2. Let’s get into
the mood!
Here are some facts about
unusual hobbies of three
celebrities.
Guess which fact is false.
The answers are revealed at the end of this
Speaking pack.
Billionaire Warren Buffett
has been playing the
ukulele for many years.
He has even been on stage
with Jon Bon Jovi.
Former Twitter CEO Dick
Costolo spends a lot of
time watching bees and
enjoys making honey.
Hollywood actress Emma
Stone is keen on urban
exploring, which involves
visiting abandoned or
hidden locations in urban
areas, such as old
factories, hospitals, and
even subway tunnels.
3. What are some of the things you’ve been into throughout your life?
Were these passions short-lived? Have you managed to find a hobby
for a lifetime?
Are there any things you went off and then took up again?
Do any of your hobbies involve other people (for example, playing
board games)? What’s a possible way out when you don’t have a
chance to get together with your friends?
What is the cost of pursuing your hobby? What’s your take on people
splashing out on their hobbies?
Do you know anyone whose hobby entails a lot of risks? Why do you
think they are so keen on it?
What are your biggest passions in life?
4. A proper hobby?
Read the contribution from Reddit.
Do you agree with the author?
What activities can be considered hobbies? Would
you claim that activities connected with consuming
content (music, TV series, books, podcasts) aren’t
really hobbies?
What purpose do hobbies serve?
Have you ever given this problem a thought? Are
you concerned about not having any ‘proper’
hobbies?
5. Looking for a new hobby?
Look at the list of hobbies on the left.
Which of these things have you already tried?
Which of them are on your own ‘bucket list’?
Would taking up any of these hobbies be a step out
of your comfort zone?
Which of these do you consider…?
• rewarding
• therapeutic
• meditative
• engaging
• addictive
• physically or mentally challenging
• dull
6. Work and leisure
Can you say that your work encroaches
upon your hobbies?
Take the test to see whether you have a
work-life balance.
Discuss and compare your answers with
your partner.
Would you agree that neglecting your
hobbies might take its toll on your
mental health? Do you know anyone
who has faced this problem?
What do you think can help us find this
balance?
7. Do you know any of the platforms/apps
where these screenshots were taken?
Do you track how much time you
spend on a particular hobby?
Why do you think it might be important
for people to see these statistics?
Can these apps promote competition
among users? What are some possible
effects of this?
Our hobbies in figures
8. Have your ever considered turning
one of your hobbies into a career?
Do you know anyone who has
succeeded in it?
What does it take to turn an activity
you enjoy doing into a lucrative
business?
Do you think that people who make
their living by doing their hobby
derive less pleasure from it?
Hobby as a career
9. What might the people be enjoying
about these experiences?
Who is more likely to master the
technique faster?
Follow-up question:
How important is it to hone your
skills if you participate in an activity
as a hobby?
Exam practice
10. Key:
Here are some facts about
unusual hobbies of three
celebrities.
Guess which story is false!
The answers are revealed on the
last slide.
Buffett's been playing the
ukulele for decades, according
to a 2011 Business Insider
article. He did once play a duet
with Jon Bon Jovi—for the
Forbes 400 Summit on
Philanthropy.
In a 2015 interview, Costolo says
he spends a lot of time
"watching" the bees. "The whole
way the hive works, and what's
going on, and the crazy stuff
that happens as the seasons
change, and the way they build,
and everything is fascinating,"
he said.
This one was made up!
Can you imagine Emma
exploring the urban jungle in
her free time, though?
