Part 7
You are going to read five different people’s opinions about time travel. For questions 43-52, choose from the people (A-E). The people may be chosen more than once.
Which person…
43. thinks its best to appreciate the present?
44. would make a different relationship decision?
45. would try to help a family member?
46. offers contemporary travel advice?
47. is probably at least 50 years old?
48. is interested in history?
49. is put-off by old-fashioned clothes?
50. thinks of impressing others?
51. would make an investment?
52. would not expect time travellers in general to receive a friendly welcome ?
Time Travel
A Charlie
I’d travel back to the year I was born, and live my life again, but only if I could know then what I know now! I’d love to see my parents and grandparents again. I’d persuade my dad to stop smoking, so that he wouldn’t die so young. On the other hand, in the present, I have two wonderful grown-up children and two precious grandchildren. Perhaps the answer is to make the best of the present and stop hankering after the past. If I could visit other times just for a day, I’d love to meet my parents as children, and go into the future to meet the great-great grandchildren I’ll not live to see!
B Chloe
I would not exchange today for any previous era. I have studied a lot of history and whilst I would be interested in certain eras there would be difficulties. For example, Tudor times – interesting, but as a Catholic I might have had my head chopped off; eighteenth and nineteenth centuries – exciting, but too many petticoats to wear, never mind about corsets. Then there is the lack of education and opportunity for women to consider, and the lack of medical knowledge. No, today is the best time to live. Having said that, I would not mind the opportunity to take tea with Miss Austen – she would have been enormous fun.
C Emily
Go back in time? Who’d want that? I mean, as soon as some people spotted you, you’d be the odd one out. And if you went back in time with all that futuristic equipment on and, for example, the alarm clock on your watch went off, you would be denounced as a devil; tortured, quartered and drawn, and then burnt at the stake! Travel to the future and you’d be a museum artifact! You’d be seen as some sort of primitive beast! I’m fine where I am at the moment, thank you. Also, to those of you intending to prevent the election/birth of various politicians, it won’t work; if you succeeded, then you would have no incentive to do so, and thus wouldn’t have gone. That’s the paradox.
D Jack
I have always dreamed of being a sailor in the merchant navy between 1920 and 1940. At that time, travelling to foreign ports like Yokohama, Saigon, Rangoon, Surabaya and such would have been the same as space travel is today. Imagine coming home after a long voyage, and telling the people in the pub all about your travels! You’d have such stories to tell! I have seen the majority of the world’s cities now, and most look exactly the same as each other. If you want to travel somewhere that is still unique today, without the time machine, see Asia but steer clear of package tours. And hurry; do it now before it all becomes McDonaldised.
E Liam
I’d go back maybe about five years and try to do a better job this time. I would never have ended the relationship with the love of my life. I wish I could’ve known better, and understood then what I understand now. I would also stay at college. I’d register 250 of the best internet domains possible, so by now I’d be a billionaire without having done a thing. But I wouldn’t be selfish; I would change the world for the better with the money. Money can save lives and do unbelievable things in the right hands. Plus, I would have the girl! Oh well, back to reality.
For this task: Answers with explanations :: Vocabulary