Summarize Written Text in PTE: Public Health Funding And Priorities

In the PTE Academic exam, Summarize Written Text (SWT) is a key section under the Speaking and Writing module that challenges candidates to summarize paragraphs in a single sentence. Public Health Funding And Priorities is a relevant and common topic that appears frequently in PTE examinations. Let’s explore a detailed Summarize Written Text sample based on public health funding and policies to help you prepare.

Sample Summarize Written Text Task on “Public Health Funding And Priorities”

In this section, we will provide a task prompt and multiple answer examples to understand various score bands. The topic of focus will be “Public Health Funding and Priorities”, allowing you to practice key vocabulary and sentence structuring skills necessary for the PTE exam.

Task Prompt:

The provision of public health services is being increasingly prioritized in national budgets, especially in regions that face chronic health issues caused by poverty and poor access to necessary care. Despite clear evidence that investing in public health reduces long-term medical expenses, some governments allocate more resources to other sectors like national defense or infrastructure, treating health as a secondary concern. Moreover, within public health policies, there’s often an imbalance in funding distribution, with more attention given to diseases that garner international attention but less investment in long-term infrastructure improvements such as building hospitals and training healthcare professionals. Summarize the paragraph in one sentence.

Answer Samples:

Band 90:

Public health funding, while crucial for reducing long-term healthcare costs, is often deprioritized in favor of other sectors, leading to imbalanced distribution of resources and underfunding of critical long-term infrastructure.
Analysis:

• Content: Fully covers the main message and key points of the text.
• Form: Correct word count within the allowed limits (5-75 words).
• Grammar: Excellent sentence structure with no errors.
• Vocabulary: Strong use of relevant terms like “deprioritized” and “underfunding”.
• Spelling: No errors in spelling, fully precise and correct.

Band 80:

Although public health is essential for lowering long-term medical costs, many governments prioritize sectors like defense, leading to insufficient allocation towards lasting health infrastructure like hospitals.
Analysis:

• Content: Addresses most of the key points well.
• Form: Appropriate use of single sentence; word count is correct.
• Grammar: Strong grammar but slightly less complex sentence structure than a Band 90 answer.
• Vocabulary: Good use of key terms, but less nuanced than the Band 90 response.
• Spelling: No errors in spelling.

Band 70:

Some governments prioritize other sectors over public health, despite its potential to reduce long-term costs, resulting in poor funding for hospitals and professionals.
Analysis:

• Content: Covers the essence but doesn’t fully elaborate on the resource distribution point.
• Form: Correct sentence length and structure.
• Grammar: Simple but grammatically sound.
• Vocabulary: Basic vocabulary with limited sophistication.
• Spelling: No spelling mistakes.

Band 60:

Governments do not give enough funding to public health because they focus on other areas like defense.
Analysis:

• Content: Simplified summary; misses details about infrastructure and cost savings.
• Form: Correct word count, though less complexity.
• Grammar: An acceptable level of correctness.
• Vocabulary: Limited usage of advanced terminology.
• Spelling: Spelling is correct.

Band 50:

Governments do not spend enough money on public health because they spend it on different things.
Analysis:

• Content: Misses key points like long-term costs and infrastructure.
• Form: Correct sentence form, though overly simplified structure.
• Grammar: Basic grammar without significant errors.
• Vocabulary: Very basic vocabulary, no use of topic-specific language.
• Spelling: No errors.

Vocabulary and Grammar for Public Health Funding And Priorities

Here are 10 key terms from the topic for expanding your vocabulary:

1. Chronic /ˈkrɒnɪk/ (adj.) – Long-lasting, typically in reference to an illness.
   Example: Chronic health conditions often require sustained investment in healthcare services.

2. Prioritize /praɪˈɒrətaɪz/ (v.) – To arrange or deal with in order of importance.
   Example: Governments should prioritize public health to reduce long-term medical expenses.

3. Infrastructure /ˈɪnfrəstrʌktʃə/ (n.) – Fundamental facilities and systems for an economy.
   Example: Investment in healthcare infrastructure is necessary for long-term improvements.

4. Resource allocation /rɪˈsɔːs ˌæləˈkeɪʃən/ (n.) – Distribution of available assets.
   Example: Imbalanced resource allocation can leave critical healthcare services underfunded.

5. Underfunding /ʌndəˈfʌndɪŋ/ (v.) – Providing insufficient funds.
   Example: Many public health sectors suffer from underfunding, resulting in poor services.

6. Healthcare professionals /ˈhɛlθˌkɛr prəˈfɛʃənəlz/ (n.) – Individuals trained to provide health services.
   Example: Training more healthcare professionals is vital to improving public health outcomes.

7. Budget /ˈbʌdʒɪt/ (n.) – An estimate of income and expenditure for a set period.
   Example: The national health budget has been reduced this fiscal year.

8. Evidence-based /ˈevɪdəns beɪst/ (adj.) – Based on or using evidence.
   Example: Evidence-based public health funding decisions lead to more effective programs.

9. Long-term costs /ˌlɒŋ tɜːm kɒsts/ (n.) – Expenses incurred over an extended period.
   Example: Neglecting public health today will contribute to higher long-term costs.

10. International attention /ˌɪntəˈnæʃənl əˈtenʃən/ – Global focus.
    Example: Diseases that attract international attention often receive more funding.

Conclusion

Public health funding and priorities are critical topics frequently seen in the PTE Summarize Written Text tasks. As demonstrated above, crafting a high-scoring response requires understanding the key points, using relevant vocabulary, and structuring grammatically sound sentences. Ensure you practice regularly with examples like this to familiarize yourself with PTE exam questions, further enhancing your chances of achieving a top score.

Feel free to explore predefined initiatives for clean water access, another key public health area that often interrelates with broader health policies — adding valuable context to your understanding of global health priorities.

Let us know if you need more examples or clarifications by leaving comments below and start practicing today!