Welcome to my Portfolio Project for my Level 4 Reading and Composition Class at the English Language Center at the University of Denver.

To complete this project, I have written an argument essay where I argue that we should not stop building new dams. The vocabulary section and the summary section may help you to understand this topic.

Below is a video introduction to my portfolio and list of contents.

Enjoy your reading

I. Argument Essay

II. Annotated Bibliography

III. Vocabulary Study

The Great Dams

Dams are the most important water conservancy projects in the world. In the ancient time, with the help of Dams, people are able to adjust the water system to benefit the agriculture. Nowadays dams make the water to produce electricity possible, and power thousands of cities in the world. However, The built of the three gorges dam, the biggest dam in China, is debatable, because of its side effects. People began to aware of the ecological damages casted by Dams, So a notion that human beings should stop building new dams for the sake of protecting the environment is prevailing. Nevertheless, as far as I am concerned, it is unwise to claim not to build new dams.
Dams can bring great benefits to agriculture. For thousand years, the archenemy of agriculture has been extremely drought. But the presence of dams changed the situation. Dams are able to conserve water so that people can irrigate even in extreme dry season. For example, the Aswan high dam, which locate in Egypt. This great construction conserves large quantities of water from Nile River and 80% of the water used as irrigation water. As we all know, water plays an important role in countries like Egypt, where surrounded by desert. Further more It also prevent many cities from floods near the Nile River, which also contribute to the agriculture, because farmers do not need to salvage their agricultural yields when the flood come.

Summary

summary 1

In the article “Effects of Dam Building,” the author illustrates the bad effects caused by Dam building.  He first illustrates the type of Dams such as Diversion dams, Hydroelectric dams, and Flood control dams, and then explains the functions of these dams, in order to tell readers how dams work and let readers know what exactly dams are. To support his idea, the author list all damages that caused by dams, such as Starving the River, Changing Temperatures, and Stopping Fish Migration, that dam building causes. Further more, he finally gives his opinion that although dam building will bring ecological disasters in the long term, the temporary financial benefits keep people building new dams.

Summary2

The article “China’s Three Gorges Dam: a environmental catastrophe” written by Mara Hvistendahl casts a doubt on whether the mass construction of  Three gorges Dam, Is good for this country or not. Just as the article said although The Three gorges Dam powered all the down stream of the Yangzi river, the environment disasters that it brings seems eclipse its benefits. To support his idea, the author used the Dam quake, the water displacement and the disease and drought that caused by the built of the Dam to emphasize the damage of the construction. What’s more as far as the author concerned the government oversight should be blamed to the catastrophe.