the insecticidal properties of DDT, a whit crystalline compound, were discovered in 1942. during world war II this pesticide was used to control the spread use of typhus and malaria. then in the postwar era it began to be used extensively as an agricultural insecticide. its success in eradicating malaria and controlling other insect-borne diseases dangerous both to humans and crops led it to be labeled a miracle pesticide.
its usage increased and peaked in the early 1960s. in that decade, however, studies began to show that this method of pest control had serious environmental consequences. perhaps most damaging for the reputation of DDT was the wide popularity of Rachel Carsson's book Silent Spring, which exposed the dangers of continued use of this pesticide on bird and animal species and ultimately on human beings. carson's influential expose of the harmful effects of DDT showed that several species of birds were experiencing population declines as a result of ingesting this chemical in their customary diet. research showed that birds of prey such as the bald eagle and peregrine falcon, which are high on the food chain, accumulated excessive amounts of the pesticide in their bodies, and this caused them to lay eggs with thin shells, which would break before hatching. research also showed that the human population was at risk from increased levels of liver and breast cancer caused by exposure to DDT. furthermore, environmentalists pointed out that the toxicity of this substance is not easily degraded and can remain in the environment and food chain for prolonged periods. due to these reasons, and also to the fact that DDT seemed to be losing its effectiveness on the insect populations it was designed to control, many countries banned the use of this product during the early 1960s.
The reading passage clearly explains and describes about the detrimental effects of DDT. On the other hand, the lecture straightaway refutes the claims made in the passage by suggesting that the effects are only harmful if DDT is consumed in a large amount. The lecture also says that DDT is beneficial in most cases if consumed in a controlled amount.
The passage elucidates that DDT does more harm than good by citing various instances of hazards which are created due to DDT such as decrease in the population of Bald Eagle. According to the passage, the primary reason for hazards is the increase in the concentration of DDT due its inability to be digested by the animals and plants. Whereas the lecture claims that DDT actually benefits plants and animals since a small amount of DDT kills the insects only. As a result, the spread of fatal disease can be avoided and consequently, the environment can be protected.
The passage accentuates the harmful nature of DDT by providing an example of enforcing a ban on it by the US government. However, the lecture opposes it by stating that a globally recognized institution such as the World Health Organization considered DDT as only moderately harmful. The lecture also argues against the claim in the passage about DDT not being effective by citing an instance in Sri Lanka in which DDT successfully countered insects spreading Malaria. According to the lecture, DDT helped save millions of lives since the cases of malaria in Sri Lanka dropped from 1.5 million to just 17.
Finally, the professor in the lecture does admit that many mosquitoes develop resistance against DDT, but these studies are not conclusive and provide ambiguous results.
Transition Words or Phrases used:
actually, also, but, consequently, finally, however, if, so, whereas, such as, as a result, in most cases, on the other hand
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 10.0 10.4613686534 96% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 2.0 5.04856512141 40% => OK
Conjunction : 6.0 7.30242825607 82% => OK
Relative clauses : 8.0 12.0772626932 66% => More relative clauses wanted.
Pronoun: 11.0 22.412803532 49% => OK
Preposition: 42.0 30.3222958057 139% => OK
Nominalization: 8.0 5.01324503311 160% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 1426.0 1373.03311258 104% => OK
No of words: 284.0 270.72406181 105% => OK
Chars per words: 5.02112676056 5.08290768461 99% => OK
Fourth root words length: 4.10515524023 4.04702891845 101% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.75391733758 2.5805825403 107% => OK
Unique words: 154.0 145.348785872 106% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.542253521127 0.540411800872 100% => OK
syllable_count: 441.0 419.366225166 105% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.6 1.55342163355 103% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 0.0 3.25607064018 0% => OK
Article: 11.0 8.23620309051 134% => OK
Subordination: 1.0 1.25165562914 80% => OK
Conjunction: 1.0 1.51434878587 66% => OK
Preposition: 3.0 2.5761589404 116% => OK
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 12.0 13.0662251656 92% => OK
Sentence length: 23.0 21.2450331126 108% => OK
Sentence length SD: 31.8577567739 49.2860985944 65% => OK
Chars per sentence: 118.833333333 110.228320801 108% => OK
Words per sentence: 23.6666666667 21.698381199 109% => OK
Discourse Markers: 10.3333333333 7.06452816374 146% => OK
Paragraphs: 4.0 4.09492273731 98% => OK
Language errors: 0.0 4.19205298013 0% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 6.0 4.33554083885 138% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 5.0 4.45695364238 112% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 1.0 4.27373068433 23% => More facts, knowledge or examples wanted.
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.115165790803 0.272083759551 42% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0473774412671 0.0996497079465 48% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.024405937644 0.0662205650399 37% => Sentences are similar to each other.
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.0673932345567 0.162205337803 42% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0353493111715 0.0443174109184 80% => OK
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 14.0 13.3589403974 105% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 48.13 53.8541721854 89% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 5.55761589404 158% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 12.3 11.0289183223 112% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 12.13 12.2367328918 99% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 9.5 8.42419426049 113% => OK
difficult_words: 85.0 63.6247240618 134% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 11.0 10.7273730684 103% => OK
gunning_fog: 11.2 10.498013245 107% => OK
text_standard: 11.0 11.2008830022 98% => OK
What are above readability scores?
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Rates: 81.6666666667 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 24.5 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.