A gift or article your treasure most

1.Where do you come from?

I am from a small and beautiful town called Athirampuzha. In fact, this place i
s in the district of Kottayam in central Kerala.
2. What kind of place is it?
Basically, it is a trading place. People from the surrounding areas come to my
place to buy vegetables, fish and grocery. We have a large pool in the heart of
the town which is connected to other places by a network of canals. When I was
a small boy, water transport was very popular and country boats would come in l
arge numbers for trading purposes. It was wonderful to see trading boats crowd
in the large body of water for loading and unloading goods. But today, you can
hardly see any water transport and such boats have disappeared for ever, and lar
ge trucks have replaced them.
3.
What would you suggest a visitor your hometown should see or do?
It is difficult to suggest a particular place, but I think, the pool and the can
als are an interesting site. You can also go for a boating through the canal. O
n your way you have beautiful paddy fields, on either side. Another important p
lace that a visitor can see is our church which was built a few centuries ago.
It has got an ancient alter ornamented with wooden carvings of saints and angels
. Another attraction is a large church bell, which was imported from Germany in
the 18th century. There is also a famous Siva Temple in our neighbouring town
of Ettumanoor. This is a well-known pilgrim centre.
4. What is the most interesting part of your home area?
Again, I would say it is the pool. Most of the activities of the town take plac
e around this area. There is a fish market on one side and a vegetable market o
n the other. Especially on market days, that is Mondays and Thursdays, the whol
e place is full of activity.
5. What kind of jobs do the people in your town/village do?
Although it is basically a trading place, majority of people are not engaged in
business. My town is thickly populated and the people are quite educated. So m
any of them have jobs, especially in the district headquarters of Kottayam, eith
er in the government or private sector. There are teachers, lawyers, nurses, do
ctors and other professionals. A few of them are also engaged in agricultural a
ctivities. Certainly, there are a number of businessmen as well.
1. A gift or article your treasure most
What the article was
Where you got it
How you preserve it
Why it is very precious to you
Something that I treasure most is my IBM laptop, which was not actually a gift.
Although it is quiet old it never had any serious technical problems, except a
few software crashes, ever since I bought it about 8 years ago.
Well, I bought it from a friend of mine who has a computer business. He suggest
ed the brand and I think I made the right choice by buying an IBM lap top. Tech
nically, the components of my computer are of very superior quality and therefor
e, in spite of my constant use, I have never changed any parts.
Although I have a leather laptop container, I rarely use it now. I used to put
it in a leather bag initially, but later, due to my laziness, I just leave it on
my study table. Sometimes it gathers a lot dust and occasionally I wipe it wit
h a towel. I would say my laptop is very untidily kept but by God s grace it keep
s working.
My laptop is very precious to me because I type my notes in it and use it for pr

