TOEFL Essay: People are living longer now

[Forastero]

In general, people are living longer now. Discuss the causes of this
phenomenon. Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.
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If you read the history, you’ll see that several centuries ago people died very young. The life expectation was in 40 years and only the rich people could have a longer life. But in the 20th century the life expectation rise more and more and now it’s above 80 years in several countries, even though there are some poor countries that have it between 40 and 45 tears.

I think there are two main reasons for this phenomenon: 1) The evolution of medical science (medicaments, ways to diagnose, apparatus, new materials) and 2) The evolution of transport (ways, vehicles).

The first reason can appear very obvious: A very relevant research undertaken in the 19th and 20th centuries had as results several of the more determinant discovering: The Penicillin discovered by Alexander Fleming is one of them, Also the further antibiotics founded can beat infectious diseases. The vaccines developed by Pasteur can immunize the mankind against a lot of disease that kill thousands of people in the past. Painkillers and anesthesia allowed undertaking surgery procedures very painful (a lot of people had fear to pain, so they didn’t allow these procedures). The X-Ray and allow to see inside the body to find broken bones or another disorders.

More recently (some of the discoveries mentioned has already more than 100 years), apparatus like cardiograph, encephalograph, artificial breather, , procedures like Organ transplant, the knowledge about microorganisms and the aseptic conditions to do a medical procedures are determinant to increase the life expectations.

The second reasons can be not so obvious as the first one, but I consider that the improvement of the transport ways is as relevant as the medicine evolution.

Some decades ago, a sick person could died before go to the hospital because he lived very far of it, or there’s no ambulances, nor roads to receive immediate help. Sick people had to ride a horse several days, perhaps the horse movement get worst the illness or prevent heal the bounds.

Today, it’s easier to take a taxi, an autobus, even an aircraft to go to hospital as soon as possible and receive a good attention opportunely. Several decades age, it seemed as a unconquerable dream.

Medical researches aren’t stopped, as well the transport technology. It allows thinking that in the future, life expectation could arise more and more.