Sample Question 1: Economic Viability of Seaweed Farming
Seaweed farming has become an increasingly popular source of income in many coastal communities worldwide. This natural resource not only addresses economic aspirations by offering employment opportunities but also contributes to environmental benefits, such as carbon sequestration and water filtration. Seaweed farming, considered eco-friendly, requires minimum resource input and is regarded as a sustainable industry compared to conventional farming. According to recent studies, seaweed can greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while creating biofuels and improving soil quality. Furthermore, seaweed farming boosts the local economy by integrating aquaculture into broader economic activities, helping alleviate poverty and ensuring global food security.
Summarize the text in one sentence.
Example answers by score level:
90-100 Band
Seaweed farming is an emerging sustainable industry that not only provides economic benefits such as job creation and poverty alleviation for coastal communities but also offers significant environmental improvements like controlling greenhouse gases and bolstering food security.
80-89 Band
Seaweed farming offers both economic and environmental benefits, such as job creation and carbon sequestration, making it an eco-friendly and sustainable industry.
65-79 Band
Seaweed farming can help the economy and the environment and is a sustainable industry.
50-64 Band
Seaweed farming is good for jobs, biofuels, and fighting poverty.
Analysis of responses:
- Content: The top-tier responses (90-100) cover the core economic and environmental benefits comprehensively, while lower bands tend to miss out on some aspects, such as biofuel production and poverty alleviation.
- Form: All examples adhere to the one-sentence rule (5-75 words). Higher band answers efficiently use complex sentences.
- Grammar: Higher band answers demonstrate excellent command of grammar, e.g., proper clauses, while lower band answers might lack sentence variety.
- Vocabulary: Advanced vocabulary like “sequestration”, “greenhouse gases”, and “sustainable industry” appear in higher-scoring responses, showing a better understanding of the text.
- Spelling: No spelling errors detected in any responses.
Sample Question 2: Seaweed Farming’s Role in Global Supply Chains
Seaweed farming has become a significant contributor to the global supply chain, as it provides raw materials for various industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. The seaweed farming process is environmentally friendly and highly scalable, allowing it to be adapted in diverse geographic regions. Its uses extend beyond food production, helping meet the demand for sustainable products in growing industries. Moreover, seaweed farming supports efforts to combat climate change as it absorbs large amounts of CO2, contributing to coastal protection and marine biodiversity. Innovations in farming techniques and seaweed-based products have further boosted its commercial success, making it an integral part of the green economy.
Summarize the text in one sentence.
Example answers by score level:
90-100 Band
Seaweed farming plays a crucial role in the global supply chain by providing sustainable raw materials for industries like pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics, while also addressing environmental challenges such as climate change and promoting coastal protection.
80-89 Band
Seaweed farming is essential for many industries, including pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, offering sustainability and helping with climate change.
65-79 Band
Seaweed farming creates important materials for industries and helps fight climate change.
50-64 Band
Seaweed farming helps many industries and the environment.
Analysis of responses:
- Content: Top-level answers (90-100) fully address both the environmental and industrial impact of seaweed farming, while lower tiers miss several key aspects such as scalability and innovation.
- Form: Each band sticks to one sentence while the high scores integrate multiple clauses naturally.
- Grammar: Sophisticated grammar structures in the top scores showcase variety, whereas mid-tier answers use simpler structures.
- Vocabulary: Higher scoring responses employ industry-specific language like “pharmaceuticals”, “biodiversity”, and “scalable”, while lower bands rely on more generalized vocabulary.
- Spelling: No spelling errors detected.
Vocabulary Section
Here’s a list of advanced vocabulary that appeared across the questions, along with their meanings and examples:
- Sequestration /ˌsiːkwəˈstreɪʃən/ (n.): the action of removing something from circulation or use, e.g., “Seaweed plays a major role in carbon sequestration.”
- Aquaculture /ˈæk.wə.kʌl.tʃər/ (n.): the farming of aquatic organisms, e.g., “Aquaculture, including seaweed farming, aids in sustaining coastal economies.”
- Sustainable /səˈsteɪ.nə.bəl/ (adj.): able to be maintained, e.g., “Seaweed farming is deemed highly sustainable.”
- Biofuels /ˈbaɪəʊ.fjuːlz/ (n.): fuels made from natural, renewable sources, e.g., “Seaweed is a vital ingredient in the production of biofuels.”
- Biodiversity /ˌbaɪəʊ.daɪˈvɜːsɪti/ (n.): the variety of species in a specific region, e.g., “The proliferation of seaweed boosts marine biodiversity.”
- Scalable /ˈskeɪ.lə.bl̩/ (adj.): capable of being expanded or adapted, e.g., “Seaweed farming processes are highly scalable.”
- Climate change /ˈklaɪ.mət tʃeɪndʒ/ (n.): the alteration of global climate patterns, e.g., “Seaweed helps mitigate climate change by absorbing CO2.”
- Coastal protection /ˈkoʊ.stəl prəˈtɛk.ʃən/ (n.): efforts to preserve coastlines from erosion, e.g., “Seaweed farming enhances coastal protection.”
- Raw materials /rɔː məˈtɪriəlz/ (n.): the basic materials used to produce goods, e.g., “Seaweed serves as a raw material for multiple industries.”
- Green economy /ɡriːn ɪˈkɒn.ə.mi/ (n.): an economy aiming to reduce environmental risks, e.g., “Seaweed farms are pillars of the rising green economy.”
Conclusion
The concept of “The Economic Potential of Seaweed Farming” is not just a theoretical discussion but also a prominent topic in the PTE exam, especially in the Summarize Written Text section. With its growing real-world relevance, it’s highly likely to appear as part of standardized test content. To master this task, students should practice consistently, focusing on delivering clear, concise, and comprehensive summaries.
Feel free to leave any questions or comments below for guidance and further practice!
