IELTS Speaking: Gene Editing & Bioethics
Gene editing and bioethics
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
🧬 Gene Editing & Bioethics: Vocabulary & Idea Build-Up
Build high-level vocabulary, master natural discussion structures, and test your scientific facts before you start speaking.
📌 How to use this lesson
For Teachers
- • Allocate 30 minutes for this lesson as a pre-speaking warm-up or flipped classroom assignment.
- • Review students' automatic scores and vocabulary accuracy directly on the activity dashboard.
For Learners
- • First, complete the vocabulary check and guess the fun facts to activate your ideas.
- • Next, observe the four sentence patterns so you can use them naturally in your speaking answers.
Step 1: Check your topic vocabulary
Choose the word that fits each sentence best.
1. Scientists have mapped the entire human ______, which contains all the biological instructions needed to build and maintain a person.
2. Haemophilia is a well-known ______ condition that is passed directly from parents to their children through DNA.
3. Many ethicists draw a line between curing a serious illness and genetic ______, such as engineering babies for higher intelligence or athletic skill.
4. The therapy showed tremendous ______ value, relieving painful symptoms and helping the patients recover quickly.
5. Modifying reproductive cells is known as ______ editing, meaning the altered code will be passed on to all future generations.
Step 2: Match collocations to their meanings
Match each key collocation with its plain explanation. No explanation repeats any word from the collocation.
Which definition best explains this term?
Which definition best explains this term?
Which definition best explains this term?
Which definition best explains this term?
Which definition best explains this term?
Which definition best explains this term?
Step 3: Four sentence patterns for balanced speaking
Use these everyday phrasing structures in IELTS Speaking Part 3 to sound natural and well-structured.
Pattern
"People are deeply divided over ..."
Example
"People are deeply divided over whether towns should pedestrianise their entire high streets."
Why this works:
Instantly frames an issue as controversial without taking an extreme side too quickly.
Pattern
"It would be utterly ... to ..."
Example
"It would be utterly irresponsible to leave a campfire burning in a dry summer forest."
Why this works:
Adds natural spoken emphasis when rejecting a dangerous or foolish idea.
Pattern
"When it comes to ..., the main worry is ..."
Example
"When it comes to remote working, the main worry is that younger staff miss out on informal mentoring."
Why this works:
Helps you focus immediately on the single biggest risk or challenge.
Pattern
"There is a fine line between ... and ..."
Example
"There is a fine line between keeping people safe with cameras and invading their day-to-day privacy."
Why this works:
Demonstrates nuanced C1 thinking by contrasting two closely related outcomes.
Step 4: Guess-the-number scientific facts
Test your knowledge with these real-world science figures before moving to Module 2.
Fun Fact 1: How big is our genetic blueprint?
According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, how many base pairs of DNA does one copy of the human genome contain?
Fun Fact 2: When was CRISPR recognised with a Nobel Prize?
According to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, in which year was the Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded for the development of a method for genome editing?
Ready for Part 3 Speaking
Vocabulary and sentence tools are complete!
In Module 2, you will record your answers to six real exam questions with instant AI scoring.
🎙️ Practice Your Speaking Answers
Record your response to each question, submit it for automatic feedback on all four official criteria, and open the model answer to review useful phrases.
Should parents be allowed to choose features of their baby, such as height or eye colour?
Grading Criteria:
[Bài tập luyện nói]
💡 Model Answer & Key Phrases Click to revealWell, honestly, I'd say definitely not. It's one thing to prevent a severe illness, but selecting cosmetic traits just feels like a slippery slope. If we start treating children like customizable products, it could create huge social pressure. I mean, my younger cousin is quite short, and he felt insecure during school, but altering someone's height beforehand seems completely unnecessary. Where do we stop? Wealthy families would probably purchase every possible advantage, which would leave everyone else behind. So, um, I believe authorities need to put a stop to purely aesthetic changes before they become normalised.
Useful Spoken Phrases
- • cosmetic traits: physical features chosen purely for outward appearance.
- • a slippery slope: an action that could easily trigger a series of worsening problems.
- • leave everyone else behind: create an unfair gap where ordinary people lose out.
- • put a stop to: take decisive action to prevent something from continuing.
Who should decide how far scientists can go when they change human genes?
