Hobbies and Daily Talk Around the World
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Daily talk can be simple. Hobbies and weekend events give people friendly things to share.
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Introduction
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Text to type: Daily talk can be simple. Hobbies and weekend events give people friendly things to share.
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Before you begin
Warm-up
What hobbies do you enjoy?
What do you talk about with friends?
Do you talk about your weekend on Monday?
Part 1: What Is Small Talk?Reading
Part 1: What Is Small Talk?
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Text to type: Daily conversation is easy talk at work or home. What people talk about in daily life is hobbies. Small talk is short, polite talk. It helps people feel at ease. Safe topics include weather, food, sports, and hobbies. Weekend plans are also easy to share. Bronislaw Malinowski wrote about this kind of talk in 1923. He said it helps people stay friendly. We can notice three things: the topic, the time, and the friendly reason.
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Check: Part 1: What Is Small Talk?
1. What is the friendly reason for small talk?
Sample answer
The friendly reason is to help people feel at ease and stay friendly.
Reading
Part 2: Sports and Singing in Japan
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Text to type: NPB is Japan's top baseball league. It has 12 teams. People often talk about a weekend NPB game. Ichiro Suzuki set a record of 262 hits in 2004. A great player can give fans a fun topic. Karaoke is another common hobby. Friends often rent a small karaoke box by the hour. They can sing together after work or on a weekend.
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Check: Part 2: Sports and Singing in Japan
1. Which two hobbies can lead to friendly talk in this part?
Sample answer
Baseball and karaoke can lead to friendly talk.
Part 3: Weekend Trips in JapanReading
Part 3: Weekend Trips in Japan
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Text to type: A weekend trip can also become a talk topic. Ueno Park has over 1,000 cherry trees. The trees bloom in late March and early April. People have a picnic under them. This picnic is called hanami. Hot springs give people another trip idea. Dogo Onsen is one of the oldest onsen. It is in Matsuyama. After the trip, people can share what they saw and did.
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Check: Part 3: Weekend Trips in Japan
1. What can people share after a weekend trip?
Sample answer
People can share what they saw and did.
Reading
Part 4: Football Talk in Europe
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Text to type: Football gives many people a shared topic. The Bundesliga began in 1963. Monday talk can follow a weekend match. FC Bayern Munich has 31 league titles. In Spain, cafe talk often follows a big game. El Clasico is a famous football match. Lionel Messi scored 26 goals in this match. Like baseball talk in Japan, football talk can make Monday chat easy.
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Check: Part 4: Football Talk in Europe
1. Why can football make Monday talk easy?
Sample answer
People can talk about a football match from the weekend.
Reading
Part 5: Walking and Hiking
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Text to type: Outdoor hobbies can give people new stories. Switzerland has more than 65,000 kilometres of marked hiking trails. About 2.7 million people there hike often. Yellow Wanderweg signs show walking time. Many trails go through the Alps. A Sunday hike can become a Monday story. In Japan, a weekend onsen trip can do the same job. The place is different, but the friendly reason is the same.
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Check: Part 5: Walking and Hiking
1. How are a hike and an onsen trip alike?
Sample answer
Both trips can give people a story to share later.
Part 6: Sports and Family Time in the USAReading
Part 6: Sports and Family Time in the USA
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Text to type: In the USA, many people watch American football. The NFL has 32 teams. Thanksgiving is on the fourth Thursday of November. Families often watch NFL games that weekend. The Super Bowl is the last pro football game of the year. A listed TV record for it is 127.7 million viewers. These events give many people the same topic at the same time. Shared time makes small talk easier.
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Check: Part 6: Sports and Family Time in the USA
1. Why are big sports events useful for small talk?
Sample answer
Big sports events give many people the same topic at the same time.
What you can do now
Final Reflection
Which hobby or weekend event would help you start friendly talk, and why?
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Hobbies and Daily Talk Around the World
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Reading
Part 1: What Is Small Talk?
Reading
Part 2: Sports and Singing in Japan
Reading
Part 3: Weekend Trips in Japan
Reading
Part 4: Football Talk in Europe
Reading
Part 5: Walking and Hiking
Reading
Part 6: Sports and Family Time in the USA
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