Summarize Written Text in PTE Exam: Eco-tourism and its Challenges

In the PTE Academic’s Summarize Written Text task, candidates are required to read a passage of 150-400 words and summarize it in a single sentence within 10 minutes. This task is designed to test your reading comprehension and ability to condense key points into a concise format. In this article, we will focus on the topic of Eco-tourism and its challenges, providing you with sample questions, model answers, and key vocabulary to help you succeed in this part of the test.

What is Summarize Written Text?

The Summarize Written Text task in the PTE Speaking & Writing section evaluates how well you can extract the main idea from a given text and produce a summary in a single sentence. The summary should be between 5-75 words, and you should maintain proper grammar, content accuracy, and concise formulation without overgeneralization. One of the most common topics seen in this section is Eco-tourism, reflecting current global concerns about sustainable travel, culture preservation, and environmental conservation.

Sample Summarize Written Text Based on Eco-tourism and its Challenges

Read the passage below and summarize it in one sentence.

Total time: 10 minutes

Passage:

Eco-tourism has risen in popularity as a form of travel that emphasizes sustainability and respect for natural environments, particularly in areas where local cultures and wildlife are considered valuable resources to protect. The key attraction of eco-tourism is the ability to educate travelers about the importance of conservation, allowing them to partake in activities that do not harm the environment. However, eco-tourism often faces significant challenges, such as the increasing number of visitors leading to unintentional damage to fragile ecosystems or the commercialization of natural sites, which can undermine the authenticity of local communities. Furthermore, poorly managed eco-tourism can exploit vulnerable populations, commodify cultural experiences, and disrupt local economies rather than provide them with sustainable economic growth. While eco-tourism has great potential to transform the way we interact with the environment, addressing these challenges is crucial to ensuring that it remains a viable solution for both conservation and economic development.

Model Answers and Band Scores

1. Band Score: 90
   Eco-tourism, while designed to promote sustainability and conservation by offering educational and low-impact travel experiences, faces challenges such as environmental degradation from overcrowding, exploitation of local cultures, and economic issues that threaten its overall success.

   • Content: This response captures all key points including the goals of eco-tourism and the challenges like overcrowding, exploitation, and economic threats.
   • Form: The sentence fits within the required 5-75 words.
   • Grammar: Generally perfect.
   • Vocabulary: Advanced vocabulary like “exploitation” and “degradation” is used effectively.
   • Spelling: No mistakes.

2. Band Score: 75
   Although eco-tourism aims to promote conservation and sustainability, it faces challenges such as environmental harm, over-commercialization, and failure to support local economies.

   • Content: Mostly covers the key points, but could elaborate more on the cultural aspects.
   • Form: The form is correct and fits within the word limit.
   • Grammar: Correct use of clauses.
   • Vocabulary: Appropriate for the level, but could include more specific terms like “overcrowding” and “exploitation.”
   • Spelling: No mistakes.

3. Band Score: 65
   Eco-tourism is meant to support conservation, but it can have negative effects like damaging the environment and harming local economies.

   • Content: Captures a basic idea but lacks depth in describing the educational benefits and specific challenges like cultural commodification.
   • Form: Within the word limit.
   • Grammar: Acceptable but simple sentence structure.
   • Vocabulary: Basic vocabulary, missing more advanced terms to better convey the problems.
   • Spelling: No mistakes.

4. Band Score: 50
   Eco-tourism aims to help conservation but can sometimes harm the places it tries to protect.

   • Content: Very limited coverage of the passage’s ideas and challenges such as commercialization, overpopulation, and economic issues.
   • Form: Fits the word limit but overly simplistic.
   • Grammar: Correct but overly simple.
   • Vocabulary: Lacks variety and complexity.
   • Spelling: No mistakes.

Key Vocabulary from the Passage

1. Sustainability /səˌsteɪnəˈbɪlɪti/ (n): Maintaining ecological balance without exhausting natural resources.

   • Many eco-tourism ventures prioritize sustainability above short-term profits.

2. Conservation /ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃən/ (n): Protection of the natural environment.

   • Efforts in forest conservation have become central to eco-tourism.

3. Degradation /ˌdɛgrəˈdeɪʃən/ (n): The process of a decline in condition or quality, often environmental.

   • Excessive tourism can lead to ecosystem degradation.

4. Over-commercialization /ˌoʊvər kəˌmɜrʃələˈzeɪʃən/ (n): Turning something into a commodity, often detracting from its authenticity.

   • The over-commercialization of eco-tourism often diminishes the natural beauty of the sites.

5. Exploitation /ˌɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃən/ (n): Taking advantage of a resource selfishly or unfairly.

   • Unethical eco-tourism can result in the exploitation of local communities.

6. Authenticity /ˌɔːθɛnˈtɪsɪti/ (n): The quality of being genuine or real.

   • Visitors often seek authenticity in eco-tourism destinations, but commercialization threatens this.

7. Fragile /ˈfrædʒaɪl/ (adj): Easily damaged or destroyed.

   • Eco-tourism must minimize its impact on fragile ecosystems.

8. Commodification /kəˈmɒdɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ (n): Turning something into an object of trade.

   • The commodification of local culture can be a negative side effect of unchecked eco-tourism.

9. Economic Growth /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk gəʊθ/ (n): The increase in the economic output of a place.

   • Eco-tourism should contribute to the sustainable economic growth of local communities.

10. Viable /ˈvaɪəbl/ (adj): Capable of working successfully.

    • In order to be viable, eco-tourism must address environmental and socioeconomic challenges.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Summarize Written Text task in the PTE exam often presents topics like eco-tourism because it touches on relevant, real-world issues that require analytical and concise communication. This practice task not only helps improve summary-writing skills but also familiarizes you with one of the recurring challenges in the modern world. Keep practicing with similar topics, and don’t forget to analyze your performance across content, grammar, and vocabulary for continuous improvement.