PTE 79 Plan Week 5: Reading Accuracy and Negative Marking

This week's sessions

Tick each session when you finish it. Your ticks are saved only in this browser.

Day 1 · 📖 Reading · about 20 minFill in the blanks: collocations and word familiesRead this week's lesson and the Fill in the Blanks guide. For every answer, check grammar, then meaning, then collocation.
Day 2 · 📖 Reading · about 25 minReading accuracy setDo the reading set below. For each multiple-answer option you choose, underline the sentence that proves it.
Day 3 · 📖 Reading · about 20 minMultiple answers: only what you can proveDo the multiple-choice practice. Choose an option only if you can point to the words that support it.
Day 4 · 🗣️ Speaking · about 30 minSpeaking under pressureDo the speaking set below without stopping between questions. Start each answer within two seconds and never restart.
Day 5 · ⭐ Mixed · about 20 minDaily practiceDo today's ten questions. Record the speaking answers and check every written answer for spelling before you submit.

This week's lesson: precise reading, and speaking when it counts

Reading 70 is lower than the Speaking and Writing targets, but the reading tasks still matter, and careless errors there cost marks you can't afford. This week you'll sharpen the reading tasks where advanced learners still lose marks, and keep your speaking strong with a timed mixed set.

Fill in the blanks: grammar, then meaning, then collocation

When you choose a word, check three things in this order:

Grammar: what kind of word does the gap need? After the, a noun; after can, a base verb; before a noun, usually an adjective.
Meaning: does it fit the idea of the whole sentence, not just the words next to it?
Collocation: does it sound natural with the words around it? Draw conclusions, pose a risk, underlying causes, a significant proportion.

Word families and look-alikes

At this level, the wrong options are often from the same word family or look almost the same:

economic (relating to the economy) / economical (not wasteful)
preliminary (early, not final) / premature (too early)
mitigate (reduce harm) / militate (act against)
attributed to (caused by) / contributed to (helped to cause)
consistent (stays the same) / consisted (was made up of)

When two options look similar, say the full phrase in your head with each one and choose the one you'd find in an academic article.

Multiple answers: negative marking again

In Reading: Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers, each wrong option costs a mark, just as in listening. Before you choose an option, find the sentence in the passage that proves it. Be very careful with these words, because one word can make an option false:

Quantity: all, most, some, only
Certainty: proved, suggested, may
Time: already, now, no longer, is attempting to

Passage: Some cities are now attempting to correct the pattern. Option: All cities have already corrected the pattern. Two words make this false: all and already.

Reorder Paragraph: follow the links

Find the sentence that introduces the topic and doesn't refer back to anything. Then link pairs: a sentence with this, these, however, as a result or the + a noun mentioned earlier must come after the sentence it refers to. Even if you're unsure of the whole order, make sure the pairs you're confident about are next to each other.

Speaking under pressure

Speaking 88 has to hold up in the real test, after two hours of concentration, with no second attempt. This week's speaking set mixes short and long tasks with no break between them, the way the real test does. Your rules:

Start within a second or two. Don't wait to feel ready.
Keep going after a slip. Never restart.
Same pace from start to finish. Pressure makes people speed up; stay steady.

This week

Do the reading guides and set, a mixed speaking set and the daily practice. Keep adding to your error list: at this point, it should show you exactly which kinds of mistakes are left.

Practice for this week

Reading accuracy set

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Speaking under pressure

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Weekly check: Mock test 2, Reading

Do Part 2: Reading in one go. Count any multiple-answer options you chose without proof.

Start the weekly check

When you finish, come back to your plan home: your dashboard updates with the new score.

Answers, explanations and transcripts

Finish the test first, then open each section to check your answers. Every answer has an explanation.

Reading accuracy set

Text for question 8: Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

Four-day school weeks have been introduced in some rural districts in several countries, mainly to reduce transport and staffing costs. Supporters argue that the longer weekend improves attendance and makes it easier to recruit teachers. Research on student achievement, however, has produced mixed results: some studies have found small declines in test scores, while others have found no clear effect. Researchers also note that the change can create difficulties for working parents, who may need to arrange childcare on the fifth day.

Text for question 10: Multiple Choice, Single Answer

When the city first introduced bicycle-sharing, most trips were short journeys between train stations and offices. Planners had expected the bikes to replace car trips, but surveys showed that many riders had previously walked or taken the bus. Over time, as protected bike lanes were extended into the suburbs, longer trips became more common, and a growing share of riders reported that they had stopped using their cars for some journeys.

