PTE- Fill in the Blanks for Reading module

European ………………peasants would insert a wooden drill in a round hole and rotate it ……………briskly between their palms This process could be speeded up by wrapping a cord around the ………….drill and pulling on each end. The Ancient Greeks used ……………lenses or concave mirrors to concentrate the sun’s …………..rays and burning glasses were also used by Mexican Aztecs and the Chinese. Percussion methods of fire lighting date back to Paleolithic ………….times, when some Stone Age tool-makers ……………..discovered that chipping flints produced sparks. The technique became more efficient after the discovery of iron,

about 5000 vears ago. In Arctic North America, the Eskimos produced a slow-burning ……………..spark by striking quartz against iron pyrites, a ……………..compound that contains sulphur. The Chinese …………..lit their fires by striking porcelain with bamboo. In Europe, the …………………………..combination of steel, flint and tinder remained the main method of fire lighting until the mid 19th century.

Options:-  drill, discovered, times, compound, combination, peasants, lit, briskly, times, rays, lenses 

PTE - Fill in the blanks for Practice

C1.1 The ………………….control of fire was the first and perhaps greatest of humanity’s steps towards a life-………………enhancing technology. To early man, fire was a ……………..divine gift randomly delivered in the form of lightning, forest fire or ……………….burning lava. Unable to make …………..flame for themselves, the earliest peoples probably stored fire by keeping slow burning ………….logs alight or by carrying ……………….charcoal in pots. How and where man learnt how to ………………produce flame at will is unknown. It was probably a secondary invention, ………………..accidentally made during tool-making operations with wood or stone. Studies of ………………primitive societies suggest that the earliest method of making fire was through friction.

Options::- flame, logs, produce, control, divine, enhancing, accidently, primitive, burning, produce.

Summarize Written Text- PTE Academic

Concussions are brain injuries that occur when a person receives a blow to the head, face, or neck. Although most people who suffer a concussion experience initial bouts of dizziness, nausea, and drowsiness, these symptoms often disappear after a few days. The long-term effects of concussions, however, are less understood and far more severe. Recent studies suggest that people who suffer multiple concussions are at significant risk for developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disorder that causes a variety of dangerous mental and emotional problems to arise weeks, months, or even years after the initial injury. These psychological problems can include depress ion, anxiety, memory loss, inability to concentrate, and aggression. In extreme cases, people suffering from CTE have even committed suicide or homicide. The majority of people who develop these issues are athletes who participate in popular high-impact sports, especially football. Although new sports regulations and improvements in helmet technology can help protect players, amateur leagues, the sports media, and fans all bear some of the responsibility for reducing the incidence of these devastating injuries.  

ESSAY:- Connectors that can help you get a better score in Essay Writing

1.   To illustrate

2.   In another hypothetical case

3.   There is also a possibility that

4.   On the positive side

5.   I would probably oppose the fact that

6.   Most important from my point of view

7.   This quotation describes as undeniable fact

8.   To sum up

9.   Of-course, some people may argue that

10.                   To a point, that is true

11.                   Here I would like to put emphasis on

12.                   In short

13.                   Though it may be unpopular to say so

14.                   In extreme cases

15.                   Other consequence may include

16.                   There is a good reason to oppose

17.                   On the whole

18.                   This situation is troublesome and may lead to

19.                   In addition to the other factors listed above

20.                   We live in an ever changing society

21.                   To a large extent

22.                   Many other cases also illustrates

23.                   In recent years

24.                   Here is even a more extreme scenario

25.                   Now imagine

26.                   Let us first concentrate

27.                   For several reasons I would prefer

28.                   However I also believe that

29.                   One must also remember that

30.                   The matter of the fact is that

31.                   While this may be true to some extent

32.                   This brings me to my second point

33.                   However I would argue that

34.                   Although it is undoubtedly true

35.                   All in all, I believe that

36.                   Others myself included are of the opinion that

37.                   Another effective measure would be

38.                   One solution to the problem is

39.                   I suppose most of us would argue that

40.                   It’s a very common sight these days

41.                   To begin with

42.                   While I believe it is true

43.                   In a nut shell

44.                   In conclusion, I believe that

45.                   On the other hand, however, there are those who claim that

46.                   Nowadays modern technology has totally changed our approach to study.

47.                   Personally I believe

48.                   . Experts have put forward many suggestions to address this problem.

