Plan this opinion essay about science with the ideas and outline below, write it on a 40-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Scientists should focus on extending the human lifespan as much as possible.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
Pick two or three points from one or both columns. You do not need all of them, and your own examples score better than memorised ones.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 250 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
Some people think scientists should focus on making human beings live as long as possible. I disagree with this view, because there are more urgent and worthwhile priorities.
The attraction of the idea is understandable. Longer life would give people more time with their families, more opportunities to learn and work, and a chance to avoid the grief of early death. Research into ageing may also lead to treatments for illnesses such as dementia and heart disease, which would benefit everyone, so the effort would not be wasted.
Nevertheless, I do not believe that lifespan itself should be the main target. Firstly, it is the quality of life that matters rather than the number of years. If people live to one hundred and fifty but spend their last decades in poor health, the result is more suffering and a heavier burden on families and hospitals. Scientists should concentrate on keeping people healthy in old age. Secondly, there are serious social implications. Pensions, housing and jobs would be put under strain if the population grew older and did not die, and the high cost of life-extending treatments might make them available only to the wealthy, deepening inequality. Thirdly, vast numbers of people still die young from preventable causes. Malaria, malnutrition and unclean water kill millions of children each year, and research and funding could save far more lives if directed at these problems and at environmental threats such as climate change.
In conclusion, extending the human lifespan may seem appealing, but scientists would do more good by improving health in later life and tackling the diseases and hardships that kill people prematurely. For this reason, I disagree that lifespan extension should be the main aim.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| human lifespan | length of human life |
| anti-ageing research | study to slow ageing |
| quality of life | how good life is |
| overpopulation | too many people |
| medical advancement | progress in treatment |
| healthspan | years lived in good health |
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