Bài viết về "Visuals writing about graphs, tables and diagrams".
Visuals ABOUTGRAPHS, WRITING AN D TABLES DIAGRAMS Gabi Duigu @ Gabi Duigu 2001 All rights reserved Published by Academic English Press 9/13 Armstrong Street Cammeray NS\f 2062 Australia Ph:02 94376330 email:g.duigu@unsw.edu.au Distributedby: Melting Pot Press 10 GraftonStreet NS\( 2008 Chippendale Australia Ph: (5r) 29212 1882 F a x : 29 11 8 email:books@elt.com.au r s B N0 - 9 - - : : l i : : : i ; ; : : : : l : : : : : : : : : : l : :!':::::::::::::::::|' : :: ::::!' ::-::::::::::::::::: l:l:::l::::::l.l.l : | | | : :ltl lf::::r:::a:a:t:t::.t: : .: .: Part1 t The Purposeof GraphsandTables .2 Part 2 \WritingaboutGraphsandThbles \ W r i t i n g t hI en t r o d u c t i o n 2.2 TimeExpressions 2.3 Expressions of Measurement 10 .13 15 Part3 \TritingtheReport 3.1 Contrast 3.2 Tiends 3.3 Correlations 25 ,.25 32 35 Part4 Using the Right sryle 4.1 Modifiers 4.2 Using the CorrectSryleand Avoiding Errors 39 39 48 Part5 Diagrams 5.1 VocabularyandGrammar U s i n g a g o o d s r y.l e AnswerK"y .55 55 56 59 \With thanks to Maryanne Sheafor making the book possible,and for her enduring patience and encouragement Many of the graphs and tables in this book are basedon visualsfrom various issuesof the UNESCO Courier, to which very worthwhile publication grateful acknowledgment is made :li:i.,:iii:.: !::ii'.t.iilil j::::aii,::::.::::itiii.J :::::::l :ltir,,:::::t:t:,,1::::::::::::::::t:t: :r::i:r;iil;:,:iti;;lir,:i t:ri;':f: t::ttt:l;:ti;ittiit lntroductionand Overview Many books exist that are guides to academicwriting for native speakers.There are also a number for non-native speakers.Of these,quite a few deal with the use of graphs, tablesand other visuals.However, they normally explain how to insert or use thesevisuals to make your work more interesting and easyto understand.They not usually explain how to write about thesevisual aids The primary purpose of this book is to help you with the \Writing Thsk I of the IELIS Academic test Howevet becauseit attempts to deal with the language required in a systematicway, you may find that much of the information it contains could be useful to you later during your studies,if you ever need to use graphs, tablesor the like in your work So perhapsyou should not give the book away as soon as you have passedyour IELIS )i()K)K)t()K 'Writing Thsk 1, it is In order to write about visuals,as required in IELIS Academic necessaryto understand what to write, as well as ltotl to write it The first section of this book therefore beginswith a discussionabout the main purpose and featuresof graphs, tablesand other visuals,and provides exercisesto practiseidenti$'ing these correctly The later sections then go on to deal with the languagerequired to write about them There are vocabulary lists, explanationsabout meaning and grammar, and exercises.There is also an Answer Key, and model answersare provided, so that the book can be used for self-studyas well as class-roomuse Visuals:Writingabout Graphs,Tablesand Diagrams Since most of the IELTS Academic \Writing Thsk questions deal with graphs and rables,and since they require specific interpretation and writing conyentions,we will first focus on these A Note on terminology: The IELIS Handbook mentions diagrams and tables Clearly this includes graphs (the most common visual used in \Writing Task 1) under diagrams Other books talk about visuals to cover all of these.Youdo not need to worry about this as the label is usually given in the introduction to the task and you can simply use the sameword in your answer ThePurposeof Graphsand Tables In order to know how to something properly, it is necessaryto understand the parpose of that thing tWe actually need to know two things: a) the purpose of using graphs and tables;and b) the purpose of utriting about the graphs and tables that have been used \Wewill deal with the first one first 1.1UsingGraphsand Tables TASK1 'Which of the following statements you think best describe the purpose of providing graphs and tables in an academic text? a) to explain what is in the t€xt in a different way b) to provide information which is additional to that provided in the text c) to make it easierto understand the conceptsby using a visual rather than by just using words d) to give an overview or an impression or a summary e) to provide more exact details than is desirablein the text rc Answer Key Visuals:Writingabout Graphs,Tablesand Diagrams 1.2 Writingabout Graphsand Tables In real life, the text usually comesfrst, and the graph or table is added to support the text In fact, most books that adviseon writing, explain how to use graphs or tables to illustrate the words more cleady However, in IELTS the reverseoccurs you are given the graph, table or diagram and must supply the words In Thsk candidatesare askedto look at a diagram or table, and to present the information in their own words Depending on the type of input and the task on their abiliry to: suggested,candidatesare assessed r organise, present and possibly compare data describe the stagesofa processor procedure describe an object or event or sequenceofevents explain how something works IELTS Handbooh, 1999 Note that the first of theseis the most common task found in the Test, and the one we are dealine with now TASK2 \(zhich of the following you think best describes the purpose of writing about graphs and tables (in real academic writing)? a) to explain what is in the graph or table in a different way which makes it easierto understand b) to give exactly the same information in words, in order to emphasiseit c) to expand on what is in the graph