Summarize Written Text in PTE: Global Health Initiatives for Pandemics

The PTE Speaking & Writing section tests candidates’ ability to summarize written texts accurately and effectively. One of the key tasks is the Summarize Written Text, where you are required to condense a passage into one concise sentence. In this article, we’ll delve into examples revolving around a crucial contemporary issue: global health initiatives for pandemics. This topic has appeared in many forms in the actual PTE exams, making it a prime choice for practice.

Sample Summarize Written Text Task – Global Health Initiatives

Given the increasing importance of global cooperation for combating pandemics, this topic is relevant to many international exams like PTE. Let’s start by offering a sample Summarize Written Text question based on this theme.

Summarize Written Text Question 1

Text Length: 230 words

In recent years, the world has witnessed a growing number of pandemics such as influenza, SARS, and COVID-19, which have had devastating global impacts. These health crises have brought to light the urgent need for coordinated global health initiatives. The World Health Organization (WHO) plays a critical role by providing early warnings, medical support, and strategies to control such outbreaks. Meanwhile, many countries have taken independent or collaborative actions to curb the spread of diseases by enhancing their healthcare infrastructure, developing vaccines, and strengthening public health policies. Global organizations like WHO, along with various other health and humanitarian institutions, emphasize the need for preventive measures, early detection, and rapid response teams. However, the success of these programs depends on sufficient funding, international collaboration, and transparent data sharing to ensure that nations across both the developing and developed worlds can equally respond to health crises.

Prompt: Write a one-sentence summary of the text.

Answers for Different Band Scores

Band 90 (High-level)

Global health initiatives, led by organizations like WHO, emphasize the importance of collaboration, funding, early response, and infrastructure improvement to mitigate pandemics effectively across countries.

• Content: Comprehensive and covers all necessary points, including global cooperation, funding, and preventive measures.
• Form: 30-35 words, meeting requirements perfectly.
• Grammar: All clauses connect properly; advanced grammatical structures are used.
• Vocabulary: High-level vocabulary such as “mitigate,” “infrastructure improvement,” and “collaboration.”
• Spelling: No errors.

Band 75 (Intermediate)

Global health strategies focus on enhancing infrastructure, sharing information, and early detection to prevent pandemics from spreading worldwide.

• Content: Sufficient, but misses details about funding and WHO’s role.
• Form: Correct length.
• Grammar: Simple yet correct structures.
• Vocabulary: Adequate but less varied compared to Band 90 (e.g., “prevent” instead of “mitigate”).
• Spelling: No errors.

Band 60 (Basic)

Preventing pandemics requires global health actions like early response and better health infrastructure.

• Content: Provides the essence but lacks detail and depth, omitting information about WHO and collaboration.
• Form: Slightly short, could be extended to fully meet the word count requirements.
• Grammar: Basic sentence structure, but no major grammatical mistakes.
• Vocabulary: Limited; basic words used instead of advanced synonyms.
• Spelling: No errors.

Sample Summarize Written Text Task – Collaboration Against Future Pandemics

Summarize Written Text Question 2

Text Length: 180 words

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the urgent need for a more unified global approach to preventing and managing future pandemics. While some countries responded swiftly with measures such as lockdowns, mask mandates, and mass vaccinations, others struggled due to unpreparedness and insufficient healthcare resources. The lack of global coordination exacerbated the situation, overwhelming national healthcare systems and delaying the production and distribution of vaccines. In response, global organizations and governments have recognized the necessity of sharing scientific data, standardizing health protocols, and strengthening supply chains to ensure rapid and equitable vaccine distribution. Only by building a cohesive global health network can future pandemics be effectively and efficiently controlled.

Prompt: Write a one-sentence summary of the text.

Answers for Different Band Scores

Band 90 (High-level)

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed weaknesses in global pandemic management, highlighting the need for data sharing, standardized health protocols, and collaborative efforts to improve future preparedness and equitable healthcare strategies.

Band 75 (Intermediate)

The global response to COVID-19 showed the need for better coordination, data sharing, and equitable vaccine distribution to manage future pandemics.

Band 60 (Basic)

To prevent future pandemics, countries need to work together and share health resources and vaccines.

Vocabulary and Grammar Breakdown

Here are 10 advanced vocabulary terms used in the questions and answers, along with their meanings and usage examples:

1. Mitigate /ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/ (verb) – To make something less severe or harmful.

   • Example: To mitigate the effects of the pandemic, many countries imposed strict lockdowns.

2. Collaboration /kəˌlæbəˈreɪʃən/ (noun) – Working together with others to achieve a common goal.

   • Example: International collaboration is essential when dealing with a global health crisis.

3. Infrastructure /ˈɪnfrəstrʌkʧər/ (noun) – The basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of society.

   • Example: Enhancing healthcare infrastructure is a critical component of global health responses.

4. Equitable /ˈɛkwɪtəbl/ (adjective) – Fair and impartial.

   • Example: Equitable distribution of vaccines ensures that all countries are protected against future outbreaks.

5. Pandemic /pænˈdɛmɪk/ (noun) – A disease that spreads across a large geographic area, affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population.

   • Example: Effective global health initiatives are key to controlling pandemics.

6. Preventive measures /prɪˈvɛntɪv ˈmɛʒərz/ (noun phrase) – Actions taken to reduce the risk or impact of a problem.

   • Example: Preventive measures like vaccination campaigns were implemented to reduce the spread of the disease.

7. Crisis /ˈkraɪsɪs/ (noun) – A time of intense difficulty or danger.

   • Example: Global health organizations responded quickly to the COVID-19 crisis.

8. Transparency /trænˈspɛrənsi/ (noun) – Openness, communication, and accountability.

   • Example: Transparency in sharing health data is vital to managing global pandemics.

9. Standardize /ˈstændədaɪz/ (verb) – To make something conform to a standard.

   • Example: Countries need to standardize their health protocols to prevent future pandemics.

10. Coordination /kəʊˌɔːrdɪˈneɪʃən/ (noun) – The organized arrangement of people or groups working together.

    • Example: Better coordination between countries could have prevented the rapid spread of the virus.

Conclusion

Summarizing written texts about global health initiatives for pandemics is an excellent way to prepare for the Summarize Written Text task in the PTE exam. Practicing with real-life topics not only improves your exam performance but also enhances your understanding of critical global issues. Make sure to focus on providing a comprehensive, grammatically accurate summary in less than 35 words while covering the key ideas in the passage.

Feel free to comment below with your own Summarize Written Text responses from the tasks above for personalized feedback!