Environmental problems caused by hard rock mining involve water pollution…
Read the text aloud.
Environmental problems caused by hard rock mining involve water pollution by metals themselves, chemicals used in processing, acid drainage, and sediment. Metals and metal-like elements in the ore are toxic and prone to cause trouble by ending up in nearby streams and water tables as a result of mining operations.
Opens question #010033 in the RealPTE practice screen.
How to read it
Environmental problems caused by hard rock mining|involve water pollution by metals themselves,‖chemicals used in processing,|acid drainage,|and sediment.‖Metals and metal-like elements in the ore are toxic|and prone to cause trouble‖by ending up in nearby streams and water tables|as a result of mining operations.
| short pause ‖ breathe
Words to stress correctly
| environmental | en·vi·ron·MEN·tal | /ɪnvaɪrənˈmɛntəl/ |
| operations | op·er·A·tions | /ɑpɚˈeɪʃənz/ |
| pollution | pol·LU·tion | /pəˈluʃən/ |
| themselves | them·SELVES | /ðɛmˈsɛlvz/ |
| processing | PRO·cess·ing | /ˈprɑsɛsɪŋ/ |
| chemicals | CHEM·i·cals | /ˈkɛmɪkəlz/ |
50 words, aim for 19–23 seconds. No numbers. Breathe after themselves, sediment and trouble; pause briefly at each comma of the list chemicals … acid drainage, and sediment.
Where marks are usually lost
Stress en·vi·ron·MEN·tal on the fourth syllable, op·er·A·tions on the third, pol·LU·tion and them·SELVES on the second, PRO·cess·ing and CHEM·i·cals on the first. Keep the -s in problems, metals, chemicals, elements, streams, tables, operations. Don't stall on the very first word Environmental.
General tip: the first word is the longest; take a breath before you start so Environmental comes out in one go.
What it means: 中文 · हिन्दी · नेपाली · Tiếng Việt
中文: 硬岩采矿造成的环境问题包括由金属本身、加工中使用的化学品、酸性排水和沉积物造成的水污染。矿石中的金属和类金属元素有毒，容易因采矿作业而最终进入附近的溪流和地下水位，从而引发问题。
हिन्दी: कठोर चट्टान खनन से होने वाली पर्यावरणीय समस्याओं में स्वयं धातुओं, प्रसंस्करण में प्रयुक्त रसायनों, अम्लीय जल-निकासी और तलछट द्वारा जल प्रदूषण शामिल है। अयस्क में मौजूद धातुएँ और धातु-जैसे तत्व विषैले होते हैं और खनन कार्यों के परिणामस्वरूप पास की धाराओं और भूजल स्तरों में पहुँचकर परेशानी पैदा करने की प्रवृत्ति रखते हैं।
नेपाली: कडा चट्टान खननले निम्त्याउने वातावरणीय समस्याहरूमा धातु आफैँ, प्रशोधनमा प्रयोग हुने रसायन, अम्लीय निकास र थेग्रोबाट हुने जल प्रदूषण पर्छन्। खनिजमा रहेका धातु र धातुजस्ता तत्वहरू विषालु हुन्छन् र खनन कार्यका कारण नजिकका खोला र भूमिगत जलतहमा पुगेर समस्या सिर्जना गर्ने प्रवृत्ति राख्छन्।
Tiếng Việt: Các vấn đề môi trường do khai thác đá cứng gây ra bao gồm ô nhiễm nước bởi chính các kim loại, hóa chất dùng trong chế biến, nước thải axit và trầm tích. Kim loại và các nguyên tố giống kim loại trong quặng rất độc và dễ gây rắc rối khi cuối cùng chảy vào các dòng suối và mực nước ngầm gần đó do hoạt động khai thác.
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.