TOEFL iBT Academic Discussion and Writing 6-1 The most harmful form of pollution

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Question

Considering the broad spectrum of pollution types, which, in your opinion, constitutes the most harmful form of pollution and why?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

Do research on the following questions and discuss them with others.

1.        What is Emma’s point? Provide a case in point.

2.        What is Jim’s point? Provide a case in point.

3.        What is your answer to this question? Share your opinion.

 

 

☆Hints for Points

1.        Air pollution

2.        Water pollution

3.        Greenhouse gas pollution (global warming)

4.        Radiation

5.        Plastic

 

 

☆Responses for Ideas and Expressions

Air pollution:

I think the air pollution is the most harmful type of pollution. This is because it kills more people than any other pollution. For example, it killed 3.2 million people in 2020, when the air quality was better than usual because of the low-rate emissions of the toxic gasses in the lockdown for coronavirus pandemic. Not only does the polluted air affect life in proximity to the source of pollution but also it moves around the earth and affects the areas far from the source of the pollution. Some pollutants in the air dissolve into water, which will then contaminate the whole ecosystem. If the pollutant is radioactive, it causes cancer and many unusual symptoms. Even if in its light form in which we do not see or smell the pollution and it doesn’t hurt, it is harming our lungs at this very moment and making us tired, lowering the quality of our lives, and in the end, it causes early deaths. (162 words)

 

Water pollution:

Although air pollution is said to be the worst pollution, I think water pollution is worse than air pollution because it affects the whole body. Contaminated air contacts only the respiratory organs, while contaminated water goes through the whole body, 70% of which is made of water. Dirty water infested with bacteria and their toxins harm digestive organs and then the whole body, carried by the blood. Carcinogens like PFAS and radioactive elements in water cause cancer in various organs and have transgenerational effects. They also accumulate in the food chain through water and affect the whole ecosystem. Therefore, toxic water is the most dangerous. (105 words)

 

Greenhouse gas pollution:

I think greenhouse gas pollution is the most harmful because it is making the world uninhabitable for us humans and many other species. It’s raising temperature and killing plants and animals, including humans. Desertification and inundation of coastlines directly deprive life of habitats. It’s causing climate change, which is causing increasingly severe droughts and floods that cause large numbers of death and destruction. It is also igniting hundreds of wildfires, which send toxic smoke to places hundreds of kilometers away. It boils oceans as well as grilling the beaches, causing death of sea lives. It acidifies water and kills life in waters. Furthermore, it causes water shortage as a result of melting glacial ice and food shortage as a result of extinctions of species affected by the change of the environment stated above. All in all, greenhouse gas pollution is making the earth inhospitable, and thus it is the worst pollution. (151 words)

 

☆Response plan

Topic Sentence:

Supporting Details:

Conclusion:

Write your response in 10 minutes. Show each other your responses. Write down questions or suggestions to each other’s response.