A hobby can be almost anything that a person likes to do in his spare time. Hobbyists (沉溺于某嗜好之人) keep pets, watch birds,draw pictures, play the piano and grow flowers. 1 T hey collect everything from books and boxes to stamps. People take up hobbies because these activities offer enjoyment, friendship and relaxation. Hobbies help people relax after a long time of hard work, and provide a balance between work and play. Hobbies offer interesting activities for the old. Some hobbies can make a child grow as a person, develop ( 发展 ) his interest and help him learn new skills ( 技能 ) . 2 Doctors have found that hobbies are useful in helping patients recover ( 恢复 ) from illness.Hobbies give patients who can’t move around something to do, and provide interests that keep them from thinking about themselves. Many hospitals treat patients by having them take up interesting hobbies. 3 In early times, most people were too busy making a living to have many hobbies. But some persons who had spare time did enjoy hobbies. 4 People today have more time than ever before for hobbies. 5 Those who have developed hobbies never need to worry about what to do with their newly-found free time hours. Sir William Osler, a famous Canadian doctor expressed the value ( 价值 ) of hobbies by saying, “No man is really happy or safe without a hobby.”