5. Compare reading and watching TV in terms of encouraging mental development.
In general, I think that reading will be more beneficial to your mind in terms of mental
exercise and development. When you read, you need to focus in order to understand and imagine
what you are reading about. But when you watch TV, you have images that make everything
simpler, easier to understand, more straightforward. I think that, quite frequently, when I watch TV,
I am pretty passive. I don't need to think so much; everything is obvious
.
Although there are some
interesting shows on TV that can make us think and react, most people will tell you that watching
TV is good for lazy people, and that smart people usually prefer reading because it is more
rewarding.
6. How might attitudes to reading change in the future
?
It's hard to say, but I am afraid that people will read less in the future. Nowadays, people have
access to audio books, where someone reads the story to you. I think that technology offers a lot of
advantages, but it also makes people lazy. People read more on the Internet, especially the news,
and few people still go to the library. I think it shows us that reading is becoming less popular. I
have heard my grandparents say that they used to get together with their parents and read a story
all together. This would never happen anymore.
177
Your Hometown
Tell me about your hometown
.
You should say:
where you are from
what is special about your hometown
whether the city has changed in recent years
and explain whether you like staying in your hometown or not.
·
Which city? Geographical situation
- Fuzhou, Fujian, southern China
·
Qualify the city
- Pleasant and peaceful: mountains
·
Tourist destinations +food specialties
- Temples architecture colorful dishes
·
Compare with other cities (modern and old) - a mix of ancient and modern (great changes)
·
Changes in recent years
- old areas were destroyed =modern residences
I was born and raised in Fuzhou. This is my hometown, and I have lived here most of my life.
Fuzhou is the capital city of Fujian Province, and it is also one of the major harbors in southern
China.
It is a pleasant and peaceful city in spite of its 7 million inhabitants
.
Fuzhou is surrounded by
mountains and bamboo forests
.
As a result, it is easy to get away for the weekend, to enjoy
impressive waterfalls or to go hiking up in the woods. When people come to Fuzhou, they usually
visit a temple or two, take photos of the huge banyan trees, and take a dip in the natural hot
springs
.
Fuzhou is famous for its colorful and sweet cuisine
.
The specialties here are sweet and
sour pork and sea food, since we are not far at all from the coast. The locals will definitely try to
make you taste the renowned fish balls and drink local green tea.
Although Fuzhou is the largest city in Fujian, it does not seem as developed as other
metropolises in the country. Fuzhou is an ancient city that spread out around the Min River. The
areas worth visiting are scattered
(=
spread) about the city. The best way to discover Fuzhou is by
bike. You will discover several old neighborhoods with narrow alleyways and paved streets
.
There
are some charming places
.
Nevertheless, most of the old city has been torn apart, and skyscrapers and high-rises have
now replaced the typical old wooden houses pretty much everywhere
.
In addition, wider streets
were built to facilitate traffic
.
Fuzhou has undergone massive changes in the last ten years, and
now the city is still expanding both north and south of the Min River. I like to think that the city is
becoming cleaner and better organized although I know there is still work to do. I love my
hometown because it's an incredible mix of old and new, and next year if I get to go abroad I will
miss both my city and its people.
Vocabulary
·
Engineers must make sure that the new bridge can withstand both high winds and earthquakes.
·
This dam is an amazing engineering feat. The engineers changed the course of a huge river to
build it.
·
Some people were against the project, while others supported it. It was a big controversy.
178
(Sources
:
World Link series)
.
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