Unemployment Rates for the USA and Japan
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The line graph below shows the unemployment rates for the USA and Japan between March 2005 and March 2011.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
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Sample Answer 1
The line graph illustrates the unemployment rates for the USA and Japan over a period between March 2005 and March 2011. The data outlines the changes in the percentages of unemployed individuals in both countries, showing trends and fluctuations during these years.
Overall, the unemployment rate in the USA was substantially higher than in Japan at the start of the period, but by the end, both countries exhibited nearly identical rates. The American jobless rate initially decreased before stabilizing with some fluctuations, while the unemployment rate in Japan displayed a gradual upward trend throughout much of the same period.
In more detail, the USA began with an unemployment rate of 7% in early 2005, nearly three times higher than Japan’s rate of approximately 2.5%. However, by March 2006, unemployment in the USA had fallen to about 6%, while Japan’s figure saw a rise, reaching just above 3.5%. Between 2007 and 2009, the percentage of unemployed Americans experienced some minor dips and plateaus, hovering between 5.0% and 6.0%. Meanwhile, Japan’s unemployment rate steadily climbed over the years, crossing the 5% mark by early 2010.
By 2010, the two countries reached an intersection in their unemployment trends, with both standing at 5.5%. Following this, slight fluctuations were observed in the rates for both nations, and by March 2011, their unemployment levels aligned closely, remaining around the 5% mark. Despite the large initial disparity in 2005, the unemployment rates for the USA and Japan converged, ending with nearly identical figures by the conclusion of the given period.
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Sample Answer 2
The line graph provides data on the unemployment rates for the USA and Japan from March 2005 to March 2011, illustrating the changing levels of unemployment over time within these two countries.
In summary, the unemployment rates for the USA and Japan demonstrated contrasting trends over the period. The USA experienced a generally declining trend during the initial years, followed by fluctuations, while Japan witnessed a gradual increase in its unemployment rate. Despite starting at significantly different levels, the two countries converged to similar unemployment figures towards the end of the period.
Looking into the details, in 2005, the USA had a notably high unemployment rate of 7%, whereas Japan’s unemployment rate was much lower, standing just above 2%. As the years progressed, the American unemployment rate declined steadily, with some oscillations, settling near 5.5% by 2010. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate in Japan moved upward at a slow but consistent pace, crossing the 5% threshold by 2010.
By the end of the timeline, both countries displayed nearly identical unemployment rates. Around 2010, the two lines on the graph intersected, showing approximately 5.5% unemployment for both nations. This convergence continued into 2011, as both countries maintained unemployment levels close to 5%, suggesting that the earlier disparity in unemployment rates for the USA and Japan had diminished over the years, leading to parity between them by the end of the period.
Sample Answer 3
The line graph compares the unemployment rates for the USA and Japan between March 2005 and March 2011, highlighting fluctuations in the proportion of unemployed individuals in both countries over the given period.
In general, the USA started with a notably higher unemployment rate compared to Japan, but over the years, the gap between the two narrowed significantly. While the unemployment rate in the USA initially declined and then fluctuated, Japan’s unemployment rate followed an upward trend, resulting in the two countries reaching similar levels by 2010.
In greater detail, the USA's unemployment rate began at approximately 7% in early 2005, which was substantially higher than Japan’s, which stood slightly above 2%. By March 2006, the American unemployment rate had fallen to about 6%, while Japan’s rate rose to roughly 3.5%. During the subsequent years, the USA experienced some volatility, with the unemployment rate fluctuating around 5% to 6% until 2010. In contrast, Japan's unemployment rate showed a steady rise, reaching over 5% by 2010.
The two countries' unemployment rates converged at around 5.5% in 2010, and from that point onward, both nations experienced only minor changes. By March 2011, the unemployment rates for the USA and Japan remained very close, staying at approximately 5%, indicating that the significant disparity at the beginning of the period had diminished, bringing both countries to similar unemployment levels by the end of the timeline.
Sample Answer 4
The line graph provides a comparison of the unemployment rates for the USA and Japan over a period from March 2005 to March 2011, revealing the shifting patterns of joblessness in both nations throughout these years.
In general, the unemployment rates for the USA and Japan followed opposite trends initially, with the USA’s rate declining over the first few years while Japan’s rose steadily. However, by 2010, the gap between the two narrowed, and their unemployment levels aligned closely towards the end of the period.
Looking more closely, the USA began with an unemployment rate of around 7%, significantly higher than Japan’s, which stood at just over 2%. Over the next few years, the American unemployment rate showed some decline, dipping to nearly 5.5% by 2008. Meanwhile, Japan’s joblessness gradually increased, surpassing the 4% mark by 2009.
As time progressed, the unemployment rates for the USA and Japan intersected around 2010, with both nations recording approximately 5.5% unemployment. Following this convergence, the figures for both countries experienced minimal fluctuations, and by March 2011, they settled close to 5%, reflecting a remarkable shift from the larger discrepancy observed at the start of the period. The two countries, despite initially contrasting trends, ended up with nearly identical unemployment levels by the conclusion of the timeline.
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