F A recent report Nostalgia: Content, Triggers, Functions (Wildschut, Sedikides, Arndt & Routledge), suggests that nostalgia does indeed have a purpose and is in fact of great benefit. Remembering past times improves mood, increases self-esteem, strengthens social bonds and gives meaning to life. Clay Routledge explains, ‘Most of our days are filled with routine activities with no significance, like travelling to and from work or shopping for groceries. Nostalgia is a way of tapping into meaningful past experiences that confirm that our lives are worthwhile, that we are happy with our relationships and that our existence has a purpose.’ It seems that nostalgia may serve as a sort of natural antidepressant, something to motivate us and help us through difficult times. However, as Tim Wildschut points out, ‘It is not possible to say whether nostalgia becomes more frequent as people’s lives become more challenging. We are talking about a fundamental human emotion, not something that changes overnight.’
G These findings might also explain why we should avoid revisiting or attempting to relive the past. There is nothing quite like the disappointment of meeting an old school friend only to find he or she is nothing like the person you remember. A journey back to a place that has been the source of many wistful memories can be disastrous when it becomes clear that those recollections have always been viewed through rose-coloured spectacles. Film sequels can be equally damaging. A movie remade 20 years after the much-loved original often turns out to be nothing more than an attack on our fondest memories. We can come away from the cinema feeling hurt and insulted.
H Whatever the benefits of nostalgia, it is clear that nobody should use it as an excuse to live in the past. The idea that things were ‘better in the good old days’ is generally a myth. Because we tend to focus on fond memories, we edit out what we do not want to remember. People who grew up in the 1950s might remember Elvis Presley and drive-in movies, but they have probably forgotten all about sexual and racial inequality. Advertising does not help either. Companies have known for a long time that nostalgia sells and it is far easier to tap into past memories than to create a whole new association with a product. It is not surprising then that so many people feel that their current lives are mundane and unfulfilling compared with how they believe things were once upon a time.
For questions 1–5, identify the paragraph which contains the following information. Write the letter of the paragraph in the space.
1. the belief that nostalgia was an illness 2. the mistaken belief that things used to be better
3. people feeling nostalgic about something that made them unhappy 4. spoiling fond memories by trying to bring them back to life 5. the suggestion that much of our lives is spent doing boring things
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
For questions 6–9, decide if the information given below agrees with information given in the text. Write (T) true, (F) false or (NG) not given, if there is no information on this.
6. Not many books have been written about nostalgia. 7. People rarely feel nostalgic about what they see and hear.
___ ___
8. Getting through a difficult time can mean thinking more positively about it later. ___ 9. Most people only listen to music that they think is especially good.
___ G For questions 10–11, choose the correct answer a, b, c or d.
10. According to the text, the brain … a. has a number of unnecessary functions. c. is like a large muscle.
11. In the 18th a. because they were physically injured. c. because they thought only about going home. b. uses a lot of energy. d. is used mainly to think about the past. century, some soldiers were taken off duty … b. in order to retrain. d. to spend time at home.
58 Pathway to IELTS 6.0
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227
