Describe a historical building in your country
You should say:
- Where this building is;
- How do you know this building;
- What it is like;
- And explain why it is important to your country.
Sample Answer 1
I’m going to talk about Yuelu Academy, which is one of the four most famous academies in Chinese ancient history.
The first time I heard stories about the academy was when I was about eighteen years old. My father took me for a tour around the academy before I was about to start college. The tour guide shared many historical stories about this attraction. One story that really stuck with me was that, apparently, the Yuelu Academy was established over 1000 years ago during the North Song dynasty.
It’s a massive place, almost 20 thousand square meters in area. Most of the architectural structures in the academy are built in Chinese classical styles and the whole place is surrounded by green plants. At first glance, the plants around the buildings make it seem like a peaceful garden. Almost all of the buildings are built in only three colors: black, white, and grey, which gives the place a solemn atmosphere. What I find most spectacular about the buildings is the shape of the roofs. They are built in a step formation to wish students a journey toward a lifetime of success.
I believe Yuelu Academy is a meaningful place for China. There are many historical relics that have been perfectly preserved there. It’s the place to go if you appreciate authentic artworks like paintings, calligraphy, and ancient books. You can literally feel how immersed the academy is in China’s traditional Confucian culture.
Vocab Highlights
stick with somebody: to remain in someone’s memory
at first glance: when seen or considered briefly and for the first time
calligraphy /kəˈlɪɡrəfi/ (n): beautiful handwriting that you do with a special pen or brush; the art of producing this
Sample Answer 2
India has a rich blend of eastern and western constructions. One such source of admiration is the Taj Mahal in Agra. On the exterior , it has rich calligraphy of persian poems, abstract forms and vegetative motifs. Passages from the Holy Quran are inscribed all over the complex. On the interior, it has exquisite flower carvings and intricate pierce works in marble.
My friends and I got tired of the monotony of life. We wanted some escape from the daily routine. So we planned for a trip to Agra and explored the iconic TajMahal. TajMahal was built by ShahJahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz. It stands as a testimony to the Mughal architecture. We arranged for a guide who told us that materials for construction of TajMahal were bought from across the world. He told us that twenty eight types of precious stones were studded on the white marble and that the total cost of construction was estimated to be thirty two million rupees.
While I was there, I could not take my eyes off the building. It was a Mahal of love built out of love. It seemed to spread vibes of love all around. I was wondering where they derived the inspiration from. We took a lot of photographs in the evening and I treasure them all. On our way back to the hotel, I purchased a tiny plastic doll of TajMahal which I have placed in my reading room.
Vocab Highlights
Calligraphy (noun) – the art of producing decorative handwriting or lettering with a pen or brush.
Eg: She watched the sculptor carving beautiful calligraphy.
Motifs (noun) – a decorative image or design, especially a repeated one forming a pattern.
Eg: The sofa in John’s house had prints of colourful motifs.
Monotony (noun) – lack of variety and interest; tedious repetition and routine.
Eg: Kim was tired of the monotony of being a software engineer.
Studded (adj) – decorated or augmented with studs [ a large-headed piece of metal that pierces and projects from a surface, especially for decoration.]
Eg: The wedding invitation was studded with colourful metal pieces.