1. The graph below gives information about U.S.
government spending on research between
1980 and 2008.
25
20
Expenditure ($ billions)
15 Health
Space
10 Energy
General Science
Other
5
0
1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008
Year
Sample answer
The line graph provides information about the U.S government’s expenditure on research in five fields
(Health, Space, Energy, General Science and Other) over the period from 1980 to 2008.
It can be clearly seen that the US government spent the largest amount of money on research into
Health while the least amount of money was spent on researching General Science.
Starting at $10 billion in 1980, the government expenditure on research into Health slightly dropped
over the next four years before continually rising again to a peak of nearly $25 billion in 2004. Despite
declining back down to approximately $18 billion in 2008, expenditure on Health research was by far
the highest. The amount of money spent on researching General Science however was the lowest of
all research categories, beginning at $2.5 billion in 1980 and rising to just over $5 billion by 2008.
Meanwhile, there was also an increase in the money that was spent on research into Energy and
Space, from approximately $5 billion and $6 billion in 1980 to around $7.5 billion and $9 billion in
2008, respectively. In contrast, the only field that experienced an overall decrease in expenditure was
that of research into other areas, which fell from approximately $7.5 billion in 1980 to about $5 billion
by 2008.
By ZIM
2.
70000 18%
16%
60000
14%
50000
People leaving Ireland
12%
Unemployment rate
40000 10%
30000 8%
6%
20000
4%
10000
2%
0 0%
1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008
People leaving Ireland Unemployment rate
Sample answer
The chart gives information about the percentage of unemployed Irish citizens and the number of
emigrants leaving the country from 1988 to 2008.
Overall, there was a significant decline in the unemployment rate in Ireland, and in addition to this, the
number of those leaving the country also reduced over the examined period.
Regarding Ireland’s rate of unemployment, after a mild decrease from roughly 17% in 1988 to 13% in
1990, it experienced a slight recovery to about 15% over the following two years. The figure then
plummeted to 4% in 2000, followed by a six-year period of stability. However, the unemployment rate
of Ireland increased to nearly 6% in the final year.
Starting with approximately 60,000 emigrants in 1988, this number fell to about 55,000 in 1990
before plunging to over 32,000 two years later. The number of Ireland’s emigrants continued to go
down to around 27,000 over the next 12 years, and suddenly surged back up to 50,000 in 2008.
By ZIM
3.
The percentage of female members of parliament
in European countries (2000 - 2012)
45
40
35
30 Germany
percentage
25 Italy
20 France
15 UK
10 Belgium
5
0
2000 2004 2008 2012
Sample answer
The line chart illustrates the proportion of female parliament members in Germany, Italy, France, the
UK and Belgium from 2000 to 2012.
In general, all countries experienced an upward trend over the period, with Italy being the country with
the highest percentage of female parliament members in 2012.
The percentages of female members of parliament in Germany and Italy were always higher than
those of the other three countries however they also experienced a similar trend. While the figure for
Italy rose from 27% to just under 40%, that of Germany increased by only 4%, to be at about 37%,
during the examined period. Starting at 25% in 2000, the proportion of female parliament members in
France increased at a similar rate to Germany, to end up at approximately 32% in 2012.
In 2000, only around 3% of parliament members in the UK were female, however this figure rose quite
substantially to about 20% in 2008 and continued to peak at roughly 23% in 2012. The percentage of
female parliament members in Belgium also stood at 23% in 2012, however this figure only showed a
small change from its figure of around 17% in 200.
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4.
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008
Landline service Internet service Mobile broadband
Cellular phone service Fixed broadband
Sample answer
The line graph gives data about the number of users of five different communication services
worldwide from 1998 to 2008.
Overall, all services experienced some growth over the 10 year period, with cell phone and Internet
services experiencing the most growth and becoming the most popular forms of communication.
In 1998, the figures for cell phone and Internet users started at around 5% of the population. They both
increased over the remaining years, with cell phone service gaining the highest position in 2008, with
more than 60% percent of the population using this type of service. This number was approximately
three times as much as that of Internet service in the same year.
Meanwhile, throughout the 10-year period, little change was seen in the use of landline services, at
about 15% of the population. Also, the use of mobile and fixed broadband services was minimal before
2002. The figures for these two services rose slightly to roughly 5% of the population by the last year.
By ZIM
5.
