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The graph below shows the area of land from which grain was harvested.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information in the graph.
Write at least 150 words.
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Sample Answer 1
The line graph illustrates the changes in the area of land from which grain was harvested worldwide between 1950 and 1996, highlighting key events that influenced agricultural practices during this period.
Overall, the harvested area experienced growth with several fluctuations over the years. Key events such as the USSR Virgin Lands Program, a significant rise in global grain prices, and periods of retrenchment had noticeable impacts on the trends observed in the graph.
In the early 1950s, the area of land used for grain production was slightly under 600 million hectares. With the introduction of the USSR Virgin Lands Program in the mid-1950s, the total harvested area expanded steadily, reaching approximately 650 million hectares by 1960. Following this increase, the graph indicates gradual growth with minor fluctuations in the subsequent decade.
By the mid-1970s, global grain prices doubled, triggering a rise in grain cultivation, with the harvested area peaking at nearly 750 million hectares around that period. However, the onset of retrenchment in the 1980s caused a decline in the harvested area, reducing it to approximately 700 million hectares by 1990. In the years that followed, the area of land from which grain was harvested showed minor oscillations, remaining just over 700 million hectares by the end of the observed period.
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Sample Answer 2
The graph illustrates the global trend in the area of land from which grain was harvested between 1950 and 1996, highlighting notable changes influenced by key events throughout the period.
In general, the graph demonstrates that the total harvested area expanded steadily over the first few decades, with several fluctuations along the way. Specific milestones, such as the implementation of the USSR Virgin Lands Program, the sharp rise in global grain prices, and a period of retrenchment, significantly impacted the pattern of land use over these years.
In the early 1950s, less than 600 million hectares of land were allocated for grain production. However, the introduction of the USSR Virgin Lands initiative around 1955 resulted in a noticeable expansion of cultivated land, bringing the harvested area to approximately 650 million hectares by the end of the decade. In the following years, the trend remained positive, although some minor variations were observed.
The doubling of grain prices in the mid-1970s drove farmers to increase the area of land from which grain was harvested, peaking at nearly 750 million hectares. However, during the 1980s, retrenchment policies caused the harvested area to shrink to about 700 million hectares. By the end of the observed period, despite slight fluctuations, the global grain-harvested area remained stable, maintaining a level just above 700 million hectares.
Sample Answer 3
The line graph illustrates the global trend in the area of land from which grain was harvested between 1950 and 1996, highlighting key events that influenced agricultural practices over the years.
Overall, the graph shows a steady increase in the harvested area in the initial decades, with significant fluctuations corresponding to events like the introduction of agricultural programs, shifts in grain prices, and retrenchment. These events shaped the overall trend in the utilization of land for grain production.
At the beginning of the period, just under 600 million hectares were used for growing grain. The USSR Virgin Lands Program, initiated shortly after 1950, resulted in a gradual expansion in the area of land from which grain was harvested, reaching approximately 650 million hectares by 1970. This expansion was followed by minor variations, though the trend remained generally positive throughout the early decades.
In the mid-1970s, the doubling of global grain prices spurred further growth in harvested areas, which peaked at around 750 million hectares. However, during the 1980s, retrenchment efforts led to a decline in the global cultivated area, bringing it down to roughly 700 million hectares by 1990. Despite small oscillations in the years that followed, the harvested area remained slightly above 700 million hectares toward the end of the observed period.
Sample Answer 4
The line graph provides information on the changes in the area of land from which grain was harvested globally between 1950 and 1996, highlighting significant events that influenced agricultural land use throughout the period.
It is evident from the graph that the area dedicated to grain harvesting experienced a general upward trend with occasional fluctuations. Notable influences on the expansion and contraction of cultivated land included the USSR Virgin Lands Program, a surge in global grain prices, and a period of retrenchment in later years.
In the early 1950s, less than 600 million hectares of land were allocated to growing grain crops. The launch of the USSR Virgin Lands Program, which began around 1955, contributed to the steady growth of the cultivated area, which reached approximately 650 million hectares by 1970. This period marked consistent, albeit slightly irregular, increases in the amount of land devoted to grain production.
Around 1975, the sharp rise in global grain prices stimulated further expansion, causing the area of land from which grain was harvested to peak at nearly 750 million hectares. However, the following decade saw a reversal of this trend, with retrenchment policies leading to a reduction in cultivated land to about 700 million hectares. By the end of the period in 1996, despite some minor oscillations, the global grain-harvested area stabilized slightly above the 700 million-hectare mark.
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