新g issue 119 求拍~

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119) When old buildings stand on ground that modern planners feel could be better used for modern purposes, modern development should be given precedence over the preservation of historic buildings.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.



Based on modern development is important, the issue concerning that old buildings should be better used for modern purposes to some extent is reasonable. However, it is unnecessary that modern development is more important than the preservation of historic buildings since historic buildings are not only usual buildings, but they embody people's life situation at some particular time which is also meaningful for modern people.

With the development of times, some old buildings seems not suitable to exist for modern society. In a city center, it seems hard to imagine that an very old building is surrounded by modern buildings which are tall and glorious. As more and more modern buildings built, people are offered better and better services that cannot get from old buildings.

For economic purposes, some old buildings built in a city center may be better to be
demolished and be rebuilt to be modern places rent for office which is both beneficial for the real estate business and office people who work in those places. For better living purposes, some old buildings may be better to be rebuilt to be more comfortable for people's living. For entertainment purposes, some old buildings in the wild may be better to tear down and people could riding horses there.

From those examples above, it seems reasonable to use old buildings for modern purposes. However, in essence, modern purposes should be based on modern people's needs. As times develop, modern people's needs cannot unnecessarily be satisfied by basic needs to have enough to eat and wear but they need to be satisfied in spirit. Old buildings are not usual buildings and has a historic meaning which can satisfy modern people's needs to know how their ancestors lived, from this view, it is of significance to keep these old buildings.

In some Chinese cities, there are many old buildings: Forbidden City in Beijing, City wall in Xi'an and some old buildings in some river towns... All these old buildings to some extent embody how  people's ancestors lived in the old times. When looking at those old buildings, with knowing the life situation of their ancestors, at the same time modern people may feel how happy they are compared to their ancestors and may be more thankful for this modern life.

In conclusion, what the most important to decide whether old buildings could be better used for modern purposes is to clarify what the modern purposes. Since modern purposes are based on modern people's needs, to explore people's needs is critical. It seems to be the best to keep some presentative historic buildings for people's needs to know something about the history and to rebuild some old buildings that is less meaningful in history but will be important for modern development if they are teared down.