49.                   However there is growing evidence that

50.                   Perhaps a solution to this problem is

51.                   This is surprising as most people think that

52.                   Let us take a more detailed look at the causes of this

53.                   One of the most obvious reasons

54.                   I tend to agree that

55.                   In the long run

56.                   “Experience is the best teacher” is an old cliché, but I agree with it.

57.                   The twentieth century has brought with it many advances. With those advances, human lives have changed dramatically.

58.                   The most important thing to realize is that

59.                   I entirely agree with this view, and believe that

60.                   There is plenty of evidence to suggest that

61.                   There is a third factor, however, which contributes to the situation

62.                   The reasons for this trend may involve

63.                   There are advantages and disadvantages for both of the arguments.

64.                   Providing an excellent education in the public school system is vital to the strength of our community and our country.

65.                   I totally disagree with the idea

66.                   there is indeed a correlation between a healthy body and healthy mind.

67.                   sports can serve to create healthier bodies, which in turn would serve as a form of “preventive medicine” thereby cutting down on medical costs.

68.                   When we are healthy, we feel better and so are more likely to be productive academically

69.                   With the advent of globalization

70.                   It’s widely believed in today’s materialistic world that

71.                   However, this statement does not fully hold water

72.                   In conclusion, I would say that I largely agree with the argument that

73.                   Overall, it can be said that

74.                   On the other hand, there is no doubt that

75.                   In conclusion, while both approaches have benefits and drawbacks

76.                   A much debated issue these days is

77.                   To sum up, I think that

78.                   Below I will give my reasons to support my answer

79.                   From my everyday experience and observation I can claim that

80.                   In our modern stressful world we often forget about our customs and traditions

81.                   I am a person who likes to travel. I think traveling is a great opportunity to meet new people, gain more knowledge and experience, and learn new customs and traditions.

82.                   Some people say that the invention of computers is one of the greatest humankind's inventions. However, other people think that computers make their life more stressful.

83.                   The invention of television is undoubtedly one of humankind's greatest inventions

84.                   People learn through their entire lives. Curiosity was always the basic characteristic of a human being. We always want to break limits and learn more.

85.                   Ironically, the government has taken only little/ miniscule steps to combat this problem.

86.                   The problem if aggravated to its highest possible limit then it would be catastrophic.

87.                   Jumping onto the conclusion straightaway would be little pre mature.

88.                   This problem has penetrated the very fabric of our society.

89.                   To come out of the shackles of the poverty we must .........................................

FILL IN THE BLANKS - READING TEST

1)  The word euthanasia is of Greek  BLANK 1 and literally means “a good death.” The American Heritage Dictionary BLANK 2  it as “the act of killing a person painlessly for reasons of mercy.” Such BLANK 3 can be done through active means, such as administering a BLANK 4 injection, or by passive means, such as  BLANK 5 medical care or food and water.

Options:- mythology, birth, killings, explain, poison, increasing, mild, withholding, origination, illustration, murder, copy, lethal, origin, slaughter, painful, stopping, deadly, closing.   

2) In recent years in the United States, there have been BLANK 1 cases of active euthanasia in the news. They usually involve the deliberate killing of  BLANK 2  or incapacitated persons by relatives or BLANK 3 who plead that they can no BLANK 4 bear to see their loved ones BLANK 5. Although such killings are a crime, the perpetrators are often dealt with BLANK 6 by our legal system, and the media usually BLANK 7 them as compassionate heroes who take personal risks to save another from unbearable suffering.

Options:- ill, doctors, suffer, strongly, reflects, lower, numerous, more, leniently, show, easily, little, friends, enjoy, strangers, plead, displays, mercilessly, portrays, safely, often, strong, longer, healthy.

Comment below with your response and I will provide you the answers. 

