Issue 13
"Most people would agree that buildings represent a valuable record of any society's past, but controversy arises when old buildings stand on ground that modern planners feel could be better used for modern purposes. In such situations, modern development should be given precedence over the preservation of historic buildings so that contemporary needs can be served."
The speaker asserts that wherever a practical, utilitarian need for new buildings arises this need should take precedence over our conflicting interest in preserving historic buildings as a record of our past. In my view, however, which interest should take precedence should be determined on a case-by-case basis--and should account not only for practical and historic considerations but also aesthetic ones.
我觉得这样的开头非常适合于陈述自己的反对观点：先重述一遍原文的观点，然后提出自己的反对观点，甚至有所发挥。
精华： The speaker asserts that… In my view, however,… take precedence over……should be determined on a case-by-case basis, and should account not only for…but also…
In determining whether to raze an older building, planners should of course consider the community's current and anticipated utilitarian needs. For example, if an additional hospital is needed to adequately serve the health-
care needs of a fast-growing community, this compelling interest might very well outweigh any interest in preserving a historic building that sits on the proposed site. Or if additional parking is needed to ensure the economic survival of a city's downtown district, this interest might take precedence over the historic value of an old structure that stands in the way of a parking structure. On the other hand, if the need is mainly for more office space, in some cases an architecturally appropriate add-on or annex to an older building might serve just as well as razing the old building to make way for a new one. Of course, an expensive retrofit might not be worthwhile if no amount of retrofitting would meet the need.
从正反两方面阐明了自己关于有无必要preserve the historic buildings, which is largely based on proper situations.正反两方面这样的论述方法是值得我们好好利用的，因为这样给ets 的感觉是你考虑问题全面，有深度。
Competing with a community's utilitarian needs is an interest preserving the historical record. Again, the weight of this interest should be determined on a case-by-case basis. Perhaps an older building uniquely represents a bygone era, or once played a central role in the city's history as a municipal structure. Or perhaps the building once served as the home of a founding family or other significant historical figure, or as the location of an important historical event. Any of these scenarios(对任何可能出现的情况的描述和推测) might justify saving the building at the expense of the practical needs of the community. On the other hand, if several older buildings represent the same historical era just as effectively, or if the building's history is an unremarkable one, then the historic value of the building might pale(使…相形见拙) in comparison to the value of a new structure that meets a compelling practical need.
认真品味从Any of these scenarios…到末尾的句法。
Also competing with a community's utilitarian needs is the aesthetic and architectural value of the building itself--apart from historical events with which it might be associated. A building might be one of only a few that represents a certain architectural style. Or it might be especially beautiful, perhaps as a result of the craftsmanship and materials employed in its construction--which might be cost-prohibitive to replicate today. Even retrofitting the building to accommodate current needs might undermine its aesthetic as well as historic value, by altering its appearance and architectural integrity. Of course it is difficult to quantify(=evaluate) aesthetic value and weigh it against utilitarian considerations. Yet planners should strive to account for aesthetic value nonetheless.
In sum, whether to raze an older building in order to construct a new one should never be determined indiscriminately. Instead, planners should make such decisions on a case-by-case basis, weighing the community's practical needs against the building's historic and aesthetic value.
虽然最后一段有匆匆带过之嫌，但此篇文章仍不失为一篇好文章：无太多难词，无晦涩难懂的句法，只有very persuasive的reason and suggestions，这是我们急需借鉴的。>=5分!
