Guide to spelling, punctuation and grammar

partial evidence. 
An assumption is made in the article that previous
forecasts about global warming have been proved to
be badly wrong, but no concrete examples to back up
this point are provided. The statement that the earth
has always been subject to climactic change implies
the assumption that the planet has faced similar
challenges in the past and has survived them and
yet, once again, no specific examples are given. It is
assumed that there are ‘many dissenting voices in
the scientific community’, but this is only backed up
by reference to one individual professor and ‘others’ .
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The opinions the writer quotes these ‘voices’ as
expressing are insufficiently detailed to stand up to
any close scrutiny. The example of trees emitting
carbon dioxide underlines an assumption, or, at
least an inference, that ‘zealots’ would care more
about trees than human activities.
The writer makes empty assertions about depending
on hard, scientific facts rather than fantasy, but
does not define what is meant by facts. Evidence
must be examined but not evidence that is ‘tainted
by special interest groups’. Here the writer reveals
once again his/her partial attitudes. Overall, the
predominant tone of the piece is polemical rather
than objective. In arguing for a common sense
attitude to this issue, the writer is aiming to identify
potential opponents as depending on the opposite of
common sense. Common sense is in itself a fairly
meaningless phrase in this context.
3. There is considerable evidence that global
warming is having a serious impact on the planet.
Recent ecological disasters such as the Tsunami in
South-East Asia and the major floods in the southern
states of the USA cannot just be dismissed as
arbitrary acts of nature. The increasing frequency
with which these abnormal events are taking place
demonstrates clearly that something drastic and
dangerous is happening on the planet. The vast
preponderance of scientific opinion is now weighted
towards acknowledging the serious crisis that the
planet faces unless drastic action is quickly taken.
Dissenting voices within the scientific community
are becoming fewer and fewer.
The most significant evidence supporting the case for
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drastic action is that most of the world’s nations,
large and small, now acknowledge the danger and
that something must be done quickly. The fact that
America, India and China, among other nations,
are dragging their feet about taking effective action
to reduce carbon omissions only highlights the
threat to the world. These countries are sacrificing
the future health of the planet for the sake of their
own short-term and narrow economic interests.
However, in the longer term, these nations will suffer
with the rest of the world when the full effects of
global warming impact. Droughts, floods, freak
storms and widespread famine and disease will
ultimately affect every country, whatever its size and
state of development.