PTE Reading: Practice Questions - 11 | Practice Tests for PTE PDF Download

Ans:
In a variety of ways, Americans wanted to get rich, and to do so with little effort. Thorstein Veblen published "The Theory of the Leisure Class" in 1898 and propagated the theory of consumerism. The first commercial radio station went on air in the 1920s in Pittsburgh. By 1922, 3 million American households had radios, and the annual sales rose to $850 million by 1929. A flood tide of new electric appliances, vacuum cleaners, toasters, washing machines and refrigerators reached American houses. The automobiles required better roads; the infrastructure was developed, new highways were built, and filling stations, garages, and roadside restaurants sprang up across the nation. Cars broke down the barrier between the urban and rural America, a new tradition of "Sunday drive" started, the rural Americans drove into cities to shop and to be entertained. Children could escape parental supervision as cars turned out to be a sort of "bedroom on wheels". People became crazy about cars and every income group regarded them a necessity rather than a luxury. People were willing to sacrifice their food, clothes and savings in order to buy a car.

The text is about consumerism and the growth of car culture in America.
Thorstein Veblen propagated (spread and promoted) the theory of consumerism, which brought in many changes in life of Americans. New electric appliances reached the American houses. Cars broke down the barrier (gap) between the urban and rural America. More people started buying cars and a new tradition of "Sunday drive" started. Cars turned out to be an escape for the children from parental supervision. People became crazy about cars and were even willing to sacrifice their savings to buy a car.
1. propagated - theory is propagated.
2. reached - it means "arrived" (at a place) and it fits with "houses".
3. barrier - "break down the barriers" is a phrasal usage.
4. supervision - it collocates with "parental".
5. sacrifice - the other options don't create meaning in context.

Ans:
Stonehenge is surely Britain's greatest national icon, symbolising mystery, power and endurance. Its original purpose is unclear, but some have speculated that it was made for the worship of ancient earth deities. Many of the original stones have fallen or been removed by previous generations for home construction or road repair. There has been serious damage to some of the smaller bluestones resulting from close visitor contact (prohibited since 1978) and the prehistoric carvings on the larger sarsen stones show signs of significant wear. In its day, the construction of Stonehenge was an impressive engineering feat, requiring commitment, time and vast amounts of manual labour. In its first phase, Stonehenge was a large earthwork; a bank and ditch arrangement called a henge, constructed approximately 5,000 years ago. It is believed that the ditch was dug with tools made from the antlers of red deer and, possibly, wood. The underlying chalk was loosened with picks and shovelled with the shoulder blades of cattle. It was then loaded into baskets and carried away. Modern experiments have shown that these tools were more than equal to the great task of earth digging and moving.

The text talks about the construction of Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument in Europe.
The stones we see today represent Stonehenge in ruin. There has been serious damage to some of the smaller bluestones and the carvings on the larger stones show signs of significant (great) wear. Stonehenge, a bank and ditch arrangement called a henge, is an engineering wonder that required commitment, time and vast manual labour for its construction. The ditch was dug with ancient tools. The underlying chalk was loosened and moved with the shoulder blades of cattle. It was then loaded and carried away. This task was more than equal to the great task of earth digging and moving (task or tools).
1. damage - it fits with "serious"; 'injury' is damage to the body of a human or animal.
2. significant - wear relates to serious damage; the other options don't fit here.
3. time - only 'time' is an investment among the options.
4. ditch - it is hinted by "Stonehenge was ... bank and ditch arrangement."
5. equal - the only word followed by the preposition "to" among the options is "equal".

Ans:
In its most recent stages, Western science is finally coming back to the views of the early Greek and the Eastern philosophies. This time, however, it is not only based on intuition, but also on experiments of great precision and sophistication, and on a rigorous and consistent mathematical formalism.
The roots of physics, as of all Western science, are to be found in the first period of Greek philosophy in the sixth century B.C., in a culture where science, philosophy and religion were not separated. The sages were not concerned with such distinctions. Their aim was to discover the essential nature, or real constitution, of things that they called 'physics'. The term 'physics' is derived from this Greek word and meant therefore, originally, the endeavour of seeing the essential nature of all things.
Western science is not only based on intuition but also on experiments and mathematical formalism. The roots of physics are found in the Greek philosophy where science, philosophy and religion were not separated as the sages then were concerned with discovering the essential nature, or constitution of things that they called 'physics'.
1. intuition - "but" indicates that something opposite to "experiments" is needed; "intuition" fits the bill.
2. philosophy - it is hinted by "coming back to the views of the early Greek and the Eastern philosophies" in the first sentence.
3. discover - only "discover" fits this blank; "roots of physics ... are found in" suggests that we are talking about the origin of physics, so discovery of the nature of things called physics is correct.
4. essential - it is hinted in the previous sentence "their aim was to discover the essential nature ... of things".