esentations in my class and meetings. Sometimes I watch movies in it. I also h

ave stored a lot of data and personal information in my computer. After my offi
ce hours I spend long hours in front of my computer either browsing the net or s
tudying.
Discussion:
1. Do you think if people have become more or less materialistic in the last 25
years?
What I feel is, people s attitude towards material things have not changed over th
e last 25 years. The only difference is that today we have greater access to c
omforts and luxuries unlike in the past, and we have enough money to buy them an
d so we enjoy them. For this reason, many people tend to say that materialism is
on the increase. Actually, that is not the case. If people in the past had ac
cess to such things and if they had as much money as we have today, they would h
ave definitely enjoyed luxuries. The only difference is the economic progress t
hat we have made. The attitude towards materialism remains the same always.
I feel that people have definitely become more materialistic during the last 25
years. Formerly, comforts and luxuries were not available to people as much as
we have today. May be, people were little more idealistic and they had better h
uman relationships. Especially in rural communities, you know, people maintaine
d traditional values in families and social life. Whereas, today the situation
has changed. Urbanisation has forced people to be more individualistic and achi
evement oriented. Material achievement has become a major purpose in life and t
herefore, I think, other values of life have taken a back seat.
2. What kind of gifts children usually like?
Children usually like chocolates, toys and electronic games. You know, for exam
ple, if you go to a shop with your children, you will see them running to the to
y corner or the chocolate rack. These days, a lot of children have a great liki
ng towards electronic games. There are many children who like, cartoons and sto
ry books too. So when if you plan to give a gift to a child next time, think of
these things.
3. What kinds of things give a sense of prestige to people today?
From my personal experience, I feel, material possessions can give a great deal
of prestige to people today. For example, if you have a luxurious car or a beau
tifully designed house it can give you a sense of pride. Another important crit
erion for prestige is political power at different levels, which can make you po
pular and accepted by the society. Superior positions in government services ca
n also definitely give you prominence in the society. What I mean is, senior po
lice officers, judges and similar officials have great prestige in the society.
Apart from that, superior education can give you a lot of honour among people.
Certain professionals like doctors, engineers and teachers are respected in the
society.
4. What kind of things were status symbols in your grandfather s time?
Although I am not very sure, money and other material possessions were status sy
mbols even in my grandparents time. I think, people who had a lot of land were c
onsidered honourable in the society. Superior education and political power wer
e also considered status symbols at that time. I believe, basically, the status
symbols people of all ages are generally the same.
5. What kind of things are women usually attracted to?
Women are generally fond of good clothes and ornaments. If you go to a textile
store or jewellery shop the majority of the shoppers are usually women. This me
ans that there is a certain vanity in women and they love to flaunt their beauty
. They are also attracted to cosmetics. Many women buy a lot of house hold app
liances and crockery.
6. Do you think people purchase a lot of things for prestige and not because of

genuine need?
Certainly, today if you have money to spare, you certainly buy things that can s
how off your wealth. Although you may not need such luxurious items, you buy th
em because you want others to look upon you. For example, one of the considerat
ions for many people, when they choose a car, is whether a particular car is use
d by the elite in the society.
Or, even if the family is a small one, people
build huge houses and many of the rooms are unused for years. Prestige is a ser
ious consideration for many people these days.
7. What will be the kind of things that will give a sense of prestige to people
in future?
Even in the future wealth will be major determining factor that will a sense of
prestige to people. Education, the expertise in technology and communication ab
ilities also will give a sense of pride to people.
-------Family
Do you have a small or large family?
My family is a very small one. I have my wife and daughter. My wife is a nurse
and daughter is studying in high school.
In fact, I have a large family. Both my parents are alive. My father is engage
d in agriculture. My mother is a housewife. I have two elder brothers, who are
working. The eldest one is married and stays with my family. The younger one
is working in Bangalore as a software engineer. I also have a younger brother,
who is studying in school.
How much time do you spend with your family?
Whenever I am at home, I try to spend a few hours with my family. Since I have
a lot to study these days, they let me alone most of the time. I usually have f
ood together with my family. We spend some time watching television together, e
specially in the evenings. We also pray together.
Since I stay away from home, it is only during holidays that I can be with my fa
mily. Whenever I am at home I make it a point, to be with the members of my fam
ily. We sometimes go for a trip or eat out often. I really love being with the
m. I always cherish the memories of childhood, when I was always at home.
What things do you do together?
There are a lot of things that we do together. One of the important things tha
t we do as a group is to cook, especially during the weekends, when I have a lot
of free time. We also do our gardening together, watering, manuring and weedin
g the plants. Another important activity that we do is to pray in the evenings.
Apart from that, we shop together and go to the movie together.
Language Learning
Let us talk about learning English.
How long have you been learning English?
Where did you learn?
What is easy / difficult?
Is English important in your job?
I have been learning English ever since I was about 10 years old, when I was stu
dying in my fifth grade. I learned the alphabets and basic words at that time.
I studies in a vernacular medium school, but English was a subject throughout m
y school years. I did not take English very seriously during my school days, an
d I scored comparatively poor marks for it. Well, English was the hardest subje
ct for me; and to be frank, I hated this subject at that time. One of the reaso
ns that I did not like English was that we did not have any good teachers.
It was after I joined college, I started studying English seriously. I had a wo
nderful English teacher who laid a sound foundation in English grammar. Since t
hen, I started loving this subject and started reading books in English. Now I

