Questão UFMG - 2003 | Inglês | Text Interpretation

To some extent, traveling entails fantasizing. We dream of finding someone interesting away from vigilant neighbors, from family control, from our own self-criticism. There is nothing necessarily [5] wrong with that fantasy nor with its realization. Now traveling is more rewarding, much more complex than that.

It means coming out of hiding, getting out of the rut, looking around ourselves, seeing the world, [10] opening our minds to new dimensions of human existence. At a certain moment in our life, that may include an opening to new relationships, seen as rewarding experiences. On the other hand, traveling may develop our ability to stay alone, to face up to our fears, to meet the unknown head on, without turning to others for safety. It means being able to survive without old habits. While [15] traveling for pleasure, a workaholic may feel the same withdrawal symptoms that plague those who cease to take addictive drugs. Traveling tests and helps develop our independence. It makes us feel that the ground under our feet is within ourselves, not outside.

Getting in touch with another culture also elicits fantasies involving [20] "the stranger". Foreigners evoke many different emotions. One of them is the magic that surrounds someone from a distant, mysterious world. Only everyday-life can disentangle reality from magic. Yet, magic and enchantment do have a place in life.

In a sense, traveling distinguishes us from reptiles. Alligators, for instance, [25] are intent exclusively on survival; they never leave their territory, they never relinquish safety and protection. Merely surviving is not enough for us humans. We want to live, and that sometimes entails going out to distant places in search of adventure. Traveling, like any other human experience, may provide an opportunity to prepare even for death. If we succeed in coming out of [30] hiding and living in different environments, perhaps we will be less disturbed when our body no longer is part of our luggage and only our essence departs for the great adventure. Traveling is being confident about the fact that our life can be lived wherever we are.

Adapted from "Traveling, sex, and fantasies" by Maria de Melo Azevedo, Ícaro, n.189, May 2000. p. 20.

*os números entre colchetes indicam os números das linhas do texto original.

"Now traveling is more rewarding..." (line 6)

To keep the same meaning, the word now could be replaced by

but.

first.

then.

thus.

(UFMG - 2003)TravelingTo some extent, traveling en