TASK 1:
Question: The table below shows the percentage of working men and women in different areas of employment in one country in 1986, 1996 and 2006.
ANSWER:
The table illustrates the proportion of male and female workers employed in four various sectors from 1986 to 2006. Overall, the proportion of men increased in nearly all sectors except manufacturing, which declined steadily. In contrast, female employment saw a decrease only in the manufacturing industry, remained stable in catering, and increased in both banking and education.
Among men, manufacturing began as the most dominant sector, accounting for 32% of male workers. However, this figure dropped noticeably to 21% by 1996, and continued to fall, reaching 17% in 2006. Catering, which stood at second place 16% in the first year, but surpassed manufacturing in 1996 and maintained a stable share of 22% thereafter. The most remarkable growth was seen in banking, almost doubling from 11% in 1986 to 21% in 2006, while education experienced only a modest rise, increasing by just 1% each decade, from 13% to 15% over the 20-year period.
As for female employment, manufacturing began at 18% in 1986 before falling threefold to just 6% in the end. In contrast, education experienced a gradual increase from 33% in 1986 to 35% in 1996 and then to 38% in the final year. Banking followed a similar upward trend, with the proportion climbing from 12% to 16% in the first 10 years, and eventually reaching 19%. Meanwhile, catering remained the most stable sector for women, maintaining a constant share of 26% throughout the two decades. (236 words)
