ONE ACADEMIC WRITING 31

ACADEMIC WRITING 60 minutes

TASK 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The graph below compares the number of visits to two new music sites on the web.

Write a for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

Write at least 150 words.

Visits to two new music sites on the web

...
.
... .

..
0
0
\

I
60 I
I
I
I

- \
. .-, a I

.
I
\ I
\

20 -

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5
Days
---- Music Choice Pop Parade

Before you write your answer to Task go on to pages 32-34.

 ACADEMIC WRITING FURTHER PRACTICE AND GUIDANCE

FURTHER PRACTICE FOR TASK 1

LANGUAGE DESCRIBING MOVEMENTS IN GRAPHS
1 Match the statements with the graphs below. For example, statement a matches graph 8.
Some graphs can be used more than once.
a Sales rocketed over the period.
b The purchase of furniture was rather erratic, hitting a peak in the middle of the period.
c The sale of fish products rose dramatically.
d There was a slight dip in equipment production.
e There was a steady increase in the amount of coal used, followed by a period of stability.
f There were wild fluctuations in sales, but the trend was upward.
g The number of people attending the weekly lectures plunged.
h There was rather a dramatic fall in the share price.
Share prices plummeted, but then stabilized.
j After a dramatic fall in the number of people settling in the city, there was a period of stability.
k The number of houses sold dipped slightly.
I There was a gradual decline in the number of children visiting the zoo.

Graphs
 PRACTICE AND GUIDANCE ACADEMIC WRITING 33

at the graph in Task 1 on page 31 and read the sentences,which relate only to the
Music Choice site.Try to complete the sentences.

a The number of *hits to Music Choice to 60,000 on Day 3.

b On the fourth day, the number of visitors to the Music Choice site
by to 20,000.

c There was in hits to the Music Choice site on the third day.

d On the fourth day, there was in the number of visitors to

the site.

e On Day 13, the number of hits slightly.

f On the second day, the number of hits to 20,000.

g The number of hits within a narrow margin from Day 4 to

Day 11.

h On Day 13, the number of site visitors slightly, before

hitting a new peak of just over 120,000 on Day 14.

The number of hits significantly on Day 15.

The number of visitors to the site reached of

just over 120,000 on Day 14.

* or visits to

the items in the box below. Which can be used instead of the phrases you wrote in above?
There may be more than one answer and you may use each item more than once.

halved a gradual rise fluctuated plunged a new peak

dipped a steep fall soared a sharp rise rocketed fell back

Now check your answers to these exercises. When you have done so, go on to page 34.
 ACADEMIC FURTHER PRACTICE AND GUIDANCE

3 Now write your own answer to Task on page 31. When you have finished writing your report, use
questions a-g below to help you check what you have written.

a Is the length of the text appropriate?

..................................................................................
b Does the text answer the question?

..................................................................................
c Are there any common mistakes in the text? If so, what are they?

..................................................................................
d Is there any repetition of words or phrases?

..................................................................................
e anything missing?

..................................................................................
f Are the paragraphs well linked together? If so, in what way?

..................................................................................

g Does the report contain a wide range of vocabulary and structures?

..................................................................................
4 Now look at the following model answer to Task 1 and answer questions a-g above.

The graph shows t h e number o f h i t s t o t w o new music s i t e s on t h e web, measured in thousands

over a period o f fifteen days. A s f a r a s Music Choice i s concerned, t h e number o f visits t o t h e s i t e
fluctuated between 20,000 and 40,000 in t h e f i r s t eleven days, except f o r Day 3 when t h e y
reached 60,000. By contrast, visits t o t h e Pop Parade s i t e fell erratically from approximately
1 2 0 , 0 0 0 h i t s on Day 1 t o around 40,000 on Day 7.

Between days 11 and 15 visits t o Music Choice fluctuated dramatically, hitting a peak o f over
1 2 0 , 0 0 0 on Day 14. Despite a drop t o less t h a n 40,000 hits, Pop Parade saw a huge increase in
t h e number o f h i t s between Days 9 and 11, reaching a t o t a l o f over 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 h i t s on Day 11. A t t h e
end o f period t h e number of h i t s t o Pop Parade peaked a t around whereas
those f o r Music Choice showed a marked decline t o around 7 0 , 0 0 0 .

(164 words)

Now check your answers to this exercise and compare your report with the authentic student
answer on page 134. Then doTask 2 on page 35.