Public health issues in megacities have become a significant topic in the PTE Summarize Written Text
Understanding Summarize Written Text in PTE
The Summarize Written Text task measures an individual’s ability to identify main ideas and communicate those as succinctly as possible, while preserving essential information. Topics like public health challenges in megacities are common in this test because they cover multifaceted aspects such as healthcare, sanitation, environmental pollution, and societal welfare issues in dense urban environments.
Example 1: Summarize Written Text Prompt
Megacities, metropolitan areas with populations exceeding 10 million inhabitants, face increasingly severe public health challenges. Overcrowding, inadequate health infrastructure, and pollution contribute to rapidly spreading infectious diseases, while non-communicable diseases such as respiratory illnesses, diabetes, and obesity have surged due to sedentary lifestyles, urban stress, and poor air quality. Additionally, access to clean water, proper sanitation, and affordable healthcare is often lacking, disproportionately affecting the urban poor. The growing socio-economic inequity exacerbates the health disparities in these urban settings, placing immense pressure on national and local governments.
Summarize the text in one sentence (between 5 and 75 words).
Model Answers Assessed by PTE Scores
Band 90 (High proficiency)
Major public health challenges in megacities include overcrowding, poor healthcare infrastructure, pollution, and socio-economic disparities, which lead to widespread infectious and non-communicable diseases, lack of sanitation, poor air quality, and inadequate access to healthcare for poorer segments.
Analysis:
- Content: All major points included.
- Form: One complete sentence within the word limit (57 words).
- Grammar: Flawless, complex sentence structure.
- Vocabulary: Advanced lexical choices (e.g., “inadequate,” “disparities”).
- Spelling: Correct.
Band 75 (Competent)
Megacities suffer from public health problems like overcrowding, poor medical facilities, pollution, and health disparities, causing both communicable and non-communicable diseases, worsened living conditions, and insufficient access to basic healthcare services.
Analysis:
- Content: Most key points are included but lacks specific mention of clean water/sanitation.
- Form: One complete sentence within the limit (47 words).
- Grammar: Strong, though slightly simpler sentences.
- Vocabulary: Adequate but less rich than Band 90.
- Spelling: All correct.
Band 60 (Intermediate proficiency)
The public health issues in megacities involve overcrowding, poor healthcare systems, pollution, and diseases that affect people, especially the poorer groups.
Analysis:
- Content: Misses specific mention of non-communicable diseases, socio-economic factors, and lack of sanitation.
- Form: One complete sentence, but quite basic (32 words).
- Grammar: Limited complexity, but still correct.
- Vocabulary: Simple (e.g., “poorer groups”).
- Spelling: No mistakes.
Example 2: Summarize Written Text Prompt
As megacities continue to expand, the environmental and health impacts of rapid urbanization become more acute. Unchecked population growth has led to severe air and water pollution, waste management crises, and the urban heat island effect, all of which contribute to detrimental health outcomes such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, and heat-related illnesses. Despite numerous public health initiatives, the scale of these challenges places enormous strain on the healthcare systems, leaving vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly and economically disadvantaged, at greater risk.
Summarize the text in one sentence (between 5 and 75 words).
Model Answers Assessed by PTE Scores
Band 90 (High proficiency)
The rapid urbanization of megacities results in major environmental challenges, such as air and water pollution, waste management problems, and heat effects, which negatively impact health, especially in vulnerable populations like the elderly and poor, overwhelming healthcare systems.
Analysis:
- Content: Fully captures all relevant points.
- Form: Concise, grammatically correct sentence (43 words).
- Grammar: Advanced.
- Vocabulary: Diverse use of words like “vulnerable,” “overwhelming”.
- Spelling: No errors.
Band 75 (Competent)
The increasing population in megacities leads to air, water, and heat pollution, which causes health issues, particularly among the elderly and poor, and strains healthcare systems.
Analysis:
- Content: Adequate but omits waste management.
- Form: Clear sentence (33 words).
- Grammar: Good, but simpler sentence structure.
- Vocabulary: Less varied than Band 90.
- Spelling: Accurate.
Band 60 (Intermediate proficiency)
Megacities affect people’s health, especially the elderly and poor, with pollution and difficulties for medical systems.
Analysis:
- Content: Lacks many key details.
- Form: Short and very basic (16 words).
- Grammar: Simple use of clauses.
- Vocabulary: Limited (e.g., “difficulties”).
- Spelling: Correct.
Vocabulary and Grammar Insights
Understanding the lexical and syntactical structures necessary for high performance in Summarize Written Text is crucial. Below are ten important vocabulary items extracted from the practice prompts that can enhance your comprehension and linguistic abilities.
| Word | IPA | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Megacity | /ˈmɛɡəsɪti/ | A very large city, typically over 10 million people. | Megacities face numerous public health challenges. |
| Infrastructure | /ˈɪnfrəstrʌkʧər/ | The basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society. | Public health infrastructure in megacities is often lacking. |
| Sedentary | /ˈsɛd(ə)nˌtɛri/ | Involving little physical activity. | Sedentary lifestyles in cities contribute to widespread obesity. |
| Asthma | /ˈæzmə/ | A respiratory condition marked by spasms in the bronchi. | Urban air pollution significantly increases asthma cases. |
| Heat island effect | /hiːt ˈaɪlənd ˈɪfɛkt/ | Urban areas that are warmer than their rural surroundings. | The heat island effect exacerbates health problems in megacities. |
| Disparity | /dɪˈspærɪti/ | A great difference. | Health disparities in megacities are a major public concern. |
| Cardiovascular | /ˌkɑːdɪoʊˈvæskjələr/ | Related to the heart and blood vessels. | Air pollution leads to cardiovascular diseases in urban populations. |
| Strain | /streɪn/ | Pressure or demand on a system. | The surge in population puts a strain on city healthcare services. |
| Vulnerable | /ˈvʌln(ə)rəbəl/ | Exposed to the possibility of harm. | Vulnerable groups in megacities are severely affected by inadequate services. |
| Non-communicable | /ˌnɒn kəˈmjuːnɪkəbl/ | Not transmissible from one person to another. | Non-communicable diseases are on the rise due to unhealthy lifestyles in cities. |
Conclusion
The Summarize Written Text task is an essential component of the PTE Speaking & Writing section. Within this, public health challenges in megacities prove to be a commonly encountered topic, reflecting the growing global concerns of urbanization. Ensure mastery by practicing such prompts, honing your summarization abilities, expanding relevant vocabulary, and analyzing answers at various proficiency levels.
Share your thoughts in the comments and keep practicing with more PTE Summarize Written Text exercises to refine your skills for the actual test day.
