In the 1950s Torreya taxifolia, a type of evergreen tree once very common in the state of
Florida, started to die out. No one is sure exactly what caused the decline, but chances
are good that if nothing is done, Torreya will soon become extinct. Experts are considering three ways to address the decline of Torreya.
The first option is to reestablish Torreya in the same location in which it thrived for
thousands of years. Torreya used to be found in abundance in the northern part of Florida, which has a specific microclimate. A microclimate exists when weather conditions
inside a relatively small area differ from the region of which that area is a part. Northern
Florida’s microclimate is very favorable to Torreya’s growth. This microclimate is wetter
and cooler than the surrounding region’s relatively dry, warm climate. Scientists have
been working to plant Torreya seeds in the coolest, dampest areas of the microclimate.
The second option is to move Torreya to an entirely different location, far from its
Florida microclimate. Torreya seeds and saplings have been successfully planted and
grown in forests further north, where the temperature is significantly cooler. Some scientists believe that Torreya probably thrived in areas much further north in the distant past,
so by relocating it now, in a process known as assisted migration, humans would simply
be helping Torreya return to an environment that is more suited to its survival.
The third option is to preserve Torreya in research centers. Seeds and saplings can be
moved from the wild and preserved in a closely monitored environment where it will be
easier for scientists both to protect the species and to conduct research on Torreya. This
research can then be used to ensure the continued survival of the species.
Both the reading and lecture discuss the decline and possible extinction of Torreya taxifolia, an evergreen tree. The former provides three possible avenues that we can take to arrest the decrease in the number of trees, but the latter challenges each of these methods.
First of all, the author suggests that the tree can be relocated to its original habitat because of its more suitable microclimate. On the other hand, the professor in the lecture contends that this method will not work because the coolest and the wettest regions in this microclimate are becoming warmer and drier, indicating that the tree will not survive as easily as it once did in the past. According to the professor, this might be happening because of either global warming or the draining of the Florida wetlands.
Secondly, the authors suggests that the tree can be relocated to the far north where it can grow in the cold climate. However, the professor in the lecture argues by giving an example of the black locus tree when it was relocated to the north, it spread so quickly that it killed all the other nearby plants and vegetation that were already endangered. According to the professor, the method of relocating is not a possible solution as this outcome is very unpredictable.
Finally, the author in the passage claims that the tree can be grown in the research centers and lab. Although, the professor mentions that the population can be kept in the center but it will not be able to fight the disease which it could if it was grown in large and genetically diverse area that is the wild. According to the professor, the trees grown in the centers will not be capable of surviving diseases.
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Transition Words or Phrases used:
but, finally, first, however, if, second, secondly, so, first of all, on the other hand
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 14.0 10.4613686534 134% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 12.0 5.04856512141 238% => Less auxiliary verb wanted.
Conjunction : 10.0 7.30242825607 137% => OK
Relative clauses : 13.0 12.0772626932 108% => OK
Pronoun: 26.0 22.412803532 116% => OK
Preposition: 32.0 30.3222958057 106% => OK
Nominalization: 4.0 5.01324503311 80% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 1397.0 1373.03311258 102% => OK
No of words: 291.0 270.72406181 107% => OK
Chars per words: 4.80068728522 5.08290768461 94% => OK
Fourth root words length: 4.13022058845 4.04702891845 102% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.56836014322 2.5805825403 100% => OK
Unique words: 149.0 145.348785872 103% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.512027491409 0.540411800872 95% => More unique words wanted or less content wanted.
syllable_count: 431.1 419.366225166 103% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.5 1.55342163355 97% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 2.0 3.25607064018 61% => OK
Article: 10.0 8.23620309051 121% => OK
Subordination: 0.0 1.25165562914 0% => More adverbial clause wanted.
Conjunction: 1.0 1.51434878587 66% => OK
Preposition: 4.0 2.5761589404 155% => OK
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 11.0 13.0662251656 84% => 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: 26.0 21.2450331126 122% => The Avg. Sentence Length is relatively long.
Sentence length SD: 54.5148398933 49.2860985944 111% => OK
Chars per sentence: 127.0 110.228320801 115% => OK
Words per sentence: 26.4545454545 21.698381199 122% => OK
Discourse Markers: 7.90909090909 7.06452816374 112% => OK
Paragraphs: 4.0 4.09492273731 98% => OK
Language errors: 0.0 4.19205298013 0% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 4.0 4.33554083885 92% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 4.0 4.45695364238 90% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 3.0 4.27373068433 70% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.104722426997 0.272083759551 38% => The similarity between the topic and the content is low.
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0473533988509 0.0996497079465 48% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0580203197543 0.0662205650399 88% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.0683021472869 0.162205337803 42% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0351492244824 0.0443174109184 79% => OK
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 14.4 13.3589403974 108% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 53.55 53.8541721854 99% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 5.55761589404 158% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 12.3 11.0289183223 112% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 10.86 12.2367328918 89% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 8.56 8.42419426049 102% => OK
difficult_words: 67.0 63.6247240618 105% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 14.0 10.7273730684 131% => OK
gunning_fog: 12.4 10.498013245 118% => OK
text_standard: 9.0 11.2008830022 80% => OK
What are above readability scores?
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Rates: 68.3333333333 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 20.5 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.