DIRECTIONS: You will have a total of 75 minutes to respond to the topic below. A time warning will be announced 10 minutes prior to the end of the test

You will not be allowed to leave early.

• Write an analytical essay in which you express your thoughts carefully, logically, and effectively.
• Be sure to respond to all parts of the assignment.
• Provide examples and evidence to support your ideas.

Advances in medicine have already increased the life span of human beings from 47 years in 1890 to 76 years today. In addition to seeking treatments or preventatives for major causes of death, researchers have turned their attention towards a new agenda. Several scientists are now working to determine how the aging process itself can be slowed down so that people live even longer.

• What effects would you anticipate on society if people soon averaged life spans of 90-1 00 years or longer.
• How would these changes affect your plans and your goals?

Much like Ponce de Leon, most individuals have at some point attempted to secure their own "fountain of youth." As technology continues to uncover and provide answers to the many perplexing mysteries of life, modern medicine also provides a greater guarantee of longevity.
People fantasize about living into their 90's and are entertained by the idea of immortality; however, the extension of the human life span poses as many disadvantages as it does advantages. Not only are there consequences to consider such as the impact on families, communities and society as a whole, but there are equally as many ethical concerns that need to be addressed. The question arises, "Are we playing God?"
One such issue points to the quality of life an individual may have when 100 yrs. Old. The human body, its systems and functions, may not be able to sustain people after a certain chronological age. Although it is plausible to slow down aging, the inevitable effects of organ, muscle or tissue deterioration need to undergo more thorough scientific study.
Our bodies are vulnerable to disease and over time bones become brittle and weak. This presents many problems in calculating the cost of continued medical care for those unable to ward off potential illness. Families will have to endure the cost of continued medical care and/or supervision of their aging parents. This will cause stress and discomfort as families work longer and harder to continue to sustain their loved ones.
Communities will be required to address the need for an increase in services, resources, and program that provide support and social/recreational activities. The Federal Government will be expected to develop social welfare policies and implement programs to serve elderly needs. The social security administration, which is virtually bankrupt now, will need to supplement the aged with financial resources when retirement and family income becomes insufficient.
It sounds crass and heartless to suggest that by allowing people to live longer we, as a society, will be left with an enormous debt, but this financial drain will need to be shared by all. Many people don't want to pay higher taxes and cannot afford to take any more withholdings from salaries.
Families who also have the responsibility of raising children, with all the cost this involves, may not be prepared to also care for aging parents.
Additionally, advances in medicine have proven to extend life, but can the functions of the mind and our thought process also be improved? Most elderly suffer from memory loss or some form of impairment in judgement or decision making. If we are allowed to live longer will we become a possible danger to ourselves or others if not able to logically or rationally assess any given circumstance or situation?
Although living longer does present formidable challenges economically, psychologically, and physically, one of the many advantages would be the increased need for people to enter the social work, or "helping" profession. This particularly effects me because I have a strong interest in pursuing a career in social work and would feel confident that the job market will be strong and diverse with many more people living longer and experiencing a wide array of activities and responsibilities.
In summary, the advances in modern medicine have contributed greatly to an improved quality of life; however, an increased life span has merits as well as consequences which need to be taken into consideration and weighed carefully. Not everyone would welcome the ideal of living until they are 90 or 100 for a variety of reasons. Would you?

Analysis of Sample Answer I-A 

It is possible that in the next ten to twenty years the average human lifespan will be 90 - 100 years old. If this happens, people in the United States will be affected in many ways. For the purposes of this essay, I will focus on three changes. First, people in the U. S. will be forced to retire older. Second, the average person will change occupations at least once in their lifetime. And third, there will be less land available to people seeking to buy their own property. As I am an American citizen, I will be affected by each of these changes. This essay will examine each of the three changes and how these changes affect my plans for the future.
First, if the average lifespan increases, people will have to retire later than 55. The U. S. Social Security system is not set-up to support people for more than 15 - 20 yrs. Knowing this, I have altered my methods of money management. Instead of relying on the government to support me, I will enact my own savings plan. I will invest money in long-term mutual funds and the stock market so that I will not have to rely on Social Security. This will enable me to retire at the age of 55.
The second change that will transpire as a result of prolonged lifetimes is that people will change jobs at least once in their lifetime. This will happened for two reasons. First, people will become bored working at the same place for 45 years. Second, as a result of technological advances, companies will lay off their employees more often to hire younger workers with new skills.
In reaction to the eventuality of holding multiple jobs, I have started honing as many skills as possible. I take classes at Universities, read books and remain apprised of current global trends. By doing these three things, I feel I will have a wider selection of choices in the job market and be more valuable to employers.
The third and final change I anticipate as people's average age becomes older is there will be less land available to people looking to purchase property. This will happen because people will not be looking to sell their land as often. There is a limited supply of land in the U.S., and with people living longer, they will be holding onto their realestate longer.
I will plan for this land shortage similar to how I will plan for retirement. I will buy property as soon as I have saved enough money for a down payment. This will assure me at least one home of my own.
In conclusion, it is apparent that the average lifespan will increase. There are already people who live to be 95 - 100. As a result, there have already been cries to change the age of retirement, people are already changing jobs at least once in their lifetimes and the prices for land continue to escalate showing it is a valuable commodity. I have seen the eventuality of these problems becoming more acute. Consequently I have developed a feasible savings plan to allow me to retire at the age of 55, I have started learning as much as possible from a variety of sources and I have a plan for attaining my own home. Consequently, I believe I will readily meet the inevitable changes due to the lengthening of the average person's lifespan.

