【B1-Writing】09 Describing a bar chart-描述条形图

【B1-Writing】09 Describing a bar chart-描述条形图

Learn how to write about trends in a bar chart.
了解如何在条形图中书写趋势。

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and tips and do the exercises.
先做好准备工作。然后阅读课文和提示并做练习。

Preparation-准备

Describing a bar chart – preparation

Put the verbs in the correct groups.

• Question

to grow to fall to remain at (+ number)
to be steady to increase to jump up
to drop to be unchanged to decrease
to rise to decline to be constant

to go up to go down to stay the same

• Answer

to go up	to go down	to stay the same
to grow	to fall	to remain at (+ number)
to increase	to drop	to be steady
to jump up	to decrease	to be unchanged
to rise	to decline	to be constant

Reading text

English

The chart shows the sales revenue of a selection of home video entertainment formats in the USA in 2017. It also shows the percentage change from the previous year.

Online video streaming was the most popular format in 2017. US consumers spent $9.8 billion on services such as Netflix, which was a rise of 32 per cent from the previous year. For the average American, this accounted for nearly half of their spending on video entertainment at home.

At the same time, customers were moving away from the three physical formats in the chart. DVD and Blu-ray sales dropped by 14 per cent over the twelve-month period to $4.5 billion in 2017, and rent-by-post revenues went down by 20 per cent to $0.5 billion. DVD rental shops saw the largest decline, as spending fell by 21 per cent to just $0.4 billion.

Overall, there was a clear downward trend in spending on physical video formats, as they all showed relatively low sales and they were all in decline. However, there was an upward trend in paying for streaming.

Please note: This page was designed for writing practice only. Information in the chart may not be accurate.

English-Chinese

The chart shows the sales revenue of a selection of home video entertainment formats in the USA in 2017. It also shows the percentage change from the previous year.
该图表显示了 2017 年美国部分家庭视频娱乐格式的销售收入。它还显示了与上一年相比的百分比变化。

Online video streaming was the most popular format in 2017. US consumers spent $9.8 billion on services such as Netflix, which was a rise of 32 per cent from the previous year. For the average American, this accounted for nearly half of their spending on video entertainment at home.
在线视频流是 2017 年最受欢迎的格式。美国消费者在 Netflix 等服务上花费了 98 亿美元，比上一年增长了 32%。对于普通美国人来说，这占了他们家庭视频娱乐支出的近一半。

At the same time, customers were moving away from the three physical formats in the chart. DVD and Blu-ray sales dropped by 14 per cent over the twelve-month period to $4.5 billion in 2017, and rent-by-post revenues went down by 20 per cent to $0.5 billion. DVD rental shops saw the largest decline, as spending fell by 21 per cent to just $0.4 billion.
与此同时，客户正在逐渐放弃图表中的三种物理格式。 2017 年，DVD 和蓝光销售额在过去 12 个月内下降了 14%，至 45 亿美元，而按帖子出租的收入下降了 20%，至 5 亿美元。 DVD 租赁店的降幅最大，支出下降了 21%，仅为 4 亿美元。

Overall, there was a clear downward trend in spending on physical video formats, as they all showed relatively low sales and they were all in decline. However, there was an upward trend in paying for streaming.
总体而言，实体视频格式的支出呈明显下降趋势，因为它们的销售额都相对较低，而且都在下降。然而，流媒体付费呈上升趋势。

Please note: This page was designed for writing practice only. Information in the chart may not be accurate.
请注意：此页面仅供写作练习。图表中的信息可能不准确。

