READING FOCUS 6

4 When the writer saw the people doing family research at the
National Archives, she
A was full of admiration for their dedication. DEAD
B was envious of their absorption in their task.
C became aware of what motivated them. interesting
D started to share their enjoyment.
5 What was the writer’s initial reaction to the information in the Lucy Kellaway investigates
census about her ancestor called Amos? her family history
A She was disappointed that his story had a predictable
end.
Ancestral Footsteps, a travel company
B She was upset by his misfortune. that organises exclusive tailor-made
C She was proud of his achievements. holidays to help people to investigate
D She was concerned for the welfare of his wife and child. their family history, had offered to
6 In the final paragraph, the writer admits that she take me on a personal heritage tour.
I’d accepted the invitation gladly,
A feels embarrassed about her feelings for her ancestors. not because I had any particular Australia. When I told my dad I was in Dorset, of Amos there was no trace
B has changed her mind about the attraction of ancestor interest in my forebears but because, going on a genealogical holiday, he at all. I tried instantly to resist the
research. as a journalist, I thought a story quoted something his father used to modern urge to apply psychobabble
C regrets knowing so little about her family history. on genealogy would appeal to my say to him: ‘It’s more important to be to explain Amos’s disappearance.
D was surprised by her family’s reaction to the story of readers. Genealogy, it seems, is an ancestor than to have them.’ And Would I have been able to forgive
Amos. big business. Genealogy tourism, he’s right. Any bragging that begins him for abandoning his family? But
combining holidays with ancestor with ‘my great-great-uncle’ is never then I discovered that what actually
3 Work in pairs. What do you find interesting about hunts, is a rapidly growing sector going to go anywhere worthwhile. He happened was rather different. Ships’
genealogy? in the travel market. A recent study brought my sister and I up to think records recounted that my great-
by the University of Illinois argued that we should try to make something great-grandfather deserted ship in
that the trend is a response to our
Vocabulary consumer-driven lifestyle – a search
of ourselves and not dwell on the past.
As I awaited the results of my
Sydney in 1857 to go in search of
gold. He didn’t find any. But he found
adjective/noun collocations for connection and authenticity in an own ancestor research, I decided to New World riches of another sort.
inauthentic world. research other people doing theirs. After six years in Australia, he had
4 Work out the meanings of the underlined compound Maybe. But I think there’s a more In the crowded upstairs room at the made enough money as a farmer for
adjectives in the article from the context. Compare obvious cause at work: the runaway National Archives at Kew in south- Jane and Alfred to sail out to join
answers with a partner. success of the BBC reality TV west London, every desk was occupied him. Their story ended happily ever
programme Who Do You Think by someone staring at a screen in a after. The boy received an education
5 Underline the nouns that collocate with the adjectives You Are? The format, which has been sort of rapture. I soon realised I’d and became a clergyman. His son,
in italics. copied in twelve countries, involves got it all wrong. They were poring my grandfather, became a doctor,
following famous people in search over microfiches with a focus more discovered a treatment for snakebite
1 a tailor-made of their roots and watching their intense than any I’ve ever seen in any and lost all interest in his roots.
trip house course suit service emotional reaction as they discover other library or anywhere else at all. My father and sister predictably
2 consumer-driven glorious and not so glorious facts For them, the fun isn’t in the facts, it’s swallowed the story hungrily,
fashion technology money design about their ancestors. The show is in the hunting. With obvious delight, forgetting all about their high-minded
3 a high-minded good celebrity TV, with a nice bit of the woman nearest me explained scruples. And although I still don’t
person school ambition reason principle colourful social history thrown in, if that she’d just discovered an ancestor think of them as my family, I was
you like that sort of thing. But the who’d been convicted of stealing. more interested than I’d expected
6 Match the adjectives in the box with the nouns to name of the programme is a bit of Ancestral Footsteps arranged for to be in the fate of Amos, Jane and
make collocations. Some adjectives can be used with a sham. If we’re being honest, we’ll me to meet my personal researcher, Alfred and I’m only sorry I ignored
more than one noun. admit that who we actually are has Jo Foster, in Dorset. Jo showed me a them for so long. So who do I think
nothing to do with our ancestors; it’s series of documents explaining how I am now? The truth is that I’m not
close common direct distant early extended down to our own personality, luck, the Kellaways arrived in Australia: my who I thought I was six months ago.
immediate nuclear circumstances, education and that of great-grandfather’s death certificate I still maintain that who I am does not
our parents. says that Alfred Charles Kellaway, include deserting sailors and failed
1 a/an .............. relative 2 a/an .............. ancestor I inherited my ancestor scepticism son of Amos and Jane, was born in gold diggers. Time has washed them
from my father who, unlike many Dorset, England, and died in Australia. away. But it does include something
3 .............. family
Australians, couldn’t care less about But the 1861 census reveals that while less expected. Who I am now is a
7 Use some of the collocations in Activity 6 to describe how his family had ended up in Alfred and Jane Kellaway were living born-again ancestor bore.
your family tree.

Unit 6 Living with the past 63

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