PTE Academic Practice Tests Plus (p. 26)
PTE Academic Writing Test 5
Summarize the written text.
Read the passage below and summarize it using one sentence. Type your response in the box at the bottom of the screen. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points in the passage.
With all the discussions about protecting the earth and saving the planet. It is easy to forget that we also need to preserve the many species of fish that live in the oceans. In developed countries, much larger quantities of fish are consumed than was the case a century ago when fish only featured on the menu once a week. These days, fish has become a popular healthy alternative to meat and this has created a demand for species such as cod, mackerel and tuna that far outstrips the demands of the previous generation. Throughout the world too, increasing consumption during the past 30 years has meant that the shallow parts of the ocean have been overfished in an effort to supply homes, shops and restaurants with the quantities of fish that they require. Yet despite the sophisticated fishing techniques of today, catches are smaller than they were a century or more ago. What is more, boats are having to drop their nets much deeper into the oceans and the fish they are coming up with are smaller and weigh less than they used to. While government controls have had some effect on fish stocks, the future does not offer a promising picture. Experts predict large-scale extinctions and an irreversibly damaging effect on entire ecosystems, unless greater efforts are made to conserve fish stocks and prevent overfishing in the world’s waters.
Model Answer:
The increasing demand for fish, particularly in developed countries (point 1), and the rapidly declining fish stocks in the world’s oceans because of overfishing to meet demand (point 2), should be of concern to governments (point 3), who need to do more to protect the earth and its ecosystems, and avoid unnecessary species extinction (point 4).
The provided bar chart illustrates the frequency at which individuals in the United States consumed fast food between the years 2003 and 2013. The data is summarized as follows:
In 2003, a relatively small proportion of Americans (less than 5%) reported eating fast food every day. This percentage remained relatively stable in 2006 and 2013, at around 4% and 3% respectively.
The data also reveal that the number of people consuming fast food several times a week increased significantly over the years. In 2003, nearly 12% of Americans fell into this category, which rose to approximately 20% in 2006 and then declined slightly to almost 11% in 2013.
For those who ate fast food once a week, the figures showed a similar pattern. Roughly 31% reported this frequency in 2003, followed by an increase to almost 33% in 2006, and a slight decrease to nearly 28% in 2013.
Interestingly, the percentage of people consuming fast food once or twice a month fluctuated. It stood at 30% in 2003, decreased to 25% in 2006, and then rose to almost 33% in 2013.
For individuals who ate fast food a few times a year, the data indicated a slight increase from 13% in 2003 to 15% in both 2006 and 2013.
Finally, there was a small group who claimed to never eat fast food. Approximately 5% fell into this category in 2003, and this figure decreased to nearly 4% in both 2006 and 2013.
In summary, the data demonstrate various trends in fast food consumption in the United States over the period from 2003 to 2013. While the proportion of individuals eating fast food every day remained relatively constant, there were notable changes in the frequency of consumption in other categories, indicating shifts in people’s eating habits over time.