Ans:
For mild–mannered people who are forever begging your pardon and saying "please" and "sorry," British journalists are a surprisingly macho lot. The British media may not have achieved anything on the scale of Watergate scandal but that is because for all its warts British politics remains relatively less corrupt than across the Atlantic. In other words, the British political class has not given its journalists enough opportunities to expose something which would sit in the same class as Watergate.
Yet it has had its share of political scalps. At the best of times, there is a media frenzy abroad, fed partly by the demands of the 24–hour rolling TV news and partly by a compulsive desire on the part of journalists to "do in" a government which lives by "spin" and will go to any length to use them to mislead the country. Beneath the surface, there is perpetual tension with the two constantly wrestling to out spin each other, resulting in a loss of credibility for both. Opinion polls show that an overwhelming majority of people do not believe a word of what either the media or the government says.

The text is about the state of British journalism. The British media is said to have not achieved anything as great as the Watergate scandal in the U.S. The British political class is alleged to have not provided enough opportunities to the media to report cases as the British political class is less corrupt than that in the U.S. The media is also accused of certain scandals as they give in to the demands of reporting. For this, they try to present the government in bad light. Beneath the surface, there is a perpetual tension between both the media and the government, which has led to both losing credibility in the eyes of the public.
1. achieved - the context is about succeeding in exposing something great as the Watergate scandal.
2. opportunities - lack of corruption gives less opportunities to the journalists to expose something.
3. surface - it is the phrasal usage; the other options don't create meaning in context.
4. credibility - it means "quality of being believable" and is correct as it relates with "people do not believe a word".

Ans:
There are numerous problems linked with fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels creates health problems; nitrogen oxides irritate the lungs. Governments are encouraging the use of solar energy, wind power and hydro power as well as use of first generation fuels - bio fuels made from sugar, starch, vegetable oil or animal fats using conventional technology. Vegetable oil as a fuel is eco-friendly. Governments are encouraging the bio fuel industry by giving liberal incentives such as cut in duties, tax-breaks and subsidies. Both bio diesel and ethanol are effective and sustainable energy options. In the US, corn and soybeans could serve as helpful bio fuels. Sugarcane in Brazil and India, and palm oil in South Asia are eco-friendly. Large amounts of fuel ethanol can be produced from city wastes by breweries and distilleries. 'Save Energy' drives are being launched all over the world to cope up with the energy crisis.

The text is about the efforts of government in promoting the use of non-conventional sources as energy sources.
As use of fossil fuels is accompanied by health issues, government is encouraging (promoting) the use of wind, solar, hydro power and first generation fuels. This is done by providing incentives, such as cut in duties and subsidies. Bio diesel and ethanol are effective and sustainable energy options. In order to cope up with the energy crisis, 'Save Energy' drives are being launched.
1. encouraging - the other options don't create meaning in context; "recommending" is ungrammatical; government doesn't "suggest".
2. incentives - "cut in duties, tax-breaks and subsidies" involves a monetary element, so "incentives" fits coherently.
3. sustainable - being effective and sustainable is considered to be the positive attribute of a fuel.
4. launched - "drives" (meaning 'movements') are launched.

Ans: (4, 5)
Option 1 is incorrect as the text states "...sale of the safe items... cuts himself off from all that is vital in his trade and dooms himself to mediocrity and stagnation."
Option 2 is incorrect as "...but he is then no longer a bookseller" refutes the "most business-friendly course for him".
Option 3 is incorrect as "...but this is a dangerous game" is opposite to "risk-free preposition".
The phrase "to walk a tight rope" means "to face a difficult situation", which is implied by "a dangerous game" that the bookseller has to take part in. Hence, option 4 is correct.
The line "...readers remain faithful to their own discoveries and failure to follow up a book; an author or a type of literature means dismissing the public responsible for their success" suggests option 5 as the correct answer.

Ans:
1. The charm of novelty offered by fashion is a purely aesthetic pleasure.
2. Fashion helps to solve the central problem of the philosophy of life.
3. It teaches the modern man how a person can be a homogeneous part of a social mass without losing his individuality.
5. Or how he can both stick to his own private taste and expect others to share it.
4. In modern society, both style and fashion are functional equivalents to 'good taste'.

Let us check the introductory text and form pairs based on common links. The whole text is about the role of fashion in modern society. There are two texts that introduce 'fashion': Texts 1 and 2. But the pronoun 'it' that begins text 3 links only with text 2, giving us the 2-3 link: Fashion helps... it teaches the modern man how a person can... Or how he can... This extends the link to 2-3-5. Now 'good taste in 4 ought to come after 'his own private taste' in 5. Thus the link is 2-3-5-4, leaving 1 to begin the whole text.

