Text A. The Use of leisure

By the way in which a man uses his leisure his character can be told - more surely, in all probability, than the way he does his work. For most men, work is necessity in order to gain a living. Vast numbers of men have not been able to choose what work they would do, but have been forced by economic necessity to take the first job that came their way. But in their leisure time, they do what they really want to do and their real selves are reflected in their actions.

Some people are completely passive during leisure hours. If such people go out they go to some place of entertainment where no effort is required by them, a cinema or a dance-hall, and if the latter, they do not dance but simply sit and watch other dancing.

A different type of person hurries home from work full of eagerness to begin on some scheme which he has been planning for his leisure time. Perhaps his hobby is carpentry or model engineering or gardening. This is the creative type of character. For him, his leisure hours are full of promise and he can look back on them with satisfaction when he reviews what he has achieved in them.

Millions of people all over the world like to travel during their holidays. They travel to see other countries and continents, modern cities and the ruins of ancient towns, they enjoy picturesque places, or just for a change of scene. It is always interesting to discover new things, different ways of life, to meet different people, to try different food, to listen to different musical rhythms.

Those who live in the country like to go to a big city and spend their time visiting museums and art galleries, looking at shop windows and dining at exotic restaurants. City-dwellers usually like a quiet holiday by the sea or in the mountains, with nothing to do but walk and bathe and laze in the sun.

Most people enjoy sports - both playing sports themselves and watching their favourite sports and teams. Major professional sports events - baseball, football, basketball, and hockey, as well as golf and tennis - are witnessed by tens of thousands of fans, and by millions more on TV.

The whole virtue of leisure which brings a change of scene or occupation is that it is only temporary. Sooner or later leisure time comes to an end, and one should go back to his normal life. If he has used his leisure time well, he ought to feel a very deep regret that it is over, and it ought to have refreshed him and filled him with vigour for the true work of his life to which he is now returning.

Leisure should be refreshment; it should send a man out with fresh spirits to battle with the problems of life. Sometimes this freshness comes not from doing anything, but by filling one's mind with fresh springs of beauty. A man gets full value from his leisure by watching nature, listening to music, or reading noble books. By this sort of occupation he makes his own mind a richer and fuller treasure house. This is the true use of leisure.