Summarize Written Text is a crucial task in the Speaking and Writing section of the PTE (Pearson Test of English) exam, where candidates are required to read a passage and summarize it in one sentence. This task evaluates a candidate’s ability to understand, analyze, and condense written content. One of the increasingly popular topics in this context is Renewable Energy In Disaster Management, which addresses the role of sustainable energy solutions in times of crisis.
In this article, we will delve into some sample Summarize Written Text practice questions related to Renewable Energy in Disaster Management. These exercises will help students practice for real PTE exam scenarios by understanding key vocabulary, sentence structure, and bowing to PTE grading criteria.
Sample Summarize Written Text Question: Renewable Energy in Disaster Management
Prompt:
“Renewable energy offers unparalleled advantages in disaster management. Disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes can severely disrupt traditional energy grids, leading to prolonged power outages. In such times, renewable energy sources like solar and wind power prove to be highly resilient and quicker to deploy than conventional energy systems. For instance, portable solar panels or mobile wind turbines can be set up rapidly to provide temporary power for emergency operations. Moreover, renewable energy systems contribute to lowering carbon emissions, making them an environmentally responsible choice. Governments and disaster management agencies around the world have begun to recognize the importance of investing in renewable energy infrastructure to enhance disaster preparedness and recovery capabilities. Despite the challenges of initial installation costs, the long-term benefits in terms of sustainability, cost efficiency, and environmental impact make renewable energy a promising solution for disaster response.”
Question: Summarize the passage in one sentence.
Model Answers
Band 90
Renewable energy sources like solar and wind power play a crucial role in disaster management by providing resilient, fast-deployable energy solutions that can support emergency operations and reduce carbon emissions despite initial costs.
Analysis:
- Content: Completely captures the essence of the original passage.
- Form: Perfect length (5-75 words).
- Grammar: Perfect use of complex sentence structures with correct punctuation.
- Vocabulary: Excellent academic vocabulary choices (e.g., “resilient”, “fast-deployable”, “emergency operations”).
- Spelling: No errors.
Band 80
Renewable energy is essential during disasters, offering quicker deployment and low environmental impact, even though it comes with high early-stage costs.
Analysis:
- Content: Contains the key ideas but omits certain details like the use of specific renewable sources (solar, wind) and government’s role.
- Form: Well-formed according to word count standards.
- Grammar: Comma usage is accurate but simpler sentence structure.
- Vocabulary: Good academic language, but somewhat less sophisticated than the 90 band response.
- Spelling: No errors.
Band 70
Renewable energy helps reduce carbon emissions and provides a fast response in disaster situations, although it requires high upfront costs.
Analysis:
- Content: Covers the essential points but lacks a deeper explanation.
- Form: Exceeds the minimum word count but still within the acceptable range.
- Grammar: Simple sentence structure, no complex clauses.
- Vocabulary: Adequate but basic; lacks variety.
- Spelling: No errors.
Band 60
Solar and wind energy can help during disasters because they are easy to set up and good for the environment but expensive to install.
Analysis:
- Content: Misses the broader implication of renewable energy for disaster management as well as the specific relevance to emergency operations.
- Form: Short and highly simplified, yet within word limits.
- Grammar: Very basic sentence structure.
- Vocabulary: Use of less formal words (e.g., “easy to set up”, “good for the environment”).
- Spelling: No errors.
Vocabulary and Grammar: Key Terms from the Passage
To fully understand and summarize the provided passage, it’s important to be familiar with some challenging words and phrases related to renewable energy and disaster management.
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Unparalleled /ˌʌn.pær.əˈlɛld/ (adj) – Having no equal or better counterpart.
- E.g.: Their success was unparalleled in the history of the competition.
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Resilient /rɪˈzɪl.i.ənt/ (adj) – Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.
- E.g.: The resilient infrastructure of the city helped it recover faster after the earthquake.
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Prolonged /prəˈlɒŋd/ (adj) – Continuing for a longer time than usual or expected.
- E.g.: The prolonged drought had a severe impact on agriculture.
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Deploy /dɪˈplɔɪ/ (v) – To position or arrange systematically for a particular purpose.
- E.g.: The army was deployed to assist with rescue operations after the flood.
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Conventional /kənˈvɛn.ʃən.əl/ (adj) – Based on or in accordance with what is generally done or believed.
- E.g.: They decided to use conventional farming methods instead of organic practices.
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Carbon Emissions /ˈkɑːbən ɪˈmɪʃənz/ (n) – The release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, typically from burning fossil fuels.
- E.g.: The government has introduced taxes on companies with high carbon emissions.
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Preparedness /prɪˈpeərədnəs/ (n) – The state of being ready, especially for emergencies.
- E.g.: Disaster preparedness is critical for minimizing damage during hurricanes.
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Initial Installation Costs /ɪˈnɪʃəl ɪnstəˈleɪʃən kɒsts/ (n) – The upfront expenses involved in setting up a system, structure, or device.
- E.g.: Though expensive, the initial installation costs of solar panels are offset by savings in the long run.
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Sustainability /səˌsteɪnəˈbɪlɪti/ (n) – The ability to be maintained for a long term without exhausting resources or causing severe environmental damage.
- E.g.: Governments around the world are shifting toward policies that promote sustainability.
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Emergency Operations /ɪˈmɜːrʤənsi ˌɒpəˈreɪʃənz/ (n) – Activities carried out in response to an unexpected, urgent situation.
- E.g.: Emergency operations teams were dispatched immediately after the flood warning.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Renewable Energy in Disaster Management topic represents an important and versatile subject for Summarize Written Text tasks in the PTE exam. The sample question above, along with detailed answers and explanations, provides insight into how candidates can tackle such questions successfully. Renewable energy, given its rising importance in both environmental and disaster management efforts, is a popular theme for these types of academic tasks.
To enhance your skills in PTE Summarize Written Text, you are encouraged to practice regularly with diverse topics and keep refining your grasp on complex sentence construction, vocabulary, and grammar. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!
