Some people believe that governments should protect cultural heritage. Because of this, it is sometimes suggested that all new buildings should be designed in traditional styles. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Stance: I disagree with the idea that all new buildings should be designed in traditional styles; while protecting cultural heritage is crucial, mandating traditional architecture for every new construction would stifle innovation and risk turning living heritage towns into artificial stage sets.
This answer is capped at 6.5 because each reason is developed with just one short example (the Hoi An shopfronts, the cai luong show) without the layered vocabulary like 'pastiche' or 'anachronism' and without the wider cultural references (French colonial influence, trading-port fusion styles) that broaden the 7.5 answer's argument.
Some people think that governments should protect cultural heritage by forcing all new buildings to be built in traditional styles. I disagree with this idea. Although protecting heritage is important, forcing every new building to copy old styles would stop creativity and could make heritage towns feel fake.
Firstly, only using traditional styles for new buildings can create a false copy of the past instead of real cultural continuity. Culture is not something fixed; it changes over time. In Hoi An's old quarter, for example, strict rules force every new shop to look like a century-old yellow building with a tiled roof. But some of these 'old-looking' buildings are actually just souvenir shops with no real connection to the families and trades that used to live there. This turns tradition into decoration instead of something people actually live.
Secondly, heritage can be protected better by making it interesting for people today, not by making every building look the same. During Tet, I took my parents to see a modern cai luong show that mixed a classical folk story with a live band, LED lights, and English subtitles for younger viewers. I expected only older people to enjoy it, but the theatre was almost full, and many university students were there too, filming the ending on their phones. This showed me that traditional art can succeed by becoming more modern and exciting, not by staying exactly the same.
In conclusion, protecting cultural heritage is important, but forcing all new buildings to look traditional is not a good solution. A better way is to allow new, creative designs that are inspired by the past instead of just copying it.
Collocations
Examiner Notes
- TR“I disagree with this idea.” — A short, unambiguous statement of the writer's degree of agreement, placed early exactly where the opinion-essay prompt requires it, though less elaborated than a qualifying clause would make it.
- LR“a false copy of the past” — A simple, clear phrase conveying the essay's critique, correct but less economical than a single precise word like 'pastiche'.
- CC“Secondly, heritage can be protected better by making it interesting for people today, not by making every building look the same.” — 'Secondly' is a basic, correct paragraph-opening connector; a higher band would likely replace it with a more content-linked transition such as 'Moreover'.
- GRA“I expected only older people to enjoy it, but the theatre was almost full, and many university students were there too, filming the ending on their phones.” — Correctly coordinates three clauses with 'but' and 'and', ending in a participial phrase, though it is one coordinated sentence rather than the layered relative-clause structures used at higher bands.
- TR“A better way is to allow new, creative designs that are inspired by the past instead of just copying it.” — Ends with a constructive recommendation that answers the question directly, mirroring the function of the higher-band conclusion in simpler wording.
This answer reaches 7.0 by echoing its own thesis vocabulary across paragraphs and adding sharper abstract contrasts like 'reinterpretation rather than repetition', but it still lacks the low-frequency word 'pastiche' and the wider historical references (French colonial influence, trading-port fusion) that give the 7.5 answer its broader cultural argument.
Some people argue that governments should protect cultural heritage by requiring all new buildings to be designed in traditional styles. I disagree with this view. While protecting heritage is clearly important, mandating traditional architecture for every new construction would limit creativity and risk turning living heritage towns into something artificial.
Firstly, relying only on traditional styles for new buildings often creates a superficial copy of the past rather than genuine cultural continuity. Culture is not fixed but constantly evolving, and its vitality comes from reinterpretation rather than repetition. In Hoi An's protected old quarter, for instance, strict rules requiring every shopfront to imitate century-old yellow facades have sometimes produced buildings that look historic on the outside but house souvenir shops with little real connection to the trades and family life that originally shaped those houses. In this way, tradition risks becoming a decorative backdrop rather than something people genuinely live.
Secondly, heritage is often preserved more effectively by making it engaging for modern audiences rather than by enforcing visual uniformity. During Tet, I took my parents to a modern cai luong performance that reworked a classical folk tale with a live band mixing traditional instruments with electronic music, LED projections, and subtitles for younger audience members. I expected mostly older viewers, but the theatre was nearly full, and several groups of university students sat near us, filming the closing scene on their phones. This experience showed me that a centuries-old art form can thrive by becoming more accessible and engaging, not by staying rigidly unchanged.
In conclusion, while protecting cultural heritage is a genuine responsibility for governments, forcing every new building to adopt traditional styles is an overly simple and counterproductive solution. A better strategy would encourage innovative designs that draw inspiration from the past rather than merely copying it.
Collocations
Examiner Notes
- TR“mandating traditional architecture for every new construction would limit creativity and risk turning living heritage towns into something artificial” — Extends the disagreement with two specific consequences ('limit creativity', 'risk turning... artificial'), giving a fuller justification of the stance than a bare statement of disagreement.
