The fossil record shows that members of the group of dinosaurs known as lambeosaurs had large bony crests on top of their heads. The shape of the crests varied from species to species, but all lambeosaur crests contained extended hollow passages. No one really knows exactly what function the crests served, but scientists have offered several theories.
Sense of smell
One theory holds that the primary purpose of the crests was to improve the dinosaurs' sense of smell. Examination of the fossils has suggested that the crests contained many blood vessels. The nose bones of modern animals with a highly developed sense of smell have a similar inner structure characterized by a high density of blood vessels. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that the crests were primarily used to enhance the sense of smell.
Cooling
A second theory maintains that the crests served to prevent overheating by lowering lambeosaurs' body temperature. The addition of a crest had the effect of increasing the surface area of the lambeosaur's body, thereby allowing body heat to escape more rapidly. Other warm-climate dinosaurs, stegosaurs for example, also had bony crestlike plates on parts of their body that increased the body surface area. It has long been believed that the bony plates of stegosaurs were adaptations to improve cooling, so it seems likely that the crests of lambeosaurs served the same purpose.
Sound
A third possibility is that lambeosaurs used the crests to make sounds, perhaps for communication with other lambeosaurs. It was definitely possible to make low sounds by forcing air through the crests. This theory is supported by a finding suggesting that lambeosaurs had a good sense of hearing paleontologists recently discovered remains of a lambeosaur that had a highly developed inner ear. A good sense of hearing would be necessary for animals communicating by sound.
The reading passage proposes that the lambeosaur crest serves real functions and gives three examples accordingly. However, the lecturer disagrees with this idea, stating evidence to each theories. First of all, the article maintains that the primary function of the crest is sense of smell, since the many blood vessels inside the crests is similar to the structure of the nose bones of modern animals. But the professor refutes that the theory is not supported if lambeosaur's brain is examined - the part of the brain next to the crests is underdeveloped, wihch suggests that lambeosaur may not have the nerves required to sence smells. Secondly, while the passage suggests that the crests are used to cool down its body temperature, given that the bony crestlike plates on stegonaurs serve this function, the speaker in the lecture opposes to the theory and claims that the case of lambeosaur and stegonaur is different: the latter enjoys many bony plates, whereas the former only has one crest too small to have the same effect. Thirdly, according to the article, the crests serve the function of making sounds, which is supported by a finding showing lambeosaurs are good at hearing. However, the professor argues that only one lambeosaurs' fossil has been discovered, which represents just one species. It is still undetermined that other species of lambeosaurs would have same hearing abilities as the discovered one. If they were poor at hearing, communications cannot be possible between different species of lambeosaurs.
Transition Words or Phrases used:
accordingly, but, first, however, if, may, second, secondly, so, still, third, thirdly, whereas, while, first of all
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 13.0 10.4613686534 124% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 3.0 5.04856512141 59% => OK
Conjunction : 4.0 7.30242825607 55% => More conjunction wanted.
Relative clauses : 11.0 12.0772626932 91% => OK
Pronoun: 14.0 22.412803532 62% => OK
Preposition: 28.0 30.3222958057 92% => OK
Nominalization: 4.0 5.01324503311 80% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 1283.0 1373.03311258 93% => OK
No of words: 246.0 270.72406181 91% => More content wanted.
Chars per words: 5.21544715447 5.08290768461 103% => OK
Fourth root words length: 3.96035189615 4.04702891845 98% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.7343015782 2.5805825403 106% => OK
Unique words: 149.0 145.348785872 103% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.605691056911 0.540411800872 112% => OK
syllable_count: 388.8 419.366225166 93% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.6 1.55342163355 103% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 1.0 3.25607064018 31% => OK
Article: 6.0 8.23620309051 73% => OK
Subordination: 3.0 1.25165562914 240% => Less adverbial clause wanted.
Conjunction: 1.0 1.51434878587 66% => OK
Preposition: 2.0 2.5761589404 78% => OK
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 9.0 13.0662251656 69% => Need more sentences. Double check the format of sentences, make sure there is a space between two sentences, or have enough periods. And also check the lengths of sentences, maybe they are too long.
Sentence length: 27.0 21.2450331126 127% => The Avg. Sentence Length is relatively long.
Sentence length SD: 91.9540948276 49.2860985944 187% => OK
Chars per sentence: 142.555555556 110.228320801 129% => OK
Words per sentence: 27.3333333333 21.698381199 126% => OK
Discourse Markers: 12.8888888889 7.06452816374 182% => OK
Paragraphs: 1.0 4.09492273731 24% => More paragraphs wanted.
Language errors: 0.0 4.19205298013 0% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 3.0 4.33554083885 69% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 4.0 4.45695364238 90% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 2.0 4.27373068433 47% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.300162203694 0.272083759551 110% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.115041735126 0.0996497079465 115% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.054945055293 0.0662205650399 83% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.300162203694 0.162205337803 185% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0 0.0443174109184 0% => 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: 16.8 13.3589403974 126% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 44.07 53.8541721854 82% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 5.55761589404 158% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 13.8 11.0289183223 125% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 13.29 12.2367328918 109% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 9.47 8.42419426049 112% => OK
difficult_words: 70.0 63.6247240618 110% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 13.5 10.7273730684 126% => OK
gunning_fog: 12.8 10.498013245 122% => OK
text_standard: 14.0 11.2008830022 125% => OK
What are above readability scores?
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Minimum four paragraphs wanted. The correct pattern:
para 1: introduction
para 2: doubt 1
para 3: doubt 2
para 4: doubt 3
Less contents wanted from the reading passages(25%), more content wanted from the lecture (75%).
Don't need a conclusion paragraph.
Read sample essays from ETS:
http://www.testbig.com/users/toeflwritingmaster
Rates: 80.0 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 24.0 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.