Each tube-shaped microbot is a sandwich of three materials. A…
Read the text aloud.
Each tube-shaped microbot is a sandwich of three materials. A graphene outer layer, which binds to heavy metals. A middle layer of nickel, which gives the bots magnetic polarity, so they can be pulled through wastewater with magnets. And platinum inside—for propulsion. Just add a bit of peroxide to the wastewater, and it'll react with the platinum to form water and oxygen bubbles, which propel the tubes along.
Opens question #010023 in the RealPTE practice screen.
How to read it
Each tube-shaped microbot is a sandwich of three materials.‖A graphene outer layer,|which binds to heavy metals.‖A middle layer of nickel,|which gives the bots magnetic polarity,‖so they can be pulled through wastewater with magnets.‖And platinum inside—for propulsion.‖Just add a bit of peroxide to the wastewater,|and it'll react with the platinum‖to form water and oxygen bubbles,|which propel the tubes along.
| short pause ‖ breathe
Aim for 26–31 seconds.
Words to stress correctly
| materials | ma·TE·ri·als | /məˈtɪriəlz/ |
| polarity | po·LA·ri·ty | /poʊˈlɛrəti/ |
| propulsion | pro·PUL·sion | /prəˈpʌlʃən/ |
| magnetic | mag·NE·tic | /mæɡˈnɛtɪk/ |
| peroxide | pe·ROX·ide | /pɚˈɑksaɪd/ |
| wastewater | WASTE·wa·ter | /ˈweɪstwɔtɚ/ |
68 words, aim 26–31 seconds. No figures; 'three' is written out. Breathe after materials, metals, polarity, magnets, propulsion and platinum. The dash in 'inside—for propulsion' is a short pause only.
Where marks are usually lost
Stress ma·TE·ri·als, po·LA·ri·ty, pro·PUL·sion, mag·NE·tic, pe·ROX·ide on the second syllable and WASTE·wa·ter on the first. Don't hesitate before graphene or platinum. Keep the -s in materials, binds, metals, bots, magnets, bubbles, tubes.
General tip: 'A graphene outer layer…' and 'A middle layer of nickel…' are fragments, not full sentences; read each as a list item with a falling tone, not a rising question tone.
What it means: 中文 · हिन्दी · नेपाली · Tiếng Việt
中文: 每个管状微型机器人都是由三种材料构成的“三明治”。外层是石墨烯，能与重金属结合。中间一层是镍，赋予机器人磁极性，这样就能用磁铁把它们拉过废水。内部是铂，用于推进。只需往废水中加一点过氧化物，它就会与铂反应生成水和氧气气泡，推动这些小管前进。
हिन्दी: हर नली के आकार का माइक्रोबॉट तीन सामग्रियों का सैंडविच है। बाहरी परत ग्राफीन की, जो भारी धातुओं से जुड़ती है। बीच की परत निकल की, जो बॉट को चुंबकीय ध्रुवता देती है ताकि उन्हें चुंबकों से गंदे पानी में खींचा जा सके। और अंदर प्लैटिनम—प्रणोदन के लिए। गंदे पानी में थोड़ा पेरोक्साइड डालें, वह प्लैटिनम से क्रिया करके पानी और ऑक्सीजन के बुलबुले बनाएगा, जो नलियों को आगे धकेलते हैं।
नेपाली: हरेक नली आकारको माइक्रोबोट तीन सामग्रीको स्यान्डविच हो। बाहिरी तह ग्राफिनको, जसले भारी धातुसँग जोडिन्छ। बीचको तह निकलको, जसले बोटलाई चुम्बकीय ध्रुवता दिन्छ, ताकि तिनलाई चुम्बकले फोहोर पानीभित्र तान्न सकियोस्। अनि भित्र प्लाटिनम—धकेल्नका लागि। फोहोर पानीमा अलिकति पेरोक्साइड हाल्नुहोस्, त्यो प्लाटिनमसँग प्रतिक्रिया गरेर पानी र अक्सिजनका फोका बनाउँछ, जसले नलीहरूलाई अगाडि धकेल्छ।
Tiếng Việt: Mỗi vi robot hình ống là một “bánh kẹp” gồm ba vật liệu. Lớp ngoài là graphene, bám vào kim loại nặng. Lớp giữa là nickel, tạo cho robot tính phân cực từ, nhờ đó có thể dùng nam châm kéo chúng qua nước thải. Bên trong là platinum—để đẩy. Chỉ cần thêm chút peroxide vào nước thải, nó sẽ phản ứng với platinum tạo ra nước và bọt oxy, đẩy các ống tiến lên.
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.