Reading: Free time = screen time?

1What are your favourite free-time activities? Put the activities in order from 1 to 8 (1 = your favourite activity,
8 = the activity you don’t like). 

 listening to music

 meeting friends

 playing a musical instrument

 playing computer games

 doing sport

 reading

 using the internet

 watching TV 

2Read the article. Match the headings in the box to paragraphs 1–5. 

MOVE
• Sport is popular, too
• Do computers control teenagers' lives?
• A good mix
• What other activities do teenagers like?

With computers and TVs in their bedrooms, and the internet on their mobile phones, do today's young people spend all of their free time looking at a screen?

¹

Parents' worries

A lot of adults worry about their children watching TV and playing computer games. Some think that computer games stop their children doing sports, making new friends or doing homework.

² 

Computers are part of everyday life. As well as playing computer games, teenagers use computers in their free time to buy music, watch films and go on social-networking sites. However, computers don't control teenagers' lives. In fact, a recent study about European teenagers says that going online isn't the favourite activity of many teenagers – only 22% are really into it. About the same number – 20% – prefer watching TV. However, over 40% of teenagers say their favourite activity is meeting friends.

³ 

Almost half of all European teenagers say sport is their favourite activity. They like to go cycling, go walking, go swimming, or they play team games, such as football.

⁴ 

Reading – books, magazines, blogs – is the favourite activity of a quarter of teenagers. Many teenagers are into music. About 60% love listening to music and about 5% can sing or play an instrument.

⁵ 

For some teenagers, computers and TV are very important. But most teenagers spend their free time doing different activities. So, their parents don't need to panic!

3Read the article and choose the correct answers. 

With computers and TVs in their bedrooms, and the internet on their mobile phones, do today's young people spend all of their free time looking at a screen?

¹__________

A lot of adults worry about their children watching TV and playing computer games. Some think that computer games stop their children doing sports, making new friends or doing homework.

²__________

Computers are part of everyday life. As well as playing computer games, teenagers use computers in their free time to buy music, watch films and go on social-networking sites. However, computers don't control teenagers' lives. In fact, a recent study about European teenagers says that going online isn't the favourite activity of many teenagers – only 22% are really into it. About the same number – 20% – prefer watching TV. However, over 40% of teenagers say their favourite activity is meeting friends.

³__________

Almost half of all European teenagers say sport is their favourite activity. They like to go cycling, go walking, go swimming, or they play team games, such as football.

⁴__________

Reading – books, magazines, blogs – is the favourite activity of a quarter of teenagers. Many teenagers are into music. About 60% love listening to music and about 5% can sing or play an instrument.

⁵__________

For some teenagers, computers and TV are very important. But most teenagers spend their free time doing different activities. So, their parents don't need to panic!

• 1Many parents don't want their children to use computersthink their children are only interested in computers and TVworry about teenagers making friends on the internetthink computers help teenagers with homework.

• 2What is over 40% of teenagers' favourite activity? using the internetwatching TVmeeting friendswatching films

• 3What do almost 50% of teenagers like? readingsportmeeting friendswalking

• 4Many teenagers play an instrumentsingbuy music onlinelisten to music.

• 5Most teenagers don't often do their homeworkdo lots of activities in their free timewatch TV with their parentsonly spend time on their computers.

• 6The writer of the article thinks computers control teenagers' livescomputers can teach teenagers a lotteenagers have a good mix of using computers and doing other activitiespeople can't live without computers.

4Study the highlighted words in the article. Then match the highlighted words to the words or phrases below. 

With computers and TVs in their bedrooms, and the internet on their mobile phones, do today's young people spend all of their free time looking at a screen?

¹__________

A lot of adults worry about their children watching TV and playing computer games. Some think that computer games stop their children doing sports, making new friends or doing homework.

²__________

Computers are part of everyday life. As well as playing computer games, teenagers use computers in their free time to buy music, watch films and go on social-networking sites. However, computers don't control teenagers' lives. In fact, a recent study about European teenagers says that going online isn't the favourite activity of many teenagers – only 22% are really into it. About the same number – 20% – prefer watching TV. However, over 40% of teenagers say their favourite activity is meeting friends.

³__________

Almost half of all European teenagers say sport is their favourite activity. They like to go cycling, go walking, go swimming, or they play team games, such as football.

⁴__________

Reading – books, magazines, blogs – is the favourite activity of a quarter of teenagers. Many teenagers are into music. About 60% love listening to music and about 5% can sing or play an instrument.

⁵__________

For some teenagers, computers and TV are very important. But most teenagers spend their free time doing different activities. So, their parents don't need to panic!

• 1but

• 2in addition to

• 3it's true that

• 425%

• 5using the internet

• 6for example

5Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets. 

You need to use normal letters and capital letters correctly in this task. You also need to use correct punctuation.

• 1My favourite sport is swimming. It's true that I love it! (in fact)

• 2The children play football and hockey. (as well as)

• 3Liam loves art, but he can't paint. (however)

• 4He spends 25% of his time playing computer games. (a quarter)

• 5I use the internet every evening. (go online)

• 6I love modern languages, for example, French. (such as)

6  Write a paragraph about your free time. Use the phrases in the box and answer the following questions.     a quarter   as well as   going online   however   in fact   such as     What is your favourite free-time activity? How often do you use your computer? What do you use your computer for? How often do you watch TV? Do your parents worry about what you do in your free time? Why / why not? Do you think you spend your free time well? Why / why not?  Write your task in another program (e.g. Word).  Save the file to your computer.  Upload your file.  If you want to add a note to your teacher, write it in the Comments box.  Select Submit to Dropbox to send your work to your teacher.

