Pte Academic Exam Memories ,Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence and Describe Image

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SUMMARIZE WRITTEN TEXT

In section 3 and 4, you are given a text up to 300 words. You are required to write a one-sentence summary of the text. The summary should be between 5-75 words. You have 10 minutes to write a one-sentence summary. This section contributes to your reading and writing scores. The instructions for this task, as it appears in the real test is given below.

Read the passage below and summarize it using one sentence. Type your response in the box at the bottom of the screen. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points in the passage.

General tips to remember in summarize written text.

•Start with a capital letter

•End the sentence with a full stop. Remember it’s just one sentence summary.

•Do not write all in capital letters, your response will not be scored if you do this.

•Do not write more than one sentence, your response will not be scored, if you do this.

•Do not exceed the word limit of 75 words.

•Check your spellings and grammar.

•Keep an eye on the timer. After 10 minutes, the screen will expire or automatically move to the next question.

Strategy for Summary Writing

•As soon as you start reading the first paragraph, read for the topic and write the topic sentence of the first paragraph. Remember, the topic sentence is not always the first sentence. It is a sentence, which introduces the main idea in the paragraph.

•Do not write definitions

•Do not write examples in summary

•Only include the main idea and supporting points in the summary.

Now let us analyze paragraph 1 of figure 21.

‘’A dowry- the money or property a bride brings to her husband at marriage – was common throughout much of the ancient world, and flourished in medieval Europe.’’

Now the topic sentence of this paragraph is

Dowry was common throughout much of the ancient world, and also flourished in medieval Europe

Notice that I did not include definition of dowry, and used the exact words as the passage

Now analyzing paragraph 2 of figure 21.

‘’In many places around the world, weddings were formal occasions, accompanied by much gift giving and ritual. The practice of dowries apparently originated when a bride’s parents gave her presents. As time went on, the dowry developed various functions. A dowry of household goods often helped the newlyweds set up their own home. A dowry of property or jewelry would help the wife support herself if her husband died. Generally, the husband returned the dowry to his in-laws if he and his wife divorced or if his wife died childless.’’’

Now we have to find the topic sentence of this paragraph.

The first sentence is about weddings etc., just some background information. A summary should not include any background information; however, you can include it if you will not sacrifice a main point.

Now sentence 2 is again about dowries and how it originated and developed various functions. Remember our topic is Dowry.

This is your topic sentence or main sentence in this paragraph.

The rest is just explanation of the topic sentence. For example, household goods, property etc., avoid including explanation in your summary. Therefore, my topic sentence for this para is

The practice of dowries apparently originated when the bride’s parents gave her presents, as time went on it developed various functions

Analyzing paragraph 3 of figure 21

‘’Sometimes, the groom’s family paid for the bride, often to compensate her family for the money spent raising her. If the bride had been a valuable worker, her family was sometimes compensated for the loss of her economic support.’’

Here your topic sentence is

Sometimes, the groom’s family paid for the bride

Here you do not have to explain how the groom’s family paid for the bride or in what certain situations. If you look at the rest of the paragraph, this explains the different circumstances in which a groom’s family paid for the bride dowries.

Analyzing paragraph 4 of figure 21

‘’Today, traditional wedding observances are losing ground all over the world. However, some traditional cultures, including gypsies, many Hindus, and certain African societies, continue to see dowries as a usual part of marriage.’’

The topic sentence here is

Today, traditional wedding observances are losing ground all over the world, however, some traditional culture and societies continue to see dowries as a usual part of marriage.

Here I did not include which societies or cultures, so avoid extra details and explanation. A summary should be to the point.

Analyzing the last 3 paragraphs of figure 21

‘’Traditionally, the family of the groom has offered cattle, often as many as 100 animals, to the family of the bride’’

Now again this is example of how a groom family paid for bride, so it is not included in summary.

A groom of the Roma people, or gypsies, pays the bride's family for the loss of their daughter. The bride price also ensures that the bride will be well treated by her new family. Negotiations between the families of the bride and groom can become quite extensive, with the bride's father calculating how much his daughter has cost him since her birth, and how much she could be expected to earn during her lifetime.

This is also examples or explanation of how groom’s family paid for the bride. Therefore, it is not included in the summary.

During and after the middle Ages, young Eastern European girls in rural areas typically received a dowry bed when she turned 12, followed by a wardrobe the next year. Furniture was often painted with designs representing family history and specific regions. Brides often entered marriage with enough goods to set up a household. Grooms received livestock and tools, so they could begin farming.

Again, this is explanation of various form of dowries or what is received in dowries, so I would prefer not to include these details in my summary.