Answer key (10 answers)

#	Question	Answer	Why
1	Early studies of the treatment were ___	inconclusive	Results that don't lead to a firm conclusion are 'inconclusive'. 'Shed light on' is a fixed expression meaning to make something clearer.
2	…small. A larger trial is now under way, and researchers hope it will ___	shed	Results that don't lead to a firm conclusion are 'inconclusive'. 'Shed light on' is a fixed expression meaning to make something clearer.
3	The decline of many small regional newspapers has been ___	attributed	A result is 'attributed to' a cause; 'contributed to' would need the paper to be the cause. Before the noun 'source' we need an adjective: 'dedicated'.
4	…advertising revenue. As a result, some communities now have no ___	dedicated	A result is 'attributed to' a cause; 'contributed to' would need the paper to be the cause. Before the noun 'source' we need an adjective: 'dedicated'.
5	…are increasingly using digital technology to make their collections ___	accessible	'Make something accessible' needs an adjective; 'allow researchers to' needs a base verb, 'examine'. 'Replicate the experience' (copy it exactly) fits the meaning; 'replace' doesn't, because a screen isn't swapped for the experience.
6	…cannot visit in person. High-resolution images allow researchers to ___	examine	'Make something accessible' needs an adjective; 'allow researchers to' needs a base verb, 'examine'. 'Replicate the experience' (copy it exactly) fits the meaning; 'replace' doesn't, because a screen isn't swapped for the experience.
7	…in detail, although curators note that a screen can never fully ___	replicate	'Make something accessible' needs an adjective; 'allow researchers to' needs a base verb, 'examine'. 'Replicate the experience' (copy it exactly) fits the meaning; 'replace' doesn't, because a screen isn't swapped for the experience.
8	According to the passage, which of the following are true?	Four-day weeks are mainly introduced to save money. · Supporters say the change can help with recruiting teachers. · The fifth day can be difficult for working parents.	A, C and E are stated. Only 'some studies' found declines (B), and the passage mentions rural districts, not most urban schools (D).
9	Reorder Paragraph	(1) For much of the twentieth century, scientists assumed that t… → (2) This view began to change in the 1990s, when studies found e… → (3) These findings suggested that the brain remains more adaptab… → (4) Even so, researchers still debate how much this process cont…	The old assumption comes first; 'This view' refers back to it; 'These findings' refers to the 1990s studies; 'Even so' adds the remaining debate.
10	What does the passage suggest about the bicycle-sharing scheme?	Its effect on car use grew as bike lanes were extended.	At first riders had mostly walked or taken the bus, but after the lanes were extended, more riders said they had stopped using their cars for some journeys. A says 'immediately', which contradicts this.

Speaking under pressure

Transcript: Repeat Sentence

The final report should include a summary of the key findings and recommendations.

Model answer: Repeat Sentence

Listen, then repeat the sentence exactly.

The final report should include a summary of the key findings and recommendations.

Transcript: Repeat Sentence

Any student who misses the field trip will need to complete an alternative task.

Model answer: Repeat Sentence

Listen, then repeat the sentence exactly.

Any student who misses the field trip will need to complete an alternative task.

Transcript: Answer Short Question

What do we call a word that means the opposite of another word?

Model answer: Answer Short Question

Listen to the question and answer with one or a few words.

An antonym.

Transcript: Answer Short Question

Which instrument do astronomers use to look at distant stars?

Model answer: Answer Short Question

Listen to the question and answer with one or a few words.

A telescope.

Transcript: Respond to a Situation

You borrowed a textbook from a classmate last week, and you've accidentally spilled coffee on several pages. The book is still readable, but it's clearly damaged. You see your classmate before a lecture. What would you say?

Model answer: Respond to a Situation

Listen to and read the situation. Then say what you would say. You have 10 seconds to prepare and 40 seconds to speak.

Hi Mei, I'm really sorry, but I have to tell you something. I accidentally spilled coffee on your textbook, and a few pages are stained. It's still readable, but it's obviously damaged, and that's my fault. I'd like to buy you a new copy, or if you'd prefer, I can pay you what it cost. Just let me know which you'd like. Again, I'm really sorry.

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