Sample Answer

The table shows company profits before tax in Australia for the period 1986—90 in four sectors: Manufacturing, Mining, Retail Trade and Other Industries. Profits were very uneven across these four sectors/fields during the four_year period.

The most important sector was Manufacturing, where profits nearly doubled from 1986 to 1989 peaking at $8.6 billion, followed by Mining, where profits reached almost $5 billion in 1989—90, after fluctuating just below $4 billion for the previous three years.

The table indicates that the year 1989 was a turning point for the Australian economy. After consistent rises from 1986 to 1989, profits in Retail Trade levelled off in 1989—90, while those in Manufacturing and Other Industries both fell—in Other Industries the drop was particularly sudden, to less than a quarter of their 1989 level. Only in Mining, where profits had been steady during 1986—89, showed a significant rise in profits in 1989—90.

Sample Topic 20

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The diagram below shows the distribution of men and women in key professions in Malaysia in 1970.

Describe the distribution of men and women in the professions in Malaysia , as indicated in the diagram.

You should write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

It is immediately apparent from the diagram that in 1970 the professions in Malaysia were almost totally dominated by men. Many key professional people, including jurists, accountants, architects, engineers and economists, were male, occupying more than 90% of all positions. Architecture and engineering were particularly male_dominated, with only 3% of women professionals in those areas.

Women were only slightly better represented in science and medicine, comprising around 15% of scientists, mathematicians, doctors and dentists. In education, the proportion of women decreased according to the level, from around 40% of teachers in primary and secondary schools to under 25% of teachers in universities and higher education.

The only profession where women predominated was in the traditionally female area of nursing, with 99% of all nurses and midwives being women. The diagram therefore shows a very traditional pattern of male and female roles in the professions in Malaysia in 1970.

Sample Topic 21

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The graphs below indicate the effect of treatment in two types of cancer in females. Using the information in the graphs, describe and compare the situation with and without treatment for the two types of cancer.

You should write at least 150 words.

Sample Answer

The two graphs show the situation with and without treatment for two types of cancer in women—cancer of the alimentary tract and lymphosarcoma. Without treatment, the life expectancy for both types of cancer is poor—fewer than 25% of patients survive for five years after diagnosis.

For cancer of the alimentary tract, treatment can be reasonably effective. Whereas only 35-40% of patients survive one year after diagnosis without treatment, about 75% of patients survive one year when treatment is applied, and the survival rate after five years is just under 50%.

For lymphosarcoma, however, treatment can literally be fatal. The survival rate one year after diagnosis is around 50%, whether treatment is applied or not. However, treatment is shown to have a very negative effect beyond one year. After five years 25% of untreated patients are still alive, whereas none of the cases having received treatment survived five years after diagnosis.

Sample Topic 22

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The table below presents the perceptions of Chief Executive Officers and their partners as to the main sources of stress in the CEO lifestyle.

Using the information in the table, describe and compare the ways CEOs and their partners perceive pressures in the CEO lifestyle.

You should write at least 150 words.

perceptions of pressure in the CEO life style—top ten rated sources of stress (percentages)

Factors perceived to produce stress Perceptionsof CEOs Perceptions of

spouses/partners

Time pressures and deadlines  52 60

Demands of work on private life 48 23