本文为雅思名师张艳专供无忧雅思网作品，转载须注明作者和出处“无忧雅思网”。

Food can be produced more cheaply due to the development of machinery and biological technology. To what extent do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

With the development of machinery and biological technology, food such as crops, vegetables, fruit and meat can be produced more cheaply. On the one hand, consumers can enjoy low food price. On the other hand, foods are no longer tasty and safe as before. Some of the methods used have harmful effects on people’s life and environment. As I see this, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

First, low cost in food production is good news for most people, especially for those who suffer from starvation. The use of machinery makes food production more efficient and at the same time saves labor cost, which is undoubtedly beneficial. However, the use of some biological technology has led to some negative effects that will harm people’s health.
First, scientists modified certain genes to make fruit bigger and vegetables stronger to resist pests or endure bad weather conditions. The fruit become more appealing, but we never know the possible harm in the future. That is why genetically-modified food is not very popular these days.

Secondly, to make crops, vegetables and fruit grow faster, chemical fertilizer is often used in production. To kill pests, pesticide is also use to ensure more output. Our food is heavily polluted. Not cleaning carefully, people will take certain doses of poisonous chemicals in every meal, which is a great health hazard. Moreover, food is not as tasty as before because of the unnatural growing process.

As for meat, chickens, pigs are also not raised naturally. Instead, they are caged and crammed with food in a short time to make them grow faster. In some food factory, these animals are even fed with hormones. Meats have become cheap because of this shortened production period, but they are no longer tasty and may have lost the nutrition.

点此进入作者博客>>>