PTE ACADEMIC LISTENING & SPEAKING TIPS

LISTENING TIPS :

Some of the listening tips which I feel can do wonders for you are as follows :-

1) Get accustomed to the accent of the English speakers. You can do this by listening to any lectures in English Language with captions. This particular tip is for those candidates who are finding it difficult to pick the right accent. Believe me keep watching and listening to such lectures and I am sure you'll benefit.

2) Listen carefully to each and every word spoken in the lecture. This will help you in repeat sentence as well as in Re-Tell lecture.

3) Alternatively you can watch English movies to improve your listening skills.

4) When attempting Re-Tell/ Summarize Spoken Text - Focus on key points mentioned by the lecturer and make notes accordingly. Understand the overall theme of the lecture. 

5) For “ Write from Dictation “- It is a good practice to remember the sentence. Alternatively you may also write keywords so that it may help you to write a complete sentence.

6) For multiple choice single answer and multiple answers, read the question thoroughly and skim through the options given. Keep a high focus on every point mentioned by the speaker and find your right answer in the options given. You may also use elimination method wherein you eliminate the options which are totally different and for the rest of the options you may still make a calculative guess.

7) For Highlight correct summary, you are given 4 options normally. Skim through the options and then listen to the lecture carefully. I would not suggest to make points, just listen it carefully and then look for the option to find the correct summary out of the options available. Believe me it really works.

SPEAKING :-

TIPS FOR GRAPHS/ PIE CHARTS/ TABLES :

1) Identify the inputs given in the graph. Check the inputs/ variables given in the X axis and Y axis. For example - You are sometimes given population, sales etc in the Y axis and years range in the X axis.

2) Check what the overall graph is about. It may be related to population density of different countries, sales in different companies etc. So you may start by saying - This line or bar graph illustrates/ gives information about ..................................

3) Sometimes there are too many lines in a single graph. Firstly check the highest point then the lowest point, check the similar patterns, trends ( increasing or decreasing or fluctuating etc ). For instance you can start by saying that the highest population amongst all the countries was recorded by USA which was around 50 millions in the year 2002 and the country with lowest population was France with a population of approximately .......................... . The two countries namely India and China has witnessed an almost similar trends in their population over the past 10 years. However, the population of India showed a dramatic increase after 2010 ..................................

4) You can use some connectors also to improve your speaking. You can use - However, It is interesting to see .............. , Although, Similarly, Overall, On the contrary.

5) Some terminologies that can be used for expressing the trends - Dramatic increase, Significant increase, Exponential increase, decreasing/ increasing trend, fluctuating trend, declined considerably, huge increase, rapid fall, etc.

6) You can also use - population of X was almost 3 times then Y country. The sales of company X was almost 1/3rd then the sales of company Y.

SPEAKING: READ ALOUD – TIPS :

1) Speak at your natural pace.

2) Give stress/ emphasis on particular key word.

3) Take pauses if you get commas or colon etc.

4) Speak as if you are delivering a lecture and not simply reading just for the sake of completing the task. Take it as an opportunity.

5) Oral fluency and pronunciation should be kept in mind. If you don't know how to pronounce a particular word then take help from Google or your friends/ family.

6) Keep a good rhythm   - try not to speak too fast or too slow.

You can practice Read Alouds by reading articles online and you may also record your voice and check how you spoke. Improvement comes by practice and practice makes you perfect :)

SPEAKING: REPEAT SENTENCE – TIPS :

1) Listen carefully to each and every word as you do not get a second chance to listen to the recording again.

2) You may write keywords to remember the sentence.

3) It is good to memorize what you have heard but it may take practice. Understand the overall meaning of the sentence to remember the sentence.

4) Listen to lot of listening stuff on the regular basis so that you get habituated to accent and speed of an English speaker.

5) While listening you may also turn on the " captions " so that when you listen, you can simultaneously read the words. This is a quite beneficial for beginners.

6) You may listen to the lectures on You tube or any similar website.

SPEAKING: RE-TELL LECTURES :

1) Get accustomed to the accent of the English speakers. You can do this by listening to any lectures in English Language with captions. This particular tip is for those candidates who are finding it difficult to pick the right accent. Believe me keep watching and listening to such lectures and I am sure you'll benefit.

