Plan this advantages and disadvantages 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 are able to change human genes to prevent serious inherited diseases.
Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
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.
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Scientists can now change human genes to prevent serious inherited diseases. In my view the advantages of this technology outweigh the disadvantages, but only if it is strictly controlled.
The medical benefits are potentially enormous. Conditions such as cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease and certain forms of blindness are caused by faulty genes, and correcting them before birth could spare individuals a lifetime of suffering and their families great emotional and financial hardship. Because the change can be passed to future generations, the disease could eventually be removed from a family line. Healthcare systems would also save money that is currently spent on long-term treatment. Early trials with adult patients, such as therapies for sickle cell disease, show that gene editing can work, and this offers hope for conditions with no current cure.
Nevertheless, the risks are serious. Editing may cause unintended mutations whose effects might not appear until later in life or in descendants, and mistakes would be irreversible. There are also profound ethical concerns. If the technology can prevent disease, it could also be used to select traits such as intelligence or appearance, creating so-called designer babies and widening the gap between wealthy families who can afford it and everyone else. Many people believe that humans should not interfere with the genetic code in this way, and an international scandal in 2018, when a scientist announced the birth of edited babies, showed how quickly the technology can be misused.
These dangers argue for caution, not prohibition. Governments should limit gene editing to the prevention of severe illness, require rigorous safety testing and independent oversight, and ban its use for cosmetic enhancement.
In conclusion, gene editing offers a remarkable chance to end inherited diseases, and with strong regulation to prevent abuse, I believe its benefits are greater than its dangers.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| genetic disorder | illness caused by genes |
| gene therapy | treatment that changes genes |
| designer babies | children whose traits are chosen |
| hereditary disease | illness passed in families |
| ethical dilemma | difficult moral choice |
| medical advance | improvement in treatment |
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