Globalisation - Good news or bad? (sample article for proficiency exam)

Globalisation is a process of international integration, arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas and other cultural aspects. Though some scholars place its origins in the Age of Discoveries, it wasn't until the 80's that the term was coined and popularised. Since then, globalisation has come a long way and has adopted several forms shapes: trade and transactions, capital and investment movements, migrations, dissemination of knowledge... and the internet has had played a crucial role in this evolution. But in the cold light of day, is it all positive?  

 [Shapes generally refers to concrete objects.  Bodies come in many shapes.  Forms generally refers to more abstract ideas, as in Plato's forms.  Dance and music come in many forms.  I think "to play a role" sounds better.]

Many transnational corporations have become more powerful than even national governments, and they have no qualms about either exploiting workers in some underdeveloped countries, or repeatedly violating Kyoto Protocol's directives. On the other hand, there are certain cultures and ethnic groups which are disappearing, assimilated by unstoppable technological progress, deforestation, bilingualism, and other forms of colonization. If it that were not enough, as the living standarts rise, people become greedier and more materialistic "the more they have , the more they want", and many countries often have to deal with political corruption and other issues caused by it. Therefore, there's something rotten in our apparently idyllic "global village".

[...about either exploiting ... or violating...]

The way I see it, globalisation has its own pros and cons. It can be related to the progress of human society and welfare, but it should be taken with a pinch (o grain = <em>grano</em>) of salt. We can see Starbucks cafes around Tiananmen Square in Beijing, people wearing Tommy Hilfiger's sweatshirts on the streets of Moscow, we can and people ordering a coca-cola in Cape Town; yet there are still intense inequalities between regions in our world. Globalisation should be a tool to reduce them, not one to make the gap between the rich and the poor larger, as it often happens. At the same time, cultures and languages should be preserved because they are a sign of the individuality and diversity that defines our planet.

["The way I see it,"  sounds very informal in contract to the formality of tone of your essay.  It might sound more consistent to say "In my opinion,".]

Great job, as usual. Your brilliance comes in many forms!