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Argumentative Essay

The document is an argumentative essay arguing that dams have a negative global impact. It presents the thesis that dams negatively impact the environment by taking up valuable land, ruining wildlife habitats, threatening endangered species, and creating greenhouse gases. The essay provides supporting details grouped into three body paragraphs addressing how dams use up land resources, ruin natural habitats, and endanger species. The conclusion restates the thesis but provides an inadequate summary. The essay's organization and use of evidence are strengths, while the conclusion is noted as a weakness.

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Hariz Akmal
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161 views

Argumentative Essay

The document is an argumentative essay arguing that dams have a negative global impact. It presents the thesis that dams negatively impact the environment by taking up valuable land, ruining wildlife habitats, threatening endangered species, and creating greenhouse gases. The essay provides supporting details grouped into three body paragraphs addressing how dams use up land resources, ruin natural habitats, and endanger species. The conclusion restates the thesis but provides an inadequate summary. The essay's organization and use of evidence are strengths, while the conclusion is noted as a weakness.

Uploaded by

Hariz Akmal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DVW301- COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH 3 WRITING PORTFOLIO_EXTENDED

WRITING

Argumentative Essay :
The Dangers of Dams
INTRODUCTION:
Background information:
There are hundreds of dams of different sizes. Used for irrigation, flood defenses,
water supply, and hydroelectric power.
State your stand:
Despite these positive elements, however there are also many bad elements related
to dams.

Thesis statement:
Dams have a negative global impact because they eat up valuable land resources,
ruin wildlife habitats, effects endangered species, and create damaging greenhouse
effect.

BODY OF PARAGRAPHS:
TOPIC SENTENCE 1:
Dams take up areas of land rich with valuable resources.
Supporting Details 1:
Dams require large areas of land as flood plains for the reservoir of water.
Supporting Details 2:
Man-made lakes are created this way often at the cost of valuable farmland, livable
land, and plentiful forests.
Supporting Details 3:
These lakes are not always practical. In Texas, a proposed reservoir could take over
50,000 acres of forest and family farms ("Texas Water").
DVW301- COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH 3 WRITING PORTFOLIO_EXTENDED
WRITING

TOPIC SENTENCE 2:
Dams ruin natural habitats for wildlife.
Supporting Details 1:
Dam reservoirs hold water and release water slowly through a forced opening. Water
lying dormant in one area begins to heat on the surface.
Supporting Details 2:
Eventually, the water stagnates due to a lack of movement and becomes low in oxygen
supply. Plants that need this oxygen for survival die off.
Supporting Details 3:
In addition, fish that depend on the flow of the river as a form of transportation to
spawning areas are not able to move past the reservoir.

TOPIC SENTENCE 3:
Endangered species are further threatened by a dam system.
Supporting Details 1:
Natural systems are often so significantly affected by dams that they are either
destroyed or negatively modified.
Supporting Details 2:
Weeds that flourish in low-oxygenated areas begin to choke up the water system and
absorb the remaining valuable resources.
Supporting Details 3:
In the Amazon River's Balbina reservoir, "even the introduction of a herd of grazing
manatees has failed to staunch the spread of weeds" (Pearce). These weeds
eventually begin to rot leading to the devastating effects of greenhouse gases.
DVW301- COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH 3 WRITING PORTFOLIO_EXTENDED
WRITING

CONCLUSION:
Reaffirms Stand:
Today, society is learning of the dangers that come with hydroelectric dams.
Restate Thesis Statement:
Dams have a negative global impact because they eat up valuable land resources,
ruin wildlife habitats, effects endangered species, and create damaging greenhouse
effect.

Suggestions/Future Predictions:
As alternatives, solar and wind power are both green energy sources that have no
foreseeable dangers. It is hopeful that these sources can come into use in the future
to replace the need for dams.

The strength(s) and/or weakness(es) of the essay:


Strength:
Well organized body of paragraphs
Includes the evidence and support of the paper in addition to the author’s ideas.
Paragraphs include a topic sentence which relates the discussion back to the thesis
statement.

Weakness:
An inadequate conclusion
Usually, student writers should write a concluding paragraph that summarizes the
topic sentence (in words different from those used earlier) and restates the thesis
(again, in different words).

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