TOEFL iBT Independent Writing, Should a city try to preserve its old, historic buildings or destroy them and replace them with modern buildings? - revised -

Writing Topic 

Should a city try to preserve its old, historic buildings or destroy them and replace them with modern buildings? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

☆Let’s think

1.      Why do we keep old, historic buildings?

--- A historic building helps us remember historic events, the era, and the related people. In many cases, they themselves are part of the tradition and culture of the city and country. Every city has many old, historic buildings and people have valued them

2.      Why are some old, historic buildings replaced by modern buildings?

--- It often happens that they have to give them up for development. Some people may not want to see the landscape with an old building among new ones, others may think about the benefits or profits that replacing it with a new one will make.

☆Hints for Points

Good points of old, historic buildings

1.    They represent our culture, history, and identity. To lose them is to lose all these intangible assets.

2.    They help us learn from the past more effectively than from textbooks.

3.    Many old buildings are beautiful in their own ways.

4.    They benefit tourism.

Good points of modern buildings

1.    They are stronger, cleaner, and more durable than old buildings.

2.    The street view will be more orderly.

3.    The city can increase its revenue by demolishing the old building and using the site for making-money.

☆Essay for Ideas and Expressions   (Barron’s, Writing for the TOEFL iBT, p.281)

☆Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】

【Conclusion】

☆Speech Time

Make a one-minute speech on this topic.

☆Sample paragraph development

【Main Idea】Old, historic buildings effectively help us learn from the past events and remember them.

【Supporting Detail (in general)】For example, the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima is a tangible proof of the horror of nuclear weapons by visually symbolizing the destructive power of the nuclear weapon.

【Supporting Detail (specific)】Standing next to the building will show that the famous broken stone walls with the crippled steel arches on top is a huge structure that could not have collapsed so easily. The guide will tell you that the river next to the building is where people whose bodies were seriously burnt jumped into to escape from pain and thirst and drowned to death and that the whole city surrounding the ruin was a ground zero.

【Follow up】It is true that the media can send the same kind of message, but the impact of the real site is stronger than information from the media. Also, memories can be lost as a generation is replaced by another, while the ruin in the middle of the now-thriving city, a strong message for disarmament, will never allow oblivion.

【Conclusion】The same can be said about other historic buildings in other cities. They are the concrete evidence of the past events. Therefore, we need to preserve the building to preserve our history and to save our future.

Your Sample Paragraph Development:

【Main Idea】                                                                                       

                                                                                                    

【Supporting Detail (general)】                                                                       

                                                                                                    

【Supporting Detail (specific)】                                                                       

                                                                                                     

                                                                                                    

                                                                                                   

                                                                                                   

【Follow-up】                                                                                      

                                                                                                   

                                                                                                    

【Conclusion】                                                                                      

                                                                                                   

Comments or Suggestion from your partner or group members