Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- avid / ˈæv ɪd / (adj.) – very enthusiastic and eager about something
Example:Maria is an avid reader. She finishes at least two books every week and always talks about new stories.
- self-proclaimed / ˌself prəˈkleɪmd / (adj.) – someone who calls themselves something, but it's not official, or other people might not agree
Example:David is a self-proclaimed expert in cooking, though his friends sometimes laugh because he usually just orders takeout.
- salvage / ˈsæl vɪdʒ / (v.) – to save something from being lost, damaged, or destroyed
Example:The fire destroyed most of the building, but several important documents were still salvaged from the manager’s office.
- underscore / ˈʌn dərˌskɔr / (v.) – to show or emphasize that something is very important
Example:The coach gave a serious speech, underscoring how important teamwork is to win the game.
- erasure / ɪˈreɪ ʒər / (n.) – the act of removing or forgetting something completely
Example:Many people worry that the erasure of history can cause important lessons to be lost.
Article
Read the text below.
Everything from rusty typewriters to vintage cameras can be found at anthropologist Aditya Vij’s home in New Delhi. In an age of new technology and innovative products, walking into his home is like stepping into a time machine.
Vij is an avid collector of artifacts, and over the decades, the self-proclaimed “history hunter” has gathered thousands of items that span centuries and documented their relevance and the impact they have had on society.
Each collectible he has salvaged feels like a victory against time, Vij says, underscoring his belief that maybe one individual’s attempts can quietly resist their erasure from people’s memory.
“I try to write that unrecorded history through my collections, through the products, and through whatever relevance and impacts it has had on the society. Every product, or any of its aspect that has existed, has played a role,” Vij says.
Over the years, he has collected a wide variety of items.
“Every time around that I lay my hands on a product, that is the first thing that comes to my mind—today I managed to save a piece of history which perhaps was never recorded,” says Vij.
“That is the thing that keeps me going because I try to keep or try to save a piece of history every time that I step out.”
Through the preservation of such items, Vij hopes to educate future generations.
“I get in a lot of requests from parents that they want to bring in their kid to showcase them that—come we will show you how we used to type a letter, or come we’ll show you how we used to click a picture, or how we used to dial a phone, and kids are shocked,” he says.
Vij aspires to create a physical space where youngsters can learn about innovations from the past.
“My hope is that I can actually create a proper, bigger-sized museum where I can actually cater to schools,” he says.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Aditya Vij collects old items, feeling each salvaged piece is a victory against time. Do you think it’s important to preserve objects from the past? Why or why not? If you were to collect or preserve items from the past, what would they be? How do you personally stay connected to the past—through photos, stories, old items, or something else? Discuss.
- Vij believes that every product, or any aspect of it that has existed, has played a role in society. In your opinion, can everyday, seemingly ordinary objects tell us something important about a culture or time period? What modern everyday object do you think future historians might find interesting and why? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Vij mentions that kids are often shocked when they see old technologies. What do you think would shock children the most about life before the internet and smartphones? How important is it for children to learn about how people lived in the past? Discuss.
- Why do you think parents want to share these experiences with their children? Is it important for children to see how their parents lived when they were young? Why? How can learning about a parent’s childhood help a child understand them better? Discuss.
