This episode’s vocabulary
Tenement
noun — a large building divided into apartments, especially in a poor area of a city. → The city council announced a plan to renovate the old **tenements**.
Detached house
noun — a house that is not physically connected to any other building. → They dream of moving out of their flat and buying a **detached house** with a large garden.
Falling to pieces
idiom — to be in a very bad condition and breaking into parts. → The old barn was **falling to pieces** after years of neglect.
Wear and tear
noun — the damage that happens to an object in ordinary use over a period. → Antique furniture is expected to show some signs of **wear and tear**.
Facade
noun — the principal front of a building, that faces on to a street or open space. → The building's historic **facade** was beautifully restored.
Draws people in
phrasal verb — to attract someone to something and make them want to get involved. → The mysterious music from the shop **draws people in** from the street.
Tourist trap
noun — a place that attracts many tourists and charges them high prices for services or goods. → The restaurant on the main square was a complete **tourist trap**, with mediocre food at high prices.
Devoid of
adjective — to lack or be without something that is necessary or usual. → His speech was **devoid of** any real emotion or sincerity.
Shabby
adjective — in poor condition through long use or lack of care. → He wore a **shabby** old coat that had seen better days.
Preserve
verb — to keep something as it is, especially in order to prevent it from decaying or being damaged or destroyed. → It's important to **preserve** historical buildings for future generations.
Keep a hold of
phrasal verb — to maintain possession of something; to not lose something. → You should **keep a hold of** those old photographs; they have great sentimental value.
Long-lasting
adjective — continuing for a long period of time. → The company is known for its durable and **long-lasting** products.
Rustic
adjective — having a simple, old-fashioned style typical of the countryside. → The farmhouse had a certain **rustic** charm.
Questions and answers
What types of buildings are popular in your country?
I suppose it depends on what the purpose is. Lots of people live in apartment blocks and tenements and they work in similar high-rise buildings. But I'm not sure that makes them popular, since some of them are rather poorly built and designed. Most people probably aspire to live in quiet cottages and detached houses in the countryside or the suburbs, since they're, well, usually quieter and tend to have more space and better construction.
Is it worth spending a lot of money on the exterior appearance of a building?
Well, if it's falling to pieces or it's in a poor condition then yes. Since, well, that can be a sign the thing might collapse or put people off living there. I suppose if it's just some slight superficial damage or just regular wear and tear on the facade though, that could be quite endearing. Some people might say that gives the building's character.
Why do people like to visit historical buildings and sites?
I think the most obvious answer is the history behind them sort of draws people in. People often talk about a different atmosphere in places like that or a connection to them, and they might be right, assuming they're not total tourist traps that are completely devoid of any of the value they might have once had.
Is it more important for a building to look good on the outside or on the inside?
Again, surely that depends on what it's for. I mean, most people want to live in something that looks good on the inside, even if it's just for peace of mind. Or maybe to impress their friends. But something like a monument is only meant to be seen from the outside, so it probably doesn't matter if it has a shabby interior or, well, or anything else like that because only the maintenance staff are going to see it.
Should people preserve old buildings?
Well, maybe because they might have some historical value. So it might be worth keeping a hold of them because of the sort of cultural impact that they have or they might just make the place look good. And so that makes it worthwhile, yes. But if it's just an old building that hasn't been looked after and is pretty generic, then no, it's not worth saving. At least in my opinion.
Are buildings now better than those in the past?
In some ways, I suppose they are because the materials that are used to construct them are possibly more advanced if we believe that technology is progressed in a sort of linear direction, then they will be better. Also you can do more things with homes, you have smart homes, and that could be quite useful especially for people who are disabled. Then that's quite a good thing to have. On the other hand, many people have argued that the quality of the construction isn't quite as long-lasting as it used to be, which is a problem.
What are the differences between residential buildings in cities and those in rural areas?
Well, generally speaking, cities tend to be sort of hubs of construction. So that means that there will be more modern buildings in cities. Traditionally rural areas don't tend to have as much construction going on, so the buildings will be older and therefore the style will be older and possibly more rustic, I suppose.