Analysis of Sample Answer I-B 

As a whole, society is productive today. Many people live until the age of 76. Most of them retire at the age of 65. The years of a productive person in the work force is about 40 years. If our life span increases to 90 - 100 years, our work force years would increase as well. This increase could lead to a more productive society. With the rise in productivity, there would also be an inflation of people and money. That means more buildings being built, more money to be made, ultimately leading to more happy people. The happiness could also stem from people being healthier longer and people living a fuller life by doing everything they ever wanted to do. People could reach their goals and feel a sense of accomplishment from this completion. This, leading to happiness for all. Another factor in a longer life span would be the large increase in population. The amount of people would rise by about one quarter to a third of what the population is today. This increase could be a burden on an already overp9opulated society. If the life span does "inc" increase by 15 to 25 years, then there should be some planning of how to deal with the growing population. Larger population could be handled by using the more productive society to our advantage. That could include more homes being built in less populated areas, etc.
My plans and goals for the future would be changed drastically. My immediate, short term goals would remain the same. I would like to continue my education until I graduate with my Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. After graduation I would like to do underwriting for companies just going public, working with a large firm. The longer life span will allow me to make more changes in regards to my career and possibly where I live. After I have worked for a firm for about ten years I would like to try different careers in New York and London. Possibly in San Francisco, as well. Living twenty years longer than people today will allow me the opportunity to do this. I would also like to travel the world and see as many different countries as I can. Many people do not get this opportunity because generally, people work until the age of 65, having not traveled. By the time they reach this age, people are not as physically fit and able to do all the traveling they once intended after retirement. With people living until100 years old, a lot more of my dreams and aspirations will become true and completed. I would be a more content person having done this. The increase in life span could only be a positive thing in regards to my plans and goals. I will be able to accomplish more then I could now, ultimately leading to a happy, fulfilling life.

Analysis of Sample Answer I-C 

The advances in medicine have already increased the lifespan of human beings greatly. People now can live up to ninety to one hundred years or longer. As a result of this great advances in medicine, the society soon will anticipate with many effects in order to support the older people who can no longer work to support themselves.
One of the many effects that society will soon anticipate is in the work force. As the average of people's liefspance increase, the average amount of work force need to increase too. Instead of working fourty years, in average, people will soon work for seventy to eighty years before they can stay home to collect social security benefits. Soon, we will see lots of older people in the work force such as packing groceries in the supermarkets, watching children after school in the daycare centers, etc.
The regulation of age of retirement will soon change to age of seventy five or eight five years old before people are eligible to collect social security benefits. The society can not afford to let elder people to stay on SSI benefit very long if the society were to let older people to collect retirement benefit at age of sixty five as of today. Another affect that will certain happen is the increase on income tax cut from the young. As many people live longer, there will be more money needed to spend on medicare and well being of older people. So, the government need to cut more tax in order to keep up with change.
As a conclusion, as the average lifespan increase, we will see many people will continue to work. And I personally would be very bore if I were to work very long, say up to seventy years, before I can stay home to collect social security checks.

Analysis of Essay Paper 1-D

The notion of human being living longer lifes, requires to address the effects that it will cause on society and individuals. Some issues worthy of mention that will have an impact on society are: over-population, need for health care benefits, and the need to restructure the Social Security system. The effect that it will have on my plans and goals are beig jolted by this phenomenon, because now, I have to add working years to may initial plan and increase the savings for my retirement.
The overpopulation effect is one that can not be taken lightly, it needs the cooperation from everyone, because if people are living longer years, those having children should plan for a smaller family and to do that, some steps are necessary to help them make that decision, e.i. educating those resistant to change and providing with incentives to minimize the family size (paid education for 1 child only).
The need for health care benefits is also necessary to consider, because as people get older the need for health care increases, and if there is not an adequate provision of these services it may create problems for society. Because . . . . [essay not completed]

Analysis of Sample Answer I-E

I think that the lifespan issues is very important to every person, it reflect their life and future. Almost everybody doesn't want to die, especially from illness. The more people live the more they enjoy life if they are not ill. It's an excellent idea to find a way to low down the aging process to extend lifespan.
Families will be in a stronger, healthier relationship between the family members, because the older members are living longer and healthier, the younger members will be less stressed and less worried about the health condition of their loved ones.

Analysis of Sample Answer I-F