Writing Task 1 - Integrated Question?

?Directions: For this task, you will read a passage and listen to a lecture about an academic topic.?

You may take notes during this time. After the passages have finished, you will then be asked a question about them. After the question, you will have 20 minutes to write your response. Effective responses are usually between 250 to 350 words. You may look at the reading passage and your notes as you write. Keep in mind that the question will not ask for your opinion.?

You have three minutes to read. You may begin reading now.

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Alternative energy is any way of creating power for humankind to use, other than the burning of fossil fuels, which is harmful to the environment. Some examples include solar panels, which derive usable energy from the Sun's rays, and wind turbines, which collect gusts of wind and transform them into energy. Wave farms, which harness the power of ocean waves to store energy, have three main advantages when compared to other energy sources.

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First of all, like wind and solar power, wave farms are better for the environment. The burning of fossil fuels, which is still the most popular source of energy in the world, is extremely dangerous. Using gas and oil releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and depletes the ozone layer. This layer of Earth’s atmosphere is crucial since it protects plants and humans from harmful radiation. Wave farms do not release carbon dioxide and cause almost no long-term environmental damage.

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The second major advantage of wave farms is their predictability. Wave farms retain energy from the ocean's waves, which are always in motion. Solar power depends heavily on unpredictable weather patterns. For example, cloud cover results in little to no energy being stored in solar panels because the Sun’s rays hardly reach the Earth’s surface. On the other hand, ocean waves are measurable and predictable and lead to a steady and reliable output of energy.

Finally, wave farms do not obstruct the ecosystem in which they are placed, unlike enormous wind turbines that have been known to kill birds. Wave farms employ flotation devices, called buoys, to collect wave energy and transmit it through a series of cables back to a storage unit. This style of capturing energy blends much better with the natural surroundings when compared to the large turbines you find on wind farms.

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