or table by giving additional explanations about the reasonsetc d) to draw attention to the most important asp€ctsof the information shown in the graph or table tc Ansuter Ke! Visuals:Writingabout Graphs,Tablesand Diagrams 1.3 Understandingthe Purpose TASK3 Look at the following graph and the descriptions given underneath, and decide which one is the most suitable Try to explain why you think so AnnualUrbanGrowthRates Average ltsto-ts T l 1995-2000 ffiil 2020-2025 Asia Europe North Latin America America a) This gdph showsthe auerageannualurban groluth rate of continentsfrom 1970 to 2025 According to the graph, Africa had about 5o/oauerageannual urban groutth rate in 1970 and ouer 4%oauerageannual urban grozuthrate in 1995 and in 2025 the auerageannual urban grou.tthrate is expectedto bejust ouer3o/o.For Asia the auerageannual urban groutth rate wasjust ouer3o/o in 1970 and 1995 and it utas expectedto be about 2o/oin 2025 In Europe, by contrast,tlte auerageannual urban groutth rat€ was only about 1.5% in 1970 and it went down to about 0.5o/oin 1995, and in 2025 it utill be lessthan 0.2o/o.In Latin America tlte auerageannual urban groutth rate utentfrom just under 4o/oin 1970 to just ouer2%oin 1995 and it tuill probably bejust ouer 1o/oin 2025 In North America the auerageannual urban groluth rAte uAs about 1o/oin 1970 and 1995 and is ffiPectedto stay tlte samein 2025 b) Looking at the graph lae cdn seethat urban {ouath has happenedon all continentssince 1970 and that it is expectedto continue right up to 2025 The most dramatic grouth is in Africa, Asia and Latin America, becAusetbesecontinentshaue experiencedthe most deuelopmentand industrialisation since 1970, while Europe and North America show lessincreaseprobably becausethey already started being more urbanised In deuelopingcountriesmary)peoplefom the countrytsideare attrdcted t0 the cities to loohfor u,,orhand better opportunities in heahh and education, but this rapid urbanisation is causingmany problems and needsto be connolled Visuals:Writing about Graphs, Tablesand Diagrams that since 1970 there has beenconsiderableurban grotuth in all ) The graph shou,,s continentspresented and that this trend is expectedto continue at least until2025 Houteuer,the ratefor eaclt continent ltas not beentlte same The deuelopingcounnies of Afica, Asia and Latin America experiencedtlte most dramatic growth rates in 1975, with Afica hauing around 5o/oPer Annum, Latin America just ouer 4%oand Asia ouer3o/o In 1995 theseratesdeneasedto just ouer 4o/oin Afica and doun to about 2o/ofor Latin Anterica, but Asia remained tlte same This grouth rate is expectedto decreaseby about 1% for all three continentsbjt the year 2025 Mennuthile North America is expectedto maintain its groutth rate of 1o/op.a ouer the entire period, tahile Europe, hauing started theperiod at about 1.5o/ogrowth rate is expectedto reducethis to only about 2% by 2025 a Ansuer Ke! differenttypesof Graphsand Tables 1.4 Understanding \7e now need to look more closelyat what graphs and tablesshow, and the differencesberween them a) 'What features the following graphs have in common? CigaretteConsumptionin China 1950- 90 WorldMeatProduction, Million Tons billions: 2000 t Pork 1500 ,.a( 40 20 't0 u Poultry -ta 30 / a Beef/Buffalo -'-+/ R A' ,.8' F-.::: .ts_+ 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 b) Vhat features the following graphs have in common? How are they different from the previous ones? Percentageof distributionof Internet-connected July1999 by incomeof countlies, computers, Waste1999 Household Paper& 21% Carboard High-incomecountries95.1 =Plastic 8% Middleincome counldies4.7 / Low-incomecounti reso.z Metal 6% Glass8% Other'l l% Food& Garden Materials46% Visuals:Writingabout Graphs,Tablesand Diagrams c) 'What about these graphs? Percentaqe of all children - y e a - r sw h o w o r k 9 Europe AnnualWaterConsumption: World 150 Africa 120 tuia Latin America & Caribbean Oceania ffieoys Icitlt Thousands9o of Litres (percapita)6o 30 o d) 1950 1960 1970 1980 ',I990 2000 'What kind of information the following tables provide? How does this differ from the graphs? computers Internet-connected worldwide,1981-1999 1987 1988 '1989 1990 '1991 1992 1993 1994 r 09s 1996 1997 1998 1999 28,174 s6,000 159.000 313,000 617,000 1,136,000 2,056,000 3,864,000 6,642,000 12,881,000 19,5r+0,000 36,739,000 56.218,000 Thelargestnumberof foreignstudentsby country 1995 of origin,in the 50 majorhostcountries: 115,87'l China 69,736 62,324 45,432 43,941 41,159 39,626 37,629 36,515 34,908 32,411 28.280 27,749 Korea.Republicof Japan Germany Greece Malaysia lndia Turkey Italy Morocco France Canada United States a Ansuer Ke! Understanding graphs and rables involves understanding the following details: \X/hat is the information or data in the graph or table abo :ut?[ This infarrnation is norma$t suppheA uith ilte graplt or tabla,J r$fhat 2" are the units of rneasufemeflt used? \{hat is the area (place) involved ? \f,hat is the time-scale involved ? What is the purpose of the graph or table? ... class-roomuse 2 Visuals: Writingabout Graphs,Tablesand Diagrams Since most of the IELTS Academic \Writing Thsk questions deal with graphs and rables ,and since they require specific interpretation and writing. .. desirablein the text rc Answer Key Visuals: Writingabout Graphs,Tablesand Diagrams 1.2 Writingabout Graphsand Tables In real life, the text usually comesfrst, and the graph or table is added to... table tc Ansuter Ke! Visuals: Writingabout Graphs,Tablesand Diagrams 1.3 Understandingthe Purpose TASK3 Look at the following graph and the descriptions given underneath, and decide which one