am in my forties and the more I study English the better I love it.
Since I am an English teacher, I need to improve my English all the time, learni
ng new vocabulary and reading more and more books. I make sure that I update my
knowledge of English all the time.
A gift that you presented
What the gift was
What the occasion was
Whom you gave it to
Why this gift was very special
My youngest brother was getting married and I wanted to give him a special gift.
A couple of days before the marriage my wife and I went to Ernakulam for some
shopping. As we were about to return we just went to my favourite store, Wills L
ife Store . In fact, this particular shop has the trendiest and the most fashiona
ble clothes for both men and women. I had the gift in my mind when I went into
the shop. After spending a few minutes in the store I spotted an off-white line
n casual shirt. It was a designer wear and I put it on, to see how it looked.
My wife said, it was one of the best shirt that I had ever bought. I was very h
appy. It was an expensive shirt but it gave me a great sense of satisfaction.
On the eve of the wedding we had a party and my brother put this shirt on. Ever
ybody was very appreciative of the shirt and my brother was very happy about it.
This gift was very special to me because I really liked the colour, material and
the design of the shirt. Apart from that, it was first gift that I ever presen
ted to my youngest brother. I was extremely happy that he really liked the shir
t. It was the right occasion that I gave him this present.
Discussion:
Would you like to receive the same kind of gift yourself?
I definitely would like to receive the same kind of a gift. The reason is that
I love good clothes, especially linen shirts. For example, two of my brothers w
ork abroad and when they come to India, they present me shirts. I always look f
orward to it.
What are the positive/negative aspects of giving and receiving gifts?
Giving and receiving gifts have both advantages and disadvantages. On the one h
and, it is an expression of one s love or appreciation for someone. It can streng
then relationships. It can also create a good feeling in the minds of people.
On the other hand, giving and receiving today has become a commercial activity.
Sometimes we are forced give and receive gifts. A lot of time and money is inv
olved in buying gifts. For example, if someone calls you for a birthday, you ar
e compelled to give a gift. Sometimes, it can become a burden on your budget.
What are the different types of gifts that women, men and children would like to
receive?
Women are usually fond of ornaments and clothes. They also like to receive hous
ehold appliances and handicrafts. For special occasions like birthdays they rec
eive a lot of such gifts.
Children are usually attracted to toys and dolls. They love chocolates and swee
ts too.
What changes have taken place in giving and receiving gifts in the last 50 years
?
A number of changes have taken place in the way people give and receive gifts, o
ver the last 50 years. In the olden days gifts were not very common and it was
exchanged only during rare occasions like marriages and housewarming. Today, gi
ving and receiving gifts has become a very frequent affair. Exchanging gifts ha
s become very common on a number of occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and
success in an exam.

Whose gifts do you treasure most?

