Managing air quality in urban areas is a critical issue in today’s world, especially in the Summarize Written Text task of the PTE test. This topic is highly relevant thanks to its global importance and frequent appearance in the PTE exam. In this article, we provide several practice prompts to help you improve your skills in this section, and also offer sample responses for different score bands. By learning how to manage urban air quality-related content, you can increase your chances of success in the PTE test.
Example Summarize Written Text Question 1: Air Pollution in Megacities
Urbanization, population growth, and industrial activities have led to significant air quality challenges in megacities worldwide. As more people migrate to cities, the concentration of pollutants, including nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM2.5), has surged. Poor air quality has been linked to various health problems, including respiratory diseases, cardiovascular conditions, and premature death. To tackle these issues, governments and policymakers have implemented air quality management strategies such as emission controls, public transportation development, and pushing for clean energy transitions. While significant progress has been made, many cities still face difficulties in fully mitigating the effects of air pollution due to rapid urban expansion and weak enforcement of current regulations.
Summarize the text in one sentence.
Sample Answer – Band 90
Due to rapid urbanization and industrial activities, megacities experience severe air pollution, leading to health issues like respiratory diseases, and although governments are taking steps to address the problem, challenges remain due to weak enforcement and population growth.
- Content: Excellent; captures the main points (urbanization, health impacts, air quality management, challenges).
- Form: Perfect length, well condensed.
- Grammar: Flawless.
- Vocabulary: Wide range of vocabulary, appropriate usage.
- Spelling: Perfect.
Sample Answer – Band 79
Growing industrial activities and urbanization have caused serious pollution in large cities, leading to harmful effects on human health, and while air quality strategies have been introduced, enforcement remains weak.
- Content: Good, though slightly lacking in detail about specific pollutants.
- Form: Correct word count.
- Grammar: Very good, minor errors like missing “while significant progress.”
- Vocabulary: Adequate but could use more variety.
- Spelling: No issues.
Sample Answer – Band 65
The population and industries in cities increase pollution which negatively impacts people’s health even though some progress has been made but not enough.
- Content: Covers the basics but lacks detail on management efforts.
- Form: Within the recommended word count.
- Grammar: Issues with sentence structure, especially in the phrase “but not enough.”
- Vocabulary: Lacks advanced vocabulary, repetitive.
- Spelling: No mistakes.
Sample Answer – Band 58
In cities more people mean more pollution and health problems, but governments are trying.
- Content: Overly simplified, missing several key details.
- Form: Short, near lower limit.
- Grammar: Basic and lacks complexity.
- Vocabulary: Limited, mostly common words.
- Spelling: Accurate spelling but overly basic.
Sample Answer – Band 50
Pollution is bad in big cities and makes us sick.
- Content: Fails to address most of the main points.
- Form: Too short, fails minimum word count.
- Grammar: Simple, lacks variety.
- Vocabulary: Extremely basic.
- Spelling: No errors, but doesn’t compensate for other weaknesses.
Example Summarize Written Text Question 2: The Role of Smart Cities in Air Quality Management
Smart cities aim to integrate advanced technological solutions to address urban challenges, including air quality management. One promising approach involves the deployment of smart sensors to monitor air pollution levels in real-time, enabling immediate responses such as adjusting traffic flow to reduce emissions or activating emergency alerts when pollution reaches hazardous levels. Additionally, smart cities often incorporate renewable energy sources to lessen dependence on fossil fuels, thus mitigating some of the main cause of air pollution. Despite the promise of these technologies, the transition to smart city infrastructure is often complicated by high costs, political hurdles, and the uneven adoption of green technologies.
Summarize the text in one sentence.
Sample Answer – Band 90
Smart cities rely on real-time air monitoring systems and renewable energy to manage pollution effectively, yet challenges such as high costs and limited technology adoption hinder full implementation.
- Content: Comprehensive; touches on both the technology and challenges.
- Form: Concise, meets the word count requirement perfectly.
- Grammar: Faultless, with complex sentence structures.
- Vocabulary: Advanced but appropriate.
- Spelling: Excellent.
Sample Answer – Band 79
Smart cities use technology and renewable energy to manage air pollution, but high costs and political obstacles slow down progress.
- Content: Good coverage but could expand the idea of real-time responses.
- Form: Correct length.
- Grammar: Solid but less complex sentence structure.
- Vocabulary: Good use of subject-specific vocabulary.
- Spelling: Correct.
Smart city air quality management using real-time sensors and renewable energy integration
Sample Answer – Band 65
Smart cities are using sensors and renewable energy to help reduce air pollution, but many challenges remain like cost and politics.
- Content: Adequate, missing mention of specific solutions like traffic monitoring.
- Form: On the lower end of acceptable word count.
- Grammar: Issues with sentence complexity.
- Vocabulary: Basic but correct.
- Spelling: No issues.
Sample Answer – Band 58
Smart cities can help reduce pollution with sensors and green energy, but there are problems.
- Content: Too vague, missing key points like real-time analytics.
- Form: Near lower limit, lacks depth.
- Grammar: Overly simple.
- Vocabulary: Very limited vocabulary.
- Spelling: Accurate.
Vocabulary for Air Quality Management
- Urbanization /ˌərbənʌɪˈzeɪʃən/: The process of making an area more urban. Example: The urbanization of many regions leads to increased pollution.
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx) /ˈnaɪtrədʒən ˈɒksaɪdz/: Harmful gases produced from vehicle emissions. Example: NOx emissions are a major source of pollution in cities.
- Emission /ɪˈmɪʃən/: The production and discharge of something, especially gas. Example: Factories are reducing their emission levels to protect air quality.
- Particulate matter (PM2.5) /pɑːrˈtɪk.jə.lɪt/ /ˈmætər/: Mixture of solid particles that penetrate the lungs and cause health issues. Example: PM2.5 is one of the deadliest air pollutants.
- Respiratory diseases /ˈrɛspəˌtɔri dɪˈzizəz/: Conditions affecting the lungs and breathing. Example: Prolonged exposure to air pollution can lead to respiratory diseases.
- Mitigation /ˈmɪtɪɡeɪʃən/: The action of reducing the severity of something. Example: Air quality mitigation strategies include stricter vehicle emission standards.
- Real-time monitoring /rɪəl taɪm ˈmɒnɪtərɪŋ/: Observing a process as it happens. Example: Real-time monitoring can allow for an immediate response to pollution levels.
- Fossil fuels /ˈfɒsɪl fjʊəlz/: Natural energy sources like coal or oil that contribute to air pollution when burned. Example: Reducing reliance on fossil fuels will improve air quality.
- Renewable energy /rɪˈn(j)uəb(ə)l ˈɛnərdʒi/: Energy from sources that are naturally replenished. Example: Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, are essential for reducing emissions.
- Air Quality Management /ɛr ˈkwɑːlɪti ˈmænɪdʒmənt/: Strategies and practices to control pollution and improve air quality. Example: Effective air quality management has helped reduce smog in many cities.
Conclusion
The management of air quality in cities is a widely-tested topic within the PTE, particularly in the Summarize Written Text task, as it touches on crucial urban challenges. Practicing responses based on real-world issues like urban air pollution and Smart cities and renewable energy integration can significantly improve your exam performance. By preparing rigorously, you’ll enhance your chances for success in achieving a high score. Feel free to comment below and share your practice responses!
