Is there a natural place from your past that has changed a lot since you were young? How do you feel about it?

A natural way to answer

Yes, there was an open field near my childhood home where we used to play for hours. It's now a housing estate. I understand that places have to develop, but a part of my childhood seems to have disappeared with it. I feel a quiet sense of loss whenever I pass by.

Key phrases to use

• went down the drain — was wasted, lost, or destroyed, especially something valuable“Years of hard work went down the drain when the project was cancelled.”
• go down the drain — to be wasted, lost, or come to nothing“If we don't act now, all our planning will go down the drain.”
• stand in the way of — to block or prevent something from happening or progressing“I'd never stand in the way of your dreams.”