英语四级听力短文2原文

　　Passage 2

　　Results of a recent Harrys poll on free time showed that the average work week for many Americans is 50 hours. With the time spent eating, sleeping and taking care of the household duties, theres little time left for leisure activities for many Americans. However, having free time to relax and pursue hobbies is important. People need time away from the pressures of study or work to relax and enjoy time with friends and family. In different countries free time is spent in different ways. The results of a Harrys poll showed that reading was the most popular spare time activity in the US. This was followed by watching TV. In a UK survey on leisure time activities, watching TV and videos was the most popular. Listening to the radio came second. In a similar survey conducted in Japan, the most popular free time activity was eating out. The second most popular activity was driving. There were also differences in the most popular outdoor pursuits between the three countries. The most popular outdoor activity for Americans was gardening. In the UK, it was going to the pub. In Japan, going to bars ranked eighth in popularity and gardening ranked ninth. Although people around the world may enjoy doing similar things in their free time, theres evidence to suggest that these interests are changing. In the US, for example, the popularity of computer activities is increasing. Many more people in the States are spending their free time surfing the web, emailing friends or playing games online.

　　Question 20

　　What is the recent Harrys poll about?

　　Question 21

　　What was the most popular leisure activity in the US?

　　Question 22

　　What was the most popular outdoor pursuit in the UK?