Cambridge 12 | Test 5 | Passage 2

Collecting as a Hobby

There are people who collect because they want to make money—this could be called an instrumental reason for collecting; that is, collecting as a means to an end. They’ll look for, say, antiques that they can buy cheaply and expect to be able to sell at a profit. But there may well be a psychological element, too—buying cheap and selling dear can give the collector a sense of triumph. And as selling online is so easy, more and more people are joining in.

as a means to an end

sell at a profit

triumph (noun) [uncountable]

the feeling of great satisfaction or joy that you get from a great success or victory