Discussion – For and Against
Read the dialogue between Jim, Kate and Laura. Jim: I see the Russians are planning to go to Mars now. It makes me sick to think of all the money spent on space research. How can they throw money away like that when millions of people on Earth are hungry? Kate:I don’t think it’s thrown away. You can’t stop scientific progress. People naturally want to find out about other planets, and what we find out may be very useful to the human race in the future. Jim:But that doesn’t do us much good now, does it?
All that effort and expense to land two people on the Moon, and we found that that no one lives there, and we couldn’t, either. We know that already. Kate: Yes, but when I saw the film, I thought it was thrilling. It caught peopl
...e’s imagination. And that’s why there have been so many technological advances in other areas. I’ve read that the investment has been repaid nine times. All the computers, even things like digital watches, have developed much faster because of space research. Jim: Well, they don’t feed hungry people or improve social services, either, do they? What do you think, Laura?
Laura: I think you are both right in a way, though personally I’m more on Kate’s side. The main argument in favor is that because it’s spectacular, it encourages research everywhere. Some things they have found out help cure people in hospital, for instance, so it does have a practical value now, not just in the future. But of course if you think that raising the standard of living of poor people in
the world is the most urgent problem we need to solve, any expense on research that doesn’t affect that directly must seem wasteful. Now read Laura’s written version of this discussion.
Note
a) the way it is organized in paragraphs,
b) the order in which the discussion is presented,
c) the use of phrases that connect the argument. Space research is still a controversial issue.
For some people, it is an exciting proof of man’s adventurous spirit, bringing scientific progress, while for others it is a waste of money that could be spent on improving living conditions here on Earth and solving the problems of poverty and hunger. This is the main argument against space research. The vast sums of money spent on it could be better used in other ways.
Apart from that, it is thought that the successful landing on the Moon, for example, although it was spectacular, did not advance human knowledge very much since we already knew it was uninhabited. On the other hand, those who defend space research argue that scientific progress is inevitable, and what is more, the effort to reach the Moon led to technological advances in other areas. Consequently, it is wrong to think that space research only benefits certain people because all kinds of everyday objects have developed faster because of it. It is therefore wrong to think that the money is wasted.
On balance, I am in favor of space research because of the advantages it has already brought in terms of life on Earth today, for instance in developing techniques in hospitals. Nevertheless, I sympathize with those who are so concerned about the condition of people in Third World countries that
they would like to spend all the money available to governments on helping them. Exercise 1 Complete the article below comparing bicycles and scooters as a means of transport for teenagers by choosing from the list of connectors below. Only one word or phrase is correct.
A balanced article Look at the detailed plan below for a balanced article on animals in captivity. Use the points for and against to develop the subsequent paragraphs. If you can think of better arguments, include them or replace those given. Finally, use the notes to summarize points for and against in the last paragraph and include your personal opinion.
Notes: 1.
Animals in captivity provide valuable educational experience. People would never see, recognize them in natural surroundings.
- Zoos improved, animals better looked after, species preserved.
- Situation still artificial. Animals have protected existence, sometimes no freedom.
- Personal opinion.
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