I treasure the gifts of my loved ones. For instance, I always cherish the gifts
that my wife has given me. In fact, she gives them to me with great love. I g
reatly value gifts from my parents too. Gifts from close friends or colleagues
also can give me great pleasure.
What may be the type of gifts that children will receive in future?
I think we should wait to see the type of gifts that children will receive in th
e future. If I make a guess, I think, mostly it will be electronic gadgets or g
ames. They are also likely to receive a lot of good chocolates
------Part 1
Dancing
Do you enjoy dancing? (Why/Why not)
(You need to react to the question, first.)
Yes I do, I really love (like) dancing. No, I don t love .
Definitely, I am very fond of dancing. Not really, I am not very fond of
Certainly, I am very interested in dancing. No, I don t think I am interested in
Of course, I am very passionate about dancing.
Yes, I enjoy dancing.
I am very excited about dancing.
(Then elaborate on the answer)
It is a time that you can forget about yourself and relax your mind and body. It
also gives you a great deal of inner satisfaction. I think it is a great way to
release your stress.
I think it s the best way to enjoy your time with your friends. You can get close
to them and strengthen your friendship.
I believe, dancing is a wonderful way to exercise your body. It involves vigorou
s physical activity and burns a lot of calories. The only way I exercise is by d
ancing, and that keeps my body fit.
This is a very good way to show your talent before others. I am quiet a good dan
cer and I get a lot of appreciation from people. That gives me great confidence
and enhances my personality.
I don t think I have the talent to dance. I look very awkward when I dance and it
gives me very little satisfaction.
I don t have an opportunity to dance. In fact, I live in a very orthodox culture a
nd dancing is not very popular here. The only people who dance are the professio
nal dancers and it is not very common among ordinary people. However, I love wat
ching other people dance.
Has anyone every taught you how to dance? (Why/Why not)
Not in the recent past. But when I was a small girl, I went to a dance school in
my village, where I learned some classical dance. I also learned folk dance fro
m a teacher in my regular school during that time.
No, no one has ever taught me how to dance. I learned dancing by watching videos
and dancing with my friends. It is not very difficult to learn simple dancing a
nd I learned it in a very informal way.
Tell me about any traditional dancing in your country?
We have a number of traditional dances in my country, both classical and folk. A
very popular classical dance form in my country is Bharathanatyam. You need man
y years of training to master this dance. It is usually staged during festivals
and cultural programmes. It has a very ancient origin and was patronised by kin
gs in the olden times. Dancers perform with graceful and rhythmic movements and
in rich and colourful costumes.
A very popular dancing in my country is a folk dance called Thiruvathira . This is

very a special dance from my state of Kerala. It is usually performed during the
festival season of Onam. Women in groups of eight or ten, dance in a circle, ar
ound a lighted traditional lamp. The movements are simple and graceful and the c
ostumes are also very simple.
Do you think that traditional dancing will be popular in the future? (Why/Why no
t)
I think so. Traditional dancing will be very popular in the future. A lot of par
ents now send their children to learn traditional dancing and children automatic
ally develop a liking for this type of dancing. Apart from that, there are a lot
of competitions in schools and colleges in traditional dancing. Again, foreign
tourists show a lot of interest in traditional dancing. So there is great possib
ility that traditional dancing will be popular in the future.
No I don t think so. In the future more and more people will be interested in mode
rn dancing, both western and Indian. So traditional dancing will lose its charm
for people. Moreover, traditional dancing requires many years of training and de
dication and many people don t have time for that. It is also an expensive affair.
Again, traditional dancing has a very small audience. So I think traditional da
ncing will become less popular in the future.
Part 2
Describe someone in your family who you like.
You should say:
How this person is related to you
What this person looks like
What kind of person he/she is
And explain why you like this person
The person whom I like the most in family is my brother who is just younger to m
e. We are eight children, I am the second and he is the third.
He doesn t look like me at all. He rather looks like my mother and is the most han
dsome person in the family. He is closer to me than any other member of the fami
ly, more than even my parents.
He is not very good at his studies or in any arts and music, but is very good at
heart. He is very good humoured, and you know, makes everybody laugh with his w
itty conversation. He has a special way of attracting people towards him.
He is a very just person, and if there is a misunderstanding in the family, he i
s the first person to find a solution to it. When he does something important, h
e comes to me and talks about it, and he usually he accepts my advice. He is als
o quite daring and enterprising. Although he is not very educated he runs a very
successful business and lives a happy life.
I like him very much, mainly because he understands me more than any other membe
r of my family. He has also supported me and stood with me whenever I had a seri
ous problem or trouble.
So I would say that he is someone I like in my family.
Part 3
Discussion Topics
Family similarities
In what ways can people in a family be similar to each other?
People in a family can be similar to each other in many ways. They usually resem
ble each other in their physical appearance. For example, children look like the
ir parents, in their facial feature, colour, type of hair and so on. They can al
so be alike, in their character and behaviour.
Do you think daughters are always more similar to mothers than to male relatives
?
Not always! There are many daughters who look more like their fathers or other m
ale members of the family than mothers. That includes their colour, face, hair a
nd so on. But I do think that most daughters look like their mothers in physical