Ans:
1. The evolution of leaves increased the capacity for photosynthesis by expanding the surface area available to capture light and CO₂.
3. However, the extent to which that capability was realised was linked to the capacity of the vascular system to move water into the leaf.
2. Fossil evidence suggests that early leaves of all vascular plant groups were small structures with a single vein per lamina segment.
4. Given that hydraulic modelling has demonstrated how single veins can constrain both the size and shape of the leaf that they serve, it is likely that the evolution of diverse leaf morphologies was intrinsically linked to the development of increasingly complex venation systems.

Let us check the introductory text and form pairs based on common links. The main point of the whole text is stated in text 1: 'The evolution of leaves increased the capacity for photosynthesis by expanding the surface area available to capture light and CO₂.' Text 3 ('however') qualifies this capacity by linking it to capacity of the vascular system (1-3 pair). The discussion continues in text 2: 'early leaves of all vascular plant groups were small'. The 'single vein' in texts 2 and 4 gives us the 2-4 pair.

Ans:
Monsanto finds itself in an uncomfortable situation in that it has been chosen by the public as the poster boy for evil corporations and everything that is wrong with the crop protection industry. Examples are the crop protection products and GM seeds Monsanto develops and sells. Another reason is its perceived aggressive and unethical business model. What Monsanto does, however, is nothing different from what other companies do; making sure royalties for their products are paid.
The text is about Monsanto Company that offers agriculture solutions, and the public opinion about it.
1. uncomfortable - an adjective starting with a vowel is required; being chosen as a poster boy for evil corporations won't be an impressive situation.
2. protection - it is hinted by the "crop protection products" in the next line.
3. sells - a verb in the present tense is required.
4. royalties - the word 'incentives' does not fit the context; 'royalties' are paid.

Ans: 
Television programming today can be a powerful unsettling factor in developing value systems and shaping behaviours of individuals. Television hooks people into the programmes to believe that they are important and mean something. Television gives people the wrong impression about how life should be lived. The unrealistic programmes create a sense of lifestyle that the average viewers crave for themselves.

The text is about the negative effects that television viewing has on people's behaviour. Television can disturb (and can be unsettling) the development of value systems and the shaping of behaviours in people. Television gives people a wrong impression by showing them unrealistic programmes, and people get hooked to them as they desire (crave) to have such a lifestyle.
1. unsettling - it means "disturbing" and it fits the context.
2. hooks - a verb is required; the other options don't fit grammatically.
3. unrealistic - "create a sense" means something unreal is being talked about.
4. crave - "crave for" means "to long for" (here 'lifestyle').

Ans:
In the pursuit of excellence and joy, the awareness of our adaptability is paramount. Change, and sometimes extensive and traumatic change, is part and parcel of life. Fortunately, we are able to adapt to this change. That is, the favourable habits we develop within relatively stable circumstances – for example eating, working, or dating habits that are conducive to our happiness – do not truly define who we are.
As we run after (in the pursuit of) excellence and joy, the awareness of adaptability is very important (paramount). Change is a part and parcel of life. Stable circumstances are conducive to our happiness.
1. pursuit - "in pursuit of" (idiomatic) is correct for blank 1.
2. paramount - "awareness" is "paramount".
3. parcel - "part and parcel" is idiomatic usage.
4. conducive - only "conducive" among the options should be followed by preposition "to".

Ans:
Contrary to classical traditions, the Freudian and the Jungian themes are very much in vogue in Hollywood films. The producers always desire to sell a new idea in the film industry worldwide. They take up the themes of amnesia and memory loss to achieve grandeur and suspense in the films as the audience demand action, intricacy in the plot and a sense of romantic mystery.

The text is about the theme of amnesia in Hollywood films. Films based on the themes of amnesia and memory loss are in vogue in Hollywood as the producers want to sell a new idea all over the world. Films are based on innovative themes to satisfy audience demands.
1. vogue - "in vogue" means "in trend" and it justifies "very much".
2. idea - it fits correctly - "sell an idea"; the other options don't create meaning in context.
3. memory - "memory loss" goes with "amnesia".
4. audience - those who are viewing and paying (consumers) for films demand action.

Ans: (2)
Option 1 is incorrect as it does not include all the key points made in the text.
The phrases "Mickey soon cleaned up his act", "a national symbol", "expected to behave properly at all times" and "eventually, he would be pressured into the role of straight man" suggest option 2 as the correct answer.
Option 3 is incorrect as the character change occurred due to the public pressure and not due to the needs of his appearance in movies.
Option 4 is incorrect as there is no information on Mickey becoming a national symbol was related to his introduction in the cine world.