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| Should a city try to preserve its old, historic buildings or destroy them and replace them with modern buildings? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. |
| 22/F/Japan>>> TOEFL CBT 223 (5.0) Generally, we hope that buildings in big cities will be constructed rationally and conveniently. If we pursue convenience, the most latest modern style building is the best. I also admit its convenience and even feel inconvenience of traditional buildings like my grandmother's wooden house built about 40 years old, having modern equipment such as central heating or elevater. However, I disagree with the idea that modern traditional should be destroyed in order to be replaced with the modern one, because of the following reasons. Traditional building tells us history of the city. For instance, in Japan, Kyoto and Nara where we can visit lots of traditional and historical building such as world heritage Kinkaku-ji or Houryu-ji, are the best place to learn history. They are very precious heritages, becuase such old buildings are so vulnerable and hard to remain that we have ever lost many of such precious treasure. When I was a high school student, one of the historic church, building neighbor prefecture, Xavier Memorial Cathedral, built by Francisco Xavier, had burn out because of fire. Thus, I think that we should not dare to destroy such old buildings. Even if a old building does not seems to be important now, it might be an only reminiscence of the certain age, because of lost of the other more important traditional buildings. Traditional building can be a symbol. Kinkaku-ji is one of the most famous traditional building which represents Japanese culture. When we go abroad, we sometimes buy postcard of such traditional buildings as a souvenir to foreigners. This shows that we, Japanese people regard such buildings as the symbol of Japan and they are anchor of our national identity. Therefore, I think that we should cherish traditional buildings. |