有些人認(rèn)為，今天的人們對(duì)維護(hù)自己國(guó)家或地區(qū)的傳統(tǒng)文化沒有興趣。另一些人認(rèn)為，對(duì)人們來說，保持傳統(tǒng)的生活方式仍然很重要。討論兩種觀點(diǎn)并給出你的意見。本期我們給大家?guī)硌潘紝懽鞣段模何幕Ｗo(hù)類話題，希望對(duì)大家的備考有所幫助！

Some believe that people today have no interest in maintaining the traditional culture of their country or region. Others believe that it is still important to people that we preserve a traditional way of life. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Preserving Cultures
Today we live in a globalized world and the development of global culture is often at the expense o local traditions. There are certainly many people who show indifference to local customs in favour of embracing global ideas, but there are still many who see the value in maintaining them, myself included.

It is easy to argue that people are strongly influenced by the effects of globalization. Technology in particular seems to dominate the leisure time of young people, whether it be gadgets or the Internet. As a result, there are trends which can be described as global in all aspects of culture. For instance, many people now prefer listening to music by Ed Sheeran or Beyoncé rather than the traditional music of their country, which is often seen as outdated by comparison. Similarly, many would rather try exotic ‘foreign’ foods than use traditional recipes, which they might see as dull or old-fashioned.

However, it would be a mistake to think that everyone thinks this way. Older people especially feel nostalgia for how things used to be done. For example, in the UK, the Royal Family are as popular as ever, and thousands of people turn out to see them wherever they go. It should also be remembered that any of today’s global pop stars were themselves inspired by more traditional genres of music. Ed Sheeran, for example, embodies many musical traditions, such as folk music and busking. In the same way, it is still common to see performances of more traditional forms of music, such as classical and jazz.

My own opinion is that there is truth in both views. There are certainly people so focused on global trends that there is no space in their lives for, or interest in, preserving the past. On the other hand, there are many who prefer to live their lives more nostalgically and value the traditions that have been handed down. I would say that I belong more to this second group of people, although I admit I would struggle without the Internet.