IELTS Research Reports

Tim Moore, Janne Morton and Steve PriceLevel of engagementAs the designated name of this task type indicates (i.e. Section – summary match), the level ofengagement in this format is clearly at a supra-sentential level. In almost all cases in the corpus, theunit of text to be negotiated in the completion of tasks was the paragraph. Some variation was notedregarding the length of these paragraphs. In Sample 2.1 above, for example, the relevant paragraph is10 sentences long (240 words); in sample 2.2 it is considerably shorter, running to only 2 sentences (67words). In the whole corpus, the average paragraph length was 5 sentences. Overall for this task type,we can say that the level of engagement is on a more ‘global’ scale than for the True/False formatanalysed in the previous section (see Figure 4).Type of engagementTo complete Section – summary match tasks, test-takers need to be able to match up a putativesummary of a section of text with the propositional content of this section. A feature of thesesummaries is their tendency to draw on a number of broad rhetorical categories eg cause and effect,comparison, prediction etc (Trimble, 1985). Thus, in Sample 2:1, we saw that the relevant rhetoricalcategory for the section of text in question was ‘causality’ (Causes of rising sea levels); in Sample 2:2,this category was ‘prediction’ (Predictions regarding the availability of the synthetic silk).The task for test-takers then, in many instances, is to be able to recognise the connection between thecontent of the designated section of text, and this broader rhetorical unit around which the summaryprompt is structured. In the case of sample 2:1, this requires drawing a semantic link between thecategory of ‘causation’ in the prompt, and various ‘causal’ elements in the text – for example, i) certainkey lexis (eg cause, consequence, threat) and ii) key structures (eg Y would lead to a calamitous risein sea level). Similarly, in Sample 2:2, the task is to be able to recognise how key lexical items suchas prospect, warning, as well as future time constructions – eg we will wind up with a very strong,tough material – equate to the rhetorical category of ‘prediction’. We note in passing the wide rangeof rhetorical functions used in the constructing of the summary prompts. The more prominent of theseidentified in the corpus are shown in Table 5, along with prompt samples for each category.Rhetorical categoryDefinitionRoleImportance/significanceComparisonCauses/reasonsImpacts/effectsChangesProblems / difficulties /failuresMerits/benefitsSample promptDefinition of health in medical termsThe role of the state in health careThe role of video violenceRelative significance of trade and service industryThe importance of taking notes on body languageA comparison of the ways two materials are used to replace silk-producing glandsCauses of volcanic eruptionsReasons for the increased rate of bullyingThe impact of the car on city developmentThe effects of bullying on childrenChanges to concepts of health in Western societySea level monitoring difficultiesThe failure of government policyThe relative merits of cars and public transportThe benefits of an easier existence206 www.ielts.org