Do you think it is important to protect traditions?
Well yes, I do because each and every country has its own traditions, and it is these traditions that distinguish one country from another. As a matter of fact, traditions not only represent the people of a nation but they also reflect that nation’s history as well. Therefore, I believe that if governments wish to promote patriotism and national pride, it’s essential that customs are continually practiced and adapted so that they suit modern society better yet remain relevant to the life of people.
What do you think is the most important tradition in your country?
I suppose one of the most important traditions is showing other people, especially the elderly, respect by adding specific words into our speech and behaving in an appropriate way. While some Westerners may see this as unnecessary and rather awkward, it is a way of being polite and avoiding giving unintended offense for people in my country. In addition to this, there are other important traditions, such as exchanging red envelopes on New Year or eating mooncakes during the Mid-autumn festival.
What kinds of traditions have disappeared in your country?
As society develops, some traditions have been done away with. For example, people used to dye their teeth black in the past, but not in modern days anymore. This is probably because of the difference in beauty standards now and then. While it was once considered elegant to have black teeth, which entails having to dye them several times to make them look smooth and shiny, these days, white and even teeth are what people yearn for.
Why should children learn about traditions?
In my opinion, if children are informed about the traditions of their country, they’ll feel stronger love and responsibility for the culture of their country. Moreover, it is young children who will eventually be responsible for preserving traditions and passing them down to future generations. If the young aren’t properly educated about traditional customs, those customs will most likely disappear in the future.
What can governments do to protect traditions?
Well, I think there are several measures that governments can take. One way is to maintain the celebration of traditional festivals and encourage people to take an active part in them. It’s important to make sure that these festivals are not only celebrated among local citizens but also known nationwide which, with the help of social media, can now easily be done. Governments, especially those of developing countries, need also to limit the impacts of globalization on their culture to prevent traditional customs from being replaced by foreign ones.
VOCABULARY
Distinguish [verb]: to notice or recognize a difference between people or things
Patriotism [noun]: love that people feel for their country
Relevant [adjective]: relating to a subject in an appropriate way
Awkward[adjective]: difficult to deal with an embarrassing
Offense [noun]: something that causes a person to be hurt, angry, or upset
To be done away with [expression]: to be got rid of, to be made to disappear
Entail [verb]: to cause or involve by necessity or as a consequence
Yearn [verb]: to feel a strong desire or wish for something or to do something
Preserve [verb]: to keep (something) in its original state or in good condition
Pass something down [expression]: to give knowledge or teach skills to your children or to younger people
Nationwide [adjective]: extending throughout the nation
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