【タスク1】練習問題

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The graph below shows how elderly people in the United States spent their free time between 1980 and 2010.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

This graph shows the kinds of activities done by old people in their spare time, covering a period from the 1980s to now in the United States. We can see that generally, the activities listed have been increasing in popularity amongst the elderly, with hiking increasing steadily throughout the years, and watching TV is the most popular overall.

In the 1980s, nearly all activities were growing in popularity. The only activity which was becoming less popular over these years was going to the theatre. Going to the theatre declined steeply from 50% to 30%.

This changed in the 1990s, and going to the theatre became more popular, whereas reading saw a dramatic drop in popularity. The number of people doing all the other activities increased.

This century, hiking, reading, going to the theatre, and surfing the Internet have all been increasing in popularity. However, watching TV has been decreasing in popularity. Despite this, watching TV is still the second most popular activity nowadays amongst this group. Most elderly people are hiking nowadays in their spare time.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The line graph below shows the average monthly temperatures in three major cities.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The average monthly temperature of three cities – Paris, Dubai, and Sydney, is given in the bar graph and the data compares how the temperature in these cities changes throughout the year. The temperature is measured in Celsius. Overall, Dubai and Paris have a comparatively warmer condition between April and August while the opposite trend is witnessed in Sydney where the first two and last two months of the year have a higher temperature.

As the illustration suggests, the temperature in Sydney is roughly 25-degree centigrade in January which is the warmest month of the year there. At that time, the temperature in Dubai is just below 20-degrees, which is the coldest month of the year in this city. With a 5-degree centigrade, Paris at that time beheld the coldest month of the year.

The temperature in Sydney remains above 20-degree till mid-March and then it keeps falling till July when it has nearly 13 centigrade temperature, the coolest. Through the rest of the year, the temperature there steadily increases before reaching 23-degree in December. Conversely, Paris’s temperature remains below 20-degrees throughout the year except in July and August. Paris seems like the coldest city among the three. Finally, the temperature in Dubai reaches as high as 36-degree centigrade in August and this city has a warmer condition from April to October.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The graph below shows the number of enquiries received by the Tourist Information Office in one city over a six-month period in 2011.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

This report illustrates the total enquiries received by the Tourist Information Centre in a city, over a period of six months in the year 2011, including the different enquiry methods used.

In-person enquiries increased the most between the months of March and April, whereas telephone enquiries experienced the greatest rise from the months of April to May. Between the months of January and June, in person enquiries maintained an increase in number, consistent with the trend observed for telephone enquiries during this time period. Both the in-person and telephone enquiry methods shared a similar feat in enquiry numbers, with the greatest enquiry rise between the months of April and June as indicated by the sharp slopes on the respective line graphs.

Comparatively, the enquiry method of letter and email experienced a gradual decrease in number for the reported months of January to May. However, during the months of March to April and May to June respectively, both the telephone and letter and email enquiry methods maintained a steady enquiry number indicted by the plateau on their respective line graphs. The Tourist Information Centre received the most number of enquiries in the month of June.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The chart below shows the places visited by different people living in Canada.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The chart gives information about the kinds of leisure activity engaged in by three distinct groups: native Canadians, recently arrived immigrants from English-speaking countries and new migrants for whom English is not the first language in their country.

The cinema is by far the most popular free-time activity listed in the chart for those with English as their first language — 70% of non-migrants and 65% of English-speaking migrants. Half the migrants from non-English-speaking countries also go to see a film but interestingly, 5% more of this group prefer the library to the cinema. Roughly 40% of the other two groups say they visit the library.

Zoos are visited most by half of the English-speaking migrants compared to just over 40% of those born in Canada and approximately 35% of the migrants born where English is not widely spoken. The theatre is least popular for all concerned, with only 10% of non-English-speaking migrants attending, while double the number of native Canadians go to see a play. A quarter of those born in English-speaking countries is theatre-goers.

Overall, it is perhaps unsurprising that Canadians prefer the cinema to the theatre, but the popularity of the library with new migrants may reflect the financial circumstances of these new citizens.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The graph below shows the types of music albums purchased by people in Britain according to sex and age.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The graphs illustrate 3 different genres of albums purchased by people in Britain according to their gender and age group. The 3 types of music were pop, rock, and classical music.

