The following essay was written by a CAEL test taker. Any mistakes made by the test taker have not been corrected.
Read the following sample essay and use the CAEL Essay Checklist (in the Student Resources) to help you evaluate its strengths and weaknesses. After you have completed the checklist, discuss your results with your partner or group. What band score do you think this essay received?
Essay Question
Using the information in the readings and the lecture, write an essay in response to the following prompt:
Does ozone depletion pose a serious threat to life on earth?
Life on earth requires the existence of an atmosphere. The atmosphere contains the ozone layer, and it is the job of the ozone layer to protect the earth from the harmful rays of the sun. Without such a layer in the atmosphere, many comforts that humans have today, such as health, food, and technology, would be greatly altered or non-existent altogether. Therefore, in this essay I will argue that the depletion of the ozone layer does pose a serious threat to life on earth.
To protect the earth, the ozone layer absorbs most of the harmful ultraviolet radiation that are produced by the sun’s rays. As stated in Reading 2, the depletion of the ozone will cause an increase in the amount of ultraviolet radiation that reaches the earth’s surface. Exposure to large amounts of ultraviolet radiation can cause severe damage to animal tissue and is a known cause of skin cancer. Reading 1 also suggests that an increase in the amount of ultraviolet rays could likely cause a decrease in crop yields and plant growth. Damages to crops and plant life would seriously impact the food sources of all forms of life.
Many people still reject the idea of ozone depletion. Politicians especially cannot agree on whether or not the ozone is thinning. It is stated in the lecture that one of the causes of ozone depletion is the presence of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are chemicals that reside in aerosols and refrigerants. If politicians were to agree that the ozone is depleting, then it is likely that they would have to ban technologies that use CFCs, such as refrigerators and aerosol cans. Since humanity is so dependent on these technologies, some politicians may be hesitant to ban technologies that use CFCs as banning them would dramatically change life on earth.
In conclusion, the depleting ozone layer is a serious threat to the existence of life here on earth. The disappearing ozone allows for more ultraviolet light to reach the earth, which can cause tissue damage, crop damage, and skin cancer. As well, once ozone depletion is accepted across the globe, we would likely have to give up technologies that human life has become dependent upon.