What is beauty?

Vocabulary: Beauty

1 ffi Work in groups. Describe the buildings in each of the photographs. Name them if
you can. Then discuss the questions below.

• What is your reaction to the buildings in the photographs? Do you think they are beautiful?
Why/Why not?
• What is your favourite building or monument in the world?
• Is it important to live in beautiful surroundings? Why/Why not?

2 In groups, evaluate each of the buildings in the photographs in exercise 1. Rank the
buildings according to how beautiful you think they are: 1 = the most beautiful, 5 = the
least beautiful. Give reasons.
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 What is beauW1 ..

3 For 1-6 below, complete the gaps with a building from exercise 1 so that the statement is
true for you. Then complete the statement using your own ideas.
Example:
I think building is breathtaking, as ...
I think the building in the first photo is breathtaking because it is very elegant and
attractive for a modern skyscraper.

1 I find building very old-fashioned, because ...

2 Building means nothing to me at all, because ...
3 Building is not as beautiful as , because ...
4 Buildings such as leave me cold, as they ...

5 Building made little impression on me, but building fills me with

excitement; it makes me want to ...
6 When I look at the photograph of building _____ it makes me feel nostalgic,
because ...

4 Work in pairs. When you evaluate a building you can: A describe it physically; B say
what effect it has on you. Look at the adjectives in the box below and decide which
category they fit in, A or B.

evocative tall melancholic thoughtful ancient spacious

dazzling humbling magnificent impressive overwhelmed
emotional ecstatic stone nostalgic majestic

5 Complete the gaps in 1-5 below with the correct form of a word from exercise 4.
Example:
When I saw the Taj Mahal for the first time it made a huge impression on me.
1 Standing next to the Sphinx made me feel very _____
2 I was filled with _____ at the sight of the Himalayas. I was taken aback by their
majesty.
3 Thinking of places that I love sometimes fills me with _ _ _ _ , but this is not a
negative feeling.
4 When I look at photographs of my home country they _____ so many memories and
usually make me feel homesick .
5 The sight of the old people wandering through the ruins made me _____ about life
and how things can change very suddenly.

6 Transform at least three sentences from exercise 5 by changing the word you added into
a noun, verb or adjective where possible. Make any other necessary changes.
Example:
When I saw the Taj Mahal for the first time it made a huge impression on me.
When I saw the Taj Mahal for the first time it impressed me enormously.

7 ffi Work in pairs. Choose three monuments that you think represent important times
in your country's development or are symbolic of your country. Describe them to your
partner and explain why they are important. Try to use the vocabulary from this section.
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.. What is beauty?

1 You can emphasise your own opinion by contrasting it using linking words such as but,
though, although, however, nevertheless, even so, even though, etc.
Even though the building leaves some people cold, I have a sentimental attachment to it.
Don't forget! T hink of at least two buildings that are important, or have been important, in your life.
• In the exam you
Write sentences about them using at least five of the words and phrases 1-6 below and
will only have one the linking words above.
minute to prepare. Example:
Even though the building where I went to secondary school leaves some people cold, I have
a sentimental attachment to it.
1 leave me cold
2 bring back memories
3 bleak but beautiful
4 ugly/unattractive/unsightly/unpleasant
5 in a rundown area
· 6 beautiful to see/to look at/to visit

2 With a partner, explain the effect these buildings have had on you. Use the sentences
in exercise 1.

3 Look at the following Part 2 Task Card. Choose ten verbs and/or adjectives from this unit
so far, which will help you explain why the building is important to you. Write a note for
each heading on the Task Card. T hen narrow your verbs and adjectives down to three or
What made (the four. Use the useful expressions in the box to help organise your answer.
building) important
to me is ...
Describe a building or monument that you find impressive.
The reason I chose
(the building) is . . . You should say:
(The building) makes what the building or monument is
me ... where the building or monument is located
When I see (the what the building is like
building) or
photographs of (the and explain why the building or monument impresses you.
building), it makes
me feel ...
(The building) is 4 Work in pairs. Take turns talking about the topic. Use your notes to guide you. You
underrated, but . . . should speak for up to two minutes. Time each other using a stopwatch. When you have
finished, give each other feedback using the checklist on page 181.

(Reading ) 1 Work in groups. Look quickly at the title of the Reading Passage and skim the
tiifiiiiM,tilii passage and the questions. Close your books and share as much information about the
passage as possible.

2 In your groups, make a list of three or four things that you would expect to read in a
passage about an architect.

3 Scan the passage and find words and phrases that have the opposite meaning to 1-7.
1 separated 5 revealing
2 alien/strange 6 talentless
3 hated 7 final
4 attacked

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