Tips-小贴士

1. In the first paragraph, give basic details about the chart including what it shows, where it refers to and when.
   在第一段中，提供有关图表的基本详细信息，包括它显示的内容、它所指的位置和时间。
2. When you describe chart data, be specific. Mention the category and figure, e.g. Online video streaming was the most popular format in 2017. US consumers spent $9.8 billion …
   描述图表数据时，要具体。提及类别和数字，例如在线视频流是 2017 年最受欢迎的格式。美国消费者花费了 98 亿美元……
3. A trend is a change over time. To describe trends, focus on what is increasing or decreasing compared to some time in the past, e.g. … which was a rise of 32 per cent from the previous year.
   趋势是随时间的变化。要描述趋势，请重点关注与过去某个时间相比增加或减少的内容，例如…比上一年增长了 32%。
4. If several categories show the same trend, talk about them together, e.g. customers were moving away from the three physical formats in the chart.
   如果几个类别表现出相同的趋势，请将它们放在一起讨论，例如客户正在逐渐放弃图表中的三种物理格式。
5. State the units of measurement, e.g. US consumers spent $9.8 billion.
   注明测量单位，例如美国消费者花费了 98 亿美元。
6. Many of the verbs for up and down trends can also be used as nouns, e.g. Spending fell by 21 per cent = There was a 21 per cent fall in spending. (You can write % or per cent, but be consistent.)
   许多表示上升和下降趋势的动词也可以用作名词，例如支出下降 21% = 支出下降 21%。 （你可以写%或%，但要保持一致。）
7. Write a conclusion. Say what we learn from the data overall.
   写一个结论。说说我们从总体数据中学到了什么。

Task 1-任务一

Describing a bar chart – 1

Choose the correct answer.

• Question

1.   percentage of the average American’s home entertainment expenses was spent on streaming services?
     a. 14 per cent
     b. 31 per cent
     c. about 50 per cent
     d. not stated
   

2. How much did American consumers spend on buying DVDs and Blu-rays in 2016?
   a. under $4.5 billion
   b. $4.5 billion
   c. over $4.5 billion
   d. not stated

3.   Which of the following saw the biggest drop in spending in 2017?
   

   a. Streaming services
   b. DVD and Blu-ray sales
   c. DVD and Blu-ray subscriptions
   d. DVD and Blu-ray rental shops

4.   Which of the following saw the only growth in 2017?
   

   a. Streaming services
   b. DVD and Blu-ray sales
   c. DVD and Blu-ray subscriptions
   d. DVD and Blu-ray rental shops
5. What does the writer conclude from the data?
   a. Physical video formats will eventually disappear.
   b. Video streams were becoming more popular, while physical formats were becoming less so.
   c. Digital distribution is cost-effective.
   d. American consumers will spend more on home entertainment in the future.

• Answer

1.   percentage of the average American’s home entertainment expenses was spent on streaming services?
     a. 14 per cent
     b. 31 per cent
     c. about 50 per cent
     d. not stated
   

2.   How much did American consumers spend on buying DVDs and Blu-rays in 2016?
     a. under $4.5 billion
     b. $4.5 billion
     c. over $4.5 billion
     d. not stated
   

3.   Which of the following saw the biggest drop in spending in 2017?
     a. Streaming services
     b. DVD and Blu-ray sales
     c. DVD and Blu-ray subscriptions
     d. DVD and Blu-ray rental shops
   

4.   Which of the following saw the only growth in 2017?
     a. Streaming services
     b. DVD and Blu-ray sales
     c. DVD and Blu-ray subscriptions
     d. DVD and Blu-ray rental shops
   

5.   What does the writer conclude from the data?
     a. Physical video formats will eventually disappear.
     b. Video streams were becoming more popular, while physical formats were becoming less so.
     c. Digital distribution is cost-effective.
     d. American consumers will spend more on home entertainment in the future.
   

Task 2-任务二

Describing a bar chart – 2

Choose the correct answer.

