问答题
5. Zoning laws regulate the development of a region's land and are specifically focused on what structures can be built in various places. For the most part, zoning laws are designed to prevent incompatible structures, such as factories and schools, from being built alongside one another. Thus urban areas have many different zones. Among them are residential zones for housing and schools, business zones for offices, stores, and shopping malls, green zones for parks and recreation, and industrial zones for factories and other manufacturing centers. The zones provide benefits for their communities in a variety of ways.
One is that they preserve the property value of private land. For instance, homeowners prefer to live in regions which only have houses and schools and have small numbers of stores and office buildings. A person's home would lose much of its value if a large factory were suddenly erected across the street from it. The homeowner would consequently have trouble selling the house, which is something zoning laws prevent from happening.
Zoning laws further help maintain the integrity and safety of neighborhoods by preventing certain types of entertainment establishments from being built in residential zones. Most cities, as an example, do not permit nightclubs and bars to be opened near schools and housing areas. Zoning laws additionally preserve green lands in urban regions. Therefore, parks and recreation zones are safe from being developed for purposes that would destroy their natural beauty.
A third benefit of zoning laws is that they maintain the historical integrity of communities which are in danger of being developed for new, yet incompatible, purposes. In that way, they can enable neighborhoods with historical structures of significance to avoid being transformed into industrial or entertainment districts that can bring ruination to the older buildings.
One is that they preserve the property value of private land. For instance, homeowners prefer to live in regions which only have houses and schools and have small numbers of stores and office buildings. A person's home would lose much of its value if a large factory were suddenly erected across the street from it. The homeowner would consequently have trouble selling the house, which is something zoning laws prevent from happening.
Zoning laws further help maintain the integrity and safety of neighborhoods by preventing certain types of entertainment establishments from being built in residential zones. Most cities, as an example, do not permit nightclubs and bars to be opened near schools and housing areas. Zoning laws additionally preserve green lands in urban regions. Therefore, parks and recreation zones are safe from being developed for purposes that would destroy their natural beauty.
A third benefit of zoning laws is that they maintain the historical integrity of communities which are in danger of being developed for new, yet incompatible, purposes. In that way, they can enable neighborhoods with historical structures of significance to avoid being transformed into industrial or entertainment districts that can bring ruination to the older buildings.
【正确答案】Sample Note-READING
are benefits provided by zoning laws
1 preserve property values
-homeowners live in places w/few stores and office buildings
-it build factory, home loses value
2 maintain integrity and safety of neighborhoods
-prevent certain establishments from being built
-no nightclubs and bars near schools and housing areas
-preserve green lands in cities
3 maintain historical integrity of communities
-keep neighborhoods w/historical structures from being transformed
-don't let old buildings get ruined
Sample Note-LISTENING
zoning laws have bad effects on neighborhoods
1 infringe on rights of property owners
-want to sell land but can't because of zoning laws
-company wanted to open mall→people wanted to sell land →zoning laws prevented sale of land and opening of mall
2 create urban stagnation
-keep neighborhoods the same for decades
-people have to travel far for entertainment
-too many great areas→parks sitting on prime land
3 cause problems for historical neighborhoods and structures
-buildings have structural problems→zoning laws don't allow repair work
-buildings lack modern conveniences→zoning laws prohibit enhancements
Sample Essay
The author of the reading passage writes in support of zoning laws in cities. However, the professor disputes the arguments made in the reading passage and explains why she believes zoning laws are problematic.
The first problem with zoning laws that the professor covers concerns their effects on the rights of property owners. While the reading passage claims that zoning laws benefit homeowners by preventing businesses from setting up in residential areas, the professor says this prevents property owners from doing what they want with their land. She points out how zoning laws kept some local landowners from making lots of money recently.
The professor next argues against zoning laws on the basis that they cause stagnation in cities. She states that entertainment centers cannot be opened in certain places and that there are too many parks in some cities. According to her, both factors lead to urban stagnation. In that way, she challenges the argument in the reading passage that zoning laws keep neighborhoods safe and green.
