Essay for the toefl 2.0 Some people think governments should spend as much money as possible exploring outer space (for example, traveling to the Moon and to other planets). Other people disagree and think governments should spend this money for our basic needs on Earth. Which of these two opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer. I live in a very poor street where I see children dying for hunger every day; I am a witness of the lack of basic needs for humanity. I agree with the second opinion, I feel this way because of my life experience, which I will exposed better in the following essay. I work as volunteer on the Emater Village, which is a social project intended to help the families that live in a garbage dump. Some mothers have to support alone a family with 8 children earning only 300 reais in each month, witch is equivalent a less than half of a minimum salary. The school is deficient; most families have big difficulty for being attended by a public hospital when it is needed. Sometimes, I keep wondering with myself why the government spent so much money in exploring outer space, while have so much poverty in the world. On the other hand, I recognize the importance of knowledge. When I was a child, I wished to be an astronaut for a while. The universe was a dream to me. However, when I grow up and had started to see the disrespected human rights of the world, I changed my mind. Nowadays I fight for what I believe it is a better world: a world where all the human beings live with quality. I believe that first the government should to guarantee a good life for everyone: house, food, education, health and all the other human rights written in the constitution. Exploring outer space is interesting and wonderful, but do not bring much direct advantage for the humanity. Actuality, the only benefit that exploring outer space brings is knowledge, at least nowadays. In my opinion, the basic needs on Earth are ultimately necessary. Many lives depends directly of the attendance of basic needs. While exploring the outer space is interesting just for take more knowledge about the universe. Therefore, I think that governments should spend as much money as possible for our basics needs on Earth.