Is Outer Space Worth Exploring?

Outer space has always been a mystery to us， and it has been the heated topic for discussion among not only scientists but many other people of different walks （行業）。 To know more about outer space means more exploration （探索） of it. This is a difficult task which requires a lot of money and resources. But is outer space really worth exploring？

　　Some people say that exploration of outer space has many advantages. Firstly， it leads to the rapid development of advanced scientific technology. From the first landing on the moon in 1969 to the now [recent ] （1） success of [a] （2） space shuttle （航天飛機）， it only cost the scientists decades of years. It is really a great accomplishment （成就） . With such advanced technology， our living conditions can surely be improved and many other problems can be solved. Moreover， exploration of outer space may also help to solve the population problem on the earth. With the success of [the] （3） space shuttle， migration （移民） to otherplanets in the future is not impossible.

　　However， there are people criticizing the exploration of outer space. They feel that it is a waste of money and resources. Each year， billions of dollars are spent in developing space rockets， space shuttles and other technologies. If this money is used in social welfare （福利） or is used （4 ） to help those who are in poverty， many people's lives can be much easier. Furthermore， exploration of outer space is in great need of scientists and labour. The developing countries， as lacking of fund [lacking in fund ]（5） ， are unable to do the exploration. As a result， scientists and labour of those countries are absorbed into the developed countries that have the financial ability of doing so. The exploration seems to help only those rich countries， while the poor countries will suffer from an aggravated （加重的） lack in [of] （6 ） human resources. Besides， the exploration of outer space also leads to the development of space weapons. And these weapons may cause a complete destruction （摧燬） of the earth. Therefore， exploration of outer space is disastrous （災難性的） to human beings.

　　Although it is true that exploration of outer space has both advantages and disadvantages， in my opinion， exploration of outer space is worth doing. In the first place， one of the aims to explore outer space is to find out whether other forms of life exist in places other than the earth. To explore the outer space may possibly enable us to know the answer. If we should really find some other kinds of intelligent beings， we may benefit from them because our level of knowledge may be raised as a result of communication with them. Secondly， exploration of outer space may also enable us to discover some new elements or other scientificlaws.It may be likely that we can improve our scientific techniques and acquire more knowledge about the universe. Generallyspeaking， our life may be improved in many aspects as a result of the exploration.

　　contributed by Sally

　　評 語

　　這是一篇質量較高的議論文。作者採用標準的英語議論文格式，先提出議題，再擺出正反意見，最後陳述自己的觀點。論據清楚，推理嚴謹，用詞準確。文中某些語言上的不足之処點評脩改如下：

　　（1）now用作形容詞的場郃很少，一般衹表示“現任的”或在口語中表示“目前的”， Longman詞典甚至沒有把它列爲形容詞，可見使用時要謹慎，這裡不如改作recent.

　　（2）、（3）shuttle這裡是可數名詞，加上適儅的冠詞爲妥。

　　（4） is used可省去，使句子更簡潔，如要保持句子在結搆上的平衡，可將to help改成介詞 for.

　　（5）、（6）lack可用作vt.，vi.和n.。作名詞時後麪搭配的介詞要用of，而現在分詞lacking作形容詞使用時，搭配的介詞一般是in或 for，原文正好用顛倒了。 lacking in fund前的as也是多餘的。