First of all, from the graphs, it is evident that more males purchase musical albums than females. Nearly 30% of males bought pop and rock albums and about 10% bought classical albums. Whereas for females, only 20% purchase pop and rock albums, and 7% bought classical albums. Secondly, according to the age groups, the percentage of customers who bought pop and rock albums were very similar. About 31% of people between the age of 25-34 purchase pop and rock albums, followed by 30% of people between the age of 16-24 and then 25% of people between the age of 35-44, finally close to 10% of people above the age of 45 bought pop and rock albums.

Lastly, looking at the graph for the percentage of people who bought classical albums, it is noticeable that the fluctuation is far greater than the other 2 graphs. More than 20% of the people above the age of 45 purchase classical albums, this is 20 times more than the people in the youngest age group. Overall, more males than females purchase pop, rock, and classical albums. Rock and pop music were generally well-received by the younger age groups while classical music is very popular among the older adults.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The chart below shows the GDP growth per year for three countries between 2007 and 2010.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The provided bar chart shows data on the annual GDP of Tunisia, Japan, and Ecuador between 2007 and 2010. As is observed from the given data, the annual GDP growth of Tunisia and Ecuador had decreased over the period while the percentage of GDP had increased remarkably in Japan.

As is given in the bar graph, initially in 2007 the annual percentage of GDP growth in Tunisia was over 6 while this was only 2% in Japan and just over 3% in Ecuador. Within three years, this GDP growth in Tunisia decreased to 3%, which is less than half of their initial percentage. In Ecuador, the GDP growth percentage also declined and fell to about 2%. On the contrary, Japan had been able to increase its annual GDP growth and the percentage increased to well over 6 in 2010 compared to only 2% in 2007.

In summary, the annual GDP growth in Tunisia and Ecuador decreased while it increased remarkably in Japan over the given period.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The charts below show local government expenditure in 2010 and 2015.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The charts show the percentage breakdown of government spending across nine categories in 2010 and 2015. Over the five-year period, there were significant changes in expenditure.

In both years, the four largest areas of government expenditure were: education, healthcare, pensions, and defense, with education taking the largest share (24% in 2010 and 21% in 2015). The smallest areas of expenditure were transport, culture and leisure and “other”. Interest on borrowing and spending on welfare lay in between.

Interestingly, between 2010 and 2015, spending on all four of the largest areas had dropped, with the exception of pensions, which remained the same at 19%. Spending on transport and culture and leisure also fell significantly, with the transport budget declining by two thirds. On the other hand, spending on welfare and interest on government borrowing rose markedly, with the latter doubling over the five-year period to 10%. Overall, the charts indicate that the government has had to cut expenditure in most areas in order to fund the cost of borrowing and welfare.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The pie charts below show the most common advantages and disadvantages of Bowen Island, according to a survey of visitors.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The two pie charts show the aspects of Bowen Island that tourists enjoy the most and the least. Bowen Island has many features that attract tourists but the most popular of these are the scenery and the people, with more than two-thirds of the visitors to the island listing these as the greatest advantages. The standard of accommodation on the island appears to be more than adequate, with 11% of respondents listing this as an advantage. 12% of visitors cite the culture of the island as a major attraction.

However, the island seems far from being a perfect tourist destination. When it comes to the negative aspects of the island, the high cost of living, poor weather, and the quality or lack of entertainment is seen as the worst of these. Together, these three categories make up 90% of the total disadvantages. In spite of the high costs on the island, 10% of the visitors complain about poor food quality.

Overall, it seems that most people like Bowen Island because of the scenery and people. However, it is possible that the unspoiled nature of the island means there is little in the way of entertainment and this, combined with the high cost of living, makes it unlikely to appeal to everyone.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The charts below show the percentage of time younger and older people spend on various Internet activities in their free time (excluding email).
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The pie charts illustrate the proportion of time people allocate on different internet activities when they are free, divided into two groups: that is youngsters (18-26 group) and the elderly people (60-70 age group). Overall, it is clear that the two age groups have different preferences for internet activities.

First and foremost, the younger age group spends the majority of their time on social networking (24%) compared to only 8% of the time elderly people spend. The older people, however, spend most of their time making bookings for the cinema ticket or travel (29%) which is almost fourfold then the time youngsters spend on this stuff. Young people tend to access music or films more than older people (just over one-fifth and 17% respectively).