1What are your favourite free-time activities? Put the activities in order from 1 to 8 (1 = your favourite activity,
8 = the activity you don’t like). 

2 listening to music

6 meeting friends

7 playing a musical instrument

4 playing computer games

8 doing sport

3 reading

1 using the internet

5 watching TV

2Read the article. Match the headings in the box to paragraphs 1–5. 

• Do computers control teenagers' lives?
• Sport is popular, too
• What other activities do teenagers like?
• A good mix

With computers and TVs in their bedrooms, and the internet on their mobile phones, do today's young people spend all of their free time looking at a screen?

¹

Parents' worries

A lot of adults worry about their children watching TV and playing computer games. Some think that computer games stop their children doing sports, making new friends or doing homework.

²Do computers control teenagers' lives?

Computers are part of everyday life. As well as playing computer games, teenagers use computers in their free time to buy music, watch films and go on social-networking sites. However, computers don't control teenagers' lives. In fact, a recent study about European teenagers says that going online isn't the favourite activity of many teenagers – only 22% are really into it. About the same number – 20% – prefer watching TV. However, over 40% of teenagers say their favourite activity is meeting friends.

³Sport is popular, too

Almost half of all European teenagers say sport is their favourite activity. They like to go cycling, go walking, go swimming, or they play team games, such as football.

⁴What other activities do teenagers like?

Reading – books, magazines, blogs – is the favourite activity of a quarter of teenagers. Many teenagers are into music. About 60% love listening to music and about 5% can sing or play an instrument.

⁵A good mix

For some teenagers, computers and TV are very important. But most teenagers spend their free time doing different activities. So, their parents don't need to panic!

3Read the article and choose the correct answers. 

With computers and TVs in their bedrooms, and the internet on their mobile phones, do today's young people spend all of their free time looking at a screen?

¹__________

A lot of adults worry about their children watching TV and playing computer games. Some think that computer games stop their children doing sports, making new friends or doing homework.

²__________

Computers are part of everyday life. As well as playing computer games, teenagers use computers in their free time to buy music, watch films and go on social-networking sites. However, computers don't control teenagers' lives. In fact, a recent study about European teenagers says that going online isn't the favourite activity of many teenagers – only 22% are really into it. About the same number – 20% – prefer watching TV. However, over 40% of teenagers say their favourite activity is meeting friends.

³__________

Almost half of all European teenagers say sport is their favourite activity. They like to go cycling, go walking, go swimming, or they play team games, such as football.

⁴__________

Reading – books, magazines, blogs – is the favourite activity of a quarter of teenagers. Many teenagers are into music. About 60% love listening to music and about 5% can sing or play an instrument.

⁵__________

For some teenagers, computers and TV are very important. But most teenagers spend their free time doing different activities. So, their parents don't need to panic!

• 1Many parents don't want their children to use computersthink their children are only interested in computers and TVworry about teenagers making friends on the internetthink computers help teenagers with homework.

• 2What is over 40% of teenagers' favourite activity? meeting friends

• 3What do almost 50% of teenagers like? sport

• 4Many teenagers listen to music.

• 5Most teenagers do lots of activities in their free time.

• 6The writer of the article thinks teenagers have a good mix of using computers and doing other activities.

4Study the highlighted words in the article. Then match the highlighted words to the words or phrases below. 

With computers and TVs in their bedrooms, and the internet on their mobile phones, do today's young people spend all of their free time looking at a screen?

¹__________

A lot of adults worry about their children watching TV and playing computer games. Some think that computer games stop their children doing sports, making new friends or doing homework.

²__________

Computers are part of everyday life. As well as playing computer games, teenagers use computers in their free time to buy music, watch films and go on social-networking sites. However, computers don't control teenagers' lives. In fact, a recent study about European teenagers says that going online isn't the favourite activity of many teenagers – only 22% are really into it. About the same number – 20% – prefer watching TV. However, over 40% of teenagers say their favourite activity is meeting friends.

³__________

Almost half of all European teenagers say sport is their favourite activity. They like to go cycling, go walking, go swimming, or they play team games, such as football.

⁴__________

Reading – books, magazines, blogs – is the favourite activity of a quarter of teenagers. Many teenagers are into music. About 60% love listening to music and about 5% can sing or play an instrument.

⁵__________

For some teenagers, computers and TV are very important. But most teenagers spend their free time doing different activities. So, their parents don't need to panic!

• 1but

• 2in addition toas well as

• 3it's true thatin fact

• 425%a quarter

• 5using the internetgoing online

• 6for examplesuch as

5Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets. 

You need to use normal letters and capital letters correctly in this task. You also need to use correct punctuation.

• 1My favourite sport is swimming. It's true that I love it! (in fact)

• 2The children play football and hockey. (as well as)

  The children play football as well as hockey.

• 3Liam loves art, but he can't paint. (however)

  Liam loves art. However, he can't paint.

• 4He spends 25% of his time playing computer games. (a quarter)

  He spends a quarter of his time playing computer games.

• 5I use the internet every evening. (go online)

  I go online every evening.

• 6I love modern languages, for example, French. (such as)

  I love modern languages, such as French.