Did you collect anything as a child — stickers, cards, shells, anything? What was the thrill of it?

A natural way to answer

I collected pretty stones and shells from every trip to the beach. I kept them in an old biscuit tin and knew exactly where each one came from. The thrill was in the hunt, really, and in slowly building up a collection that felt entirely mine.

Key phrases to use

• on the lookout — watching carefully in order to find or notice something“I'm always on the lookout for a bargain.”
• fill the album — to complete a collection by getting every item needed“It took two years to fill the album.”
• get your hands on — to obtain or find something, especially with some effort“I'd love to get my hands on that book.”
• build up — to increase or develop something gradually over time“She built up a big collection over the years.”
• hold your breath — to wait anxiously and tensely for something to happen“I was holding my breath as the results came in.”
• hunt high and low — to search absolutely everywhere for something“I hunted high and low for my keys.”