In addition, young people use three times more playing online games than the other age group (18% and 6% correspondingly). Interestingly, both the age groups spend approximately the same time on activities like doing research related to the health issue and making purchases online, which is 20% and 14% for elderly people.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The diagram below shows the recycling process of aluminum cans.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The figure reveals how aluminium cans are recycled in the UK. There are three main steps to make recycled cans. First is the delivery process, the second is the sorting and melting process and the last is the process of making new cans.
Firstly, used aluminium cans are thrown away in rubbish bins. They are then collected and delivered to the recycling factories in trucks. At the factories, the aluminium cans are cleaned and sorted out in a special machine before being shredded and compressed. Next, small pieces of aluminium are put into another machine and melted under high heat. They become liquid and this forms the raw materials for making recycled cans.

Finally, the melted aluminium is stretched and flattened. The thickness of aluminium sheets is from 2.5mm to 6mm. It is rolled repeatedly and shaped into cans. Consequently, the recycled aluminium cans can be used again in our daily lives. Overall, almost three quarters of all cans in the UK are recycled.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The diagram below shows the process by which bricks are manufactured for the building industry.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The diagram illustrates the brick manufacturing process in an orderly manner starting from the digging of clay. As is seen in the given illustration, brick manufacturing is a complex process and involves 7 stages until they are ready to be sold in the market.

The process is initiated by digging clay with the help of a heavy machinery digger. This clay is then refined through the metal grid which throws the refined clay on the rollers. Sand and water are mixed and this mixture is either molded or cut using a wire cutter to give the bricks a raw shape. These bricks are put in a drying oven for one to two days. The dried bricks are then passed to kilns with moderate (200 to 980 degree C) and high temperature (870 to 1300 degree C) and finally placed in a cooling chamber for 48-72 hours. After cooling down the bricks, they are placed on a pallet for packaging and to be loaded on a lorry for delivery.

In conclusion, the process of manufacturing bricks is a complex process that passes through several stages before the bricks are ready to be used.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The following diagram shows how greenhouse gases trap energy from the Sun. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown in the diagram.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The diagram illustrates the way in which greenhouse gases are produced and further how these gases trap heat from the sun.

One of the most common ways gases are released into the earth’s atmosphere is by means of transport. The engine of a car, plane, motorized boat, or other vehicles release toxic substances. The pollutants also meet with extra carbon dioxide, evacuated from power plants or factories which burn fossil fuels, forming a cluster of man-made pollutants. The process is fastened also by deforestation, which logs trees that could have absorbed the man-produced carbon dioxide.

The second stage takes place in the atmosphere, where a part of the energy received from the sun should be reflected back to outer space. Instead, the greenhouse gases trap the heat, warming up the environment. Overall, it is easy to notice that pollution itself is a complex process, with roots in mankind’s actions.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The table below gives information about student enrolments at Manchester University in 1937, 1967, and 2017.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

In the table, we can see information about the numbers of students enrolling at Manchester University in the three years, 1937, 1967, and 2017. It compares the percentages of females and males, and also students from abroad and those from within 40 miles of the city.

The most noticeable changes concern the overall growth of student numbers, from 327 in 1937 to 6254 in 2017, and the proportions of local students, who constituted 55% of the total in 1937, but only 1-2% in 2017.

It is surprising to note that the percentage of female enrolments did not rise steadily, but dropped between 1937 and 1967. However, at the same time, the percentage of the student population who came from abroad remained almost unchanged between 1937 and 1967, being 6% and 7% respectively, but rose markedly after that, so that by 2017 foreign students represented 32% of the total.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The table below shows the results of surveys in 2000, 2005 and 2010 about one university.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The table data illustrates the proportion of students who gave good ratings to various aspects of a university in three different years – 2000, 2005, and 2010.

Overall, it is clear that the percentage of students who gave good ratings to five different aspects of the university was comparatively higher in 2010 than in previous years with the exception of the range of modules offered by the university.

