The “Summarize Written Text” section in the PTE exam tests your ability to comprehend, synthesize, and summarize complex academic information. One of the prevalent topics in this exam is the relationship between Biodiversity Loss And Food Security. Biodiversity is crucial for sustaining ecosystems, and its decline directly threatens global food systems. Understanding this connection is key for excelling in the “Summarize Written Text” task in PTE.
Sample Summarize Written Text – Task 1: Biodiversity Loss and Its Impact on Food Security
Read the passage below and summarize it in one sentence. Your response should be between 5 and 75 words.
Prompt:
Biodiversity loss has devastating effects on food security, as a diverse ecological system relies on various species to maintain balance and create ideal conditions for food production. The eradication of even a few species can lead to disruptions in pollination, soil health, and pest control, all of which are vital for agriculture. Climate change exacerbates these challenges by altering growing seasons and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, putting additional pressure on agriculture to adapt. As we lose biodiversity, we are also losing the genetic diversity that ensures resilience in food crops, resulting in weaker plants more susceptible to diseases and changing environmental conditions. This situation is further complicated by deforestation, overfishing, and destructive farming practices, which degrade ecosystems that are essential for long-term food production. Without comprehensive policies aimed at conservation and sustainable food systems, global food security is at risk.
Sample Responses:
Response for Band 90:
Biodiversity loss significantly impacts global food security by disrupting agricultural ecosystems, reducing crop resilience, and exacerbating challenges brought on by climate change, deforestation, and unsustainable farming practices.
Analysis:
- Content: Covers the key points about biodiversity loss and its effect on food security, agriculture, and climate change.
- Form: Concise sentence under 75 words.
- Grammar: Correct tense and sentence structure.
- Vocabulary: Academic and appropriate (“disrupting,” “resilience,” “challenges”).
- Spelling: No errors.
Response for Band 80:
Biodiversity loss increases the risk to global food security by making crops more vulnerable to diseases and environmental changes, and by affecting agriculture through poor pollination and harmful farming practices.
Analysis:
- Content: Adequate detail, but slightly less comprehensive than Band 90.
- Form: Under the word limit.
- Grammar: Generally correct.
- Vocabulary: Less sophisticated but still appropriate (“vulnerable,” “environmental changes”).
- Spelling: Correct.
Response for Band 70:
Food security is at risk because biodiversity loss makes agriculture less sustainable and climate change causes more difficulties for crops.
Analysis:
- Content: Captures the general idea but misses details about ecosystems, pollination, and deforestation.
- Form: Under the word limit.
- Grammar: Basic but correct structure.
- Vocabulary: Limited (“at risk,” “difficulties”).
- Spelling: No spelling issues.
Response for Band 60:
The loss of biodiversity affects farming and makes food production difficult.
Analysis:
- Content: Barely sufficient—too simplistic and misses several critical points like climate change and agricultural resilience.
- Form: Under 20 words.
- Grammar: No major grammatical errors.
- Vocabulary: Very basic usage.
- Spelling: No mistakes.
Biodiversity loss threatens global food security through agricultural disruption
Sample Summarize Written Text – Task 2: Climate Change and Agricultural Production
Read the passage below and summarize it in one sentence. Your response should be between 5 and 75 words.
Prompt:
Climate change is already showing profound effects on global agriculture by altering weather patterns and increasing the frequency of natural disasters. Droughts are becoming more frequent, reducing water availability and affecting crop yields in already arid regions. Rising global temperatures, combined with deforestation and unsustainable farming practices, are contributing to the loss of biodiversity, which is vital for maintaining healthy, resilient agricultural ecosystems. The intensifying competition for water between agriculture, urban development, and industry exacerbates food and water insecurity, particularly in developing countries reliant on water-scarce regions. Without innovative adaptation strategies and global cooperation, the strain on food production systems will only worsen.
