For Derek Veal, it all started when he explored his grandfather’s old house in Georgia. He found an old suitcase filled with photographs, some more than 100 years old.
The suitcase belonged to his great-grandmother, who had Alzheimer’s (老年痴呆症) and lived in a nursing home. Veal and his grandfather went to visit her with the photos, hoping she could tell them more about the photos. What happened next changed Veal’s life.
“Everything came back to her when she saw these pictures,” Veal said. “She recognized her sisters, her aunts, her grandparents… It was the first time I had ever seen someone’s excitement from an old photo returning to them.”
The experience made Veal realize the power of old photographs to hold precious and long-forgotten memories and restore a sense of identity. It never left him. Two years ago, when he came across old family photos for sale at a thrift store (旧货店), he decided to pick one picture and try to track down the family. Soon, he was inspired to buy more photos and started a Facebook group called Old Photo Project to aid in finding their families.
Veal is not alone in this hobby. Photo and genealogy (家谱学) enthusiasts worldwide regularly use the internet and even social media to track down the families and faces in the lost photos. David, 26, lives in New York and started his project, Museum of lost Memories, in late 2020. He has already had over 300,000 followers on Instagram and over 750,000 on TikTok. “Some of my posts have gone viral and a person or family was tracked down in a matter of minutes!” David said. The motivation behind this hobby seems to be a combination of enjoying the detective work it takes to solve the puzzle, and the memories these lost pictures can bring back to the families they belong to.
“I feel like this is my calling,” said David. “The more I return memories, the more it feels like I’m supposed to be doing this.”
24. According to the text, what changed Veal’s life?
A.His awareness of the value of old photos. |
B.The true stories about his great-grandmother. |
C.His family’s history shown in the photographs. |
D.His exploration of his grandfather’s old house. |
25. What do the underlined words “have gone viral” mean in paragraph 5?
A.Have been updated regularly. | B.Have made people think deeply. |
C.Have received some comments. | D.Have spread quickly and widely |
26. How does David feel about what he does with the lost photographs?
A.It’s not easy. | B.It’s his duty. |
C.It’s not enough. | D.It’s just a hobby. |
27. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
A.Returning Long-lost Memories | B.Old Photos for Photo Enthusiasts |
C.The Power of Photos on the Internet | D.Researching the History of a Family |