You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Many people believe that zoos have no purpose in today’s world and should be closed. What problems do zoos bring?
What are the alternatives to zoos if they are closed?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Model answer
The presence of zoos in our cities and towns has been questioned a lot recently, and opinions differ about whether they provide benefits to people and animals, or whether they should be closed.
Initially, we need to think about the negative issues with zoos. Many people believe it is wrong to take animals out of their natural environment and put them into cages. They believe that this is cruel and is only done to attract visitors and make money. In addition, many people feel that we should not interfere with nature, and if possible, animals should be allowed to stay in their own environment.
In terms of alternatives, there are a few options that we have. Wildlife parks are becoming more popular in today’s world. These provide more space for animals to wander around and they provide a habitat which is more similar to animals’ natural homes. A more permanent solution which would enable us all to see animals in the wild would be for airlines to reduce their ticket prices. If air travel were cheaper, then we would all be able to see wild animals in their natural habitat and there would be no need for zoos in our cities. We should also promote channels on TV such as National Geographic. Here, people can see wildlife as it should be seen.
As we can see, zoos are not the only way for humans to see and learn about wild animals. If there were no zoos, it would still be possible for scientists and ordinary people to preserve and experience nature.
(261 words)