The Summarize Written Text task in the PTE exam measures your ability to condense a given passage into a concise summary, typically within a sentence or two. This challenging task requires you to process the main points of an academic or complex text while adhering to a strict word limit and proper grammatical structure. One of the frequent topics in this task category can involve areas such as Cultural Sensitivity In Global Marketing, making it highly relevant for the global business landscape.
In this article, we’ll present a mock Summarize Written Text exercise based on this theme — providing practice for candidates preparing for the PTE exam. Along with the exercises, we analyze answers across different band levels and offer insights regarding grammar, vocabulary, and writing strategies.
Sample Summarize Written Text Exercise: Cultural Sensitivity in Global Marketing
Task:
Summarize the text below in one sentence. You must write between 5 and 75 words.
Passage:
Global marketing strategies often overlook one crucial factor – understanding the culture of the target audience. For international brands to succeed in different regions, it is essential to tailor both their products and marketing messages to align with cultural norms, values, and preferences. History has shown numerous cases where marketing campaigns fail miserably due to cultural insensitivity. For example, advertising that might be perceived as humorous in one country may be deemed offensive in another, leading to a backlash that could harm the brand’s reputation. On the other hand, brands that are culturally sensitive not only avoid these pitfalls but can also build stronger connections with their audience, increase loyalty, and ultimately achieve better sales figures.
Sample Responses and Band Score Breakdown
Band 90 Response:
“Global brands that adapt their products and marketing strategies according to the cultural norms and values of their target audience can avoid marketing failures, build stronger customer relationships, and increase sales.”
Analysis:
- Content: The candidate effectively captures all the key points, such as cultural sensitivity, marketing failures, strong connections with the audience, and sales.
- Form: Excellent; the summary is within the word limit and is succinct.
- Grammar: Grammatically perfect with no errors.
- Vocabulary: Correct use of advanced terms like “adapt”, “cultural norms”, and “marketing failures”.
- Spelling: No spelling mistakes.
Band 70 Response:
“When global brands understand and respect the cultural values of their target audience, they can avoid marketing blunders and build stronger relations.”
Analysis:
- Content: The core idea is well represented, though it does not explicitly mention sales increases.
- Form: Word count is appropriate (under 50 words).
- Grammar: Correct grammar but lacks some of the sophistication of a higher-band response.
- Vocabulary: Limited advanced vocabulary (“marketing blunders” instead of “failures”).
- Spelling: No spelling mistakes.
Band 55 Response:
“Marketing should be cultural sensitivity to not offend people and increase sales.”
Analysis:
- Content: While the message is present, key ideas such as customer relationships and marketing strategies are missing.
- Form: Falls within the word count but lacks depth.
- Grammar: Grammar is somewhat weak (“should be cultural sensitivity” instead of “should be culturally sensitive”).
- Vocabulary: Simplified and lacks the necessary precision.
- Spelling: “Cultural sensitivity” is slightly incorrect as “cultural” should be used as an adjective.
Vocabulary and Grammar Insights
Key Vocabulary:
-
Cultural Norms /ˈkʌltʃərəl nɔːrmz/
Definition: Unwritten rules or expectations for behavior within a specific cultural group.
Example: Being aware of cultural norms can help marketers avoid misunderstandings. -
Tailor /ˈteɪlər/
Definition: To customize something specifically to suit a particular purpose or person.
Example: Companies must tailor their advertising campaigns to be culturally relevant. -
Backlash /ˈbækˌlæʃ/
Definition: A strong negative reaction by a large number of people, especially to a social or political development.
Example: Culturally insensitive ads can lead to backlash and tarnish a brand’s reputation. -
Reputation /ˌrɛpjəˈteɪʃən/
Definition: The beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something.
Example: A company’s reputation can suffer if they fail to account for cultural specificity in marketing. -
Blunder /ˈblʌndər/
Definition: A stupid or careless mistake.
Example: A marketing blunder in global advertising can be damaging to client relationships. -
Insensitive /ɪnˈsɛnsətɪv/
Definition: Not showing an understanding or consideration of the feelings of others.
Example: Insensitive remarks can alienate potential customers in diverse markets. -
Loyalty /ˈlɔɪəlti/
Definition: A strong feeling of support or allegiance.
Example: Culturally adaptive marketing helps brands build long-term customer loyalty. -
Align /əˈlaɪn/
Definition: To arrange things in a straight line or to be in agreement or cooperation.
Example: Marketers must align their strategies with local customs to succeed. -
Insensitive /ɪnˈsɛnsətɪv/
Definition: Lacking care or thought for the feelings of others.
Example: Insensitive advertising can lead to public relations disasters. -
Global /ˈɡloʊbəl/
Definition: Relating to the whole world; worldwide.
Example: Global marketing requires an understanding of a variety of cultural contexts.
Conclusion
In summary, Cultural Sensitivity in Global Marketing is a theme often covered in PTE’s Summarize Written Text section. By critically analyzing provided texts and picking up on key ideas efficiently, candidates can improve their band scores significantly. Proper practice, as demonstrated by these exercises and detailed feedback, is the key to excelling in PTE’s Summarize Written Text task.
Feel free to practice with these examples and leave your own responses in the comments to get further insights and feedback!