features.
What about sons and fathers?
I think it is the same with them as well. There are many sons who resemble their
mothers more than their fathers or other male members of the family.
In terms of personality, are people more influenced by their family or friends?
In what ways?
People are usually more influenced by their family than friends, because as chil
dren, most people live with their families. And that is when an individual s perso
nality is developed. Even after that, people spend more time with their family m
embers and interact with them more closely than their friends. This intimacy wit
h the family members has a great influence in their character formation. On the
other hand, friends also have a significant influence in one s personality, but no
t as much as family members.
Genetic Research
Where can people in your country get information about genetic research?
There are many sources in my country, where people can get information about gen
etic research. I think the most common source is books. You can find books on ge
netic research in public libraries or in bookshops. Apart from that, there are a
number of universities and institutes that does research in genetic studies. Th
ere are a lot a lot scientist and professors, who can give information about thi
s subject. I think, the internet is a wonderful source to get information about
genetic research. If you search Google, you will come across many websites that
will give you, at least, the primary information about genetic research.
How do people in your country feel about genetic research?
In general, I think people in my country have a positive attitude towards geneti
c research. They know it has a lot of benefits in terms of better agricultural p
roduction and prevention of many genetic diseases. However, some people are worr
ied about genetically modified foods. They fear that it can be dangerous to huma
n health.
Should this research be funded by governments or private companies?
I think both government and private companies should jointly or separately fund
genetic research. It should not be the monopoly of either of the parties. If pri
vate companies alone fund genetic research the benefits of the research may not
reach the common man, because of their profit motive. So government also has the
responsibility to fund it, so that every body enjoys the benefits.
------Part 1
Musical Instruments
Which instrument do you like listening to most? (Why?)
My favourite musical instrument is the flute. (I love listening to the flute, t
he most). I have always wondered why I like flute. May be, it is because of it
s simplicity or because of it sweet sound. Flute has a very soothing music and
it goes directly into your heart. I think it is very easy to learn flute, but I
am not sure. Anyway, I like it.
Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument?
Not really, I don t think I have the talent for it. So I have not seriously tried
. When I was small, I just used to play with the harmonium, but actually, I cou
ld never play any proper notes. Even now, I love to press the keys of the elect
ric keyboard and I like to hear the sound. But I have never learned to play any
musical instrument.
Yes I play the keyboard. I started leaning it at a very early age. My mother b
ought me a toy piano when I was a small kid. I started playing it on my own. L
ater, I went to a music school, where I leaned to play the electric organ. Now

I play it quiet well.