• Question

1. Which is the best first sentence?
   a. The bar chart shows spending on entertainment.
   b. In 2017, US consumers spent $9.8 billion subscribing to streaming services, which was 32 per cent higher than the previous year.
   c. The bar chart shows American consumer spending on various home video entertainment formats in 2017.
2. Which of these sentences describes a trend?
   a. Spending at DVD rental shops fell by 21 per cent over the twelve-month period.
   b. Spending at DVD rental shops was $0.4 billion.
   c. Spending at DVD rental shops was the lowest of all the categories in the chart.
3. Which is the correct way to write this amount of money?
   a. In 2017, US consumers spent 9.8 billion.
   b. In 2017, US consumers spent $9.8 billion.
   c. In 2017, US consumers spent 9.8 billion $.
4. Which sentence gives a more complete description?
   a. Rent-by-post revenues were $0.5 billion.
   b. Rent-by-post revenues went down by 20 per cent.
   c. Rent-by-post revenues went down by 20 per cent to $0.5 billion.
5. Which is the best conclusion?
   a. Spending on video entertainment in the home was growing overall, thanks to streaming.
   b. For DVD rental shops, spending fell by 21 per cent to just $0.4 billion.
   c. In total, spending on home video entertainment reached $19 billion.

• Answer

1. Which is the best first sentence?
   a. The bar chart shows spending on entertainment.
   b. In 2017, US consumers spent $9.8 billion subscribing to streaming services, which was 32 per cent higher than the previous year.
   c. The bar chart shows American consumer spending on various home video entertainment formats in 2017.
2. Which of these sentences describes a trend?
   a. Spending at DVD rental shops fell by 21 per cent over the twelve-month period.
   b. Spending at DVD rental shops was $0.4 billion.
   c. Spending at DVD rental shops was the lowest of all the categories in the chart.
3. Which is the correct way to write this amount of money?
   a. In 2017, US consumers spent 9.8 billion.
   b. In 2017, US consumers spent $9.8 billion.
   c. In 2017, US consumers spent 9.8 billion $.
4. Which sentence gives a more complete description?
   a. Rent-by-post revenues were $0.5 billion.
   b. Rent-by-post revenues went down by 20 per cent.
   c. Rent-by-post revenues went down by 20 per cent to $0.5 billion.
5. Which is the best conclusion?
   a. Spending on video entertainment in the home was growing overall, thanks to streaming.
   b. For DVD rental shops, spending fell by 21 per cent to just $0.4 billion.
   c. In total, spending on home video entertainment reached $19 billion.

Task 3-任务三

Describing a bar chart – 3

Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first. Write a noun or verb related to the verb or noun in the first sentence.完成第二句话，使其与第一句话具有相同的含义。写出与第一句中的动词或名词相关的名词或动词。

• Question

1. There was a 31 per cent rise in spending. Spending __ by 31 per cent.
2. DVD sales dropped 14 per cent. There was a 14 per cent __ in DVD sales.
3. There was a 60 per cent fall in prices. Prices __ by 60 per cent.
4. The temperature increased by 15 degrees. There was a 15-degree temperature __ .
5. There was no decline in sales revenue. The sales revenue did not __ .
6. The population grew by 20 per cent. There was population __ of 20 per cent.

• Answer

1. There was a 31 per cent rise in spending. Spending __ by 31 per cent.
2. DVD sales dropped 14 per cent. There was a 14 per cent __ in DVD sales.
3. There was a 60 per cent fall in prices. Prices __ by 60 per cent.
4. The temperature increased by 15 degrees. There was a 15-degree temperature __ .
5. There was no decline in sales revenue. The sales revenue did not __ .
6. The population grew by 20 per cent. There was population __ of 20 per cent.

Discussion-讨论

What trends do you notice in the way people spend their money in your country?
您注意到您所在国家/地区人们的花钱方式有哪些趋势？

Vocabulary

talkative

• 简易

英/ˈtɔːkətɪv/美/ˈtɔːkətɪv/
adj.爱说话的，健谈的

CET4 | CET6

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

talkative/ˈtɔːkətɪv/|TEM4
ADJ Someone who is talkative talks a lot. 爱说话的

• He suddenly became very talkative, his face slightly flushed, his eyes much brighter.
他突然变得很爱说话，他的脸颊稍微有点红，他的眼睛明亮多了