Food-waste summary from two sources
A candidate is preparing a summary for a geography project on food waste in the school canteen. Source A is an interview with the canteen manager: 'We serve about 600 lunches a day. The biggest problem is portion size - we offer one size, and younger students often leave half. We started a compost bin last term, but it only takes fruit and vegetable waste.' Source B is a student survey of 120 students: 68% said they sometimes leave rice or bread; 41% said they would choose a smaller portion if it cost less; 22% said they did not know where the compost bin was. The task is: 'Using both sources, write a summary of 80 words (maximum) of the main causes of food waste and one possible action.' The candidate's notes read: '600 lunches; 68% leave rice; compost bin only fruit and veg; 41% smaller portion; 22% don't know bin; manager interview; survey of 120.'
1. Which three notes are most relevant to 'causes' and which one is most relevant to 'possible action'? Justify each choice.
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Causes: one-size portions - the manager says younger students leave half, so portion size is a direct cause. 68% leave rice or bread - survey evidence of the scale of waste at student level. 22% do not know where the compost bin is - this is a cause of waste going to general rubbish rather than being composted, even if it is not a cause of food being left. Possible action: 41% would choose a smaller portion if it cost less - this is the only source-based action that directly addresses portion size. The 600 lunches figure is context, not a cause; the compost bin's fruit-and-vegetable limit explains why some waste cannot be composted, but it is a constraint on the solution rather than a cause of waste. A strong selection distinguishes cause, scale and action.
2. Turn the selected points into note form of no more than 20 words, then write the 80-word summary. Count your words.
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Notes (18 words): 'One-size portions -> younger students leave half; 68% leave rice/bread; 22% can't find compost; action: cheaper smaller portion (41%)'. Summary (80 words): 'Food waste in the canteen has two main causes. First, the canteen serves one portion size, so younger students often leave half their meal. Second, many students do not finish staple foods: 68% of 120 surveyed said they sometimes leave rice or bread. A further 22% did not know where the compost bin was, so waste may not be composted. The most practical action is to offer a smaller portion at a lower price, which 41% said they would choose.'
3. The candidate wants to copy the manager's sentence 'The biggest problem is portion size...' Why is copying risky in a summary, and what is the better technique?
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Copying the manager's sentence is risky for three reasons. First, it contains detail that the summary does not need, such as the 600 lunches figure if included, and would consume the 80-word limit. Second, a copied sentence does not show selection or compression, which are the skills being assessed. Third, the phrasing is spoken and first-person ('We offer'), so it may not fit a formal summary. The better technique is to identify the core proposition - 'one portion size causes younger students to leave food' - and rewrite it in fewer words, with a general subject. A useful routine is: underline the key noun and verb, delete examples and spoken fillers, then rebuild the sentence. If the exact phrase is a technical term, keep it; if it is ordinary wording, paraphrase. The candidate should check the word count after drafting, not before, because compression often changes the structure.