Australia's trade with China Australia's trade with
80 Japan
80
60
60
40
40
20 20
0 0
2002 2005 2008 2002 2005 2008
Australia's trade with the US
80
60
40 Export
Import
20
0
2002 2005 2008
Sample answer
The line graphs show data on Australian trades with three other countries, namely China, Japan and
the US.
The initial impression from the graphs is that Australia appeared to earn the highest revenue from
exports to Japan. Additionally, Australian-American import-export values remained relatively static
over the given period.
Regarding trades between Australia and China, exports underwent a gradual decrease from
approximately 43% in 2002 to 40% in 2008. The figure for imports from China stood at about 30% and
showed an upward trend to a high of around 43%, despite having an unexpected dip of about 3% in
2005.
Australia’s exports to Japan, after remaining stable for the first three years, soared to its peak of over
AU$60 million in 2005, after which this figure halved to about AU$30 million in 2008. Meanwhile,
imports from Japan remained consistent at a value of approximately AU$37 million throughout the
period.
Trades between Australia and the US appeared to be the most stable, with both import and export
values stabilized at around 23% and 40% respectively.
By ZIM
6. The graph below shows the number of overseas visitors to three different areas in a
European country between 1987 and 2007.
Overseas visitors to three different areas in a European
country between 1987 and 2007
Thousands 80
70
60
50
the coast
40
the mountains
30
the lakes
20
10
0
1987 1992 1997 2002 2007
Sample answer
The given line graph depicts information about how many foreigners visited three separate regions in
a European nation, during the span of a 20-year period from 1987 to 2007.
Overall, the most notable detail is that those three regions all attracted an increasing number of
foreigners. In addition, the lakes’ tourist figures witnessed the most dramatic change among those
given.
In more detail, at approximately 10,000 visitors in 1987, the quantity of foreign travelers who were
attracted to the lakes gradually rose to around 50,000 in 2000, before peaking at approximately
75,000 tourists in 2002, This figure then dropped back down to approximately 50,000 people in 2007.
With regards to tourist numbers in coastal and mountainous areas, the overall figures increased,
however mountainous areas remained the least attractive travel option out of the three. In 1987, the
number of those who chose the coast as a travel destination stood at 40,000, compared to only 20,000
travelers who went to the mountains. In the next 14 years, the coast witnessed a slight decrease in the
quantity of visitors by a few thousand, which was followed by a significant climb to around 60,000
people, whereas the number of those visiting mountainous areas went up remarkably to 30,000 in
2001. In the final 6 years, while the quantity of overseas tourists going to the coast rose moderately
to above 70,000, there was a slight climb in those who paid a visit to the mountains to about 35,000.
By ZIM
7. The graph below shows the number of enquiries received by the Tourist Information Office
in one city over a six-month period in 2011.
2000
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
in person by letter/email by telephone
Sample answer
The line chart illustrates the number of inquiries sent to the Tourist Information Office in a particular
city via three means of communication, between January and June in 2011.
It is clear that visitors to the city made more inquires in person and via telephone, while written letters
and emails became the least common choices. Additionally, the number of enquiries in person
experienced the most dramatic change among the different options.
In January, the Tourist Information Office received 900 telephone enquiries, while just under 800
letters and emails were received. Not many tourists chose to ask for information in person, with just
over 400 queries. Over the next three months, the telephone still remained the most popular method
of enquiry, at approximately 1000 queries.
Meanwhile, the number of enquires made in person saw considerable growth to 800, surpassing the
figures for emails and postal enquires. From March to June, enquires in person were the most
common method of inquiry. By June, the number of in person enquires soared by more than 1,000 to
peak at 1,900. During this period, there was also a significant rise in the figure for telephone enquiries,
from 1000 to 1600. By contrast, fewer people sent emails or letters to make enquires, with slightly
less than 400 enquires in May and June.
By ZIM
8. The chart below shows the average cost of monthly contract for four different mobile (cell
phones) in a European country from January to September 2002, measured in euro.
30
25
20
Domo
15 Lex
Sim TX
10 Alpha
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Sample answer
The chart illustrates the average price of monthly plans from four cell phone contractors in a
European nation in the first three quarters of 2002.
