GettingStarted-Reading
Preserving the past
Father: This is a present for you, son.
Nguyen: A kite! How cool! Thank you, dad.
Father: I made it for you, just like your grandfather used to make one for me.
Nguyen: Is it a family tradition?
Father: Yes, for generations.
Nguyen: I love it. So when you were a kid, what did you use to do for entertainment?
Father: Oh, it was all very simple back then. We didn't have television or the internet. A mobile movie team used to come once every two months, and everyone from the village would be there. The children were always early, trying to get a place near the screen.
Nguyen: I suppose it was a special occasion, wasn't it?
Father: Sure.
Nguyen: I wish there were movie teams like that now.
Father: Yeah, it was a lot of fun.
Nguyen: Then how did you get to know about the world outside?
Father: We had the radio; actually, only wealthy people did. The whole village used to listen to the news programme through a loudspeaker.
Nguyen: Wow, I can't imagine that.
Father: I know. The world's changed a lot, son. It's much easier now.
Nguyen: Do you miss the past, dad?
Father: I suppose I do. Sometimes I wish I could go back to that time.