5 Your Hometown

Proverb：

Home is where the heart is．

Sample Answer:

Your Hometown

A Place of Interest in Your City

A Modern Building in Your Hometown

Practice：

The Best Parts of Your Hometown

A Place You Have Visited

Your Hometown

     ·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.

1.What changes have taken place in cities over the last 20 years in your      country?

Well, many changes have occurred (=happened) in Chinese cities over the last 20 years．First of all, high-rises and skyscrapers have replaced old accommodations．Actually, many old neighborhoods have been torn down (=destroyed), and it is a pity because we lost a lot of the traditional architecture, but on the other hand. people were liven a more comfortable home in modern apartment buildings．In addition, since more people can afford to buy a car, the government has had to build larger roads．Nowadays in the city, most avenues count three or four lanes. The aim is to facilitate traffic flow (= make traffic smoother).

2.  What are some of the major problems cities have to face nowadays?

The first problems that come to my mind are issues related to traffic and pollution. Nowadays it has become very common for people to own a private vehicle. You know, car prices went down, and people's salaries have definitely increased. As a result (= so), the number of automobiles on the roads grows day after day, and traffic gets terribly congested (= heavy) at rush hour, both mornings and evenings. In addition, cities have to face problems associated with population growth. More people from the countryside are moving to the cities in order to find a job. Many students from smaller towns decide to study in the larger cities, and later on, they try to find a job there. This creates fierce competition for jobs, and troubles with unemployment. On top of this, these people need to find a place to stay, and apartments have become very expensive to buy and the rent is usually very high. In Fuzhou, if you want to purchase a house in the suburbs, you need to pay at least 7000 yuan a square meter. Not everyone can afford that.

3.  Compare job opportunities in cities and in the countryside．

Well, there are definitely more choices for people in the city. It is easier for you to find a job in a city, even if it is a small city, than in rural areas. In the countryside, people live off farming, and in some areas, people can also make money from tourism if they are lucky to live around a place worthy of interest worth visiting) ．In the countryside, you could also find a job in a factory, but the salary will most likely be very low. Students who get a university degree usually stay in the city to work, because they are ambitious, and they hope they can quickly get promoted.

4.  How could people be encouraged to stay in rural areas?

I guess the government should encourage more companies to set up factories and offices in the countryside by lowering taxes, and granting other financial advantages ($$$).Most young people don't stay in their rural community because there is no university there, and later on, their chances to gain experience and to improve themselves are very limited. If people were given a good job in the countryside, I believe that people would move back there after university, because they could be with their family and friends. People actually know that rural areas are better places to raise a family. In addition, life there is much cheaper.

5. What are the attitudes of city people towards people from the countryside?

I think that most city residents respect the work of farmers and other hard-working people from the countryside. In China, everyone realizes that we need farmers and factory workers if we want to eat good food and enjoy the advantages of modern life. In addition, at university, many students from the city get to meet students from rural areas. They get to talk with them and realize that, although they come from different backgrounds, they can get along well, and they actually share a lot of similarities. I think that people recognize the fact that people who come from smaller towns are very often friendlier more generous than many city inhabitants. And you know, a majority of the people in large cities have a grandfather or great-grandfather who actually used to be a farmer himself, so they don't look down upon rural people.

A Place of Interest in Your City

·Which? Where? Many places in Fuzhou but the most impressive must be this famous temple ·Describe：Huge pagoda with spectacular view. You can see it from far away.

·What is special? Peaceful inside: with a lake around a huge banyan tree (fish +turtles).

·Feelings：smell with the prayers and incense (especially during a festival＝colorful )

·The architecture is breathtaking＝roofs, high ceilings, statues, carvings, paintings

Fuzhou is a very old city, and the urban area spreads out far on each side of the Min River. There are many old streets and neighborhoods in Fuzhou. In addition，there are many nice parks, but I think the most remarkable place in the city is an impressive temple next to Fuzhou

University.

