Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #7

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The table below shows social
and economic indicators for four countries in 1994, according to United Nations
statistics.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

A glance at four indicators of economic and social conditions
in four countries, Canada, Japan, Peru and Zaire, in 1994 reflects the great differences
that exist between wealthier and poorer nations.

The table shows that Japan and Canada had annual incomes of $15 760 and $11 100
per person, respectively. These figures were overwhelmingly greater than the corresponding
figures of $160 in Peru and $130 in Zaire.

Health indicators, too, reflected overall levels of affluence in the four nations.
Life expectancy at birth, for example, was higher among the more economically developed
countries. Japan reported the highest life expectancy, 78. This was followed by
Canada, 76; Peru, 51; and Zaire, 47. This suggests that richer societies are able
to put more money into health care than poorer ones.

The amount of calories consumed daily per person roughly followed the same ranking.
Canadians each consumed some 3 326 calories per day while the Japanese took 2846
calories. The corresponding figures for Peru and Zaire were 1927 and 1749, respectively.

Literacy rates among adults, too, were higher in wealthier countries, no doubt a
reflection of ability to invest in education. Canada and Japan both reported literacy
rates of 99%, while Peru claimed 68%. Zaire, the least economically developed of
the four countries, had a literacy rate of 34%.

The data appear to confirm the often cited link between national wealth and health
and education standards.