PTE Reading Comprehension 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read this sentence: "The committee's decision was predicated on the assumption that funding would be secured." What does "predicated on" mean?
- Despite the fact that
- Based on or dependent upon (Correct answer)
- In contradiction with
- In preparation for
Correct answer: Based on or dependent upon
"Predicated on" means based on or dependent upon a condition or assumption. It is formal academic vocabulary. The decision depended on the assumption about funding — if the assumption failed, the decision might change.
Question 2: Which reading skill is primarily tested by PTE Academic's "Multiple Choice, Choose Multiple Answers" task?
- Ability to skim for the main idea only
- Ability to identify multiple specific pieces of information and evaluate each answer option (Correct answer)
- Ability to re-order sentences
- Ability to fill in missing words
Correct answer: Ability to identify multiple specific pieces of information and evaluate each answer option
Multiple Choice, Choose Multiple Answers requires careful reading to identify all correct options. Test takers must evaluate each option against the text, with negative marking for wrong selections — rewarding careful detail comprehension.
Question 3: The word "catalyst" in an academic text about social change most likely means:
- An obstacle that prevents change
- A direct result of a social event
- Something that speeds up or triggers a process (Correct answer)
- A theory explaining social behavior
Correct answer: Something that speeds up or triggers a process
In academic texts, "catalyst" (originally a chemistry term) means something that accelerates or triggers a process. "The protests acted as a catalyst for legislative reform" means the protests triggered faster legislative change.
Question 4: In a PTE Academic reading passage, what is the function of a "counterexample"?
- To support the main argument with additional evidence
- To present a case that challenges or contradicts the main argument (Correct answer)
- To provide a definition of a technical term
- To introduce the topic of the passage
Correct answer: To present a case that challenges or contradicts the main argument
A counterexample presents a case that contradicts or challenges the main argument or generalization. Academic writers use counterexamples to acknowledge limitations, and recognizing them is important for PTE reading comprehension questions.
Question 5: What does "paraphrase" mean in the context of PTE Academic reading and writing?
- Copy text exactly as written in the original
- Restate the meaning of a text in different words (Correct answer)
- Summarize the entire text in one sentence
- Translate text from one language to another
Correct answer: Restate the meaning of a text in different words
Paraphrasing means expressing the meaning of something using different words, typically to avoid direct quotation. PTE Academic Summarize Written Text tasks reward paraphrasing over copying phrases directly from the passage.
Question 6: The phrase "notwithstanding the challenges" in an academic text means:
- Because of the challenges
- In spite of the challenges (Correct answer)
- Identifying the challenges
- After overcoming the challenges
Correct answer: In spite of the challenges
"Notwithstanding" is a formal preposition meaning despite or in spite of. It acknowledges obstacles while maintaining that the main outcome or action still occurred. It is equivalent to "despite" or "regardless of."
PTE Reading Comprehension 2
Read this sentence: "The committee's decision was predicated on the assumption that funding would be secured." What does "predicated on" mean?