Tesla came over from Graz and went to work for…
Read the text aloud.
Tesla came over from Graz and went to work for Thomas Edison. Nonetheless Edison offered him a job, promising Tesla fifty thousand dollars if Tesla could redesign Edison’s breakdown-prone DC generator designs. The new generator designs were a vast improvement over Edison’s originals. Upon completing the job Tesla went to Edison to collect the $50,000 promised for the task. Tesla, Edison replied, you don’t understand our American humour. And Tesla was never paid.
Opens question #010020 in the RealPTE practice screen.
How to read it
Tesla came over from Graz|and went to work for Thomas Edison.‖Nonetheless Edison offered him a job,|promising Tesla fifty thousand dollars‖if Tesla could redesign Edison’s breakdown-prone DC generator designs.‖The new generator designs were a vast improvement over Edison’s originals.‖Upon completing the job|Tesla went to Edison to collect the $50,000 promised for the task.‖Tesla, Edison replied,|you don’t understand our American humour.‖And Tesla was never paid.
| short pause ‖ breathe
Aim for 28–33 seconds.
Words to stress correctly
| originals | o·RI·gi·nals | /ɚˈɪdʒənəlz/ |
| american | a·ME·ri·can | /əˈmɛrəkən/ |
| nonetheless | none·the·LESS | /nʌnðəˈlɛs/ |
| improvement | im·PROVE·ment | /ɪmˈpruvmənt/ |
| completing | com·PLE·ting | /kəmˈplitɪŋ/ |
| understand | un·der·STAND | /ʌndɚˈstænd/ |
73 words, aim 28–33 seconds. $50,000 is read 'fifty thousand dollars'. Breathe after Edison, dollars, designs, originals, task and humour.
Where marks are usually lost
Stress none·the·LESS and un·der·STAND on the last syllable; o·RI·gi·nals, a·ME·ri·can, im·PROVE·ment, com·PLE·ting on the second. Don't pause before $50,000. Keep the endings in promised, designs, originals, paid.
General tip: Say fifty thousand dollars as one smooth phrase; the names Tesla and Edison repeat, so keep them light and let the content words carry the stress.
What it means: 中文 · हिन्दी · नेपाली · Tiếng Việt
中文: 特斯拉从格拉茨来到美国，为托马斯·爱迪生工作。尽管如此，爱迪生给了他一份工作，承诺如果特斯拉能重新设计爱迪生那些容易出故障的直流发电机，就付给他五万美元。新的发电机设计比爱迪生的原版有了巨大改进。完成工作后，特斯拉去找爱迪生领取承诺的五万美元。爱迪生回答说：特斯拉，你不懂我们美国人的幽默。特斯拉从未拿到这笔钱。
हिन्दी: टेस्ला ग्राज़ से आए और थॉमस एडिसन के लिए काम करने लगे। फिर भी एडिसन ने उन्हें नौकरी दी और वादा किया कि अगर टेस्ला एडिसन के बार-बार खराब होने वाले DC जनरेटर डिज़ाइनों को फिर से डिज़ाइन कर दें तो उन्हें पचास हज़ार डॉलर मिलेंगे। नए जनरेटर डिज़ाइन एडिसन के मूल डिज़ाइनों से कहीं बेहतर थे। काम पूरा करके टेस्ला वादे के $50,000 लेने एडिसन के पास गए। एडिसन ने जवाब दिया: टेस्ला, तुम हमारा अमेरिकी हास्य नहीं समझते। और टेस्ला को कभी भुगतान नहीं मिला।
नेपाली: टेस्ला ग्राजबाट आएर थोमस एडिसनका लागि काम गर्न थाले। तैपनि एडिसनले उनलाई जागिर दिए र टेस्लाले एडिसनका बारम्बार बिग्रने DC जेनेरेटर डिजाइनहरू पुनः डिजाइन गर्न सके पचास हजार डलर दिने वाचा गरे। नयाँ जेनेरेटर डिजाइनहरू एडिसनका मूल डिजाइनभन्दा धेरै राम्रा थिए। काम सकेपछि टेस्ला वाचा गरिएको $50,000 लिन एडिसनकहाँ गए। एडिसनले जवाफ दिए: टेस्ला, तिमी हाम्रो अमेरिकी हास्य बुझ्दैनौ। अनि टेस्लालाई कहिल्यै पैसा दिइएन।
Tiếng Việt: Tesla từ Graz sang và làm việc cho Thomas Edison. Dù vậy, Edison vẫn nhận ông vào làm, hứa trả Tesla năm mươi nghìn đô la nếu Tesla thiết kế lại được các mẫu máy phát điện một chiều hay hỏng của Edison. Các thiết kế máy phát mới tốt hơn hẳn bản gốc của Edison. Làm xong việc, Tesla đến gặp Edison để nhận 50.000 đô la đã hứa. Edison đáp: Tesla, anh không hiểu kiểu hài hước Mỹ của chúng tôi. Và Tesla không bao giờ được trả tiền.
More Read Aloud questions
Read Aloud format (Pearson)
| Prompt | Text up to 60 words |
|---|---|
| Preparation | 30–40 seconds |
| Time to answer | Depends on the length of the text |
| Skills assessed | Speaking |
| Scored on | Content; Pronunciation; Oral fluency |
How it is scored
- Content is scored by counting the correct words in your response.
- If you stay silent for more than 3 seconds, the recording stops.
- You can record your response only once.
Source: Pearson, PTE Academic & UKVI test format, Part 1: Speaking & Writing, checked 9 October 2026.