Overall, there was an increase in the figures for all companies, except for Sim TX whose price remained
unchanged over the period shown. In addition, the monthly cost of Alpha’s contract experienced the
most remarkable growth.
Alpha originally offered the lowest price in the beginning of 2002 at only 5 euros per month. The price
remained relatively stable during the next 5 months before a surge to 25 euros in September, which
made Alpha the most expensive contractor examined. Meanwhile, Domo’s users had to pay the
highest price for the majority of 2002 as the price rose gradually from January to July, followed by
a slight decrease to about 23 euros by September. Similarly, there was gradual growth in the price
of Lex’s contract, from approximately 12 euros in January to 17 euros in September.
On the other hand, after peaking at 14 euros in June, the average cost of Sim TX decreased and
returned to its original price of 8 euros.
By ZIM
9. The chart below shows the Japan’s population by age groups starting in 1960 and including
a forecast to 2040.
80
70
60
Population (%)
50
40
30
20
10
0
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040
0-14 25-64 65+
Sample answer
The line graph illustrates the percentage of the Japanese population in different age groups from 1960
until now, and projections for the year 2040.
Overall, the percentage of people aged 0-14 and 15-64 follows downward trends over the period
shown. The opposite trend, however, can be seen in the percentage of those aged 65 and over.
Starting at about 65% in 1960, the proportion of people between 15 and 64 years old hovered during
the next 40 years before falling to around 60% in 2018. This figure is predicted to experience a fall to
about 52% by 2030, and finally will constitute around 55% of the total population of Japan in 2040.
The figures for those aged 0-14 follow a somewhat similar pattern, which began at 30% in 1960
and is estimated to drop to about 10% by 2040.
In contrast, the percentage of Japanese people aged 65 and above was only 5% in 1960. However, the
figures witnessed a significant increase to just under 30% in 2018, and by 2040, it is forecast that
approximately 35% of Japan’s population will fall into this age group.
By ZIM
10. The line graph below gives information about the percentage of women aged 15-64 in
employment between 2003 and 2009.
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2003 2005 2007 2009
Iceland Canada Germany Chile Turkey
Sample answer
The line graph illustrates the percentage of females between 15 to 64 years old having jobs in five
nations from 2003 to 2009.
It is clear that while employment level of women in this age group in Iceland decreased, the
percentages of females aged 15 to 64 being employed in the other nations increased. Additionally,
the figure for Iceland was largest during the research period.
In 2003, just over 80% of females aged 15 to 64 in Iceland had jobs, compared to about 70% of
Canadian counterparts. The percentage of employed female Germans was close to 60%, much
higher than those of Chile and Turkey, at around 35% and 25% respectively.
After six years, Iceland saw a slight fall in the employment rate of women in this age group, to under
80%, whereas there were insignificant rises in the figures for Canada and Germany, by about 1% and
5% in turn. A similar climb was seen in Chile, while after a marginal fall in the first two years, the rate
of employment in Turkey, recovered to the initial point in 2009.
By ZIM
11. The graph below shows UK air pollutants in millions of tonnes, from three different
sources, between 1990 and 2005.
Million tonnes
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1900 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005
Total Industry Transport Households
Sample answer
The line graph compares the amount of emissions released into the air from three different
sources, between 1990 and 2005.
Overall, the total number of air pollutants gradually declined over the period shown. While the figures
for industry and households decreased over the period, the figures for transport saw an increase.
In 1990, a total of nearly 8 million tonnes of air contaminants were emitted from the three
mentioned sources, with the largest figure belonging to industry, at 6 million tonnes. The amount of
pollutants due to transport and households were the same, at approximately 1 million tonnes each.
The total number of pollutants discharged into the air gradually reduced over the next fifteen
years, with the total figure declining to about 5 million tonnes by 2005. In addition, air pollutants from
industrial activity also decreased over time, from just under 6 million tonnes in 1990 to about 2 million
tonnes in 2005. Despite the figures for households and transport being equal at the beginning of the
period, the quantity of air pollutants from transport saw a small increase to 3 million tonnes by
2005, while air pollutants from households experienced a drop to a negligible amount.
By ZIM
12. The line graph below shows the oil production and consumption in China between 1982
and 2006.
