletics, basketball, volleyball, swimming, handball and judo. Nowadays lots of students go to fitness clubs to keep fit. But more clear cup is our leisure time centre - billiard, fitness, library, arrow and ceramic workshop. We can also play the computer or surfing on Internet.

Many students would like to make use of their hobbies in their future jobs, e.g. working with a computer etc. but it is not so easy. If you have a vision for your future, there is little probability that it will happen exactly as you like. I know this from my and my friends' experience.

List of hobbies

collect postcards, stamps, pens, rings, posters, ...

play the piano, flute, guitar, ...

reading books

surfing on Internet

shopping

chatting and gossiping

keeping pets

embroidery

crocheting

knitting

domino

chess

card games (canasta, joker, bridge, poker, whist, rummy, backgammon)

billiards

skittles

darts

dice

roulette

Hobbies are very important for everybody. A man would be very poor without a hobby and would not be satisfied. Hobbies are like a cure if you are tired, sad, feeling small or in low spirits. It helps you in many ways. A hobby is your best friend. I really cannot imagine the world without hobbies.

Sport

Sport and games are very important for active relaxation and are also important for our physical and mental health.

The main difference between sport and game is that game is the *collective* and the sport is more individual - it means football or basketball are games and e.g. tennis or swimming are sports.

We can practise some of sports and games indoor and some of them outdoor. In the first group there are e.g. ice-hockey, basketball, handball, figure skating or gymnastics and in the second group there are e.g. baseball, golf, winter sports such as skiing (slalom, down-hill, ski-jump), rellyes or riding. There are also sports for both indoor and outdoor - swimming, athletics (sprint, jump, javelin), football, tennis, volleyball etc. Some sports such as diving, windsurfing or racing can be quite dangerous and very expensive.

Sports in the Great Britain

Many sports have their origin in Great Britain (England). The most specific is cricket, often called the *English national sport*. It has never been adopted in foreign countries (expect the Commonwealth states). Also football, golf and tennis are very popular there. Rugby (rugby football) is very popular in Scotland and has its origin there, quite popular are rowing and horse-riding too. The major sports events of the year in UK are The Grand Slam Tennis Tournament in Wimbledon (in London), The British Open Golf Championship and The Grand National (horse-riding steeple-chase). In Great Britain the old clubs of aristocracy and very rich people have a big prestige and very long tradition.

Sports in the USA

In the USA there are especially baseball and basketball (NBA), which have its origin there, ice-hockey (NHL) and golf very popular. There is a long tradition of school sport clubs at all of the high schools and collages. Many Americans exercise for good health every day - fitness and keeping fit is an important part of American way of life.

World's sport events

There are also very important world*s sport events. The most famous are The Olympic Games (the Olympics), which are held every four years and have got its summer and winter part, which change once every two years. Other important events (which are held annually or every two years) are The World and The European Championships and Cups in almost every type of sports (e.g. in football, athletics, swimming, skiing etc.), The Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments, The Formula One Championship etc.

One ball game - description

Football is one of the most favourite sports in the Czech republic. It is played by two teams of 11 players and this game takes 90 minutes with a break in the middle of this time. The aim of this game is to get the ball into opponent's net.

Drugs in sports

Many kinds of drugs are used in sports all over the world. Some are used to build muscles or give extra energy. Others kill the pain of injuries or calm nerves, but many are illegal.

Anabolic steroids - are used to build up muscles, they resemble male hormones. Bodybuilders use anabolic steroids to look good in competitions. These drugs can cause health problems: liver cancer in men and infertility in women. You can become very aggressive.

Stimulants - make you feel full of energy and confidence, and you have the bigger stamina. It˘s amphetamines and cocaine, they are used by cyclists and basketballers and footballers. Problems: they don't create energy - they take it from your body. Users feel exhausted and washed-out. There is a danger of having a heart attack (collapse).

Beta-blockers - are drugs, which are normally prescribed by doctors for people with high blood pressure or heart problems. They help calm you down and relieve stress. Users: snooker players and archers - who need steady hands and cool nerves. Problems: with heart and blood pressure.

Games

baseball

softball

basketball

volleyball

netball - dívčí košíková

handball

badminton

lacrosse

football

soccer

golf

shinty - pozemní hokej

cricket

croquet

pelota

rugby, rugger

lawn tennis

table tennis („ping-pong“)

squash

bowling

snooker = kind of billiards

Water sports

swimming (backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly stroke)

diving - skoky do vody

scuba diving - sportovní potápění

sailing

water-skiing

water polo

windsurfing

yachting

canoeing

rowing - veslování

kayak

fishing

surfboarding

Winter sports

downhill skiing

cross-country skiing

slalom

bobsleding

sleding - sáňkování

mountaineering

curling

rock climbing

ice-hockey

skating

figure skating

ski jumping

Other sports and games

cycling

roller-skating

parachuting

sailplane - kluzák

boxing

judo

karate

wrestling

fencing/swordplay

chase/hunting

aerobics

jogging

bungee jumping

hand-glider - rogalo

aerobatics - letecká akrobacie

archery - lukostřelba

shooting

weightlifting - vzpírání

horse riding

Athletic disciplines

track and field - lehká atletika

track event - běžecké disciplíny

run - běh

hurdle - překážky

pole vault - skok o tyči

high/ling/triple jump - skok vysoký/daleký/trojskok

shop put - vrh okulí

javelin - hod oštěpem

discus - hod diskem

walk - chůze

pentathlon - pětiboj

heptathlon - sedmiboj

decathlon - desetiboj

steeplechase - steeplechase

marathon - maraton

Gymnastics

bars - bradla

trapeze - hrazda

beam - kladina

side horse - kůň

buck - koza

bench - lavička

trampoline

mat - žíněnka

springboard - skokanské prkno

hoop - kruh, obruč

skipping rope - švihadlo

handstand - stojka

squat - dřep

forward/backward bend - předklon/záklon

press-up - klik

roll - kotoul

handspring - přemet

cartwheel - hvězda

turn a somersault - udělat salto

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