PTE Reading Comprehension 2

Question 1

Read this sentence: "The committee's decision was predicated on the assumption that funding would be secured." What does "predicated on" mean?

Accepted Answer

Based on or dependent upon

Answer

"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?

Accepted Answer

Ability to identify multiple specific pieces of information and evaluate each answer option

Answer

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:

Accepted Answer

Something that speeds up or triggers a process

Answer

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"?

Accepted Answer

To present a case that challenges or contradicts the main argument

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Restate the meaning of a text in different words

Answer

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.

PTE Practice Test

PTE Practice Test

PTE Reading Comprehension 2