IELTS SPEAKING PARTS 2 & 3 - BUILDING
This is the recent topic which one of our students from Seoul, Korea got yesterday, October 27, 2018. It's all about BUILDINGS. Please check how we answer the following questions. Get some ideas from our answers and practice on your own.
(We would like to apologize for not posting TOPIC OF THE DAY last Friday, we encountered some technical issue.)
You should say:
What it looks like
Where it is
What it is used for
And explain why you like it
ANSWER:
As I’m into architectural designs, talking about this topic shouldn’t be rocket science. Let me tell you about the skyscraper in Dubai which is internationally-known as Burj Khalifa and originally called Burj Dubai. This building is considered as the tallest in the world, that is close to 3000 feet in height. Two years ago, I had my business trip in Dubai which was held in Armani Hotel that is situated inside the Burj Khalifa building. I was mesmerized by its design since it’s an ultimate symbol of glitz and glamor.
Vocabulary & Expression:
I’m into [expression] - another way to say ‘I’m interested’
Rocket science [noun] - very difficult
Skyscraper [noun] - building with many storeys
Mesmerize [verb] - hypnotize; fascinate
Glitz [noun] - extravagant display; to have attractive appearance
Glamor [noun] - appealing
The exterior appearance of the building is similar to that of a needle. Its base has a tripartite geometry which I heard was intentionally designed that way to optimize the residential and hotel spaces. This building has around 200 storeys and only 160 storeys are habitable, if I’m not wrong. Due to of the enormous number of floors, the building is equipped with 57 elevators and 8 escalators, to be exact. And as you know, Dubai’s temperature is terribly scorching, the cladding system is designed in order to withstand the extreme weather condition during summer.
Vocabulary & Expression:
Exterior [adj.] - outside
Tripartite [adj.] - to have three parts
Optimize [verb] - make use of something effectively
Habitable [adj.] - fit to live
Enormous [adj.] - many
Scorching [adj.] - very hot
Cladding system [noun] - the application of one material over another in order to resist the harsh weather
Withstand [verb] - to resist
I fell in love with this building from the very first time I stayed in Armani hotel within Burj. This building is all-in-one! There are hotels, residences, swimming pools, excellent restaurants, and observatory deck which is for me the best part since one can see the whole view of Dubai. And it is spectacular during the night as the city lights enveloped the whole city.
One day, I would love to pay a visit in that posh building again and explore its beauty even more. However, to make that a reality I should double my effort in working since everything in there costs and arm and a leg.
Vocabulary & Expression:
All-in-one [adj] - almost all purposes combined in one
Spectacular [adj.] - magnificent; gorgeous; beautiful
Envelop [verb] - cover or wrap something
Posh [adj.] - elegant; stylish
Cost an arm and a leg [idiom] - very expensive
PART 3 - Focuses on OLD BUILDINGS
Is it important to preserve old buildings?
Well, I believe it depends on what kinds of buildings they are. If we talk about buildings with historical value, then it is the government’s obligation to protect and preserve them. Historical buildings reflect culture, tradition, or lifestyle. The building itself is a story of how people in the past lived their lives and that is a valuable fact that the young generation should understand.
For example, this country, New Zealand, this was once a colony of Britain, you can see that the architecture of most buildings is greatly influenced by Gothic or Romanesque design - buildings have the semi-circular or pointed arches, large windows, and spires. These should be preserved as they are a country’s treasure, other than that, some existing old buildings need not to be preserved.
Vocabulary & Expression:
Historical value [noun] - the significance of a building as it represents the history of a place
Obligation [noun] - responsibility
Colony [noun] - a country which is under control by another
Other than that [phrase] - except that
Do you think old and young people in your country have the same viewpoint about old buildings?
I believe both have different attitude towards old buildings since each generation has different perspective of almost all things and buildings are not an exemption.
I suppose most elderly people value those kinds of buildings as they have valuable memories. For instance, it would be disheartening for them to see an old building in their neighborhood being demolished since at some point in their lives it has become a part of their lives. As we know majority of the elderly are sentimental.
On the other hand, young people tend to care less about those types of buildings as those have nothing to do with their lives, considering the character of the young, they always want something new or unique to their very eyes. So I am confident to say that they do not have any special feelings to buildings that are already outdated.
Vocabulary & Collocations:
Perspective [noun] - opinion
Dishearten [verb] - discourage; to be depressed
Demolish [verb] - destroy
Sentimental [adj.] - emotional
Outdated [adj.] - old; out of style
What aspect of culture do old buildings reflect?
Well as I have mentioned earlier, if old buildings have historical significance then they symbolize the tradition or the lifestyle that people in the past had. Through those kinds of buildings, the young generation will have a glimpse of their own history. Although they did not experience how their ancestors lived their very lives, they will get an idea of what was their life like. For instance, Philippines was under the rule of Spaniards for three centuries, there are still buildings in that country that are of Spanish influence, because of that, the new generation of Filipino people will understand and will continue to be reminded of what kind of life their ancestors had.
Vocabulary & Expression:
Glimpse of/into [phrase] - an experience in which a person would get an idea of what something is like
Ancestor [noun] - a person for whom one is descended; a person in the past
Do you have any questions or comments? Please leave them below. Check our post about HOMETOWN with this link https://www.ieltsdragon.com/ielts-speaking-topic-part-1-hometown/topic-of-the-day-answers/
[wpedon id="68" align="center"]
Posted from my blog with SteemPress : https://www.ieltsdragon.com/ielts-speaking-parts-2-3-building/topic-of-the-day-answers/