2) Make points quickly while listening to the lectures. 

3) Understand what the lecture is about. For instance : it may be related to pollution, mathematics, museum, education etc. 

4) You are also sometimes given the picture/ graph on the screen. This is quite helpful as you can at-least get a hint about what the lecture is about. If you are not able to write many points from the lecture then at-least you can speak about the information given in the picture or graph. 

5) Listen regularly to short or long lecture on You tube or similar websites. This is helpful to understand the accent.

6) If you do not have much content to speak about then slow down your pace for speaking and try to remember some of the key points and try to explain it. 

7) You can start by saying - The lecture is about ..............................................................

8) You may also use - The lecturer gives an example of ....................., The lecturer gives emphasis on .............., In addition to this he/ she also talks about ..................... It is worth noting from this lecture ………………….. First and foremost point mentioned by the lecturer is that …………………Secondly he says…….and so on……………….. Finally he concludes by saying that ……….

Speaking PTE - Graphs Tips & Tricks

Sometimes you get too much or too less information in explaining the graphs which may include Line Graphs, Bar Graphs, Pie Charts to name a few. So what is the best strategy to tackle this problem ? You have to make a right strategy within 25 seconds so that you can easily explain the graph in 40 seconds.

Here are some of the tips that works for most of my students :-

1) Identify the inputs given in the graph. Check the inputs/ variables given in the X axis and Y axis. For example - You are sometimes given population, sales etc in the Y axis and years range in the X axis.

2) Check what the overall graph is about. It may be related to population density of different countries, sales in different companies etc. So you may start by saying - This line or bar graph illustrates/ gives information about ..................................

3) Sometimes there are too many lines in a single graph. Firstly check the highest point then the lowest point, check the similar patterns, trends ( increasing or decreasing or fluctuating etc ). For instance you can start by saying that the highest population amongst all the countries was recorded by USA which was around 50 millions in the year 2002 and the country with lowest population was France with a population of approximately .......................... . The two countries namely India and China has witnessed an almost similar trends in their population over the past 10 years. However, the population of India showed a dramatic increase after 2010 ..................................

4) You can use some connectors also to improve your speaking. You can use - However, It is interesting to see .............. , Although, Similarly, Overall, On the contrary.

5) Some terminologies that can be used for expressing the trends - Dramatic increase, Significant increase, Exponential increase, decreasing/ increasing trend, fluctuating trend, declined considerably, huge increase, rapid fall, etc.

6) You can also use - population of X was almost 3 times then Y country. The sales of company X was almost 1/3rd then the sales of company Y.


If the information is too less then my advice is to speak slowly and you can add some additional information as well related to the topic.

If you have any queries or suggestions please right to me in the comment box.

Thanks.

Strategies for getting high score in Listening - PTE

Hi Guys !

Hope you are practicing well for PTE.

Some of the listening tips which I feel can do wonders for you are as follows :-

1) Get accustomed to the accent of the English speakers. You can do this by listening to any lectures in English Language with captions. This particular tip is for those candidates who are finding it difficult to pick the right accent. Believe me keep watching and listening to such lectures and I am sure you'll benefit.

2) Listen carefully to each and every word spoken in the lecture. This will help you in repeat sentence as well as in Re-Tell lecture.

3) Alternatively you can watch English movies to improve your listening skills.

4) When attempting Re-Tell lecture focus on key points mentioned by the lecturer and make notes accordingly. This will help also help you in summarize spoken text.

5) For dictation - It is a good practice to remember the sentence. Alternatively you may also write keywords so that it may help you to write a complete sentence.

6) For multiple choice single answer and multiple answers, read the question thoroughly and skim through the options given. Keep a high focus on every point mentioned by the speaker and find your right answer in the options given. You may also use elimination method wherein you eliminate the options which are totally different and for the rest of the options you may still make a calculative guess.

7) For Highlight correct summary, you are given 4 options normally. Skim through the options and then listen to the lecture carefully. I would not suggest to make points, just listen it carefully and then look for the option to find the correct summary out of the options available. Believe me it really works.

For any further information or query comment here and I shall try to answer them in minimum possible time.