Free PTE Academic Reading Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In PTE Academic Reading, the "Fill in the Blanks" task uses which interaction method?
- Type the missing word from memory
- Drag words from a box into gaps in the text
- Select from a drop-down list
- Both drag-and-drop and drop-down varieties exist (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Both drag-and-drop and drop-down varieties exist
PTE Academic has two Fill in the Blanks tasks in Reading: one uses drag-and-drop (more words given than gaps) and one uses drop-down menus. Both test reading comprehension and vocabulary in context.
Question 2: When re-ordering paragraphs in PTE Academic, what skill is primarily being tested?
- Spelling and punctuation accuracy
- Understanding of discourse structure and coherence (Correct answer)
- Listening comprehension
- Grammar accuracy
Correct answer: Understanding of discourse structure and coherence
Re-order Paragraphs tests understanding of text structure and coherence — how ideas flow logically from one paragraph to the next using discourse markers, pronoun reference, and thematic progression.
Question 3: Which word is closest in meaning to "ubiquitous" as used in academic texts?
- Unique
- Rare
- Present everywhere (Correct answer)
- Confusing
Correct answer: Present everywhere
"Ubiquitous" means found or appearing everywhere. For example: "Smartphones have become ubiquitous in modern society." It derives from the Latin "ubique" meaning everywhere.
Question 4: In a PTE Academic reading passage, what does a "topic sentence" typically do?
- Concludes the paragraph with a summary
- Provides supporting evidence
- Introduces the main idea of the paragraph (Correct answer)
- Defines technical vocabulary
Correct answer: Introduces the main idea of the paragraph
A topic sentence introduces the main idea of a paragraph. Understanding topic sentences is key in PTE Academic because many questions test whether readers can identify the central point of a passage or paragraph.
Question 5: Which transition word would best introduce a contrasting point in an academic text?
- Furthermore
- Consequently
- Nevertheless (Correct answer)
- Similarly
Correct answer: Nevertheless
"Nevertheless" (meaning "in spite of that") introduces a contrasting or concessive point. "Furthermore" and "similarly" add supporting points, while "consequently" shows a result — not a contrast.
Question 6: In PTE Academic's Multiple Choice Reading task (multiple answers), what happens if you select an incorrect option?
- The entire question scores zero
- You receive negative marking — points are deducted (Correct answer)
- Incorrect selections do not affect your score
- The question is flagged for human review
Correct answer: You receive negative marking — points are deducted
PTE Academic applies negative marking to Multiple Choice, Choose Multiple Answers. Each incorrect option deducted points, so selecting too many options can result in zero or even a negative score for that item.
Free PTE Academic Reading Questions and Answers 2
In PTE Academic Reading, the "Fill in the Blanks" task uses which interaction method?