This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of communicating with other life forms from the real IELTS exam.
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Dave
IELTS Essay: Communicating with Other Life Forms
Some think scientists should be allowed to send messages into space to communicate with other life forms while others believe this is too dangerous.
Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.
Many are of the belief that contacting possible alien life is a desirable goal, while others are wary of the potential dangers. In my opinion, though this satisfies basic human curiosity, the risk is too great relative to the benefits.
The reason to try to communicate with extraterrestrials is to learn more about the universe. Some might claim alien life could have technology or insight to share, but the chances of this are too small to justify the effort. Instead, the average person and the scientist alike simply want to learn if there are other forms of life. Humans have dreamed of aliens in novels and films for decades and some feel every attempt to realise these dreams is warranted. If alien life is discovered, not only would it satisfy this desire but it might also help humanity understand their own origins, place in the universe, and answer fundamental existential questions.
However, curiosity alone is not enough to condone accepting even the smallest chance of the danger inherent in alien contact. The likelihood of an alien life form turning against humanity like a scene from a science fiction film are infinitesimally small but the consequences are too great to ignore. In the event that aliens were found and hostile to humanity it could pose a serious problem and in the worst case scenario threaten the survival of the human race. This far-fetched but disastrous downside logically dictates the more sensible approach of continuing to develop human technology and wait until the distant future to venture to locate alien life.
In conclusion, the self-interested pursuit of other life forms has too much potential for species-threatening danger to be advisable. Instead, governments should focus on maximising resources for more advanced technology.
Analysis
1. Many are of the belief that contacting possible alien life is a desirable goal, while others are wary of the potential dangers. 2. In my opinion, though this satisfies basic human curiosity, the risk is too great relative to the benefits.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. The reason to try to communicate with extraterrestrials is to learn more about the universe. 2. Some might claim alien life could have technology or insight to share, but the chances of this are too small to justify the effort. 3. Instead, the average person and the scientist alike simply want to learn if there are other forms of life. 4. Humans have dreamed of aliens in novels and films for decades and some feel every attempt to realise these dreams is warranted. 5. If alien life is discovered, not only would it satisfy this desire but it might also help humanity understand their own origins, place in the universe, and answer fundamental existential questions.
- Write a topic sentence with a main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea or make qualifications/caveats.
- Begin developing your main idea.
- Develop it fully.
- Finish developing the same main idea.
1. However, curiosity alone is not enough to condone accepting even the smallest chance of the danger inherent in alien contact. 2. The likelihood of an alien life form turning against humanity like a scene from a science fiction film are infinitesimally small but the consequences are too great to ignore. 3. In the event that aliens were found and hostile to humanity it could pose a serious problem and in the worst case scenario threaten the survival of the human race. 4. This far-fetched but disastrous downside logically dictates the more sensible approach of continuing to develop human technology and wait until the distant future to venture to locate alien life.
- Write another topic sentence with a new clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific detail.
- Conclude with a strong statement to make your argument clear.
1. In conclusion, the self-interested pursuit of other life forms has too much potential for species-threatening danger to be advisable. 2. Instead, governments should focus on maximising resources for more advanced technology.
- Summarise your main ideas and repeat your opinion.
- Add a final thought/detail. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean?
Many are of the belief that contacting possible alien life is a desirable goal, while others are wary of the potential dangers. In my opinion, though this satisfies basic human curiosity, the risk is too great relative to the benefits.
The reason to try to communicate with extraterrestrials is to learn more about the universe. Some might claim alien life could have technology or insight to share, but the chances of this are too small to justify the effort. Instead, the average person and the scientist alike simply want to learn if there are other forms of life. Humans have dreamed of aliens in novels and films for decades and some feel every attempt to realise these dreams is warranted. If alien life is discovered, not only would it satisfy this desire but it might also help humanity understand their own origins, place in the universe, and answer fundamental existential questions.
However, curiosity alone is not enough to condone accepting even the smallest chance of the danger inherent in alien contact. The likelihood of an alien life form turning against humanity like a scene from a science fiction film are infinitesimally small but the consequences are too great to ignore. In the event that aliens were found and hostile to humanity it could pose a serious problem and in the worst case scenario threaten the survival of the human race. This far-fetched but disastrous downside logically dictates the more sensible approach of continuing to develop human technology and wait until the distant future to venture to locate alien life.
In conclusion, the self-interested pursuit of other life forms has too much potential for species-threatening danger to be advisable. Instead, governments should focus on maximising resources for more advanced technology.
Answers
are of the belief believe
contacting possible alien life talking to aliens
desirable goal worthy pursuit
wary worried about
potential dangers possible risks
satisfies fulfills
basic human curiosity fundamental desire to know
risk danger
relative to compared to
extraterrestrials aliens
claim think
insight important information
share give to use
justify the effort are the reason to do it
instead however
alike the same
decades 20+ years
attempt try
realise now know
warranted justified
discovered found
satisfy this desire fulfill the want
origins where something comes from
answer fundamental existential questions learn about life, the universe, god, etc.
