The Summarize Written Text task in the PTE exam, belonging to the Speaking & Writing section, is crucial for candidates aiming to showcase their skills in paraphrasing, summarizing, and concisely presenting information. This test measures your ability to understand a written passage and create a short summary that delivers essential points within a single sentence. Among the various themes that appear in this task, environmental topics such as sustainable farming practices for climate resilience are becoming increasingly common due to rising global concerns about climate change.
In this article, we will explore this important topic by providing a model Summarize Written Text prompt, sample answers for different score bands, and in-depth analysis based on PTE scoring criteria. We will also highlight key vocabulary that can help improve your overall score.
Sample Summarize Written Text Prompt
Below is a sample Summarize Written Text prompt based on the topic of sustainable farming practices and their influence on climate resilience.
Agriculture plays a crucial role in both contributing to and being impacted by climate change. In recent years, sustainable farming practices have gained attention for their potential to enhance resilience against adverse weather conditions and environmental degradation. These practices, such as crop rotation, agroforestry, and organic farming, aim to reduce dependence on harmful chemicals and increase biodiversity, leading to healthier soils and more stable food production systems. Additionally, sustainable techniques contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, supporting global efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Countries most affected by climate change, including drought-prone regions in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, have seen noticeable improvements in food security when implementing sustainable practices. By promoting carbon sequestration, preventing erosion, and improving soil water retention, sustainable farming not only improves yields but also ensures long-term environmental sustainability.
Summarize the paragraph in one sentence.
Suggested Answers for Different Score Bands
Band 90 (High Scoring Response)
Through practices like crop rotation and agroforestry, sustainable farming reduces environmental harm, increases biodiversity, and promotes food security while combating climate change by sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Content: Fully captures all relevant aspects, including biodiversity, food security, climate change, and specific sustainable practices.
Form: Fits within the word limit and presents one complete, grammatically correct sentence.
Grammar: Flawless use of complex structures and perfect verb agreement.
Vocabulary: Advanced selection of terms such as “sequestering,” “biodiversity,” and “greenhouse gas emissions.”
Spelling: No errors.
Band 75 (Above Average Response)
Sustainable farming methods, like crop rotation and organic farming, help reduce harmful emissions, improve food security, and make agriculture more resilient to climate change.
Content: Captures most relevant details but lacks mention of carbon sequestration and soil benefits.
Form: Maintains one grammatical sentence and fits within the word count.
Grammar: Generally accurate, though less complexity in sentence structure.
Vocabulary: Some advanced vocabulary; however, simpler word choices like “harmful emissions” limit precision.
Spelling: No errors.
Band 65 (Average Response)
Sustainable farming practices improve food security and fight climate change through methods like crop rotation and reducing the use of chemicals.
Content: Misses key points such as biodiversity and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Form: Complies with the word count and presents one sentence.
Grammar: Mostly correct but lacks advanced construction.
Vocabulary: Simplistic vocabulary (“fight” climate change) limits the overall impact.
Spelling: No errors.
Band 50 (Below Average Response)
Sustainable farming is needed because it helps protect the environment and make sure there is enough food in the future.
Content: General understanding, but many essential details and specifics are missing.
Form: Word count is acceptable, but the sentence is too vague.
Grammar: Simplistic sentence structure with minimal complexity.
Vocabulary: Lacks advanced word choices and uses conversational language (“make sure”).
Spelling: No errors.
Vocabulary and Grammar Breakdown
Here is a list of 10 essential vocabulary items that can elevate your response on topics related to sustainable farming:
-
Biodiversity /ˌbaɪ.əʊ.daɪˈvɜr.sɪ.ti/ (n.): Variety of plant and animal species in an environment.
Example: Increasing biodiversity helps maintain ecological balance. -
Resilience /rɪˈzɪl.jəns/ (n.): The ability to recover quickly from difficulties.
Example: Sustainable farming enhances climate resilience of food systems. -
Carbon Sequestration /ˈkɑːr.bən ˌsiː.kwɪˈstreɪ.ʃən/ (n.): The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Example: Trees in agroforestry systems aid in carbon sequestration. -
Agroforestry /ˌæɡ.roʊˈfɒr.ɪ.stri/ (n.): Integrating trees and shrubs into farming systems.
Example: Agroforestry improves soil quality and crop yield stability. -
Crop Rotation /krɒp roʊˈteɪ.ʃən/ (n.): The practice of growing different types of crops in the same area across different seasons or years.
Example: Crop rotation reduces soil depletion and controls pest growth. -
Erosion /ɪˈrəʊ.ʒən/ (n.): The process of gradually being worn away.
Example: Sustainable farming methods prevent soil erosion. -
Greenhouse Gas Emissions /ˈɡriːn.haʊs ɡæs ɪˈmɪʃ.ənz/ (n. pl.): Gases like CO2 that trap heat in the atmosphere.
Example: Organic farming can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. -
Adverse /ædˈvɜːs/ (adj.): Preventing success or development; harmful.
Example: Adverse weather conditions prompted a shift to sustainable agriculture. -
Mitigate /ˈmɪt.ɪ.ɡeɪt/ (v.): To make less severe, serious, or painful.
Example: Farmers adopt sustainable techniques to mitigate the effects of drought. -
Organic Farming /ɔːˈɡæn.ɪk ˈfɑː.mɪŋ/ (n.): Agriculture without the use of synthetic inputs like pesticides and fertilizers.
Example: Organic farming promotes long-term agricultural sustainability.
Conclusion
Summarizing written texts in PTE requires practice, focus, and clear understanding of the passage. Topics like sustainable farming practices for climate resilience are increasingly prominent in global discourse and thus appear often in language tests like PTE. As demonstrated above, crafting a high-scoring response is more than just condensing information; it requires selecting key points, maintaining correct grammatical form, and using advanced vocabulary. We encourage students to practice regularly and familiarize themselves with environmental and climate change topics to improve their chances of success in the exam. Let us know if you have any questions or experiences by commenting below!
