B.l test yourself Complete the words in the sentences. 1 Fr_evidence de- that some non-avian dinosaurs were able to swim. 2 The company is_st_ to their shareholders that indicated slight but significant growth in three new markets. 3 After the team had ev_the em_data, it became clear that none of the animals had moved further than 500 metres from the river. 4 Hogue att_the evidence in both reports, arguing that it was fl_ and inconclusive. 5 When all the re_facts had em_, it was apparent that human error rather than mechanical failure was responsible for the accident. G If Howells had not le_ vi_information to the press, the mismanagement of these funds might have continued for years. CW\ Talking about facts and figures 6.2 study Pie chart Line graph Histogram or bar chart 1 Referring to visual information ^ Some useful phrases to be aware of when referring to diagrams and other visual information such as graphs, charts, and tables are: This diagram shows/illustrates/displays... As can be seen from/in the diagram,... It can be seen from/in the diagram that... We can see from/in the diagram that... From the diagram, it may be seen/concluded that... According to the diagram,... As (is) shown in the diagram,... • This diagram illustrates the regions that are most affected by drought. • As can be seen from the diagram, the greatest proportion of American debt is actually owed to the country itself, in the form of government bonds. • As shown in the diagram, share value rose sharply in 2007, when the merger with Stanleys pic was announced. 2 Describing recent/past trends There are two useful sentence patterns for describing trends in facts and figures. a Present perfect/past simple of be + adjective + noun + in adjectives: dramatic, gradual, slight, small, steady, rapid, sharp, steep, sudden nouns: decline, decrease, drop, fall, increase, reduction, rise • There has been a dramatic reduction recently in the number of loans to small businesses. • There was a steady rise in the 1990s in UK births to unmarried mothers. b Noun + present perfect/past simple of verb such as rise+ adverb verbs: decline, decrease, drop, fall, grow, increase, rise adverbs: dramatically, gradually, slightly, steadily, rapidly, sharply, steeply, suddenly • Profits have increased gradually for the electronics company Sheldon pic. • Leisure spending fell sharply in the last quarter of2009. • The price of computers has been dropping steadily for the last ten years. You can use the following verbs and verb phrases to describe the state of figures or statistics at particular periods: to peak/reach a peak, to trough/hit a trough to remain stable/constant, to stabilize, to level off/out, to reach a plateau to fluctuate (= to go up and down) to peak trough to fluctuate to stabilize / ; to reach a plateau • Sales of properties in Spain to UK residents reached a peak in the early 1980s. • UK unemployment figures stabilized at 1.8 million in late 2008 after fluctuating in the previous two years. 3 Making comparisons Facts and figures for one country, company etc. are often compared with those for others, or with the way they used to be in the past. When talking about amounts, percentages, etc. the preposition by comes between a verb and the number, and of comes between a noun and a number. • Economic growth in the UK fell/declined by 0.2% in the second quarter of 2010. • Spain enjoyed an increase/rise of 10% in its tourist trade in 2007. Structures with more (or higher/lower, etc.)... than or... as... as .... are useful. • The Labour Party gained 3% more of the public vote than the Conservatives in the local elections of2009. • Manufacturing productivity was not nearly as high in France as it was in Germany in 2009. You can use the superlative form (highest/lowest, etc.) to describe peaks and troughs. • Birth rates in southern Europe reached their lowest level for six years in 2005. (You could also write Birth rates ... hit a trough/ troughed in 2005 or Birth rates ... hit a six-year low in 2005.) You can also use expressions describing multiple amounts (two/three, etc. times or the verbs double, treble, quadruple). • Nearly three times as many Irish citizens work in the construction industry as in agriculture. • The number of Norwegians with access to high-speed broadband doubled between 2005 and 2006. (See page 017 in unit 2 Comparing and contrasting for more on comparative and superlative structures.) 6.2 test yourself Correct each sentence by adding one of the words in the box. constant highest tripled risen from by in of 1 Clifton pic increased their exports to North America 11% in 2008. 2 In 2009 Portugal suffered a decline 22% in its gross export figures. 3 The number of graduates obtaining employment within six months of leaving university reached its level for a decade in 2007. 4 It can be seen the pie chart that Brazil produces twice as much coffee as Colombia. 5 There has been a gradual increase births by Caesarean section in the USA over the past thirty years. 6 According to the British Antarctic Survey, mean annual temperatures on the Antarctic Peninsula have rapidly since records began fifty years ago. ? Since its abolition, UK public support for the restoration of the death penalty has remained at around 65%. 8 UK sales of Freedom Food products between 2007 and 2009 to reach £122 million.