Band 9: question: WRITING TASK 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The two line graphs below show New Zealand import figures from Australia and Japan in the years 1994 - 2004. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words.

The two line graphs illustrate the import figures of New Zealand from Australia and Japan between 1994 and 2004, measured in NZ$ million.

Overall, New Zealand’s imports from Australia experienced a general upward trend over the period, while imports from Japan declined significantly. Additionally, imports from Australia consistently surpassed those from Japan throughout the decade.

In detail, imports from Australia started at approximately NZ$4 billion in 1994 and rose steadily, peaking at around NZ$7.5 billion in 1997. Following a slight dip to below NZ$6 billion in 1998, the figures recovered sharply, reaching their highest value of over NZ$8 billion in 2004.

By contrast, imports from Japan began at just under NZ$3 billion in 1994 and climbed steadily, peaking at nearly NZ$6.5 billion in 1997. However, after this peak, a steep decline occurred, with imports falling to approximately NZ$2 billion by 2004.

Comparatively, while imports from Australia showed a consistent upward trajectory with only minor fluctuations, imports from Japan displayed a more volatile pattern, with a sharp peak followed by a marked decline. By 2004, the gap between the two countries’ import figures had widened significantly, with New Zealand importing four times as much from Australia as from Japan.