Sample Responses:
Response for Band 90:
Climate change disrupts global agriculture by heightening droughts, reducing water supply, harming biodiversity, and worsening competition for resources, leading to a critical threat to food security in developing regions.
Analysis:
- Content: All key points—weather patterns, droughts, biodiversity loss, and resource competition—are effectively summarized.
- Form: Well within the word range.
- Grammar: Complex, well-structured sentence.
- Vocabulary: Advanced (“disrupts,” “competition for resources”).
- Spelling: Perfect.
Response for Band 80:
Climate change impacts agriculture through droughts, biodiversity loss, and competition for water resources, putting food security at risk.
Analysis:
- Content: Covers main ideas but lacks detail about industrial and urban competition.
- Form: Good length.
- Grammar: Correct and appropriate.
- Vocabulary: Academic (“impacts,” “resources”).
- Spelling: No mistakes.
Response for Band 70:
Agriculture faces problems from climate change such as droughts and competition for water affecting food production.
Analysis:
-
Content: Some details present but missing key points, such as biodiversity loss.
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Form: Under 20 words but clear.
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Grammar: Basic but acceptable sentence structure.
-
Vocabulary: Limited range.
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Spelling: No errors.
-
Visit related topics in the article on Ocean conservation and sustainable fishing, which shares similar concerns about sustainable resource use.
The impact of climate change and biodiversity loss on agriculture
Vocabulary and Grammar
Here are 10 key vocabulary words featured in the above passages along with their explanations:
-
Biodiversity /ˌbaɪ.oʊ.dɪˈvɜː.sə.ti/ (n.): The variety of plant and animal life in a particular habitat; significant in maintaining balance in ecosystems.
Example: “A decline in biodiversity can destabilize ecosystems, leading to reduced agricultural productivity.” -
Resilience /rɪˈzɪl.i.əns/ (n.): The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
Example: “Crops with higher genetic diversity have greater resilience to diseases.” -
Deforestation /diːˌfɒr.ɪˈsteɪ.ʃən/ (n.): The action of clearing a wide area of trees.
Example: “Deforestation contributes significantly to biodiversity loss and soil degradation.” -
Exacerbates /ɪɡˈzæs.ə.beɪt/ (v.): Makes a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse.
Example: “The drought exacerbates food shortages in vulnerable regions.” -
Unsustainable /ʌn.səˈsteɪ.nə.bl̩/ (adj.): Not able to be maintained at the current rate or level.
Example: “Unsustainable farming practices deplete soil and accelerate biodiversity loss.” -
Pollination /ˌpɒl.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ (n.): The process by which pollen is transferred to plants, essential for their reproduction.
Example: “Bees play a crucial role in the pollination of many important food crops.” -
Soil health /sɔɪl hɛlθ/ (n.): The continued capacity of the soil to function as a vital living ecosystem.
Example: “Crop rotations help improve soil health and maintain biodiversity.” -
Water scarcity /ˈwɔː.tər ˈskeə.sə.ti/ (n.): The lack of sufficient available water resources to meet the demands.
Example: “Water scarcity is a growing challenge for agriculture in many regions.” -
Genetic diversity /ʤɪˈnɛtɪk daɪˈvɜːsɪti/ (n.): Variation of genes within a species which ensures resilience to environmental changes.
Example: “Genetic diversity in crops is essential for combating new plant diseases.” -
Food insecurity /fuːd ˌɪn.sɪˈkjʊər.ɪ.ti/ (n.): The state of being without reliable access to sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.
Example: “Many developing nations suffer from food insecurity due to climate change and biodiversity loss.”
Conclusion
The link between biodiversity loss and food security is a dominant theme in the “Summarize Written Text” section of the PTE exam, making it an important area for study and practice. By understanding how ecosystems, climate change, and agriculture interact, you can effectively structure responses that meet the exam’s evaluation criteria. Practice regularly, and don’t hesitate to leave any feedback or questions in the comment section below!
