STUDY AND WRITING SKILLS
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7.5
STUDY SKILLS
IDENTIFYING FACT AND OPINION
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a
Work in small groups. Read the definition of a
‘high-rise apartment block’. Then discuss the essay
question and give your opinions.
A high-rise apartment block can be defined as a building
which has a large number of storeys and is equipped with
elevators. It is generally 35 metres or greater in height.
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b
Skim the essay. Does the writer agree with
your opinions?
2
Look again at the essay question. Which of the
statements is the best description of this kind of essay?
In an opinion-led essay, the writer:
a
presents the arguments objectively for and against a
controversial issue.
b
discusses and evaluates the opinions of other writers
on the essay topic.
c
states his/her opinions on the topic and supports
them with evidence.
‘If they had a choice, few people would live in high-rise apartments.’
Discuss the statement and give your opinion.
Because of expanding populations and the lack of space for building new houses, high-rise
apartment blocks have become increasingly common in most of the world’s major cities
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and towns. However, some people say that residents in multi-storey buildings do not really
enjoy living in them. It is claimed that they feel isolated, are often lonely and live in such
blocks not by choice but out of necessity. This is a misconception. There are, in fact, many
benefits of living in this type of accommodation and few disadvantages. Most people enjoy
this style of living and do not crave for a house or low-level apartment.
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The most significant advantage of choosing to live in a high-rise building is that the residents
are close to most things they need for their everyday living. High-rise apartments tend to be
in desirable, urban locations, near to the downtown area. As a result, residents have quick
and easy access to shopping, nightlife, cultural institutions, transport facilities and often
their place of work. However, there are also high-rise apartments situated in beautiful,
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natural surroundings, such as parks, gardens and beach areas. These are generally outside
the city centre and they will be chosen by people looking for an alternative to city life.
Another major advantage of high-rise accommodation is that it offers a wide range of shared
amenities such as: doormen, controlled entry, fitness centres, swimming pools, recreation
areas, morning coffee sessions and hosted events aimed at bringing residents together. These
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provide opportunities for residents to get to know each other better. They develop a sense of
community, which helps residents to avoid feelings of isolation and loneliness. The residents
look out for each other, so that a sense of safety and security is fostered.
Critics of high-rise apartments point out that there are limited opportunities for
gardening in such buildings. This is not entirely true since many residents have
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balconies and they can use these to grow vegetables, plants and flowers. More
importantly, there is a tendency nowadays for architects to design high-rise buildings
which include ‘green’ spaces for trees, plants and shrubs. A high-rise building in Milan,
Italy, ‘BoscoVerticale’ is typical of this trend. It will provide hundreds of new homes
and bring a hectare of forest into the city’s central business district. The building will
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be a perfect model for architects designing tower blocks in the future.
To sum up, there are unquestionably many advantages of living in high-rise apartment
buildings. Rather than creating feelings of isolation and loneliness, these buildings
develop a sense of community and for many people they offer an ideal lifestyle. Such
apartments will undoubtedly increase in the future because of the population growth
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and lack of space in many countries.
