阅读理解 When it comes to leisure activities. Americans aren' t quite the funseekers they' ve been supposed to be. For one out of five, weekends and vacations are consumed by such hard and boring work as housecleaning, and cooking; only one-third of them enjoy the luxury(享受)of relaxing in the sun, going camping, playing sports, or simply relaxing.
These are among the conclusions reached by a recent study in which more than 1,120 employed Americans are asked how they occupy themselves on days they are not at work. According to the study, older people, the rich, and the well-educated are most apt to spend their spare time doing the things they "want to do" rather than those they "have to".
Overall, high-salaried respondents(调查对象)were more active than those with lower incomes—they reported watching less television and were more likely to engage in social and cultural activities. Furthermore, those with college degrees were about twice as likely as those with no more than a high school education to spend time playing sports(42 percent compared to 23 percent).
On the subject of vacations, the study found that college graduates were more likely than those with only high school degrees to have vacation plans(80 percent versus 60 percent). Of those who did intend to take some time off, 46 percent planned a sightseeing vacation(34 percent in the United States, 12 percent abroad), 34 percent expected to visit friends or relatives, 22 percent headed for the beach or lake, and 12 percent intended to relax at home.
People who are divorced, widowed, or separated, the survey concluded, are the least likely of any group to take a vacation—and the least likely to attach any importance to it.