Summarize Written Text Sample for PTE: Digital Currency in the Sharing Economy

The Pearson Test of English (PTE) is one of the most popular English proficiency tests worldwide, particularly for studying abroad or immigration purposes. Among the multiple sections, “Summarize Written Text” in the Speaking and Writing part is considered quite challenging due to its high demand for language proficiency and logical reasoning. In this post, we’ll dive into a specific topic that is gaining significant relevance lately — Digital Currency In The Sharing Economy — and provide sample Summarize Written Text questions, including band-specific responses for your practice.

Summarize Written Text in the PTE Speaking & Writing Section

The “Summarize Written Text” (SWT) task requires test-takers to summarize a given text into one sentence using no more than 75 words. This task assesses your ability to understand, summarize, and paraphrase key ideas, which makes it a key component of the Speaking and Writing section. The text might come from various fields, such as economics, science, technology, history, and more.

As the global economy is being reshaped by innovations like digital currency and collaborative consumption, understanding and using this terminology is increasingly important. So let’s move forward to the sample task on “Digital currency in the sharing economy.”

Sample Task: Digital Currency in the Sharing Economy

Question:

Read the passage and summarize it in one sentence. Your response should be no more than 75 words.

The rise of digital currencies like Bitcoin has introduced new functions in the sharing economy. Traditionally, platforms like Uber, Airbnb, and TaskRabbit depend on traditional payment options like credit cards and bank transfers. With digital currency, however, these platforms can reduce transaction fees and offer quicker, borderless payments, benefiting both users and providers. Nonetheless, digital currencies remain controversial due to decentralization and regulatory concerns, which can affect their widespread adoption, despite the operational advantages they provide.

Sample Responses

Band 90 Response:

The integration of digital currencies in the sharing economy offers reduced transaction fees and faster payments compared to traditional methods, but issues related to decentralization and regulation hinder widespread adoption.

Analysis:

• Content: Excellent summary of key ideas, concise but hits upon all essential points of the text (digital currency benefits, decentralization issues, regulatory concerns).
• Form: Exactly one sentence within the word limit.
• Grammar: Flawless sentence structure with a complex but clear sentence.
• Vocabulary: High-level vocabulary used appropriately (“integration,” “adoption”).
• Spelling: No errors.

Band 80 Response:

Digital currency offers a solution to reduce transaction costs and speed up payments in the sharing economy, but regulatory and decentralization issues still present barriers to its adoption.

Analysis:

• Content: Good summarization, manages to get across most of the key ideas but does not emphasize the operational advantages as clearly as the Band 90 response.
• Form: One sentence, well within the word limit.
• Grammar: Correct, but slightly simpler sentence structure.
• Vocabulary: Appropriate, though less complex than Band 90.
• Spelling: No issues detected.

Band 70 Response:

The introduction of digital currency cuts transaction costs and speeds up payments in the sharing economy, though it faces regulatory and adoption issues.

Analysis:

• Content: Covers the more general points but does not fully elaborate on decentralization and its importance.
• Form: One clear sentence.
• Grammar: Minor issues with sentence clarity due to word choice (“though” could be clearer as “despite”).
• Vocabulary: Sufficient but lacks more advanced terms.
• Spelling: No problems.

Band 60 Response:

Digital currency helps reduce costs and speed up payments in the sharing economy, but it has some issues with regulation.

Analysis:

• Content: Misses some key points such as decentralization and the global nature of digital currency advantages.
• Form: One sentence but overly simplified.
• Grammar: Correct grammar, though overly simplistic.
• Vocabulary: Very basic vocabulary that doesn’t convey key nuances of the topic.
• Spelling: Perfect.

Band 50 Response:

Sharing economy benefits from digital currency but has issues with regulations and costs.

Analysis:

• Content: Significant content points missing, such as faster payments or decentralization.
• Form: One sentence but too short and lacking clarity.
• Grammar: Simple but impacts the clarity of the overall meaning.
• Vocabulary: Very basic, doesn’t fully use advanced language.
• Spelling: No errors.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Here are some important vocabulary words from the passage that you should understand:

1. Decentralization /diːˌsentrəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/: The distribution of power away from a central authority.

   • Example: Digital currencies like Bitcoin operate on decentralized networks.

2. Transaction fee /trænˈzækʃən.fiː/: Charges applied when money is transferred.

   • Example: Digital currencies can help eliminate high transaction fees.

3. Borderless /ˈbɔːrdərlɪs/: Without borders, often referring to financial payments that can occur globally.

   • Example: Bitcoin enables borderless transactions without the need for bank intermediaries.

4. Regulatory /ˈrɛɡjʊlətɔːri/: Relating to laws and rules governing an activity.

   • Example: Governments are still debating how to approach the regulatory aspects of cryptocurrency.

5. Widespread adoption /ˈwaɪdspred əˈdɑːpʃ(ə)n/: The act of being accepted and used by a large number of people.

   • Example: The widespread adoption of digital currencies faces regulatory challenges.

6. Operational /ˌɒpəˈreɪʃənəl/: Relating to the methods and practices used to conduct activities.

   • Example: The operational advantages of cryptocurrencies include faster payment processing.

7. Platforms /ˈplæt.fɔːrm/: Software or services used to connect users, often marketplaces or sharing platforms.

   • Example: Platforms like Uber benefit from digital currency integration.

8. Advantages /ədˈvɑːn.tɪ.dʒɪz/: Factors that put one in a better position.

   • Example: The advantages of using digital currency include lower fees and faster transactions.

9. Adoption /əˈdɒp.ʃən/: The act of starting to use something new or effective.

   • Example: The adoption of blockchain technology has sparked financial innovation.

10. Controversial /ˌkɒn.trəˈvɜː.ʃəl/: Causing disagreement or debate.

    • Example: Cryptocurrencies remain controversial due to their association with unregulated markets.

Conclusion

Mastering the “Summarize Written Text” task in the PTE requires not just understanding the main ideas of the passage but also condensing them effectively into a single sentence that captures the essence. Digital currency and its role in reshaping the sharing economy, while still a complex and controversial topic, presents a relevant example of the types of passages that might appear in your PTE exam.

By continually practicing different passages, such as the sample provided, and paying attention to how responses are evaluated, you will improve your chances of scoring well on this task. Practice is key—feel free to share your answers or questions in the comments below!