TOPIC: ISSUE7. "The video camera provides such an accurate and convincing record of contemporary life that it has become a more important form of documentation than written records."
　　WORDS: 551 TIME: 45:00 DATE: 2007-7-29
　　The video camera has to some extent witnessed the diversity of everyday life nowadays. Anytime and anywhere, you might turn to a video camera to record accurately and vividly what happens in your life.
　　When it comes to whether the video camera has become a more important document than written records, a host of different opinions are held by different individuals. Has the video become a more important record of contemporary life than records? Admittedly, the video camera, as a modern form of documentation, has already played such a crucial role in our daily life nowadays. However, written records, the traditional form of documentation, still has its priorities in some aspects and serves human beings as important as before.
　　Contemporary life calls for a lot of different forms of documentation; providing vivid colorful pictures with original sound, the video camera has become increasingly popular in many aspects in our life.
　　UA journalist chooses to report most of the news through video camera; A student may use a video camera to record his/her school life and bring it home to his/her parents and friends; A professor may record his lectures with video camera and thus all the students could have the opportunity to attend it even if they are in fact absent from the lecture when the professor gave it.U Video cameras serve us everywhere and whoever we are.
　　At some moments of considerable importance, the video camera can serve as the best witness, where written records might not gain the same effect.
　　UWhen I came to university for the first time with my parents two years ago, we chose video camera to record the significative day. When people all over the world expected to record the last sun fall of the twentieth century, they chose video camera to document the history.U Needless to say, no one could deny the priorities of video camera on these special occasions nor could they afford the damage of all the video cameras in the world.
　　Nevertheless, what the video camera does is only to record everything as it is or as it seems to be, besides which it can do nothing. But written records can not only reflect what the author saw, but also reveal what the author thought. Examples are all around us. UYou may prefer to watch a TV play rather than read the novel based upon which the play was directed. Yet you can never hold the opinion that the TV play has totally reflected what the author wrote and indeed, any film or TV play developed from novels more or less misrepresents the original works.
　　Also, when it comes to scientific research, many people may find that it is rather difficult to express their ideas through only a figure without any note.U Written records are demanded and cannot be obviated. No wonder that written records are still one of the major documentation forms in contemporary life.
　　In summary, the video camera, a modern form of documentation, is increasingly popular in our life, especially at some important moments.
　　However, traditional written records still have its priorities, as important as the video camera, and serve us everywhere. While the video camera tells us what there is or there seems to be, written records tell us the contents and the feelings behind the video.