Is Space Exploration a Waste of Money? — 08.03 & 05.09.2026
Essay type: Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)Band 6.5-8.0Stance: Largely disagreeTarget ≈ 300 wordsModel essay: Band 8.0
Student's Edition
Ngô Đức Thảo
MTESOL · Academic Director
Task 2 Topic
Government funding for space exploration is often viewed as a waste of resources. It would be more beneficial to allocate this budget to addressing urgent issues on Earth. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Same idea, 05.09.2026: Some people think investing money in developing technology for space exploration is not justifiable. They believe there are other ways to spend money. To what extent do you agree or disagree?)
1Task analysis
Item
Detail
Essay type
Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)
Main topic
Whether money for space exploration should instead be spent on urgent problems on Earth
Keywords
government funding · space exploration · waste of resources · urgent issues on Earth
Task focus
Judge whether space exploration budgets are a waste and should go to problems on Earth
Required position
Say clearly how far you agree or disagree and keep the same position in every paragraph
Plain-English meaning
Is spending government money on space a waste? Would it be better to use it for problems like poverty and disease?
Hidden trap
Agreeing means space money is wasted; disagreeing means space research has value. Many space technologies (satellites, weather forecasts) already solve Earth problems — use this
Chosen stance
Largely disagree. Space budgets are small relative to total spending and generate earthly benefits, from climate monitoring to medical innovation, so they are not a waste — though priorities must be balanced
Main-idea plan
BP1 → space science directly supports solutions to earthly problems such as climate change and disasters · BP2 → it drives innovation, inspires talent and serves humanity's long-term interests
2Idea generation
Body 1 — Space science as a tool for earthly problems
Space budgets are tiny compared with welfare or defence
Precision agriculture dự phòng
Body 2 — Innovation, inspiration and long-term survival
Spin-off technologies transform medicine and industry ✓ strongest
Ambitious missions inspire scientific careers
Asteroid detection protects the planet dự phòng
✓ strongest = ý dùng trong bài mẫu · dự phòng = ý thay thế, không có trong bài mẫu.
3Skeleton
Introduction
General statement: Criticised as vanity projects
Paraphrased task: Rewrite: redirect funds to pressing problems
Thesis: Largely disagree
Body 1: Earth observation → climate science, disaster response; budgets small
Body 2: Spin-offs, inspiration, planetary defence → long-term returns
Conclusion: Restate the opinion → summarise both reasons → final thought
4Plan & write your paragraphs
How to use: Read the main idea, tap the cue words to add them to the box, then write
your own sentence. Your essay is built automatically at the bottom and saved in this browser.
Introduction(50–70 words)
0 words
Goal: Topic → rewrite the statement → give your opinion.
General statement
Main idea: Criticised as vanity projects
Starter: Space programmes are frequently … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Paraphrased task
Main idea: Rewrite: redirect funds to pressing problems
Starter: Critics argue that these … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Thesis
Main idea: Largely disagree
Starter: I largely disagree, as … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Body Paragraph 1 — Space science as a tool for earthly problems(100–125 words)
0 words
Goal: Reason 1: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: False choice
Starter: The argument rests on … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Satellites supply crucial data
Starter: Earth observation satellites supply … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: Cyclone warning saves communities
Starter: When a cyclone approaches … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 2
Main idea: Budgets are modest
Starter: It is also worth … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Further development
Main idea: Cuts barely help
Starter: Cancelling them would therefore … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Underpins solutions
Starter: Far from being a … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Body Paragraph 2 — Innovation, inspiration and long-term survival(100–125 words)
