Page 41 - READING COMPANION TO ENGLISH EXAMS

Answer the questions 21–23 according to the
passage below.

Leisure time is a prize that people most likely 22. According to the passage, both groups ----.
look forward to enjoying, believing that the more
time off they get, the better their lives will be. A) have the ability to find ways to change their
Most people think taking pleasure in free time attitudes towards time off that could be
beneficial for everyone
comes naturally; however, research reveals that
having time off and planning how to spend it B) struggle to enhance happiness by taking
can be stressful for two groups of people. The pleasure in leisure in order to sort out their
first group thinks leisure time is not worthwhile lives
and sees it as a waste of time. They usually C) prioritise productivity to the extent that they
work in high-paying jobs and value productivity cannot enjoy time off, often to the detriment
to the point where they cannot relish their free of their mental health
time, frequently at the expense of their mental
health. On the other hand, the second group, D) have trouble enjoying leisure because of
which experiences intense pressure to make how they view and value it despite having
the best decisions about how to spend leisure, different problems
such as doing more research, considering more E) try to maximise their leisure expectations to
predictions, and spending more money, has a lot the extent that boosts the quality of their lives
of stress. Therefore, they are unable to enjoy that
time, living in conflict over what they think is best.
In both cases, the fear of not using relaxation time
effectively, whether by seeking an extravagant
experience or being extraordinarily productive,
holds people back from the very purpose of
leisure. Maybe the only proper way to spend
free time is to relax, let your guard down, create
lasting memories, and believe that the pieces will
fall into place.

21. Which of the following is true about the 23. One can conclude from the passage that the
people in the first group? author mainly ----.
A) They have enormous work to do in their daily A) informs the reader how people perceive and
lives; therefore, there is no use in having value leisure has changed problematically
leisure time. due to their stressful lives

B) Seeing that they pay close attention to B) points out that the most prominent moment
production, they are stressed and frequently of leisure is letting the problems out naturally
lose their mental health.
C) criticises people for not considering the
C) Hard as they work in high-paying jobs, they primary purpose of leisure, which hinders
are not able to spend money on leisure to them from enjoying the moment
feel better.
D) emphasises that people should spend
D) As far as they are concerned, leisure hinders each moment of leisure relaxing; having
them from producing and is not worthwhile. memorable moments is a must

E) They take pleasure in both work and leisure E) highlights the benefits and drawbacks of the
since they take the expenses of the latter for two groups’ points of view on leisure time
granted.

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