English for Academic Purposes (Standard Plus Pathway) (EAP036) 2019-2020 Year 1 Semester 2

Practice Exam Sample Essay

Essay question: Describe and explain some causes and effects of plastic pollution
in the ocean environment

Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic debris to the extent that it has the
potential to harm life. It has become an issue of concern to environmentalists
and scientists, particularly those studying ocean environments. According to
Moore (2015), one study estimates the world’s oceans contain more than five
trillion pieces of plastic. As some of this pollution may find its way into the food
chain and directly affect human health, it is important to understand the causes
and effects of marine plastic pollution. (84 words)

Essentially, plastic pollution is caused by human activity and exacerbated by its

unique chemical properties. There are two sources of this pollution. Land-based
debris is largely the result of littering, or improper disposal of plastic waste such
as vinyl shopping bags or PET bottles, while ocean-based pollution comes
primarily from fishing activities, with lost or improperly discarded plastic fishing
equipment accounting for approximately twenty percent of marine plastics
(Moore, 2015). Unlike other types of ocean pollution, plastic is especially
detrimental because its chemical structure is resistant to natural processes of
decay and therefore accumulates quickly (Moore, 2015). (97 words)

This accumulation leads to serious consequences to both marine life and

humans. For water-based life the result is death by entanglement or ingestion.
Entanglement is when ocean creatures become caught in plastic, restricting their
movement and possibly their ability to hunt, or strangling them. Seal pups, for
example, may get fishing net stuck around their necks that becomes tighter as
they grow, preventing them from eating or even breathing (Bradford, 2016).
Ingestion happens when sea creatures mistake debris for food. This can prove
fatal even to tiny creatures such as coral, which may die from starvation with
digestive systems full of plastic (Bradford, 2016). Small creatures that manage to
survive ingesting plastic may be eaten by larger creatures, who may in turn be
eaten by humans, who inadvertently ingest harmful chemicals associated with
plastics (Bradford, 2016). (136 words)

In summary, the decay-resistant chemical structure of plastics as well as their

improper disposal has resulted in strangulation and starvation of marine life, in
addition to poisoning of humans. If such contamination is to be avoided, greater
awareness of the human role in marine plastic pollution is essential. (48 words) /
(365 words)

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 English for Academic Purposes (Standard Plus Pathway) (EAP036) 2019-2020 Year 1 Semester 2
Practice Exam Sample Essay

Task: Use your knowledge of essay structure to complete the following outline.
Write one or two words describing the function of each sentence in the gaps
below. The first one has been done for you.

Introduction
Sentence 1: ___defintion_____: plastic pollution
Sentence 2: _______________: increasing attention
Sentence 3: _______________: five trillion tons of plastic pollution
Sentence 4: _______________: human health; thesis statement: cause and effects

Paragraph Two: Causes

Sentence 1: _______________: Two causes: human activity and chemical structure
Sentence 2: Cause 1: Two sources
Sentence 3: Cause 1 _______________ and _______________: Land: consumer
plastic; water: fishing equipment
Sentence 4: _______________: Chemical structure: resistant to decay

Paragraph Three: Effects

Sentence 1: _______________: Effects on marine life and humans
Sentence 2: Effect 1: Two kinds: (a) entanglement and (b) ingestion
Sentence 3: Effect 1 (a) Definition: _______________
Sentence 4: Effect 1 (a) _______________: seal pups
Sentence 5: Effect 1 (b) Definition: _______________
Sentence 6: Effect 1 (b) _______________: coral
Sentence 7: Effect 2: _______________: plastic poisoning

Conclusion
Sentence 1: _______________ of causes and effects
Sentence 2: _______________

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 English for Academic Purposes (Standard Plus Pathway) (EAP036) 2019-2020 Year 1 Semester 2
Practice Exam Sample Essay

Essay Outline - KEY

Introduction
Sentence 1: Definition: plastic pollution
Sentence 2: Trend: increasing attention
Sentence 3: Data: massive amount of plastic pollution
Sentence 4: Relevance: human health; thesis statement: cause and effects

Paragraph Two: Causes

Sentence 1: Topic sentence: Two causes: human activity and chemical structure
Sentence 2: Cause 1: Two sources
Sentence 3: Cause 1 Detail + Examples: Land: consumer plastic; water: fishing
equipment
Sentence 4: Cause 2: Chemical structure: resistant to decay

Paragraph Three: Effects

Sentence 1: Topic sentence: Effects on marine life and humans
Sentence 2: Effect 1: Two kinds: (a) entanglement and (b) ingestion
Sentence 3: Effect 1 (a) Definition: entanglement
Sentence 4: Effect 1 (a) Example: seal pups
Sentence 5: Effect 1 (b) Definition: ingestion
Sentence 6: Effect 1 (b) Example: coral
Sentence 7: Effect 2: Human: plastic poisoning

Conclusion
Sentence 1: Restatement of causes and effects
Sentence 2: Comment

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