- LR“its vitality comes from reinterpretation rather than repetition” — A more abstract, precise contrast ('reinterpretation' vs 'repetition') than the simpler 'false copy' phrasing, showing increased lexical sophistication.
- CC“Secondly, heritage is often preserved more effectively by making it engaging for modern audiences rather than by enforcing visual uniformity.” — Still uses the basic 'Secondly' marker, but the clause itself explicitly echoes the introduction's key terms ('artificial'/'uniformity'), tying the paragraph back to the thesis more tightly than at 6.5.
- GRA“I expected mostly older viewers, but the theatre was nearly full, and several groups of university students sat near us, filming the closing scene on their phones.” — Coordinates three clauses like the 6.5 version but adds a specific quantifying detail ('several groups'), giving slightly denser, more controlled description.
- TR“A better strategy would encourage innovative designs that draw inspiration from the past rather than merely copying it.” — Closes with a conditional-modal recommendation ('would encourage') and a precise 'rather than merely copying' contrast, echoing the 7.5 conclusion's structure closely, though with slightly less varied vocabulary.
The 7.5 answer stands out for the precise, low-frequency word 'pastiche' and for situating its argument within a wider historical view of cultural evolution ('from the French colonial touches... to the trading-port fusion styles'), which grounds the critique of enforced traditionalism in genuine architectural history rather than a single anecdote alone.
The notion that governments should mandate every new building to be designed in a traditional style, ostensibly to safeguard cultural heritage, presents a compelling but ultimately misguided approach. While the imperative to protect and celebrate a nation's cultural legacy — vividly on display in places such as Hoi An's ancient town or Hanoi's Old Quarter — is undeniable, I largely disagree with the proposition that architectural innovation must be stifled in favour of uniform anachronisms.
Primarily, an exclusive reliance on historical aesthetics for new buildings risks creating a superficial pastiche rather than fostering genuine cultural continuity. True cultural heritage is a living, evolving entity, not a static museum piece; its vitality stems from adaptation and contemporary interpretation. Within Hoi An's protected old quarter, for example, strict rules requiring every new shopfront to mimic century-old yellow façades and tiled roofs have, in some cases, produced buildings that look historic on the surface yet house souvenir shops and cafés with little connection to the trades and family life that originally shaped those houses, reducing tradition to a decorative backdrop rather than a living practice. This approach often overlooks the dynamic nature of cultural expression, which has historically always absorbed and reinterpreted new influences, from the French colonial touches woven into Hanoi's own streetscape to the trading-port fusion styles that made Hoi An distinctive in the first place.
Moreover, the most effective forms of cultural preservation often involve presenting heritage in ways that resonate with modern audiences, rather than forcing an artificial uniformity onto buildings and streetscapes. In my experience working in hospitality in Ho Chi Minh City, when my parents visited during Tet, I took them to a contemporary cai luong production that reworked a classical folk tale with modern staging: a live band blending traditional dan kim and dan tranh with electronic backing, LED projections behind the performers, and surtitles for the younger audience members who no longer follow every archaic verse. Initially I expected my parents to be the only ones truly moved, but the theatre was close to full, and I noticed several groups of university students seated near us, phones out to film the closing scene rather than to check messages. That evening showed me that a centuries-old art form can thrive not through rigid adherence to an antiquated setting, but by being made accessible and genuinely engaging to a broader, younger public. Such adaptive approaches are far more impactful than simply erecting new buildings that mimic bygone eras.
In conclusion, while the preservation of cultural heritage is a genuine governmental responsibility, imposing traditional architectural styles on all new developments is an overly simplistic and counterproductive solution. A more enlightened strategy would encourage innovative designs that reflect contemporary identity while drawing inspiration from, rather than merely replicating, the past.
Collocations
Examiner Notes
- TR“I largely disagree with the proposition that architectural innovation must be stifled in favour of uniform anachronisms.” — States a clear degree-of-agreement position ('largely disagree') in the introduction, exactly what an opinion-essay prompt requires.
- LR“creating a superficial pastiche rather than fostering genuine cultural continuity” — The word 'pastiche' is a precise, low-frequency lexical choice that captures the essay's critique with economy.
- CC“Moreover, the most effective forms of cultural preservation often involve presenting heritage in ways that resonate with modern audiences, rather than forcing an artificial uniformity onto buildings and streetscapes.” — 'Moreover' adds a second supporting paragraph smoothly, maintaining logical progression between body paragraphs.
- GRA“Initially I expected my parents to be the only ones truly moved, but the theatre was close to full, and I noticed several groups of university students seated near us, phones out to film the closing scene rather than to check messages.” — Coordinates three clauses with 'but' and 'and', closing with a participial phrase and a 'rather than' contrast, all controlled without error.
- TR“A more enlightened strategy would encourage innovative designs that reflect contemporary identity while drawing inspiration from, rather than merely replicating, the past.” — Closes the essay with a constructive recommendation that directly answers the question rather than merely restating the position.