It is called Xichan Temple. You can't miss it because there's a huge pagoda standing in the middle of the courtyard. I believe there are 12 or 14 different stories to the Buddhist tower and from the top you have a spectacular view of the whole city！

It costs 20 yuan to get in, which is quite expensive but the visit is definitely worth it！There's a huge, stunning banyan tree surrounded by a pond（＝a lake) with thousands of turtles and big gold fish inside ． The little park is decorated with Buddhist statues and ornaments ． It's very peaceful and there's something special about the atmosphere.

People who go to the temple burn joss-paper as well as incense because they believe they will be prosperous in the afterlife if they do so．The smell is overwhelming but it's very enjoyable．This temple is quite large and many monks live there. It's a monastery and you will see them pray to the Buddha whenever you go there. If you get there during a festival, the place will be very crowded and lively. People don't hesitate to bring offerings to the Buddha such as fruit, oil and flowers．It's a colorful religion.

The temple is divided into many different buildings．The architecture is incredible．The roofs follow traditional Chinese style with multi-inclined carpentry (use your hands).The ceilings are very high and the decorations inside are breathtaking. You should really go there. It's one of the most impressive places in Fuzhou.

1.What kind of places of interest do people in your country often like to visit?

I think that there are usually 2 main kinds of places of interest. The first one is the historical site, with old buildings, such as a palace, a temple, or an old quarter with old streets and traditional architecture. The second type is the beautiful scenic places．Tourists go there to appreciate (=enjoy) the stunning landscapes, also these destinations are supposed to be relaxing. It's very popular for people to visit national parks such as Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan Province, with its amazing lakes and waterfalls. In China, we like to climb mountains and enjoy a spectacular view from the top： everyone wants to go to Huang Shan, Tai Shan, Wutai Shan, Emei Shan…There are so many famous mountains in my country.

2.  Do you think that a person's age affects what they consider to be "a place of interest"?

Definitely！I guess I suppose) that some older people might not find it very interesting to visit a modern city, because they might think that every city looks the same. On the other hand, children might get excited at the idea of visiting a theme park such as Disneyland in Hong Kong, but their parents would probably not consider this park as "a place of interest" because it is not natural or historical. Elderly people would agree it could be interesting for young people but they would tell you they have no desire (whatsoever) to go there.

3.  Do you think that places of interest often also have some educational value?

Yes, without a doubt. Many tourists decide to take a tour of visit) historical sites such as the old hutong streets in Beijing, you know, the very ancient and narrow alleys in the city, or they go to the Summer Palace or the Forbidden City. When they visit such places, travelers can find out about the past, and imagine what fife used to be like during the Ming and Qing dynasties. When people visit some national parks, or some scenic destinations like Zhangjiajie in Hunan Province, they can realize how beautiful China really is. In addition, we always have different legends about these stunning places, like how they were created or which emperor or sage a wise man) has visited it. I think there is always something to learn when you travel.

4.  What more can we do to protect places of interest?

I think the most important thing is to educate people to realize that it is our duty to protect and respect historical or scenic places．Local governments have already hired a lot of people to clean up after tourists, and to guide travelers through the sites. In many national parks ， they built wooden paths for people to follow a specific route, so that visitors don't go walking off and stepping on plants, or throwing stuff into beautiful lakes. I think that governments should also forbid the construction of any new hotel near tourist destinations, because I think that modern buildings, and the roads that were built to bring visitors ruin destroy) the beauty and the peacefulness of the place.

5. What modern-day places do you think that people in the future will consider interesting?

That's an interesting question because we never know for sure what will fascinate interest) the next generation. It depends on what innovations come out in the future．I think that in the future people will also be interested in ancient buildings, because old architecture and old lifestyle will seem even more surprising to the next generations．I think that what we are building nowadays will not interest people so much in the future, because by then they will have built bigger malls and higher towers. Did you hear they built a skyscraper of more than 800 meters in Dubai? It's only going to get higher higher from now on. I really don't think contemporary（＝present-day)