PTE Academic — Pearson Test of English
Take the PTE Reading — Reorder Paragraphs, Set 2: 20 multiple-choice questions (30 minutes) with instant scoring and a full answer review. Covers 20 PTE…
What this test covers
The first 5 questions of this test, with the correct answer and explanation.
Q1. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) Tea is one of the most popular drinks in the world. B) It was first drunk in China thousands of years ago. C) Today, more tea is drunk worldwide than any drink except water. D) From there, it spread to Japan and, much later, to Europe.
Answer: D. A, B, D, C
Explanation: Correct order: A, B, D, C. The paragraph reads: Tea is one of the most popular drinks in the world. It was first drunk in China thousands of years ago. From there, it spread to Japan and, much later, to Europe. Today, more tea is drunk worldwide than any drink except water.
Q2. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) Both groups then completed the same memory test. B) The volunteers were divided into two groups. C) One group drank coffee before the test, and the other drank water. D) The coffee drinkers scored slightly higher on average.
Answer: A. B, C, A, D
Explanation: Correct order: B, C, A, D. The paragraph reads: The volunteers were divided into two groups. One group drank coffee before the test, and the other drank water. Both groups then completed the same memory test. The coffee drinkers scored slightly higher on average.
Q3. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) One solution is to charge drivers to enter the city centre. B) Afterwards, traffic in the charging zone fell noticeably. C) Many cities suffer from serious traffic congestion. D) London introduced such a charge in 2003.
Answer: C. C, A, D, B
Explanation: Correct order: C, A, D, B. The paragraph reads: Many cities suffer from serious traffic congestion. One solution is to charge drivers to enter the city centre. London introduced such a charge in 2003. Afterwards, traffic in the charging zone fell noticeably.
Q4. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) First, the soil is cleared of weeds and stones. B) Finally, the crop is harvested when it is ripe. C) Next, the seeds are planted in rows. D) The young plants are then watered regularly.
Answer: A. A, C, D, B
Explanation: Correct order: A, C, D, B. The paragraph reads: First, the soil is cleared of weeds and stones. Next, the seeds are planted in rows. The young plants are then watered regularly. Finally, the crop is harvested when it is ripe.
Q5. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) Some have even been seen using coconut shells as shelters. B) These abilities are unusual among animals without a backbone. C) They can solve puzzles and open jars to reach food. D) Octopuses are remarkably intelligent animals.
Answer: D. D, C, A, B
Explanation: Correct order: D, C, A, B. The paragraph reads: Octopuses are remarkably intelligent animals. They can solve puzzles and open jars to reach food. Some have even been seen using coconut shells as shelters. These abilities are unusual among animals without a backbone.
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Q6. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) It hoped that more students would use its study spaces. B) However, attendance after 9 p.m. remained very low. C) The library introduced longer opening hours last year. D) As a result, the late opening hours have now been cancelled.
Q7. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) Pots of honey have even been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. B) Remarkably, some of it was still edible. C) This is because honey's low water content prevents bacteria from growing. D) Honey has been eaten by humans for thousands of years.
Q8. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) A good presentation needs careful preparation. B) Then organise your points so that each one supports that message. C) Lastly, practise speaking aloud until you feel confident. D) Begin by deciding on the main message you want to communicate.
Q9. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) Together, these migrants transformed the populations of their new countries. B) Some were escaping poverty or famine. C) Others hoped to find land or better-paid work. D) In the nineteenth century, many people left Europe for the Americas.
Q10. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) Similar schemes are now being planned for nearby towns. B) Since then, the town has not suffered a major flood. C) The town's river often flooded after heavy rain. D) To solve this problem, engineers built a series of barriers.
Q11. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) Most adults therefore need between seven and nine hours each night. B) Without enough sleep, concentration and mood suffer. C) Sleep is essential for good health. D) During sleep, the body repairs tissues and the brain processes information.
Q12. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) Things changed when a famous blogger recommended the product. B) Sales were slow during the first two years. C) Within months, the company had doubled its staff. D) The company launched its first product in 2010.
Q13. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) This mixture is heated to a very high temperature until it melts. B) Glass is made mainly from sand. C) The sand is mixed with soda ash and limestone. D) The liquid glass is then shaped and allowed to cool.
Q14. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) A small amount of stress can actually improve performance. B) However, too much stress makes it hard to think clearly. C) Learning relaxation techniques can therefore be very helpful. D) Some students find exams extremely stressful.
Q15. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) Some species can grow almost a metre in a single day. B) For these reasons, it is widely used as a building material in Asia. C) Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth. D) It is also extremely strong for its weight.
Q16. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) It used the money to build a new gallery. B) The gallery opened in March with an exhibition of local art. C) Visitor numbers have since risen by a quarter. D) The museum received a large donation last year.
Q17. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) Wind turbines generate electricity from moving air. B) As the wind turns the blades, they spin a shaft. C) The generator converts the movement into electrical energy. D) This shaft is connected to a generator.
Q18. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) Today the building is one of the most famous monuments in the world. B) The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in Agra. C) He built it as a tomb for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. D) Construction took more than twenty years.
Q19. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) One reason is that early progress feels slow. B) Many people want to learn a new language. C) Setting small, regular goals can help learners stay motivated. D) Yet few continue long enough to become fluent.
Q20. Put these sentences in the correct order to form a paragraph: A) In some places, plastic bag use fell by more than 80 percent. B) Plastic bags were once given away free in most shops. C) The charge encouraged shoppers to bring their own bags. D) Many countries then introduced a small charge for each bag.