The final argument against zoning laws that the professor makes is with regard to historical buildings and neighborhoods. While the reading passage praises zoning laws for keeping these buildings and places safe, the professor criticizes them because old buildings can be inconvenient to people on account of structural problems or the absence of modern conveniences.
are benefits provided by zoning laws
1 preserve property values
-homeowners live in places w/few stores and office buildings
-it build factory, home loses value
2 maintain integrity and safety of neighborhoods
-prevent certain establishments from being built
-no nightclubs and bars near schools and housing areas
-preserve green lands in cities
3 maintain historical integrity of communities
-keep neighborhoods w/historical structures from being transformed
-don't let old buildings get ruined
Sample Note-LISTENING
zoning laws have bad effects on neighborhoods
1 infringe on rights of property owners
-want to sell land but can't because of zoning laws
-company wanted to open mall→people wanted to sell land →zoning laws prevented sale of land and opening of mall
2 create urban stagnation
-keep neighborhoods the same for decades
-people have to travel far for entertainment
-too many great areas→parks sitting on prime land
3 cause problems for historical neighborhoods and structures
-buildings have structural problems→zoning laws don't allow repair work
-buildings lack modern conveniences→zoning laws prohibit enhancements
Sample Essay
The author of the reading passage writes in support of zoning laws in cities. However, the professor disputes the arguments made in the reading passage and explains why she believes zoning laws are problematic.
The first problem with zoning laws that the professor covers concerns their effects on the rights of property owners. While the reading passage claims that zoning laws benefit homeowners by preventing businesses from setting up in residential areas, the professor says this prevents property owners from doing what they want with their land. She points out how zoning laws kept some local landowners from making lots of money recently.
The professor next argues against zoning laws on the basis that they cause stagnation in cities. She states that entertainment centers cannot be opened in certain places and that there are too many parks in some cities. According to her, both factors lead to urban stagnation. In that way, she challenges the argument in the reading passage that zoning laws keep neighborhoods safe and green.
The final argument against zoning laws that the professor makes is with regard to historical buildings and neighborhoods. While the reading passage praises zoning laws for keeping these buildings and places safe, the professor criticizes them because old buildings can be inconvenient to people on account of structural problems or the absence of modern conveniences.
【答案解析】 [听力原文]
Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.
W Professor: While I understand the premise of zoning laws, they are interpreted too strictly at times. As a result, they tend to have deleterious effects on the neighborhoods they're theoretically looking after.
Arguably the biggest problem with zoning laws is that they infringe upon the individual rights of property owners. Sometimes people may want to sell their homes or land, but the zoning laws in their regions obstruct them. You remember how there were many local homeowners upset about the zoning laws here two months ago, right? What happened...? Well, uh, an out-of-state company was planning to build a shopping mall, and it had agreed to purchase large plots of land. However, the city stepped in and, citing zoning laws, refused to let the mall be built there, so numerous property owners lost out on a great chance to get excellent value for their land. Urban stagnation is something else that zoning laws contribute to. How...? You see, uh, zoning laws prevent new businesses from moving into certain places, which causes some neighborhoods to remain the same for decades. Thus people have to travel far to find entertainment options since theaters, bars, and other similar places can't open in their neighborhoods. It's the same thing with parks. Yes, green areas are nice, but some cities have too many. And numerous parks sit on prime land that should be developed to improve the quality of cities and to keep them from stagnating.
A final issue concerns historical neighborhoods and buildings, which are traditionally protected by zoning laws. Sadly, these buildings often have structural problems or lack modern conveniences such as plumbing and wiring. They therefore inconvenience the people who live in them and can even endanger their lives since zoning laws may prohibit repair work or enhancements being done on the buildings.
Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.
W Professor: While I understand the premise of zoning laws, they are interpreted too strictly at times. As a result, they tend to have deleterious effects on the neighborhoods they're theoretically looking after.
Arguably the biggest problem with zoning laws is that they infringe upon the individual rights of property owners. Sometimes people may want to sell their homes or land, but the zoning laws in their regions obstruct them. You remember how there were many local homeowners upset about the zoning laws here two months ago, right? What happened...? Well, uh, an out-of-state company was planning to build a shopping mall, and it had agreed to purchase large plots of land. However, the city stepped in and, citing zoning laws, refused to let the mall be built there, so numerous property owners lost out on a great chance to get excellent value for their land. Urban stagnation is something else that zoning laws contribute to. How...? You see, uh, zoning laws prevent new businesses from moving into certain places, which causes some neighborhoods to remain the same for decades. Thus people have to travel far to find entertainment options since theaters, bars, and other similar places can't open in their neighborhoods. It's the same thing with parks. Yes, green areas are nice, but some cities have too many. And numerous parks sit on prime land that should be developed to improve the quality of cities and to keep them from stagnating.
A final issue concerns historical neighborhoods and buildings, which are traditionally protected by zoning laws. Sadly, these buildings often have structural problems or lack modern conveniences such as plumbing and wiring. They therefore inconvenience the people who live in them and can even endanger their lives since zoning laws may prohibit repair work or enhancements being done on the buildings.