The PTE Academic Exam evaluates various aspects of language proficiency, including writing skills in the Summarize Written Text task. This task requires candidates to summarize a given passage in a concise, one-sentence format that reflects the content accurately. One frequently tested topic in PTE is “Food Security In Urban Areas.” In this article, we’ll introduce a sample Summarize Written Text task on this theme to help you practice for the PTE Academic. We’ll also provide answers for different band scores, and offer detailed analysis with a focus on grammar, vocabulary, and context.
Key Sample Task: Food Security in Urban Areas
Food security has become a pressing issue in urban areas due to rapid population growth, climate change, and inadequate resource management. These factors amplify the challenge of providing consistent, affordable, and nutritious food supplies to city dwellers. Urbanization has led to greater dependence on global food supply chains, which are often vulnerable to disruptions caused by extreme weather events, economic instability, or transportation inefficiencies. Sustainable solutions, such as urban farming and local food systems, are increasingly seen as vital strategies to improve food access and resilience. Furthermore, environmental degradation and unequal food distribution emphasize the need for effective policies to ensure equitable food security for all citizens, particularly disadvantaged groups.
Task Instruction:
You will have 10 minutes to summarize the following text. Your response must be between 5 and 75 words.
Answer 1 (High Band – 79+)
Food security in urban areas is being threatened by population growth, unsustainable resource management, and climate change, but local food systems and urban farming offer viable solutions for enhancing food access and resilience to disruptions in global supply chains.
Analysis:
- Content: This summary covers the main ideas (urban food security issues, population growth, climate change, local food systems).
- Form: One single, complete sentence.
- Grammar: Excellent use of complex structures and appropriate clauses.
- Vocabulary: Sophisticated words like “threatened,” “viable solutions,” and “resilience.”
- Spelling: No mistakes.
Answer 2 (Moderate Band – 65-78)
Food security in cities faces challenges from climate change and population increases, but urban farming and local food systems could reduce dependence on global supply chains.
Analysis:
- Content: Mostly accurate but misses some important aspects like economic instability and unequal distribution.
- Form: One simple sentence.
- Grammar: Correct, but can be improved with more variety in clauses.
- Vocabulary: Appropriate, but simpler choices like “reduce” over “enhance”.
- Spelling: Flawless.
Answer 3 (Low Band – 50-64)
Urban food security is at risk because of increasing populations and climate problems, which may be helped by local farming and food solutions.
Analysis:
- Content: Too general, missing key points related to global supply chains and resource management.
- Form: A complete sentence but lacks precision.
- Grammar: Basic sentence structure.
- Vocabulary: Simplistic, lacking advanced terms like “resilience” or “availability.”
- Spelling: Correct.
Practice Vocabulary and Usage
Here are some key challenging words from the sample passage, with definitions and example sentences:
-
Amplify /ˈæmplɪfaɪ/ (v): To increase the strength or amount of something.
Example: The media can amplify public concern about food shortages. -
Afford (something) /əˈfɔːrd/ (v): To provide something, especially when it is expensive or difficult to get.
Example: Not everyone can afford fresh produce in big cities. -
Populace /ˈpɑːpjələs/ (n): The people living in a particular area or country.
Example: The urban populace is dependent on imported food items. -
Resilience /rɪˈzɪljəns/ (n): The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.
Example: Urban food systems need resilience to handle unpredictable climate disruptions. -
Degradation /ˌdeɡrəˈdeɪʃən/ (n): The process of something becoming worse or more damaged.
Example: Soil degradation limits the potential of urban farming. -
Disparity /dɪˈspærəti/ (n): A great difference between two or more things.
Example: Disparity in food access affects low-income urban areas. -
Sustainable /səˈsteɪnəbl/ (adj): Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.
Example: Sustainable agriculture is key to improving urban food security. -
Equitable /ˈekwɪtəbəl/ (adj): Fair and impartial.
Example: Cities must develop equitable food policies. -
Vulnerable /ˈvʌlnərəbəl/ (adj): Capable of being easily harmed or affected.
Example: Cities reliant on imports are vulnerable to global food supply crises. -
Implementation /ˌɪmpləmənˈteɪʃən/ (n): The process of putting a decision or plan into effect.
Example: The implementation of urban farming policies requires infrastructure investment.
Conclusion
Understanding the deep interconnectedness between food security, climate change, and urbanization is crucial for mastering the writing tasks in the PTE Exam. This sample Summarize Written Text on “Food Security in Urban Areas” mimics real PTE questions, allowing you to tailor your practice and improve your skills for this specific test section. Summarizing complex issues, as demonstrated in the examples, prepares you to handle similar topics effectively during the actual exam. Ready to continue your practice? Be sure to explore more strategies around Local food systems and urban resilience and Urban farming and food sustainability, both of which are crucial parts of tackling food security issues.