Grading Criteria:
[Bài tập luyện nói]
💡 Model Answer & Key Phrases Click to revealIn my view, that decision shouldn't be left to scientists alone. Of course researchers understand the laboratory methods, but they don't always consider the wider ethical fallout. I think we need an independent committee made up of medical experts, lawyers, and regular citizens. For example, my neighbour works as a high school biology teacher, and she always tells me that public opinion matters just as much as scientific breakthroughs. So, um, if lawmakers set clear boundaries, research is more likely to help people instead of just making money. Basically, we need some community oversight to keep things in check.
Useful Spoken Phrases
- • ethical fallout: the negative moral or social consequences of an action.
- • set clear boundaries: establish strict rules regarding what is permitted.
- • community oversight: public monitoring and regulation of specialist work.
- • keep things in check: ensure that a situation stays under control and within reason.
Is it fair that new medical treatments are often available only to people who can pay for them?
Grading Criteria:
[Bài tập luyện nói]
💡 Model Answer & Key Phrases Click to revealNo, it definitely isn't fair, although sadly that's often the reality. When life-saving therapies are developed, they should be accessible to anyone who needs them, not just the wealthy. A couple of years ago, my grandfather needed an expensive knee replacement, and our family had to scrape together savings just to cover the hospital bill. It showed me how stressful healthcare costs can be. High development expenses are understandable, but governments ought to step in with subsidies. If new treatments remain a luxury, it will only widen the gap between social classes and take a heavy toll on struggling families.
Useful Spoken Phrases
- • life-saving therapies: medical interventions that cure or prevent fatal disorders.
- • step in: become directly involved to help resolve a difficult challenge.
- • widen the gap: increase the disparity between wealthy and disadvantaged groups.
- • take a heavy toll: cause severe emotional, physical, or financial suffering.
Would you want to know in advance if you carried a gene that might cause illness later in life?
Grading Criteria:
[Bài tập luyện nói]
💡 Model Answer & Key Phrases Click to revealWell, honestly, it's hard to say. Personally, I think I'd prefer to know, but only if there's an actual way to manage or prevent the condition. For instance, my uncle discovered he was at risk for heart disease after a routine check-up, and he immediately changed his diet and began jogging every morning. That lifestyle shift really paid off for him. However, if doctors told me about an incurable disease, it would probably cause constant anxiety and cast a shadow over my daily life. So, um, having that knowledge is valuable only if you can take proactive steps.
Useful Spoken Phrases
- • routine check-up: a standard preventive health examination when feeling well.
- • lifestyle shift: a deliberate change in personal day-to-day habits.
- • cast a shadow over: create anxiety or sadness that spoils normal experiences.
- • take proactive steps: act early and positively to prepare for or prevent future trouble.
Do scientists have a duty to explain their work to the public in simple terms?
Grading Criteria:
[Bài tập luyện nói]
💡 Model Answer & Key Phrases Click to revealYes, I truly believe they do. Science often sounds too technical to ordinary people, so they get nervous about it. When specialists explain their findings in plain words, it builds genuine public trust. For example, my close friend was nervous about trying a new prescription allergy treatment because online articles seemed confusing, but her pharmacist explained it in simple words and she felt a lot better. That showed me why clear dialogue matters. If researchers isolate themselves, it's easy for misconceptions to spread fast. So, um, talking to people directly helps bridge the gap between science and everyday life.
Useful Spoken Phrases
- • plain words: simple, ordinary language free of unnecessary technical terms.
- • public trust: the level of confidence everyday citizens place in experts.
- • bridge the gap: reduce misunderstanding or distance between two distinct groups.
- • everyday life: the practical routines and experiences of ordinary people.
Is it right to change the genes of crops or animals if it helps solve food or health problems?
Grading Criteria:
[Bài tập luyện nói]
💡 Model Answer & Key Phrases Click to revealWell, I'd say it's largely justifiable, provided there are strict safety standards in place. Global hunger is a serious threat, so developing crops that resist severe drought or pests seems sensible. Last summer, our garden suffered terrible heatwaves, and almost all my grandmother's tomato plants died within days. That showed me how easily farming gets hit by climate fluctuations. Of course, modifying living creatures raises valid animal welfare questions, so we shouldn't cut corners during testing. But, um, when it's done responsibly, it can play a vital role in feeding people in the future.
Useful Spoken Phrases
- • safety standards: mandated guidelines confirming procedures or products carry no hazard.
- • climate fluctuations: irregular variations and extremes in weather conditions.
- • cut corners: take shortcuts that compromise quality or safety rules.
- • play a vital role: have an essential part in accomplishing a major goal.
Great work on finishing both modules!
Check your automated speaking band scores above, compare your wording with the model answers, and note down your strongest phrases.
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