In the PTE Academic test, Summarize Written Text is a part of the Speaking & Writing section. This task assesses your ability to read and extract key information from a given passage and condense it into a single sentence summary. “Space exploration’s contribution to science” is a relevant and ever-popular topic that often appears in PTE exam questions, given its global importance and the vast amount of information it encapsulates.
In this article, we will provide practice questions on the topic, offer example answers with different scoring bands, and analyze the answers in detail to help you gain a better understanding of the evaluation criteria.
Example Practice Question: Space Exploration’s Role in Scientific Advancement
Task requirement:
Read the passage below and summarize it in one sentence using 5-75 words.
Space exploration has continuously advanced scientific knowledge by contributing to several vital fields, including physics, chemistry, and biology. The development of satellite technology has revolutionized telecommunications and weather forecasting, allowing scientists to predict natural disasters more accurately. Similarly, space research has led to innovations in medicine such as the advancement of medical imaging technologies, initially developed to monitor astronauts’ health. Furthermore, studying extraterrestrial environments challenges scientists to develop new materials and processes that directly benefit industries on Earth, from agriculture to construction. Overall, space exploration has provided endless opportunities to enhance scientific understanding and improve life on Earth.
Task instruction:
Your response must contain an accurate summary of the text. Write only one sentence between 5 to 75 words.
Example Answers and Analysis:
High-Scoring Answer (Band 79-90):
Space exploration has significantly contributed to scientific knowledge in fields such as physics, medicine, and materials science, leading to innovations benefiting telecommunications, disaster prediction, medical imaging, and various industries on Earth.
- Content: Fully captures the key points from the passage, including various fields like physics and practical applications such as telecommunications and medicine.
- Form: One sentence between 5-75 words.
- Grammar: The sentence structure is complex but correct.
- Vocabulary: Appropriate academic vocabulary including “contributed,” “innovations,” and “materials science.”
- Spelling: No spelling errors.
Space exploration contribution to technology and industries
Mid-Scoring Answer (Band 65-78):
Space exploration has helped scientists in fields like medicine and telecommunications while benefiting other Earth industries.
- Content: Covers the main points but is more generalized and lacks some nuance related to specific innovations like medical imaging or natural disaster prediction.
- Form: Meets the word limit and presents the idea in one sentence.
- Grammar: Grammatically correct but uses a simpler structure.
- Vocabulary: Sufficient, but less varied compared to the high-scoring answer.
- Spelling: No errors.
Low-Scoring Answer (Band 50-64):
Space exploration has helped in industries like medicine and telecommunications and continues to benefit Earth.
- Content: Lacks detail and omits specific contributions related to fields like physics and materials science.
- Form: Falls within the word limit but is vague.
- Grammar: Basic sentence structure; lacks complexity.
- Vocabulary: Limited vocabulary.
- Spelling: No errors.
Innovations from space exploration benefiting various Earth industries
Very Low-Scoring Answer (Band 30-49):
Space exploration is important in medicine and other industries helping Earth grow.
- Content: Extremely vague and incomplete; misses essential points about specific scientific contributions and sectors.
- Form: One sentence but too simplistic.
- Grammar: Basic and somewhat awkward sentence construction.
- Vocabulary: Inappropriate use of “helping Earth grow,” and lacks academic language.
- Spelling: No errors.
Key Vocabulary from the Passage
Below are 10 key vocabulary words from the passage, along with definitions, phonetic pronunciation, and sample sentences:
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Revolutionized /ˌrɛv.əˌluː.ʃə.naɪzd/ (v.) – To completely change something so that it is much better.
- The invention of satellites revolutionized global communication systems.
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Telecommunications /ˌtɛl.ɪ.kəˌmjuː.nɪˈkeɪ.ʃənz/ (n.) – The technology of sending signals over long distances via satellite or other means.
- Telecommunications has greatly evolved thanks to space technology.
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Medical imaging /ˈmɛdɪkəl ˈɪmɪʤɪŋ/ (n.) – Techniques used to view the inside of the body for medical analysis.
- Medical imaging benefits from technology first used in space exploration.
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Astronauts /ˈæs.trəˌnɔːts/ (n.) – People trained to travel in a spacecraft.
- Medical advancements were initially designed to monitor astronauts in space.
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Extraterrestrial /ˌɛk.strə.təˈrɛs.tri.əl/ (adj.) – Existing, occurring, or originating outside Earth.
- Studying extraterrestrial environments has led to advancements in material sciences.
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Innovations /ˌɪn.əˈveɪ.ʃənz/ (n.) – New methods, ideas, or products that bring improvements.
- Innovations created for space exploration now benefit everyday technology.
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Predict /prɪˈdɪkt/ (v.) – To forecast something that will happen in the future.
- Satellites have helped scientists predict natural disasters with greater accuracy.
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Advancement /ədˈvɑːns.mənt/ (n.) – The process of promoting or increasing development in an area.
- The advancement of physics is a result of space research.
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Materials science /məˈtɪər.i.əlz ˈsaɪəns/ (n.) – The study of the properties of materials and how they can be used in technology and engineering.
- Material sciences benefit from research done in microgravity environments.
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Benefiting /ˈbenɪfɪtɪŋ/ (v.) – Receiving advantages or improvements from something.
- Space exploration is directly benefiting multiple industries on Earth.
Key vocabulary related to space exploration advancements
Conclusion
Summarize Written Text is a challenging yet comprehensive part of the PTE Speaking & Writing section. Space exploration is a frequent topic, focusing on the scientific advancements it has brought into different fields. Through these practice examples, you can clearly see how different response qualities are assessed and improve your ability to summarize effectively. Keep practicing similar topics, pay close attention to the feedback on your writing, and leave a comment below if you have any questions or would like more practice materials!
