The resources used to make 1000 disposable cups in different materials: polystyrene and paper

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 - Tables

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IELTS Writing Task 1 Question

The chart below shows the resources used to make 1000 disposable cups in different materials: polystyrene and paper. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Common Questions for the Table

1. Graph Type: Stacked Bar Graph

2. Title: Resources Used for Producing 1000 Disposable Cups (Polystyrene vs Paper)

3. What are the units of measurement?:

Kilograms (kg) for petroleum, chemicals, and wood
Cubic meters (m³) for water
Kilowatts (kW) for electricity

4. Who: Manufacturers of disposable cups

5. When: Not specified

6. Where: Not specified

7. Topic: Resource consumption for polystyrene and paper cup production

Comparison Showing and Trends Any change over time (such as an increase or a decrease) is a trend.

Comparison 1 : Polystyrene Cups (Lower Resource Usage)

Details:

1. Requires 8 kg of petroleum and 13 kg of chemicals.
2. Consumes 0.6 m³ of water and 6 kW of electricity.
3. Steam is used extensively (10 times the amount of chemicals).

Comparison 2 : Paper Cups (Higher Resource Usage)

Details:

1. Requires significantly more water (10 m³) and electricity (78 kW).

2. Uses 18 kg of petroleum and minimal steam compared to polystyrene.

3. Requires 220 kg of wood, which is not needed for polystyrene cups.

Sample Answer

The stacked bar graph compares the resources required to produce 1000 disposable cups made from polystyrene and paper.

Overall, polystyrene cups are produced with fewer resources and lower energy costs compared to paper cups, which require large amounts of water, electricity, and wood, making them less environmentally sustainable.

Polystyrene cup production requires 8 kg of petroleum and 13 kg of chemicals. Steam is used extensively, at 10 times the amount of chemicals, while water and electricity consumption are minimal, at 0.6 m³ and 6 kW, respectively.

In contrast, paper cup production demands significantly more resources. Water and electricity usage are far higher, at 10 m³ and 78 kW, respectively. Petroleum consumption is also greater at 18 kg, while the use of chemicals is slightly lower than for polystyrene. Paper cup production additionally requires 220 kg of wood, a resource not needed for polystyrene cups. Steam usage is negligible compared to that of polystyrene.

Top 28 Vocabularies

Vocabulary	Type	Meaning	Synonyms	Examples
Consumption	Noun	The act of using resources	Usage, Utilization	Water consumption for paper cups is significantly higher.
Energy-efficient	Adjective	Using less energy to perform the same task	Energy-saving, Cost-effective	Polystyrene cups are more energy-efficient than paper cups.
Environmentally friendly	Adjective	Having minimal impact on the environment	Sustainable, Eco-friendly	Polystyrene cups are considered environmentally friendly.
Constitute	Verb	To make up or compose	Account for, Form	Petroleum constitutes a significant resource for both types of cups.
Stacked	Adjective	Arranged in layers or tiers	Layered, Piled	“The stacked bar graph compares the resources required for cup production.”
Disposable	Adjective	Intended to be used once and then discarded	Single-use, Throwaway	“Disposable cups are commonly used for beverages.”
Polystyrene	Noun/Adjective	A type of plastic used for producing disposable products	Foam plastic, Styrofoam	“Polystyrene cups require fewer resources than paper cups.”
Production	Noun	The process of manufacturing or creating something	Manufacturing, Fabrication	“The production of paper cups uses more resources than polystyrene.”
Resource	Noun	A supply of something that is useful or necessary	Material, Asset	“Water is a crucial resource in paper cup production.”
Sustainable	Adjective	Capable of being maintained without depleting resources	Renewable, Eco-friendly	“Polystyrene cups are less environmentally sustainable than paper cups.”
Petroleum	Noun	A natural resource used for energy and material production	Oil, Crude oil	“Both types of cups use petroleum as a resource.”
Extensive	Adjective	Large in amount or degree	Widespread, Substantial	“Steam is used extensively in polystyrene cup production.”
Usage	Noun	The act of using something	Consumption, Application	“The usage of electricity is higher for paper cup production.”
Electricity	Noun	A form of energy used for power and light	Power, Energy	“Electricity consumption for paper cups is significant.”
Significantly	Adverb	To a large degree or importance	Considerably, Notably	“Water consumption for paper cups is significantly higher.”
Negligible	Adjective	So small or unimportant as to not be considered	Insignificant, Minimal	“The steam usage for paper cups is negligible.”
Chemicals	Noun	Substances used in production or manufacturing processes	Compounds, Substances	“Polystyrene cup production requires more chemicals than paper cups.”
Excessive	Adjective	More than necessary, or too much	Overabundant, Overly	“Paper cup production requires excessive amounts of water.”
Minimal	Adjective	Very small in amount or degree	Slight, Insignificant	“Polystyrene cups require minimal water usage.”
Wood	Noun	A material obtained from trees, used in manufacturing	Timber, Lumber	“Paper cup production requires 220 kg of wood.”
Compare	Verb	To examine similarities and differences	Contrast, Analyze	“The graph compares the resources used for polystyrene and paper cups.”
Substantially	Adverb	To a large extent or degree	Considerably, Significantly	“The resource requirements for paper cups increased substantially.”
Negligible	Adjective	So small or unimportant that it can be disregarded	Minimal, Insignificant	“The amount of steam used in paper cup production is negligible.”
Manufacturing	Noun	The process of making goods in large quantities	Production, Fabrication	“The manufacturing process of polystyrene cups is less resource-intensive.”
Demand	Noun/Verb	The amount of a resource required or consumed	Requirement, Need	“Paper cup production demands significantly more resources.”
Allocate	Verb	To assign or distribute resources for a specific purpose	Distribute, Assign	“Resources must be allocated efficiently to minimize waste.”
Energy-efficient	Adjective	Using less energy to perform a task	Energy-saving, Efficient	“Polystyrene cups are more energy-efficient than paper cups.”
Slightly	Adverb	To a small degree	A little, Marginally	“Petroleum consumption for paper cups is slightly lower than polystyrene.”

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