Suggested answer: 100 words
Dear Sarah,
I’ve just got your news about the decision to study abroad and I’m so happy for you! As for your question about how to improve your English, you’d better start watching lots of British films and videos and also listening to audio books. These will not only improve your language level, but you’ll also get entertained and learn new things about their history, traditions and lifestyles. Improving your cultural knowledge will surely help you to make friends more easily.
Well, that’s all for now, I wish you the best and can’t wait for your next e-mail!
Love,
Mary
Suggested answer: 200 words
Romania’s cultural heritage includes an outstanding legacy which ought to be passed on to future generations yet lots of buildings and sites of great value are in danger since they are not a priority for decision-makers and there is little funding for preservation and rehabilitation. Could the current situation be improved?
Firstly, ancient Dacian ruins, medieval towns, fortified churches, painted monasteries, iconic monuments and wooden masterpieces are the best ways to discover Romania's history, artistic wealth, customs and traditions. They represent the foundation of our national identity and raising awareness of their importance is the first step for the present generations to understand the moral responsibility they have for the future.
Secondly, another priority is the protective legislation to ensure that national heritage will be saved for posterity. Self-sustaining tourist programmes would be another solution. For example, museums could become more attractive by updating their services in a global, technology-driven world.
Although some argue that public money should be used for better causes and there is no need for relics in the modern world, we cannot exist as a nation without our legacy.
Consequently, due to its historical, aesthetic, archaeological, ethnological and anthropological value, our cultural heritage should be preserved.
Dictionary definitions:
Cultural heritage- the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that is inherited from past generations. !!! Not all legacies of past generations are "heritage", rather heritage is a product of selection by society. Cultural heritage includes tangible culture (such as buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, works of art, and artifacts), intangible culture (such as folklore, traditions, language, and knowledge), and natural heritage (including culturally significant landscapes, and biodiversity).
Anthropology- the scientific study of humans, human behavior and societies in the past and present.
Ethnology- is a branch of anthropology that analyzes cultures, especially in regard to their historical development and the similarities and dissimilarities between them.
