Sea otters are a small mammal that lives in the waters along North America's west coast from California to Alaska. A few years ago some of the sea otter populations off of the Alaskan coast started to decline rapidly and raised several concerns because of their important role in the coastal ecosystem. Experts began investigating and came up with two possible explanations. One explanation was environmental pollution and the second was attacks by predators.
At first it seemed as if the pollution was the most likely cause for the population decline. One reason pollution was more likely was because of the known pollution sources along the Alaskan coast such as oil rigs. Also water samples taken in the area showed increased levels of chemicals that could decrease the otters' immune systems and indirectly result in their deaths.
Another thing that pointed to pollution as the culprit was the decline of other sea mammals such as seals in the same areas. This indicated that whatever was affecting the otters was also affecting the other sea mammals. Environmental pollution usually affects an entire ecosystem instead of just one species. Only predators that occurred in a large area, such as orcas (a large predatory whale), could cause the same effect, but they usually hunt larger prey.
Finally, scientists believed the pollution hypothesis would also explain the uneven pattern of otter decline. In some Alaskan locations the otter population declined greatly while other populations remained stable. Some experts suggested this could be explained by ocean currents, or other environmental factor, might have created uneven concentrations of pollutants along the coast.
The reading and lecture are both about the decline in sea otter population. The author of the reading believes that the reason for this decline in population is pollution. The lecturer casts doubt on the claim made in the article. He thinks that the decline in sea otters population is due to attacks by predators.
First of all, the author points out that pollution is the most likely cause of population decline. It is mentioned that the chemicals found in the water samples taken in the area could decrease the otters' immune systems and indirectly result in their deaths. This point is challenged by the lecturer. He says that the cause for the decline in sea otter population is the attacks of predators. Furthermore, he argues that in case of death due to pollution, the dead bodies of sea otters should wash up to the shores. But this did not happen and the reason being the when a predator attacks the body is eaten away by the predator.
Secondly, the author contends that the pollution is the main cause for the decline in sea otter population. The article notes many other sea mammals' population is also on the decline. Environmental pollution usually affects entire ecosystem instead of just one species. The lecturer rebuts the argument. He suggests that the predators can also affect the entire ecosystems. As the whale population negligible in that area due to whale huntings, orcas start eating small animals like sea otters, seals etc. This can also result in the population decline in sea mammals.
Finally, the author states that pollution would also explain the uneven pattern of otter decline. The article establishes that due to ocean currents or other environmental factors might have created uneven concentrations of pollutants along the coast. The lecturer, on the other hand, posits that. He puts forth the idea that the uneven pattern in sea otter decline is due orca being unable to reach the sea otters. This proves the abundance population of sea otters in shallow and rocky locations which are inaccessible to the orcas.
- Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry are more important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you agree or disagree with this point of view? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. 70
- If you could change one important thing about your hometown, what would you change? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer 66
- Sea otters are a small mammal that lives in the waters along North America's west coast from California to Alaska. A few years ago some of the sea otter populations off of the Alaskan coast started to decline rapidly and raised several concerns because o 63
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 1, column 173, Rule ID: ENGLISH_WORD_REPEAT_BEGINNING_RULE
Message: Three successive sentences begin with the same word. Reword the sentence or use a thesaurus to find a synonym.
...his decline in population is pollution. The lecturer casts doubt on the claim made ...
^^^
Line 1, column 266, Rule ID: POSSESIVE_APOSTROPHE[1]
Message: Possible typo: apostrophe is missing. Did you mean 'otters'' or 'otter's'?
Suggestion: otters'; otter's
...icle. He thinks that the decline in sea otters population is due to attacks by predato...
^^^^^^
Line 5, column 142, Rule ID: POSSESIVE_APOSTROPHE[1]
Message: Possible typo: apostrophe is missing. Did you mean 'mammals'' or 'mammal's'?
Suggestion: mammals'; mammal's
...ation. The article notes many other sea mammals population is also on the decline. Envi...
^^^^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
also, but, finally, first, furthermore, second, secondly, so, first of all, on the other hand
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 14.0 10.4613686534 134% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 6.0 5.04856512141 119% => OK
Conjunction : 6.0 7.30242825607 82% => OK
Relative clauses : 15.0 12.0772626932 124% => OK
Pronoun: 25.0 22.412803532 112% => OK
Preposition: 43.0 30.3222958057 142% => OK
Nominalization: 18.0 5.01324503311 359% => Less nominalizations (nouns with a suffix like: tion ment ence ance) wanted.
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 1714.0 1373.03311258 125% => OK
No of words: 346.0 270.72406181 128% => OK
Chars per words: 4.95375722543 5.08290768461 97% => OK
Fourth root words length: 4.31289638616 4.04702891845 107% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.57474063122 2.5805825403 100% => OK
Unique words: 165.0 145.348785872 114% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.476878612717 0.540411800872 88% => More unique words wanted or less content wanted.
syllable_count: 537.3 419.366225166 128% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.6 1.55342163355 103% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 9.0 3.25607064018 276% => Less pronouns wanted as sentence beginning.
Article: 11.0 8.23620309051 134% => OK
Subordination: 1.0 1.25165562914 80% => OK
Conjunction: 1.0 1.51434878587 66% => OK
Preposition: 1.0 2.5761589404 39% => More preposition wanted as sentence beginning.
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 22.0 13.0662251656 168% => OK
Sentence length: 15.0 21.2450331126 71% => The Avg. Sentence Length is relatively short.
Sentence length SD: 33.1743453603 49.2860985944 67% => OK
Chars per sentence: 77.9090909091 110.228320801 71% => OK
Words per sentence: 15.7272727273 21.698381199 72% => OK
Discourse Markers: 4.22727272727 7.06452816374 60% => More transition words/phrases wanted.
Paragraphs: 4.0 4.09492273731 98% => OK
Language errors: 3.0 4.19205298013 72% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 5.0 4.33554083885 115% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 7.0 4.45695364238 157% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 10.0 4.27373068433 234% => Less facts, knowledge or examples wanted.
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.253067348264 0.272083759551 93% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0779422428069 0.0996497079465 78% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0679925093317 0.0662205650399 103% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.169886303856 0.162205337803 105% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.018678287368 0.0443174109184 42% => Paragraphs are similar to each other. Some content may get duplicated or it is not exactly right on the topic.
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 9.7 13.3589403974 73% => Automated_readability_index is low.
flesch_reading_ease: 56.25 53.8541721854 104% => OK
smog_index: 3.1 5.55761589404 56% => Smog_index is low.
flesch_kincaid_grade: 9.1 11.0289183223 83% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 11.13 12.2367328918 91% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 7.89 8.42419426049 94% => OK
difficult_words: 77.0 63.6247240618 121% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 8.0 10.7273730684 75% => OK
gunning_fog: 8.0 10.498013245 76% => OK
text_standard: 8.0 11.2008830022 71% => OK
What are above readability scores?
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Write the essay in 20 minutes.
Rates: 63.3333333333 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 19.0 Out of 30
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Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.