Oil production and consumption in China between
1982 and 2006
7
Millions of oil barrels per day
0
1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006
Consumption Production
Sample answer
The graph illustrates how much oil was produced and consumed every day in China, over a 24-year
period starting from 1982.
Overall, China witnessed an increase in both the production and consumption of oil over the period
shown. However, oil consumption rose significantly faster than that of its production.
At the beginning of the period, the figures for oil production and consumption were both around 2
million barrels per day. However, while the rate of oil consumption rose only slightly over the next
eight years, to approximately 2 million barrels per day, oil production increased significantly per day
to 3 million barrels per day in 1986, then remained constant until 1990.
From 1990 onwards, the amount of oil that was consumed per day saw steady growth to end up at
just over 6 million barrels. Meanwhile, the rate of oil production continued to increase from 1990, but
only marginally, ending up at approximately 3.5 million barrels per day in 2006, which was
significantly less than the countries consumption rate.
By ZIM
13. Line graph
The number of international conferences in three cities.
The number of international conferences in three cities
40
35
30
25
City A
20
City B
15 City C
10
0
1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2010
Sample answer
The line graph illustrates the number of international conferences held in three different cities, over a
period of thirty-six years, beginning in 1965.
It is clear that while the number of international conferences held in city C increased dramatically,
there were some fluctuations in the figures for the other cities over the period shown. Additionally, city
C saw the biggest change in its figures.
In 1965, city A held about 35 international meetings, which was the highest figure for all cities in all
years, while just under 30 conferences were organized in city B. In contrast, there were no
international conferences in city C in that year.
Over the next 35 years, the number of international meetings that took place in city C rose sharply to
peak at over 30 in 1980, and then fell slightly before rising again to around 30 in 2010. The figures for
the other cities, however, both witnessed some fluctuations throughout the period, both holding
approximately 25 conferences each in the final year.
By ZIM
14. The graph below shows the population of particular country by age group starting in 1960
and including a forecast to 2040.
Population by age group (% of total)
70
60
50
Population (%)
40
30
20
10
0
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040
Age 0-14 Agge 15-64 Age 65+
Sample answer
The line graph compares and predicts the proportion of the population, in three different age groups,
in a particular country, from 1960 to 2040.
Overall, people aged 15-64 accounted for the greatest percentage of the population for all recorded
and predicted years. It is also clear that while the proportion of people aged 65 and over increased
during the period, the percentage of those aged less than 65 decreased, with both trends expected to
continue into the future.
In 1960, just over half of the population was aged 15-64. The figure then slightly fluctuated over the
next 50 years, peaking at about 60% in 1970 and 1990. It is forecasted to gradually decline to around
45% by 2040. Meanwhile, the percentage of people aged 0-14 began at 30% in 1960, and dropped to
half of that by 2000. This figure is also predicted to continue decreasing to reach around 10% by 2040.
From the graph it can also be seen that the percentage of elderly people in this country experienced
remarkable growth during the period. In 1960, only 15% of the population was aged 65 or older. The
figure began to rise in 1970 to be at 20% in 2000. This figure has continued to rise, and is expected to
continue rising in the future.
By ZIM
15. The chart below shows the price in Euros of 800 grams of four types of bread in one
European country from 2001 to 2006.
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2 Wholegrain
1 Brown
White
0.8
Rye
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Sample answer
The line graph illustrates the price of 800 grams of various types of bread in a particular European
nation over five consecutive years, starting from 2001.
It is clear that while the price of brown, white and rye bread increased, the price of wholegrain bread
witnessed a wild fluctuation over the period shown. Additionally, the figure for brown bread saw the
biggest change.
In 2001, residents in this country had to spend 0.8 euros for 800 grams of wholegrain bread, while the
other types only cost 0.6 euros each. In 2002, the price of wholegrain, brown and white bread
increased dramatically, with the figure for wholegrain bread reaching a peak of 1.8 euros, whereas
the price of rye bread saw a slight decline.
From 2002 to 2005, the figures for rye bread and white bread both increased considerably to 1.3 and
0.7 euros respectively, while there was a substantial drop of 1 euro in the price of wholegrain bread
in 2005. Meanwhile, the price of brown bread fluctuated wildly between 1.4 euros and 1.6 euros
throughout the period.
By ZIM