To begin with, 65 percent of students rated the technical quality of the university as excellent in 2000 and this ratio remained more or less the same in the next two surveys. The most striking feature of the data is that there was a significant rise in the percentage of students who rated electronic resources as good. It started off at 45% in 2000, rose to 72% in 2005 and finally, the figure almost doubled in 2010, which was 88%. From 2000 to 2010, there were fluctuations in the percentage of students who gave a good rate for the print resources and also the range of modules offered. While print resources received a steady good rating, 87 to 89 percent, range or major offered received a lower rating in 2010, just 27% rated it as “good”. The modules offered by the university had a lower percentage of good ratings in 2010 than in 2000. Finally, it is interesting to note that the building and teaching facilities remained constant in its percentage of good ratings by the students over the given period – 77% positive rating.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The table below shows the number of medals won by the top ten countries in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The table enlists the top ten countries in the Rio Olympic Games 2016 and shows how many medals these countries won in the competition. As can be seen, the United States held the top position by winning 121 medals among which 46 were gold medals.

As the illustration outlines, the US won 121 trophies in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and this number was almost double than the reward attained by the second-best team, the UK. American athletes achieved 45 gold, 37 silver and 38 bronze medals while these numbers were 27, 23 and 17 respectively for the UK. Despite winning 3 more medals than the UK, China attained the third position as their gold and silver medal-winning competitors were fewer than that of the UK. Russia, Germany, Japan and France consecutively held 4th till 7th position and their total medals were between 40 to 56. Russia and Germany gained 19 and 17 gold medals while Japan and France secured 12 and 10 of them.

The last three countries on this list are Korea, Italy and Australia with less than 30 medals among which 8-9 were gold medals. The number of medals won by Australia was 29, one higher than that of Italy but 12 silver medals pushed Italy higher on the list. It is interesting to note that the top three countries in this list cumulatively won more medals than the rest of the countries did in this tournament.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The diagram shows the changes that have taken place at West Park Secondary School since its construction in 1950.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The diagram presents West Park Secondary School at three different stages in its development: 1950, 1980, and 2010. As can be seen from the given illustration, the school went through different changes.

In 1950, the school was built near the main road and near the school, there was a place for housing. An extensive spot behind the school was fixed for a playground, while the field behind the housing was farmland. By 1980, the housing area had been knocked down in order to build a science block and a space for car parking. Moreover, a new sports field was established in the exact area where the farmland was and it is right next to the playground.

In 2010, the school’s main building and the science block were still intact but the car parking area had been extended and it consumed a great portion of the sports field and playground. During the given time, the area around West Park Secondary School has changed. In addition to a new science block, a larger car park has been constructed and extended. Hence, the spot for the sports field and playground reduced.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The two maps below show an island, before and after the construction of some tourist facilities.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The two maps illustrate the changes on an island due to the constructions and adaptations made for the tourism activities. In general, the island became more crowded with entertainment facilities after the introduction of tourism.

In the first picture before the construction of tourist facilities, there was no accommodation and the whole island had almost nothing except a few trees. Furthermore, the area was completely calm and quiet.

However, turning to the second picture, this island provides a lot of accommodation facilities and a large restaurant. The reception block is located close to the restaurant and these buildings are linked through vehicle tracks. From the reception center, people can go to the pier through the vehicle track. Moreover, the swimming area is also available near the beach to visiting tourists. Tourists can walk on the footpath to reach the beach from their cottages.

Overall, tourism facilities made greater development on this island, while it became congested. However, it is good to know that trees were not chopped down during the renovation works.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

• The maps below show the village of Stokeford in 1930 and 2010.
  Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The maps compare the structural developments and the transformation of a village called Stockford between 1930 and 2010. A glance at the maps reveals that the Stockford village in 1930 had fewer houses and extended farmland but witnessed rapid housing development afterward.

As is observed, Stockford village is located at the east of the River Stoke. Parallel to this river, the main road has connected a bridge in the farthest north-east side of the village in both maps. A few houses on both sides of the road, two shops and a post office on the west side of the road were present in this village in 1930. Besides, an elementary school, a large garden, and a connecting road to the bridge were on the east of this village. Two large farmlands were quite visible in the early map which disappeared in the latter one.

The 2010’s map reveals that the post office, the bridge, and the primary school remained unaltered, though the school building was enlarged. The shops disappeared and the garden with many of its trees was compromised to build more accommodation facilities. The large house was converted to a retirement home with some extension to its structure. On top of that, the number of houses increased remarkably and these houses were built on the previously existing farmlands and garden.