These original passages practise transferable reading decisions. They are not predicted test content. Use meaning, grammar and collocation for every blank.
Academic and Core both contain dropdown and drag-and-drop gap tasks, though prompt limits and assessed skills differ. Check the current format before practice. Pearson Academic Reading format Pearson Core Reading format
Exercise 1: dropdown choices
Restoring wetlands can [1] flood risk because the soil and vegetation hold water after heavy rain. However, a successful project must [2] local conditions. Species that thrive in one region may be poorly [3] to another, and nearby communities should be consulted [4] plans are finalised.
- reduce / refuse / divide
- account for / result from / belong to
- adapted / adapting / adaptation
- before / despite / unless
Key: 1 reduce; 2 account for; 3 adapted; 4 before.
Reduce risk is the natural collocation. Must takes a base verb phrase, and account for means consider. Here, adapted to describes suitability for local conditions, while adapting to would describe an ongoing process of adjustment. The suitability meaning fits this context. The final clause establishes timing, so before fits.
Exercise 2: drag-and-drop bank
Options: evidence, gradually, maintain, brief, reliable, replace, because.
Long-term surveys help scientists [1] consistent records of environmental change. The data become more useful when methods remain [2] across years. Although technology may [3] some measuring tools, researchers still need clear procedures so new results can be compared with earlier [4].
Key: 1 maintain; 2 reliable; 3 replace; 4 evidence.
After help scientists, the base verb maintain fits. Remain links to the adjective reliable. The modal may needs base-form replace. Earlier evidence supplies the comparison target. Gradually, brief and because are distractors.
Exercise 3: connectors
The trial involved only a small sample; [1], its findings should be interpreted cautiously. The pattern was consistent across participants, [2] further research is needed to test whether it applies more widely.
Options for 1: therefore / similarly / meanwhile. Options for 2: but / because / unless.
Key: 1 therefore; 2 but.
The first connector introduces a consequence. The second marks contrast between encouraging consistency and the need for more evidence.
For the decision method, read PTE Reading Fill in the Blanks. Continue with Dropdown practice and Drag and Drop practice.
A four-question decision log
For each blank, write four short notes: required meaning, required grammar, likely collocation and rejected distractor. For Exercise 1 blank 3, the frame is “poorly ___ to”, the context and common collocation favour a past participle and the collocation is “adapted to”. This rules out “adapting” and “adaptation” for clear reasons.
Time the passage only after you can explain choices. A faster guess is not progress; a faster evidence-based choice is.
