Topic 29: People think that old buildings should be knocked down and give way to the new

buildings. Do you agree or disagree? How important are old buildings to us?

(symbol of the social customs and history of a place), (cultural resource) ( old architectural works)
(preserve cultural values), (a rich variety of architectural heritages),
(create its identity); (bridge the present and the past history),
(establish some variations among the buildings),(historical roles);(grand high-rising structures)(variety)
(historic buildings) (archeological sites) (restored to its original/ authentic state of existence),
( of economic values),
( aged buildings) (an antithesis of development), ( lack of economic values) ;
(craftsmanship), (commitment of time and money) ;
( worn out), .(not in a usable state),
Every item of property has its own lifespan. So does every building. City planners are very often
confronted with a debate concerning whether an old building should be deconstructed or
maintained. In my opinion, it depends on whether the targeted building can satisfy the needs of
the city.
There is no denying that some old buildings are of aesthetic, archaeological or architectural
values. They might be either integral to a culture as a symbol of a city or country or unique in the
domain of architecture. emolition of such buildings will inflict damage to cultural heritage and
prevent architects from drawing their inspiration from their predecessors. Because of their
uniqueness, old buildings are very liely to provide a source of tourism income, if maintained
well. It is fair to say that old buildings of this ind are much more important than any new
building and performing more functions than any new building does.
!ith regard to other old buildings, possessing no specific value while becoming dilapidated,
entire destruction is an acceptable and understandable decision. "ow in quality and poor in
conditions, some old buildings are actually posing a danger on users and pedestrians. They
might stand in the way of a new road line or impede other forms of urban development. !hether
they have been renovated or not, these buildings blemish the landscape and provide no
#ustification for continued maintenance. $eplacing old buildings with new ones meets the
renewed needs of the city.
In summary, whether to conserve or pull down old buildings is a question that can only be
answered on a case%by%case basis. &eople involved should carefully weigh up the pros and cons
of new developments before reaching a conclusion.
!. "ifespan#lifetime#natural life
$. econstruct#demolish#bulldo%e#knock down#pull down
&. 'esthetic#artistic
(. omain#area#field
). emolition#destruction#pulling down#knocking down
*. +nflict#cause#impose
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,. -redecessor#forerunner#precursor
.. ilapidated#wrecked#decaying
/. -edestrian#walker#person
!0. 1enovate#refurbish#revamp
!!. 2lemish#damage#tarnish#spoil#ruin
!$. 1enewed#changed#improved
!&. 3eigh up#assess#evaluate#compare#estimate
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