GMAT Essays (AWA)

I have a lot of students who need practice writing in English. I am considering making exercises like the one below, based on AWA topics. The task is to decide which of the options given (is/are) appropriate. I would appreciate your feedback!

"It is unrealistic to expect individual nations to make, independently, the sacrifices necessary to conserve energy. International leadership and worldwide cooperation are essential if we expect to protect the world's energy resources for future generations."

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.


Only twenty years ago, the world seemed to have a limitless supply of energy in the form of vast stores of

coal, oil, and natural gas. (Although/However), the population of the world has (multiplied/doubled) since

then and the countries of the Third World are (developing/developing themselves) quickly. (As a result,

Consequently), the demand (in/for) cars and electrical applicances (such as/as) refrigerators and washing

machines (have/has) (raised quickly/soared), putting a (stress/pressure/strain) on the earth's energy

resources. People are beginning to(wonder/doubt) that there will be (no/any) energy (remained/left) for

future generations.


Some countries have (taken/made) measures to conserve energy and are (inverting/investing) in

renewable alternatives to oil and coal. (A little/Little) can be done, unfortunately, by just (a few/few)

countries: the world will run (out of/off) energy before long unless nations (commit/would commit)

themselves to (working/work) together to come (into/up with) ways to save energy and rely less (on/with)

polluting fossil fuels. (No/Not) one country, however powerful or resourceful, can be (expected/hoped) to

conserve enough energy to deal singlehandedly with what is (controversially/arguably) the biggest threat

(to/for) the survival of modern civilization: that one day we might wake up to find, (for/to) our dismay, that

the lights have gone out for (good/the time being).


It is (sure/true) that the developed countries of Europe and the United States (account for/account) nearly

three quarters of the world's consumption of energy. This statistic (carries/leads) many people to believe

that simply by cutting (off/down on) leisure and business travel and turning (down/off) the air conditioner to

26º, we can save (enough energy/energy enough) to (guarantee/ensure/secure) that the world's supplies

of energy will (last/take) forever. (Anything/Nothing) could be further from the truth.


For (one thing/start), the world is consuming (far too much/ a lot too much) energy. (Even if/Although)

we wealthy nations achieved/succeeded/managed) to (decline/cut/diminish) the rate (at which/that) we

exhaust our energy supplies by 10% , we (will/would) (yet/still) (put off/postpone) a few years the day

(when/at which) we have to go back to (use/using) candles for light and horses for transportation. To

make matters worse, any reduction (in/for) energy use will be more than (offset/weighed against) by the

spectacular (rise/increase) in energy consumption as millions of Asians and Africans acquire refrigerators

and air-conditioners, (do not/ not to) mention cars.


Of course, the world's poor can (hardly/at all) be (blamed/forgiven) for aspiring (at/to) the lifestyle that

Americans and Europeans (are/have been) enjoying for (some/roughly) 40 years now. I am convinced,

therefore, that (no/any) amount of worldwide conservation, would (prevent/avoid) the world's supplies of

coal and oil from disappearing. Our only hope is that companies will have the foresight and expertise to

develop renewable sources of energy that are (equally/just) as economical and (countable/reliable) as

fossil fuels. Governments around the world should reconsider the wisdom of energy conservation efforts,

(that/which) are (ultimately/at the end) futile, and instead concentrate (in/on)

(paying/funding/fostering/promoting/encouraging) research in (whatever/any) ideas that (would/might/have

to) break our dependence on fossil fuels.