Power Outage
Last Sunday, a newly-opened stationery store
was doing a buy-one-get-one-free promotion. Anyone
who bought more than three books was also eligible to get a raffle ticket. Due to these two incentives, the cramped shop was packed with customers, most
of whom were high school students selecting
their new reference books. When the clock struck 6 p.m., however, the lights dimmed and then suddenly went off, plunging the store into pitch darkness. Utterly confused by this unexpected
incident, some customers panicked, scurrying
about from
aisle to aisle. Others were
petrified and began stampeding
towards the exit, screaming and cursing. Still others were trying to remain composed, wondering if the Taichung
coal-fired power
plant was shut down again. Chaotic as the situation was, a poker-faced clerk nonchalant to the power cut turned on the flashlight on her iPhone 13 and
continued processing customer transactions. Her colleagues guided the distraught people through a
narrow pathway to the nearest exit. The
stationery store did not reopen until Taiwan Power Company resumed power supplies following several
hours of blackouts nationwide. In
spite of no injuries reported, the store suffered considerable financial loss.
In fact, the
above scenario is by no means a rare event. Due to an ongoing energy
crisis and limitations of renewable energy, Taiwan has been suffering sporadic blackouts over the
past few decades. Nevertheless, we could adopt three approaches
to dealing with this urgent problem. For instance, parents, together with teachers, are
responsible for instilling the idea of energy conservation into children, reminding them to switch
off the power after use. Schools, on the other hand, can launch a campaign for an environmentally sustainable
lifestyle. In addition, our government should consider increasing utilities bills by 2 percent in
order to minimize the unnecessary waste
of natural resources. Last but not least, we should restart construction on the
mothballed Fourth Nuclear
Power Plant to ensure stabilized power supplies despite the safety concerns
over the radioactive
waste and nuclear
meltdowns. Honestly speaking, the cabinet needs to reevaluate its contentious policy of phasing out nuclear power by
2025. After all, nuclear power makes a significant contribution to electricity
generation, providing approximately 10% of electricity
supply in Taiwan. Despite the interruption of electric power supply, these three strategies
might help our country move towards a brighter future with abundant energy available
to everyone.
Overall, the essay is well-written with good language flow, grammar, and coherence. The writer has effectively described a scenario and presented a possible solution to a larger problem. However, there are some areas for improvement in terms of sentence structure and analysis.
ReplyDeleteThe essay presents a clear introduction, a detailed account of the incident, and a concluding section that offers potential solutions. The language is generally well-structured, with appropriate vocabulary and a good use of transitions. However, some sentences are overly complex and could be simplified to improve readability. Additionally, the use of contractions could be avoided in more formal writing.
The writer's analysis of the problem and possible solutions is reasonable. The proposed strategies are practical and relevant, and the writer has provided some evidence to support their arguments. However, the essay could benefit from more in-depth analysis and research. For example, the benefits and drawbacks of nuclear power could be discussed more extensively, and more evidence could be provided to support the argument for increasing utilities bills.
In terms of grade, I would give this essay a score of 24 out of 30. The essay is well-written and presents a clear argument, but there is room for improvement in sentence structure and analysis.