Now combine all topic sentences like this

Topic sentence 1, topic sentence 2, topic sentence 3 _____

Dowry was common throughout much of the ancient world, and also flourished in medieval Europe, The practice of dowries apparently originated when the brides parent’s gave her presents, as time went on it developed various functions, Sometimes, the groom’s family paid for the bride, Today, traditional wedding observances are losing ground all over the world, however, some traditional culture and societies continue to see dowries as a usual part of marriage.

Now replace noun by pronouns etc…as we are writing only one sentence.

Replace the ‘’practice of dowries by ‘’its practice’’

Dowry was common throughout much of the ancient world, and also flourished in medieval Europe, its practice apparently originated when the bride’s parents gave her presents, as time went on it developed various functions; Sometimes, the groom’s family paid for the bride; Today, traditional wedding observances are losing ground all over the world, however, some traditional culture and societies continue to see dowries as a usual part of marriage. (69 words)

This summary is 69 words. Your summary can be 75 words but it should not be no more than that. A student who writes a 30 words summary will cover less main points and key information then one who writes 75 words.

Use of Comma and Semi colon

Semi colon is used when there are commas already in the sentence. While the commas show a smaller separation, the semi-colon is used to show a bigger separation. For example, after developing various functions you can put semicolon.

Again, I have used semi colon after the bride in line number 4.

Mostly semi colon is used when two independent clauses are connected without a conjunction (and, or, for, nor, but)

For example

I have cleaned the floor; I still need to do the laundry.

If you using conjunction, then the semi colon is replaced by comma.

I have cleaned the floor, but I still need to do the laundry.

Summarize Written Text, Practice Summary 1

Read the passage below and summarize it using one sentence. Type your response in the box at the bottom of the screen. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points in the passage.

More than 99% of the world’s food supply comes from the land, while less than 1% comes from oceans and other aquatic habitats. The continued production of an adequate food supply is directly dependent on ample fertile land, fresh water and energy.

As the human population grows, the requirement of these resources also grows. Even if these resources are never depleted, on a per capita basis they will face a disastrous failure to meet people’s need and can never be divided among public equally. Today, fertile agricultural land is going through crises at a shocking rate. The shortage of productive fertile land combined with decreasing land productivity is the major cause of current food shortages.

Water is another critical item for all crops. Adequate amount of water is required for the growing session of cultivation. The reality is that agricultural production consumes more fresh water than any other human activity. This is the reason why in many countries people are facing continuous shortage of fresh water. With the current world population, the competition for grabbing water resources has become active with a very higher pace among individuals, regions, and even countries. Water resources, critical for irrigation, are under great stress as populous cities, states and countries require and withdraw more water from rivers, oceans and lakes and very less in left for general population.

Step 1: Try to understand the main purpose of the passage, ask yourself what this pas-sage is overall about.

Is it about water and food supply?

Is it warning about the crises in food supply due to lack of fertile land and lack of fresh water?

Your summary should convey the overall message of the passage.

Step 2: Topic sentence of paragraph 1

The continued production of an adequate food supply is directly dependent on ample fertile land, fresh water and energy

The first sentence is not a topic sentence, it is background information.

Step 3: Topic sentence of paragraph 2

Today, fertile agricultural land is going through crises at a shocking rate, the shortage of productive fertile land combined with decreasing land productivity is the major cause of current food shortages.

Topic sentence of paragraph 3

Water resources, critical for irrigation, are under great stress as populous cities, states and countries require and withdraw more water from rivers, oceans and lakes and very less in left for general population.

Now combining all the main information in one sentence

The continued production of an adequate food supply is directly dependent on ample fertile land, fresh water and energy; Today, fertile agricultural land is going through crises at a shocking rate, the shortage of productive fertile land combined with decreasing land productivity is the major cause of current food shortages; Water resources, critical for irrigation, are under great stress as populous cities, states and countries require and withdraw more water from rivers, oceans and lakes and very less in left for general population. (83 words)

Now the word limit is only 75 words, so we will exclude details, for example, cities, states and countries, river, oceans and lakes and paraphrase the last sentence.

The continued production of an adequate food supply is directly dependent on ample fertile land, fresh water and energy; Today, fertile agricultural land is going through crises at a shocking rate, the shortage of productive fertile land combined with decreasing land productivity is the major cause of current food shortages; Water resources are under great stress as more water is withdrawn from water resources and very less is left for general population.

Total Word Count: 72 words

1. Comparative advantage

With an abundance of low-priced labor relative to the United States, it is no surprise that China, India and other developing countries specialize in the production of labor-intensive products. For similar reasons, the United States will specialize in the production of goods that are human-and-physical-capital intensive because of the relative abundance of a highly educated labor force and