Do you think children should learn to play a musical instrument?
It is good in one way. As children, you have the time and interest in learning
a musical instrument. In think learning a musical instrument can give a lot of
confidence to children. They will learn to perform before other people. They c
an be proud of the fact that they know how to play a musical instrument. It is
the best way to know whether a child had the taste for it. However, we should n
ot force a child into it, especially if he doesn t have the talent for it.
No I don t think children should learn a musical instrument. It is the time for t
hem to play and enjoy games. Playing a music instrument is a very serious job.
It requires a lot of patience and discipline. So I think it is better not to f
orce children into it at an early age. If they have the taste and talent they w
ill learn it later.
How easy would it be to learn to play an instrument without a teacher?
I think, it is not easy to learn a musical instrument without the help of a teac
her, because you have no one to clear your doubts. Not only that, you can never
learn it, systematically. There are people who learn musical instruments like
guitar with the help of a book or through the internet. But, I don t think you go
can very far, in this way.
Why not! There are a lot of people who learn musical instruments without the he
lp of a teacher. You can get books and lessons from the internet. The advantag
e is that you can learn at your own pace and convenience. Then why go for a tea
cher.
Part 2
Describe something healthy you enjoy doing
You should say:
What you do
Where you do it
Who you do it with
And explain why you think doing this is healthy.
Playing sports, cycling, exercising
I have been playing badminton for the last few years. This is something that I
really enjoy. When I started I wasn t a good player. Over the years I have impro
ved tremendously. Every day I wait for the evening to play badminton.
I play it in our college campus. We have an indoor court and so the wind doesn t
disturb our game.
I play with my colleagues at work. There are about 6 to 8 people who play regul
arly and if you don t reach the court in time, you don t get to play the first game.
After a game is over, usually the losers have to give chance to the other play
ers, who wait outside.
I think this has definitely kept me fit. I have lost about 6 kilos in the last
2 years, just because I play this game. I have no other exercise and I don t need
any. I can eat anything I like and I can burn my extra calories in the game.
Now my body has become very flexible and I have improved my stamina. My movemen
ts have become easy and my body is much more flexible now. I can even run up st
eps without panting. My cholesterol and blood sugar levels are much lower than
before. So this is something healthy that I enjoy doing.
Part 3
Keeping fit and healthy
What do most people do to keep fit your country?
Most people, in my country do some kind of manual labour and that keeps them fit
. They don t need any other exercise. The farmers work in the field and there ar
e a lot of people who work in constructions and similar manual jobs. The middle
class white collar workers and the rich people are also very health conscious an

d do regular exercises like jogging, walking in the morning or playing some game
s. There are some people who work out in gyms to keep themselves fit.
The most common exercise, that people in my country do, to keep themselves fit,
is to go for a walk. If you get up early in the morning and look at the streets
, especially in cities, you can see a lot of people walking by the side of the r
oad. There are also a lot of evening walkers as well. Some jog or cycle or do
some exercise or play some games. There are a lot of people who visit gyms to b
e fit. Yoga is another popular exercise that people are interested in.
How important is it for people to do some regular physical exercise?
It is extremely important for people to engage in some kind of regular exercise,
especially after 30 or 35. Otherwise we will be prone to common lifestyle dise
ases like, high blood sugar or blood pressure. Heart ailments are very common a
mong people who have no physical exercise. Regular exercise can give your body
a lot of immunity against such diseases. It can burn your extra fat that causes
all these ailments. So, regular exercise is essential for people to keep thems
elves fit.
Health and modern lifestyles
Why do some people think that modern lifestyles are not healthy?
See, people have a valid reason for thinking so. People today love comfort and
luxury and they want to satisfy their appetites at any cost. Rather than cookin
g at home, they love to eat out, at restaurants and fast food joints. Fast food
may be tasty but contains a lot of fat that is not good for health. Previously
people used to walk or engage in some kind of manual work. That is not the cas
e today. Personal vehicles and modern devices have made their life easy and peo
ple have great aversion towards sweating their body. This lifestyle naturally i
nvites diseases.
Why do some people choose to lead unhealthy lives?
The simple answer is laziness. Today many people do not have the discipline to
lead a healthy life. They love comfort and convenience in everything that they
do. In fact, they don t realise that their comfort and luxury are going to end so
on. They need to face the reality sooner than later.
Should individuals or governments be responsible for making people lifestyles he
althy?
It is the individuals themselves who are responsible for making their lifestyles
healthy. It is one s personal freedom to lead a healthy lifestyle. Government h
as nothing to do with it. No government can interfere into such personal affair
s. Government can t ask people to eat this or that. The only thing that governme
nt can do is to spread awareness about this issue. Nothing more than that.
What could be done to encourage people to live in a healthy way?
The best way to encourage people to live in a healthy way is to spread awareness
about the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle. This can be done through the
media like television and newspapers. At an early age, children should be give
n education about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. It should also be incl
uded in the curriculum. Moreover, sports should be made compulsory in schools.
Another effective way is to give gym and sports facilities in factories and off
ices.
------Part 1
Traffic where you live
How do most people travel to work where you live?Most people in my place travel
to work using public transport system. We have both government and private bus
services that are very efficient and frequent. The bus fares are also quiet mode
rate, and that makes it the favourite mode of travel for ordinary people to go t
o work. People, who go to longer distances to work, usually make use of trains.

