Urban Sprawl and Environmental Sustainability: Summarize Written Text for PTE Speaking & Writing

Urban sprawl is a common topic that often appears in the Summarize Written Text section of the PTE exam. This subject touches on crucial issues such as environmental sustainability, urbanization trends, and their impacts on ecosystems. Properly preparing for this topic will not only help you excel in the PTE exam but will also deepen your understanding of contemporary urban and environmental challenges. Below are sample questions and answers you can practice.

Practice Summarize Written Text Questions on Urban Sprawl and Environmental Sustainability

Question 1: The Impact of Urban Sprawl on Natural Ecosystems

Urban sprawl refers to the uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural regions, resulting in increasing land-use and depleting natural resources. As cities spread, vital habitats are destroyed to make room for developments, while infrastructure expansion adds to pollution. This leads to loss of biodiversity, disruptions to existing ecosystems, and contributes significantly to global challenges such as climate change. For instance, the deforestation of green belts to accommodate residential and industrial demand significantly exacerbates carbon emissions, which in turn accelerates global warming. Pollution from traffic in sprawling urban environments also greatly degrades air and water quality.

Summarize the paragraph in one sentence.

Sample Answers and Analysis

• 80-90 Band Response:
  Urban sprawl, characterized by development spreading into rural regions, causes habitat loss, biodiversity depletion, and contributes to climate change by exacerbating air and water pollution through expanded infrastructure.

  • Content: The content fully encapsulates the essential points—urban sprawl, habitat loss, pollution, and its global environmental impacts.
  • Form: The single period at the end makes a complete, well-structured sentence.
  • Grammar: No errors present, with proper use of complex sentence structures.
  • Vocabulary: Words like “biodiversity depletion” add sophistication.
  • Spelling: Perfect spelling throughout.

• 70-79 Band Response:
  Urban sprawl has negative environmental effects such as habitat destruction, pollution, and an increase in carbon emissions which contributes to climate change.

  • Content: The primary effects are mentioned but appear slightly more generalized.
  • Form: Only one grammatical period used.
  • Grammar: Mostly accurate without significant errors.
  • Vocabulary: Uses basic words like “effects” and “increase” but maintains clarity.
  • Spelling: No issues with spelling.

• 60-69 Band Response:
  Urban sprawl leads to habitat loss and pollution, also contributing to climate change.

  • Content: Covers the basics but lacks detail on how pollution forms.
  • Form: Complies with sentence structure—only one full stop.
  • Grammar: Simple structure and no grammatical missteps.
  • Vocabulary: Very basic use of vocabulary.
  • Spelling: Correct spelling.

Question 2: Urban Sprawl vs Carbon-Neutral Cities

Many cities are recognizing the negative effects of urban sprawl and are attempting to implement more environmentally conscious strategies. ‘Carbon-neutral cities’ are gaining traction, where planners strive to reduce carbon emissions to zero through innovative urban designs. This includes utilizing renewable energy sources, like solar panels and wind turbines, in city-wide infrastructure, as well as promoting public transport and eco-friendly buildings. Sustainable cities aim to create more green spaces and enhance biodiversity within urban settings by reducing unplanned expansions and focusing on improving the quality of life for residents.

Summarize the paragraph in one sentence.

Sample Answers and Analysis

• 80-90 Band Response:
  Cities are adopting carbon-neutral strategies to curb urban sprawl by promoting renewable energy, eco-friendly buildings, and public transport while increasing green spaces and biodiversity.

  • Content: Thoroughly covers both urban sprawl’s impact and the proposed carbon-neutral solutions.
  • Form: A well-formed academic sentence.
  • Grammar: Appropriate use of complex sentence structures and conjunctions.
  • Vocabulary: Higher-level terms like “curb” and “biodiversity”.
  • Spelling: No spelling mistakes.

• 70-79 Band Response:
  More cities are focusing on stopping urban sprawl by creating sustainable cities that use renewable energy and encourage public transportation.

  • Content: Some key points like “green spaces” are missed.
  • Form: Forms a complete statement.
  • Grammar: Accurate but more concise than necessary.
  • Vocabulary: Simpler choices for clarity.
  • Spelling: Spelling is accurate.

• 60-69 Band Response:
  Cities are reducing urban sprawl by using renewable energy and improving public transport.

  • Content: Misses crucial details like biodiversity or eco-friendly aspects.
  • Form: Technically correct but overly simplistic.
  • Grammar: Basic but appropriately structured.
  • Vocabulary: Limited.
  • Spelling: No spelling errors.

Vocabulary and Grammar Insights

Here are 10 challenging words from the sample paragraphs that may appear in related topics surrounding Urban Sprawl And Environmental Sustainability, with their definitions and examples:

1. Sprawl /sprɔːl/ (n): The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas.
   Example: Urban sprawl has drastically altered the environment.

2. Biodiversity /ˌbaɪoʊdaɪˈvɜːrsɪti/ (n): The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat.
   Example: The loss of biodiversity is a major environmental concern.

3. Carbon-neutral /ˈkɑːrbən ˈnjuːtrəl/ (adj): Having no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
   Example: Denmark aims to become a carbon-neutral country by 2050.

4. Infrastructure /ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌktʃər/ (n): The basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society.
   Example: The government invested heavily in its transport infrastructure.

5. Renewable /rɪˈnjuːəbl/ (adj): Energy from a source that is not depleted when used.
   Example: Solar energy is a form of renewable energy.

6. Turbine /ˈtɜːrbaɪn/ (n): A machine for generating continuous power using wind, a liquid, or gas flow.
   Example: Wind turbines could power thousands of homes.

7. Deforestation /diˌfɔːrɪˈsteɪʃn/ (n): The clearing of trees, transforming a forest into cleared land.
   Example: Deforestation is a direct cause of habitat destruction.

8. Ecosystem /ˈiːkoʊˌsɪstəm/ (n): A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
   Example: Urban sprawl often disrupts local ecosystems.

9. Sustainability /sʌˈsteɪnəbɪlɪti/ (n): The ability to maintain ecological balance without depletion.
   Example: Sustainability has become a critical aspect of urban planning.

10. Pollution /pəˈluːʃn/ (n): The presence or introduction of harmful substances into the environment.
    Example: Industrial pollution is a major issue in sprawling cities.

Conclusion

Urban sprawl and environmental sustainability are not just trending topics in the real world but also in the PTE exam’s Summarize Written Text section. By practicing with the examples and understanding the language used in discussing urbanization, you can greatly boost your PTE score. Moreover, this is an Effects of rapid urbanization globally problem, and tackling it might also interest you. Good luck, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!