curiosity alone interest on its own
condone sanction
smallest chance almost impossible
danger inherent risk included
likelihood possibility
turning against humanity fight with humans
scene from a science fiction film from a movie
infinitesimally small very, very unlikely
consequences results
ignore not pay attention to
in the event that if it happens that
hostile mean
pose a serious problem make trouble
worst case scenario threaten most extreme situation could
survival continued living
far-fetched very unlikely
disastrous downside negative side
logically dictates follows reason that
more sensible approach more reasonable method
distant future far in the future
venture try
self-interested pursuit trying to satisfy one’s desires
species-threatening danger could kill all humans
advisable good idea
instead however
maximising resources using money, time, people, etc. well
Pronunciation
ɑːr ɒv ðə bɪˈliːf
ˈkɒntæktɪŋ ˈpɒsəbl ˈeɪliən laɪf
dɪˈzaɪərəbl gəʊl
ˈweəri
pəʊˈtɛnʃəl ˈdeɪnʤəz
ˈsætɪsfaɪz
ˈbeɪsɪk ˈhjuːmən ˌkjʊərɪˈɒsɪti
rɪsk
ˈrɛlətɪv tuː
ˌɛkstrətɪˈrɛstrɪəlz
kleɪm
ˈɪnsaɪt
ʃeə
ˈʤʌstɪfaɪ ði ˈɛfət
ɪnˈstɛd
əˈlaɪk
ˈdɛkeɪdz
əˈtɛmpt
ˈrɪəlaɪz
ˈwɒrəntɪd
dɪsˈkʌvəd
ˈsætɪsfaɪ ðɪs dɪˈzaɪə
ˈɒrɪʤɪnz
ˈɑːnsə ˌfʌndəˈmɛntl ˌɛgzɪˈstɛnʃəl ˈkwɛsʧənz
ˌkjʊərɪˈɒsɪti əˈləʊn
kənˈdəʊn
ˈsmɔːlɪst ʧɑːns
ˈdeɪnʤər ɪnˈhɪərənt
ˈlaɪklɪhʊd
ˈtɜːnɪŋ əˈgɛnst hju(ː)ˈmænɪti
siːn frɒm ə ˈsaɪəns ˈfɪkʃən fɪlm
ˌɪnfɪnɪˈtɛsɪməli smɔːl
ˈkɒnsɪkwənsɪz
ɪgˈnɔː
ɪn ði ɪˈvɛnt ðæt
ˈhɒstaɪl
pəʊz ə ˈsɪərɪəs ˈprɒbləm
wɜːst keɪs sɪˈnɑːrɪəʊ ˈθrɛtn
səˈvaɪvəl
ˈfɑːˈfɛʧt
dɪˈzɑːstrəs ˈdaʊnˌsaɪd
ˈlɒʤɪkəli dɪkˈteɪts
mɔː ˈsɛnsəbl əˈprəʊʧ
ˈdɪstənt ˈfjuːʧə
ˈvɛnʧə
sɛlf-ˈɪntrɪstɪd pəˈsjuːt
ˈspiːʃiːz-ˈθrɛtnɪŋ ˈdeɪnʤə
ədˈvaɪzəbl
ɪnˈstɛd
ˈmæksɪmaɪzɪŋ rɪˈsɔːsɪz
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
Many a_____________f that c_________________________________e is a d_____________l, while others are w____y of the p_____________s. In my opinion, though this s__________s b______________________y, the r___k is too great r___________o the benefits.
The reason to try to communicate with e_________________s is to learn more about the universe. Some might c____m alien life could have technology or i________t to s______e, but the chances of this are too small to j_______________t. I_________d, the average person and the scientist a_____e simply want to learn if there are other forms of life. Humans have dreamed of aliens in novels and films for d_________s and some feel every a_________t to r_________e these dreams is w____________d. If alien life is d___________d, not only would it s__________________e but it might also help humanity understand their own o__________s, place in the universe, and a____________________________________________s.
However, c________________e is not enough to c____________e accepting even the s_________________e of the d_________________t in alien contact. The l____________d of an alien life form t____________________y like a s_______________________________m are i________________________l but the c_________________s are too great to i_________e. I_________________t aliens were found and h_________e to humanity it could p______________________m and in the w_________________________________n the s___________l of the human race. This f____________d but d___________________e l______________________s the m_________________________h of continuing to develop human technology and wait until the d_______________e to v_________e to locate alien life.
In conclusion, the s______________________t of other life forms has too much potential for s____________________________r to be a____________e. I_________d, governments should focus on m__________________s for more advanced technology.
Listening Practice
Listen about this topic and practice with these ideas:
Reading Practice
Learn more about this topic here and use these activities to practice:
https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/alien-worlds/
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following related questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Science
- Do you like science?
- Did you learn about science in primary school?
- How often do you read about science?
- Why is science important to learn about?
Writing Practice
Write about this related topic and then check with my sample answer below:
In the future, people may have to live on other planets. Some think that it is therefore important to spend money researching other planets such as Mars.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
https://howtodoielts.com/ielts-writing-task-2-sample-answer-essay-researching-other-planets/
Hi Dave. This is by far one of the hardest questions I’ve read so far. I tried to answer it only to find myself scratching my head and pulling my hair for more than 15 minutes. It is so topic-specific that it’s hard to get away with generic answers, especially because I have limited knowledge about the potential dangers of extraterrestrial contact. I kept asking myself, why would it be dangerous. I guess I limited myself in thinking about real-life occurrences and never could I remember an instance when humans had unfortunate encounters before so that was difficult for me. Apparently, I needed to ask myself — what is the worst that could happen?. Your point of view is really unique. As always, nice work!
Thanks, Chris!
It is a really tough one, much tougher than other recent ones.
Hopefully you won’t get it on your exam but keep practicing with a variety of different topics just in case if you get a tricky one like this!
hi
do you think is it ok if I write about spase exploration and with some tricks connect it to the dangers posed by alien.
Hello, in 2nd body paragraph, 2nd sentence,I think, there should be “is” instead of “are”. It should be like- The likelihood…….. is infinitesimally small.
Since it matches with chances then it is are – the chances (of this) are too small…
Is that clearer?
Got it. Thanx