In recent years, many small local shops have closed because customers travel to large shopping centres or malls to do their shopping. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

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5. One of the biggest problems facing the world today is growing enough food to feed the ever-expanding population. Genetically Modified foods are the best way to solve this issue. To what extent do you agree or disagree?


One of the most pressing issues of modern world is that there are huge food shortages because the population of the world is growing at an alarming rate. Although it is true that foods that have been genetically modified can provide necessary results, there are other better alternatives in solving the problem of global hunger.



On the one hand, the reasons why the method suggested in question works in the short term are clear to see. The number-one argument for producing this kind of foods is that they require few resources to grow. That is to say, when farmers cultivate these crops(GM crops), they have to use a smaller space, fewer fertilisers and pesticides. More importantly, they are cheaper. Because of low production costs, farmers can sell GM foods at significantly lower prices, which make them affordable for the poor. Nevertheless, GM foods are not without serious consequences for people consuming them.



On the other hand, controlling birth rates is a more effective approach to addressing the lack of food globally. Firstly, when people have fewer children, their demand for food declines automatically. As a result of this, traditional farming will be able to provide sufficient food for everyone. More importantly, living standards will certainly improve as people eat more organic food, which is significantly more nutritious. Therefore, in my view, birth control is the best solution to the issue of food shortages in the long term.


To sum up, although short-term term goals of feeding the hungry can be achieved by growing more GM food due to their affordability, I personally believe that encouraging people to have fewer children is a better option. This is because the latter approach is more beneficial for everyone concerned.