Here are two texts that we considered the other evening in a language game. The boldface expressions may prove useful to you in future writings.
Text 1
One of my earliest memories is sitting on a beach
in Malaysia with my parents. I was probably about four or five at the time. I vividly remember watching the fishing
boats heading out to sea, and the smell of fish being barbecued nearby. I grew up in a town on the east coast of
the Malay peninsula. Kota Bahru, it was called. It was a wonderful place to
grow up, and it was there that I developed a taste for the wonderfully spicy
Malay food.
Anyway, the
other day I went to a Malaysian restaurant and had a bowl of mee goring, spicy
fried noodles. I have to say it really made me feel nostalgic for my childhood.
I took one mouthful of the noodles and the memories
came flooding back. Now, looking back, I think I can safely say those were
the happiest days of my life.
Text 2
When I see
a child kicking a ball around, it evokes
strong memories of my childhood, and in particular of meeting Thomas for
the first time. He’s my best friend, you see, and we go back a long way. Well,
right back to my early childhood, in fact, when I was growing up in a small
village called Berwick Salome. We met at primary school. Which one? My mind’s gone blank and I can’t remember what it
was called, but I am sure it will come back to me. I vaguely remember it had the word briar in the name. Briarwood?
Briarley? Something like that. Well, I first met Thomas on my first day at
school. He was on his own, in the playground kicking a football against the
wall, so I just went up to him and we started talking.
Anyway, the
other day I went back to Berwick Salome to visit an elderly relative. As soon
as I drove into the village, it brought
it all back, that small boy all by himself in the playground, kicking a
ball around. Memories are powerful things, don’t you think?
