Leisure time in America

Listen and then choose the correct answers.

• How much time in a week in the early 1800s did Americans spent at work?
• According to the audio, what were all the leisure activities that Americans did in their free time?

How much time per week in the early 1800s did Americans spend at work?

Complete the text you are listening to by dragging the correct word to each blank.

Leisure Time in America

In the early 1800s, Americans spent their whole day working. Sunday was the only 3.1, and the only 3.2 days were Christmas, New Year’s Day, and the Fourth of July. People worked around 66 hours a week, which meant about 11 hours a day were spent at work.

By the 1950s, times had 3.3. People worked only 40 hours a week. The number of work hours per day was less, and most people had Saturdays and Sundays off each week. Most workers were also given two weeks of vacation time each year. People had a lot more free time.

Americans did lots of things with their 3.4. Many people watched movies. In the 1950s, the movies were now in color. People would drive their cars to a field with a big movie screen to watch a “drive-in” movie.

Many families also had their own television. TV was an amazing little box with pictures. Families sat down together at night to watch a TV show together. Shopping, sports, and traveling were other ways that people 3.5 themselves in their free time. 

Source: Daily Warm-ups Reading Grade 4

Read and answer the following questions.

Leisure Time in America

In the early 1800s, Americans spent their whole day working. Sunday was the only day off, and the only vacation days were Christmas, New Year’s Day, and the Fourth of July. People worked around 66 hours a week, which meant about 11 hours a day were spent at work.

By the 1950s, times had changed. People worked only 40 hours a week. The number of work hours per day was less, and most people had Saturdays and Sundays off each week. Most workers were also given two weeks of vacation time each year. People had a lot more free time.

Americans did lots of things with their free time. Many people watched movies. In the 1950s, the movies were now in color. People would drive their cars to a field with a big movie screen to watch a “drive-in” movie.

Many families also had their own television. TV was an amazing little box with pictures. Families sat down together at night to watch a TV show together. Shopping, sports, and traveling were other ways that people entertained themselves in their free time. 

Source: Daily Warm-ups Reading Grade 4

Which of the following statements is NOT found in the reading passage?

According to the passage, movies were _____ in the 1950s.

Put the right word in each blank. These are the sentences in the text.

1. 7.1 Time in America
2. Sunday was the only 7.2, and the only 7.3 days were Christmas, New Year’s Day, and the Fourth of July.
3. By the 1950s, times had 7.4.
4. Americans did lots of things with their 7.5.
5. Shopping, sports, and traveling were other ways that people 7.6 themselves in their free time. 

Put the right word in each blank. These are new sentences for words in the text.

1. I usually catch up with housework on my 8.1.
2. I've still got some 8.2 time left before the end of the year.
3. He is a young man who spends his 8.3 playing on his computer.
4. Most people only have a limited amount of 8.4 time.
5. We hired a magician to 8.5 the children.
6. That was 20 years ago and things have 8.6 since then.