Read the text and make a list of the reasons for doing a course in biology.

Answer the questions.

· Was biology your favourite subject at school? Why? /Why not?

· Did you have any problems studying biology? What were they?

· Do you agree that biology is one of the most challenging subjects at high school? Why? /Why not?

· Why did you choose to do a biology course at university? Did anyone influence your decision?

Read the text and make a list of the reasons for doing a course in biology.

WHY STUDY BIOLOGY?

Biology is the science of life. It is the scientific exploration of the vast and diverse world of living organisms; an exploration that has greatly expanded within the last decades revealing a wealth of knowledge about ourselves and about the millions of other organisms with whom we share this planet Earth. Today, biological research, worldwide, includes an almost infinite spectrum of studies from molecules to landscapes, from human health and disease to loss of biodiversity and environmental quality. It includes a lot of subdisciplines, both fundamental and applied such as ecology, evolutionary biology, botany, zoology, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, etc. Obviously, there are a number of reasons why it is a good idea to do a course in biology.

Life poses many challenges, and in the 21^st century it is the biologist who will be in the forefront of such difficult, intellectual problems, as understanding the most elemental building blocks of the mechanisms of life, the mechanisms of memory and of learning, the molecular basis of embryonic development, and the rules that help predict the behavior of the environment.

Biology also lies at the heart of major social problems that face the human race in the coming decade, such as sensible management of the environment and the effective control of human populations, the disposal of municipal and industrial wastes and the development of renewable resources. It is vital that educated people understand the contributions that biological sciences have made and will continue to make for the future welfare of human beings.

Apart from that, biology offers many career opportunities. Every day new discoveries are being made in bio-medical fields, immunology, genetic engineering, cell biology, ecology, and in many other fields of the biological sciences. Highly educated and skilled individuals will

be needed to continue this pace of exploration. As a

working biologist you may find yourself serving the

medical needs of people; working with fish and wildlife;

conserving and restoring habitat; teaching biology;

or discovering new facts through research or writing

about biological aspects of plants, animals and

microbes. Anyway, there will be new areas of

employment that require solid knowledge in biology as new fields emerge in the future.

Moreover, nowadays biology also is an excellent foundation for students planning to attend medical, dental, veterinary, physical therapy, physician’s assistant or optometry schools.

(Adapted from the Internet sites)