We have a number of short distance trains, which are very inexpensive. A lot
of people also have their own private vehicles to go to work. Most young people
have their own motor bikes. The more affluent go to work by car.
What traffic problems are there in your area?Traffic problems are quite frequent
in my area, especially during the peak hours of morning and evening, when peopl
e travel to work or study and back. Many roads are very narrow and cannot hold
the increasing traffic volume at a time. So traffic moves at a snail s pace, espe
cially during the rush hours. There are also a lot of puddles on the roads espe
cially during the rainy season and manoeuvring them would further slow the traff
ic down. There are constant repairs on the roads which are both slow and ineff
ective and traffic is often diverted through narrower roads making the situation
still worse.
How do traffic problems affect you?Traffic problems affect me very badly. I nee
d to reach work on time and very often the unexpected traffic snarls and jams do
not let me do it. I have made it a point that I start a bit earlier from home,
so that these unexpected delays do not affect me much. Another problem is that
driving in high gear in the traffic jam, exhausts your fuel tank very fast.
How would you reduce the traffic problems in your area?The first thing that the
government should do is to widen the roads with immediate effect and that can de
finitely reduce the problem tremendously. Another area that the authorities can
look into is to engage a big company to construct roads that can last for a lon
ger period of time. It would definitely reduce the constant repairs on roads.
People also should be made to obey traffic rules very strictly.
Part 2
Describe a game or sport you enjoy playing.
You should day:What kind of game or sport it isWho you play it withWhere you pla
y itAnd explain why you enjoy playing it.
In fact I don t play any games at the moment, because I don t have the time or oppor
tunity for it. It is very difficult for you to play a game once you get out of
your school or college. There are very few playgrounds for the public in our ar
ea.
May be, I will talk about the game I played when I was in college. I was very i
nterested in soccer, and I played in the forward line. It was usually played in
the evening when the sun was not very warm and that preserved a lot of your ene
rgy. I hope you know that football requires a great deal of running and if it i
s very hot your steam will run out fast.
I usually played with my college mates. We would break into two teams and somet
imes the numbers would vary from seven to twelve, depending on the number of peo
ple who were interested in playing the game. It always used to be great fun to
play with your mates in a very friendly atmosphere. Since everybody knew each o
ther there were hardly any hard tackling or rough play. Everybody enjoyed the s
pirit of the game.
We played in the football ground, just in front of our college. It was quite a
big ground and so we had to run around a lot, but that gave us a lot of physical
fitness.
I enjoyed playing soccer because there was a thrill in scoring goals and winning
. You kept improving with every game and that gave you a great deal of motivati
on and competitive spirit. Even during the day, when you were not playing you k
ept thinking about the game. So it was great fun and I always waited for the ev
enings to play soccer.
Discussion topics:
Children s games
How have games changed from the time when you were a child?

Games have changed tremendously over the years. When we were children the stand
ard of the game or the players was not as good as it is today. Moreover, newer
rules have been introduced to make it more appealing to television audiences. I
think the speed of the game has considerably increased. There is much more mon
ey in sports and games today, so more and more young people are interested in ma
king it a full time career. That was not the case when I was a child.
Do you think this has been a positive change? Why?
Yes, it has definitely been a positive change in all ways. Games have become mo
re popular and players get much better rewards. Televised games have made it po
ssible for people to watch games in the comfort of their homes rather than going
to a stadium. Watching games has become a very easy affair. Overall, the stan
dard of the game has improved.
Why do you think children like playing games?
Children are physically very active and you can t keep them idle for a long time.
They always like to be with their friends, playing some games. Psychologically
, at their age they can t think of engaging in a serious activity for a long time.
Playing games would occupy them time in a very effective way; otherwise they a
re going to create some mischief at home