TOEFL Integrated Writing Practice Test 053Fossils

Private collectors have been trading fossils, the preserved remains of ancient organisms, since the 18th century. In recent years, however, the buying and selling of fossils, especially those of dinosaurs and other large vertebrates, has turned into a lucrative industry. Rare and significant fossils are now being sold to private buyers for millions of dollars. This trend is unfortunate for both the scientific community and the general public.

The public loses out because fossils that might otherwise be donated to museums for everyone to enjoy end up in private collections, inaccessible to the general public. As a result, fewer people are able to view these fossils, which could lead to a decline in public interest in paleontology—a regrettable outcome.

Even more concerning is the fact that scientists may lose access to some of the most valuable fossils, missing opportunities to make critical discoveries about extinct species. Wealthy fossil collectors, eager to own the rarest and most significant specimens, are often able to outbid scientists, museums, and universities that cannot match the high prices.

Additionally, commercial fossil collectors frequently damage valuable scientific evidence related to the fossils they dig up. Many of these collectors lack proper training or simply aren’t concerned with the meticulous fieldwork and documentation that reveal essential details about ancient life. For instance, scientists have gained insights into the biology of nest-building dinosaurs called oviraptors by carefully studying the precise arrangement of fossils in the ground and noting other nearby remains. Commercial fossil hunters, on the other hand, often disregard the positioning of fossils and ignore smaller specimens around larger ones.