Examine the arguments in favour of and against animal experiments- IELTS Writing Task 2

Examine the arguments in favour of and against animal experiments and come to a conclusion on this issue. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge. You should write at least 250 words.

Outline

Essay Type

Opinion essay

Introduction

Sentences 1&2 – Animal experimentation has sparked considerable debates over the years. Some people have suggested that it should be discontinued at the earliest, while others have stated otherwise.

Sentence 3 – In my opinion, animal experimentation should be ceased and in the following paragraphs, I will explore the reasons for and against the practice of animal experimentation.

Body paragraphs

Paragraph 1 – Animals in experiments are subject to the whims and mercy of experimenters.

Paragraph 2 – Conclusions obtained from animal experimentation do not always hold true for human beings.

Paragraph 3 – While animal experiments have had their share of problems, it has added to existing scientific knowledge.

Conclusion

Restate vital points and state final opinion.

Sample Essay

Animal experimentation has sparked considerable debate over the years. Some people have counselled that it should be terminated at the earliest, while others have remarked otherwise. In my opinion, animal experimentation should be ceased and in the following paragraphs, I will explore the reasons for and against the practice of animal experimentation.

Using animals as subjects has long been a customary part of many fields, from the cosmetics industry to the study of psychology. Animals employed in such experiments are subject to the mercy of researchers. Often, they are exposed to precarious treatments such as enduring electric shocks, as done by the noted psychologist Martin Seligman in his study of depression and its latent psychological causes. The outcome of the research almost always takes precedence over the well-being of the animals in such cases. Such experimentation is thus malicious and unethical since it involves deliberately harming living creatures.

Furthermore, it must be noted that since animals vary from humans in many noteworthy ways, the conclusions obtained from experimenting on them are not always germane to human beings. In the case of drug and cosmetic testing, the products which pass animal testing thus may not always be safe for humans to use. Consequently, alternative testing methods have now been developed thanks to scientific advancement, which helps ensure that subjecting animals to experimental procedures can soon be replaced.

However, when considering the benefits of animal experimentation, it must be mentioned that experiments conducted on animals have enriched the scientific literature and paved the way for progress. Animal experimentation has also allowed innumerable life-saving drugs to be prepared, which has permitted saving the lives of numerous people over the years.

In conclusion, I would like to say that while animal experimentation has certainly proven useful for many fields in the past, its benefits cannot outweigh the harm experiments have done to animals and thus, the practice of animal experimentation should be largely vilified and halted.

Vocabulary

• Cease

Meaning – stop or discontinue
Example – I looked outside the café window to check if the rain had ceased.

• Customary

Meaning – usual or accustomed
Example – It is customary to greet your teacher when she enters the classroom every morning.

• Subject

Meaning – put through or expose to
Example – Nina found herself subject to the disapproval of her co-workers when the decision was finally approved by their superiors.

• Endure

Meaning – tolerate or put up with
 Example – I scarcely knew how I had endured such misery over the past few years.

• Precarious

Meaning – hazardous or risky
Example – The car was in a precarious position, flanking the edge of the cliff, looking like it could topple over at any moment.

• Precedence

Meaning – outweigh or supersede
 Example – For Rita, her family had always taken precedence over everything else in her life.

• Malicious

Meaning – cruel or harmful
Example – Iago had always been of a malicious sort, harbouring nothing but ill will towards others.

• Unethical

Meaning – morally incorrect or unprincipled
Example – It is unethical to conduct experiments unless the participants have explicitly given their informed consent to do so.

• Germane

Meaning – relevant or appropriate
Example – This book is not particularly germane with regard to the topic of my dissertation.

• Enrich

Meaning – improve the quality of or make better
Example – Reading books is a great way to enrich your vocabulary.

• Condemn

Meaning – criticise or express disapproval of
Example – Their actions were thoroughly condemned by several members of the government.

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